Oil Pressure Gauge Frozen (I think)

[Potter1]

Has anyone had an oil pressure gauge or similar instrument frozen on them?

I got my aircraft out of the hangar on Sunday after 2 months inside. I toughly checked everything. Engine started fine. Other people wanted their aircraft out behind me so I immediately moved off to clear the entrance.

Parked up and started checking everything inside. Fuel pressure ok, Cylinder temp ok, oil temp rising ok, oil pressure ZERO.

I immediately shut down, checked the oil contents and everything seemed ok. Talking with several people, they were saying that the engine would have seized in the 3 or 4 minutes the engine was running if there had really been no oil pressure, and they said that in the current weather conditions the instrument may well have been frozen or have condensation in it, and suggested that a hair dryer for 10 – 15 minutes would solve the problem. Not having a hair dryer to hand it will have to wait until next weekend.

In hindsight I know I should have checked the pressure within the first few moments of the engine starting, but there you go….


Has anyone else had a similar problem recently, or offer advice?

Thanks,

P….

[SlipSlider]

What engine/aeroplane type? I believe some Continentals such as A65, C85 and C90 especially in tailwheel a/c can lose oil drained from the pump itself if unused for a long time; this causes cavitation in the pump and no oil pressure on start up, and can be corrected either by lifting the tail to get oil in to the pump or by adding oil direct to the pump (can't remember exactly how from memory, I'd need to look it up). Surprised at the oil temp rising in 3-4 mins in such cold weather, our C85 only reads in the air when its very cold.
Slip

[A and C]

Potter 1

I fear that you have you have been instructed to use the check list as a "do list ".

To save expencive bills on start up once the engine is started you should from memory check that the starter relay light is out and the oil pressure is rising this takes about 30 seconds once this is done then pick up the check list and run it from the top to CHECK that the vital things have been done.

I have seen it take up to 2 min for people to pick up the check list and get around to the oil presure this is more than enough time to wreck an engine , fortunatly engines are much more reliable that the gauges and it is very unusual for the engine to not be producing oil presure.

As for your problem get an engineer to fit a direct reading gauge to the engine , this will be fitted into one of the oil gallerys and will show pressure usualy when turning the engine on the starter motor.
If you do have pressure then run the engine for a wile to see if warming it up fixes the problem but I think it is more likely that you will be buying a new gauge or sender unit.