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CTLS 912 oil funnel


ejb_64CT

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Does anyone have a recommendation for an oil filter funnel that works through the dipstick door?

 

I find the double 90deg bend getting to the tank spout hard to use without making a mess. 

 

I wind up taking the cowling off just to add oil when I'm at home. I hate to think what I'd do on a cross country.

 

thanks in advance

 

Ed Baker

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Does anyone have a recommendation for an oil filter funnel that works through the dipstick door?

 

I find the double 90deg bend getting to the tank spout hard to use without making a mess. 

 

I wind up taking the cowling off just to add oil when I'm at home. I hate to think what I'd do on a cross country.

 

thanks in advance

 

Ed Baker

 

Harbor Freight has an aluminum funnel with a long jointed neck that works perfectly.  It will bend and hold and when you are done bend the tip up or put a rag on the end.  No need to pull the cowling.

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You should not have to add oil. Either your gurgle oil level check is lying to you which is very common or you have a leak or engine issue that needs to be fixed. If you have no oil in the exhaust or on the bottom of the plane or all over the engine I wouldn't be adding oil. 

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ejb,

 

Try auto parts stores for funnels; I just got another fuel filter/funnel for

my refueling process; < $5.00.

 

Also, burping early, post-flight ( 10 mins after shutdown ),

gets me all the oil that I want to see:

 

the oil level is above the flat part of the dipstick ( and it's still there the

next day ).

 

 

RH

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Thanks to all. 

 

I picked up a Lisle 17232 Right Angle funnel at the local NAPA store and it fits perfectly. You can see a picture of it on Amazon.  

 

This winter was the first time I ever had to add any oil. The stick was right at the bottom of the flat zone for a long time. But, slowly got to about 1/4" below it when I decided to add a little. 

 

Now, a real Homer Simpson "Doh",  it's reading about 1/4" above the flat zone. I'm going to let a little out just to get used to how much it takes to get it right. 

 

Also, I'm using the AeroShell Sport +4 oil and run on 100LL fuel. 

 

regards. 

Ed

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Hi Ed,

 

No harm, no foul. We all have learned this over many years. I have done the same.

 

"This winter was the first time I ever had to add any oil. The stick was right at the bottom of the flat zone for a long time. But, slowly got to about 1/4" below it when I decided to add a little. 

 

Now, a real Homer Simpson "Doh",  it's reading about 1/4" above the flat zone. I'm going to let a little out just to get used to how much it takes to get it right. "

 

 

The oil level check can and does lie. Yes it can be reasonably accurate too. If you don't have oil in the exhaust, oil all over the engine or oil all over the bottom of the plane then you aren't using any oil. The level and the amount on the stick at times will be different from engine to engine (like a different personality) and can be different depending on the seasonal OAT. Use the oil level check as a guide and not an absolute. If it shows up low on the dipstick then go out and run it and then check it again. 

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Ed,
I use the Hopkins FloTool depicted in the attached photo. It can be purchased at any major autoparts chain - Pep Boys, AutoZone, O'Reilly - or online.
It threads onto the oil bottle in place of the normal bottle cap. It has an attached tube which is long and flexible enough to easily reach through the cowling access door and into the oil reservoir. It has an in-line valve which allows you to leave it closed until the tube is in place and then dispense just the amount of oil you want - with no drips. The hose is clear plastic so you can see what's happening. After filling I leave the oil bottle setting on the ground for a minute with the valve open so all the oil in the tube runs back into the bottle. I then close the valve again. There is also a stopper on the end of the plastic tube to contain any oil film remaining in the tube.
The only bit of bad news is it doesn't quite thread onto AeroShell oil bottles perfectly - but its close enough for Army work (half-full glass advocates would point out that the imperfect fit allows pressure equalization at altitude which would not be possible with a proper seal).
I carry a partial bottle of oil around with me always, with this device attached, in case its needed on a long cross-country. I have a pouch on the outside of the control actuator protection frame in the cargo bay that holds the bottle and tube in the vertical position so as not to make a mess in case the attachment leaks.
Mike Koerner

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Thanks to all. 

 

I picked up a Lisle 17232 Right Angle funnel at the local NAPA store and it fits perfectly. You can see a picture of it on Amazon.  

 

This winter was the first time I ever had to add any oil. The stick was right at the bottom of the flat zone for a long time. But, slowly got to about 1/4" below it when I decided to add a little. 

 

Now, a real Homer Simpson "Doh",  it's reading about 1/4" above the flat zone. I'm going to let a little out just to get used to how much it takes to get it right. 

 

Also, I'm using the AeroShell Sport +4 oil and run on 100LL fuel. 

 

regards. 

Ed

 

Mid flat is the sweet spot.  It's okay to have it to the top of the flat and the bottom, but if you let it get to the bottom you could get below the bottom during a flight...not good.

 

After the sport upgrade the oil was changed and the filter was not tightened properly.  On the flight home I had oil all over the bottom of the plane.  Luckily the oil level didn't get below the bottom of the flat on the stick.  I tightened the oil filter and cleaned the plane and added oil back.  Check for oil on the radiator fins, around the oil filter and the bottom of the plane as part of your preflight esp if you have much oil level fluctation.

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