Anybody using synthetic oil. What brand? what weight. What Cost? How long between oil changes?

I've used either Aeroshell 15/50 or Exxon Elite 20/50 for many years in both work and personal airplanes. These are both semi synthetic based oils, NOT true synthetics. I don't believe there are any true synthetic oils for aircraft use on the market at the moment.

Exxon has a good deal at Oshkosh and Sun n Fun, where they discount the price of the oil, and ship it for free. I started using Elite because of that--wound up being a lot cheaper than any other multi grade oil, especially when I lived in Fairbanks. Don't know what the cost is, since I buy it once a year or so (haven't ordered any for two years now).

I change oil at 25 hours, if it's convenient. I have an oil filter, so recommended oil change interval is 50 for my engine, with a filter change. I generally change oil at 25 and oil and filter at 50. Oil is the cheapest thing you put in an airplane.

For those who say Aeroshell 15/50 is bad oil, note that UND's entire fleet operates on the stuff. They go to TBO, and they don't use much oil, and that's as hard a use as you'll find, short of NOT using an engine at all. And, that is well over 100 engines.

The worst thing you can do to an aircraft engine is to NOT fly it.

MTV

Many many folks ask about this. Always use a mineral oil for break in. Change oil and filter at 25 hours with analysis until you get at least 100 hours. All of the aircraft oils that I see are straight grade mineral oil. Mineral oils that are blended with synthetics are just ear and eye candy. Not that a synthetic is not better. Oil is your engine's blood - Treat it as such. I always change the filter when I change the oil. I always use the analogy that goes like this - Changing the oil and not the filter is like taking a shower and putting your old shorts back on. Oil addatives are another joke.

leeschaumberg wrote:Mineral oils that are blended with synthetics are just ear and eye candy. . Oil addatives are another joke.

I call Bullshit on that one.

Aeroshell 15/50 here. Change it every 35 hrs. Oil and filter. Also use Tempest oil filters from A/C Spruce. And I add a can of Avblend at each changeing of the "blood". Continental O-520 11qts. aeroshell/1pt. Avblend

Gary

I'm with Scout. There are significant benefits to semi synthetic oils. In essence, you get many of the benefits of both types of oil.

Also, talk to Lycoming about ASL Camguard, an additive. Lycoming has now approved the stuff in their engines, which is virtually a first, and they say that it has an additive package that is not available in any aircraft oil.

Check out ASL Camguard. I've used it for a number of years now, and use it at every oil change.

Talk to some lubricants experts, and you'll find that both semi synthetics and a VERY FEW additives are indeed good for your engine.

MTV

I used to use Aeroshell 15W-50, but now use Phillips 20W-50 and CamGuard based on data from multiple sources, not the least of which is Aviation Consumer. Getting good oil analysis to support the change.

Like previously mentioned, you can only buy a blend for airplane engines, not a full synthetic.

The problem with full synthetic oil is that, so far at least, they cannot hold lead in suspension as petroleum based oil or semi-synthetics can. Mobil tried it with the AV-1 and it was a catastrophy. The lead blocked oil passages and bearing got spun etc. etc.

When, or if, they get the lead out of aviation fuel, you'll likely see full synthetics marketed for aircraft engines.

bumper wrote:The problem with full synthetic oil is that, so far at least, they cannot hold lead in suspension as petroleum based oil or semi-synthetics can. Mobil tried it with the AV-1 and it was a catastrophy. The lead blocked oil passages and bearing got spun etc. etc.

When, or if, they get the lead out of aviation fuel, you'll likely see full synthetics marketed for aircraft engines.

As substantiated by Ed Kollin, the chemist who developed CamGuard, Corrosion X and Rejex, my thought is why use a semi-synthetic for the above reason? PAO basestocks are the worst formulation for controlling the lead blow-by. I'm a big fan of synthetic oils and run Mobil 1 in just about everything I have, but as long as there is lead in avgas, I'll use something like Phillips 20W-50 and CamGuard, and have the benefit of a multiseason oil and the best corrosion/wear protection available. Makes too much sense.

You might want to peek at the thread on Maulepilots.org

http://maulepilots.org/forums/viewtopic ... sc&start=0

TomD wrote:You might want to peek at the thread on Maulepilots.org

http://maulepilots.org/forums/viewtopic ... sc&start=0

Gosh Tom, you made us read three pages to get to this

Found the article in Aviation Consumer Feb 2005 on CamGuard and oils protection against corrosion. If you subscribe you can view the article online, if not, you can purchase the report.

Here's a brief summary of what they found. Metal was heated to 200 degrees, dipped in oil, then suspended and photographed for 14 days. The results were shown as % of area showing rust.

Multi-grades performed best.
Exxon Elite 61%
Aeroshell 15W50 66%
Phillips 20W50 Type M 69%

Single grades, despite conventional wisdom, did much worse:
Aeroshell 100 & 120 both 97% (same as unprotected sample)
Aeroshell W100Plus 81%

Now the CamGuard, big improvement:
Exxon Elite 17%
Aeroshell 15W50 12%
Phillips 20W50 Type M 8%
Aeroshell W100 Plus 22%
Aeroshell 100 79%

Where do you guys buy your CamGuard?

Is any one sending oil to a lab for analyses? Where and how much?

All our farm equipment and truck oil/fluids I send to CAT for fluid analyses, $13. Good to have a long term trend as to the condition of the oil/fluid. I have thought about sending the plane oil to CAT also just to establish a trend.

Bill

mtv wrote: I generally change oil at 25 and oil and filter at 50. Oil is the cheapest thing you put in an airplane.

Ditto.

Little story; Jack Johnson, owner of Texas Skyways is a good friend of mine. He's been in the business of building, selling and warranting piston engines for close to 50 years. After tearing down countless engines he has come to one conclusion:

"Pretty much all the oil out there is good stuff. I'm sure some are better than others. That's not important though. The important thing is that in my experience, engines don't care what oil you are running as long as it's cool, clean and changed often. Oil's cheap, engines are expensive."

Sorry, Scout. Did not know how to pick out a single page.

Flat Country:

Is any one sending oil to a lab for analyses? Where and how much?

I have been using Blackstone Labs http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

for several years and am pretty happy w/ their reports. I tried the lab Exxon uses and was not impressed with service or answers when I called.

TD

N4653B wrote:

mtv wrote: I generally change oil at 25 and oil and filter at 50. Oil is the cheapest thing you put in an airplane.

Ditto.

Little story; Jack Johnson, owner of Texas Skyways is a good friend of mine. He's been in the business of building, selling and warranting piston engines for close to 50 years. After tearing down countless engines he has come to one conclusion:

"Pretty much all the oil out there is good stuff. I'm sure some are better than others. That's not important though. The important thing is that in my experience, engines don't care what oil you are running as long as it's cool, clean and changed often. Oil's cheap, engines are expensive."

Exactly. That's why I buy Phillips 20W-50 for $36/case, add CamGuard for extra protection and change it often. Why pay over $50/case when you don't have to?

Flat Country Pilot wrote:Where do you guys buy your CamGuard?

Is any one sending oil to a lab for analyses? Where and how much?

All our farm equipment and truck oil/fluids I send to CAT for fluid analyses, $13. Good to have a long term trend as to the condition of the oil/fluid. I have thought about sending the plane oil to CAT also just to establish a trend.

Bill

All my analysis goes to my local Cat dealer. It is 14.00 bucks and well worth it. They probably have the best testing equiptment around too. Just warn them up front it is an engine using lead added to the fuel or you will get the " warning/ high lead levels, check your bearings" thing.