Lycoming oil grade for colder weather

[piperboy84]

Now it's getting colder and I'm looking out the long johns should I also consider oil grade for the winter, till now I've used aero shell w80 year round , I know other guys with lycoming engines switch according season. Any thoughts ?

[Small Rodent Driver]

Being something of a Luddite, I tend not to trust modern multigrades. I therefore use Aeroshell W100 plus in the summer months and W80 plus once the clocks go back.

SRD

[POBJOY]

Oil In Winter

It depends on what you call cold.
In America they 'preheat' and use the correct grade to suit time of year.
For the UK the Shell 15-50 does fine and has the Lycoming additive.
You need quick flow and pressure to reduce wear,and regular use works wonders.

[Above The Clouds]

I use 15w 50 all year round in the UK plus it has the required Lycoming additive change it every 25 hours or 6 months whichever comes first.

[On-MarkBob]

Oil Grades

Firstly, the Lycoming Engine was designed many years ago when multi-grade oils were not generally available and a certain amount of their design was dependant on the best oil available at the time. I am personally drawn to this fact and would sooner use what was recommended by the manufacturer at the time. Lycoming doesn't commit itself entirely to any, and simply recommends the use of a particular grade. Let it be known that there is no definite approval for engine oils, only that they have to meet a certain specification. You didn't specify the engine model and this also has a factor. The Lycoming TIO-360 would be better left on 100 grade oil, whereas a Lycoming O-235 G or H would be better on 80 all year round regardless. However, when all said and done, the aircraft manufacturer's recommendation is the over-riding factor and not Lycoming. This is because of the design of the aircraft, the engine installation, the cowling, the oil cooler system and so on. Read your flight manual or operators handbook or consult the aircraft manufacturers literature or type certificate. One thing is for sure, spend the money and add the Lycoming oil additive at every oil change even if is not a mandatory requirement. Note that legally speaking, you can't make it up as you go along, the aircraft manufacturer's recommendation is your first option and then Lycoming's, unless you wish to apply for a minor modification, approval or dispensation to use any other.
Rgs. Bob.

[RatherBeFlying]

The majority of engine wear happens during startup.

Part of that comes from reduced clearances as different metals shrink at different rates.

You want a lubricant that persists in all those small spaces.

As for my aircraft, as long as the winch or towplane works, I'm happy

[wanabee777]

Winter and the oil in your aircraft's engine

https://transairpilotshop.wordpress....crafts-engine/

[Big Pistons Forever]

Originally Posted by RatherBeFlying

The majority of engine wear happens during startup.

^ What he said. I use Philips 20W50 in my Grumman AA1 ( Lycoming O 235 ), and Philips 25W60 in my Nanchang Cj6 ( Husoi 9 cylinder radial).

I find that after I switched from a single grade oil I got virtually instantaneous oil pressure after start up vs a bit of wait before the oil pressure started to move.

One of the things that is not well understood is that the principal difference between straight and multi grade oil is that the single grade oil basically has the same viscosity as multi grade oil when it is at operating temperature, that is both will pour like apple juice. However when cold the single grade will be thick and hard to move while the multi grade will still be thin and move easily through the engine oil passages, hence why it reduces engine wear at start up.

I find it odd why so many pilots are so resistant to technological improvements. Multi grade oil is just the next step in the steady improvement of engine oils that started with straight caster oil in rotary engines, moved through mineral oils and then ashless dispersent oils to todays multi grades.

In any case the number one determinate in engine life is regular use. For maximum life the longest interval between flights should not exceed 2 weeks, and please, please don't just run the aircraft on the ground; that is the worse thing you can do to the poor engine

[9 lives]

In America they 'preheat' and use the correct grade to suit time of year.

Yup, and in Canada even more so (unless Canada is "America" for this purpose ).

If the oil is too thick to start, it, and the engine, are too cold to be started - preheat both of them!

My O-200 specifies 80 weight oil, so that's whats in it year 'round. If colder than +5C, I'll preheat with an engine blanket. Down to -25C has never been a problem for the O-200. Colder than that, I rethink needing to fly. Though my record was ferrying a 172 from central Quebec, when the temperature at departure was -40.

[wanabee777]

In northern Maine, I was told that when temperatures got really cold, pilots would, after shut down, immediately drain the oil and take it inside to be kept warm on a wood stove and ready for the next start.

I used to use a "Red Dragon" engine pre-heater and learned early to never allow the 3# propane tank to get too cold because the propane wouldn't sustain enough pressure to fire the pre-heater.

At temperatures below 0° F, engine starting got to be a real challenge. Taking the battery inside to keep it at room temperature really helped getting enough juice to the starter for the next cold start.

[N-Jacko]

PB, I believe that the definitive Lycoming service instruction is number 1014M:

http://http://www.lycoming.com/Portals/0/techpublications/serviceinstructions/SI%201014M%20(05-22-1995)/Lubricating%20Oil%20Recommendations.pdf

The SI recommends 15W50 for all temperatures and my A&P recommends Total Aero DM 15W50, so that's what I use year-round in my MX-7-180. Winter starts are quick and oil pressure immediate. It is readily available all over Europe, although my engine runs almost from one oil change to the next without top up.

I understand the argument in favour of old-style oil for old-type engines but I don't buy it - any more than I would choose to run a Lycosaurus engine without a cartridge oil filter or engine monitor just because it was common practice to do so before WW2.

[SpannerInTheWerks]

Being something of a Luddite, I tend not to trust modern multigrades. I therefore use Aeroshell W100 plus in the summer months and W80 plus once the clocks go back.

I was always told, rightly or wrongly, lower temperature, lower number - 100 in the summer, 80 in the winter.

[9 lives]

lower temperature, lower number - 100 in the summer, 80 in the winter.

Provided the engine manufacturer approves the use of both grades

[A and C]

Spanner

It is worthwhile looking at your aircraft usage as the OAT any place north of Birmingham is unlikely to get above the requirement for 80 grade oil even in mid summer.