Oil drippage EVERYWHERE!

[SgtPappy]

Ah that's interesting.

Now is this, as Treize69 puts it, 'British engineering' or is it something that's common on all piston aeroengines? Widewing already stated that Twin Wasps leak a lot.

If so, I guess there is just no way to keep oil completely sealed in every system it lubricates.

[Charge]

"Now is this, as Treize69 puts it, 'British engineering' or is it something that's common on all piston aeroengines?"

I have seen pictures of both 109s and 190s with rather messy bellies so I'd think it is quite normal.

And bluish smoke in start-ups, I'd think thats oil burning. Did those engines even have valve guide seals at all?

-C+

[Treize69]

I was just being my normal anglo-degrading self. Please to be taking with a grain of salt.

[horble]

And everywhere else. Gotta love British 'engineering'.

There's a Lucas Electrics joke in there somewhere 

[Widewing]

There's a Lucas Electrics joke in there somewhere  

Ah, Lucas, Prince of Darkness..... Every Brit car I ever owned (many) would have baffled Tesla.


My regards,

Widewing

[SgtPappy]

I was just being my normal anglo-degrading self. Please to be taking with a grain of salt.

Oh pft. Don't worry bout it Treize. What I said was simply just quoting you; I'm sure none of us take offense.

Yes, Charge. Blue smoke means oil is burning. I'm not sure, but from what I've heard, Allison engines had more complicated, but better valve systems than the Merlin. There are, after all, a lot of innovations in current piston engines like valve taper, fuel injection and other things that make todays engines super-efficient.

That is weird though. You'd think for such awesome engines, valve guides and seals would be much better suited to keeping oil out of the manifolds.

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Radials do not leak. They're just marking their territory. (Sign seen under an F4U)

[Saxman]

Radials do not leak. They're just marking their territory. (Sign seen under an F4U)

I like that one.

[Hornet33]

Look WWII aircraft are kinda like Harely Davidson motorcycles. If they aint leaking something there's a problem.




You just have to nod your head and repeat this phrase, "I believe" over and over again.

[phatzo]

Look WWII aircraft are kinda like Harely Davidson motorcycles. If they aint leaking something there's a problem.




You just have to nod your head and repeat this phrase, "I believe" over and over again.

I was actually going to mention BSA and triumph. Oil leaks and the prince of darkness.

[colmbo]

A lot of the oil that ends up under a radial gets there during startup when it's puked out of the lower cylinders.

Those "leaks" you see under aircraft that stream back from airflow are many times oil breather lines.

Even a small amount of oil spilled onto the engine when adding oil makes a big mess.

No reason a radial is going to leak any more than any other piston engine if well maintained.  The problem being there are about a bazillion places for small leaks to occur...such as each end of the pushrod tubes.

[Tails]

The problem being there are about a bazillion places for small leaks to occur...such as each end of the pushrod tubes.

Doesn't help that, on a radial, 1/4 to 1/3 of the cylinders are upside down...

Now that I think of it, I wonder how messy V and inline inverts were? I've never had the pleasure of wrenching on any, so I wouldn't know.

[SgtPappy]

And I suppose the technology put into making oils and the smaller, more precise tolerances and clearances in engine measurements allow for much less, if any oil leakages in current vehicles.

[Strip]

PCV systems and better sealing materials.....

[Tails]

And I suppose the technology put into making oils and the smaller, more precise tolerances and clearances in engine measurements allow for much less, if any oil leakages in current vehicles.

It may also be just a simple matter of fewer places to leak from. Unlike aviation engines, the cylinders in most automotive engines, for the last few decades anyways, are formed into one or two banks that connect to the crank case. This is contrasted with aviation engines, and even some motorcycle engines, where the cylinders attach individually. Fewer mating surfaces means fewer places for leaks to start.