Engine Oil and Lubrication Systems

Oil cools, seals, cleans and protects. Wet-sump engines carry oil in the crankcase and are checked on the engine, while dry-sump engines draw from a separate tank and have a different required check procedure — the wrong procedure produces a wrong reading either way.

Use only the specified ashless-dispersant or multiviscosity grade. Automotive oils containing friction modifiers can damage aircraft engines. Filters and screens trap wear metal, so cutting a filter open at each oil change and inspecting it for flakes, fuzz or chunks is a core diagnostic rather than a formality: aluminium, steel and copper each point at a different failing part.

Spectrometric oil analysis trends microscopic metals between changes and can catch rising wear before failure. Watch pressure, temperature and consumption against the book limits, and treat any sudden change as a finding with a cause. Service drain plugs, screens and filters with fresh seals at the specified torque.