Semi Emergency today

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BrianL99
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Semi Emergency today

Post by BrianL99 »

I'm cruising at 3000', with flight following in Class C airspace, about 4 miles from KMHT.

EFIS shows red warning: "Oil Pressure 0". All other numbers in the green and the airplane is running fine. (There is a intermittent PFD/EIFS anomaly, that the EFIS info sometimes disappears for a few seconds or more, but I've never seen this particular issue).

Shut off the tunes, so I won't be distracted by Steppenwolf. Maintain altitude. Hit "Nearest" on the GPS and start aggressively looking out the window to see what's around. About to call ATC, when the Oil Pressure came back to normal.

So what would you have done?
Flocker
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by Flocker »

I'm guessing if oil pressure went to zero... you would know it immediately. (without gauges)
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drdehave
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by drdehave »

Go to the left front (looking forward) of the engine by the oil filter and find where the oil pressure electrical wire connects to the sensor. Ensure that line and connection are good and solid, there is not a burned, frayed, or damaged wire--and, most important, there is not a drop or two of oil where the sensor and line meet (i.e., at the spade-foot connection). In fact, pull that spade-foot off, then rinse (electrical connection spray cleaner) it and the sensor post and dry carefully.

I once had a few drops of oil from a very slightly leaking valve cover short out one CHT sensor and flash me CHT warning lights.

If the oil temperature remained constant, while your zero oil pressure was indicating, it would have been unlikely you actually lost oil pressure; loss of pressure would cause rapid oil temperature increase.

If the issue is not a faulty connection, replacement of the sensor would be my next step.

"So what would you have done?" Been there, done that--just what you did, headed for the nearest--and the issue went away, in route!
Last edited by drdehave on Thu Sep 25, 2014 9:59 am, edited 7 times in total.
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Jim Stewart
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by Jim Stewart »

Assuming you have a 912, if the oll pressure actually went to zero I don't think it would come back until the problem is fixed. I've had a flaky connection on my oil pressure sender cause erratic readings. I've also had a failed fuel pressure sender. I don't have a lot of faith in those VDO senders.

Keep in mind that loss of oil pressure in a 912 does not mean a seize-up within seconds. I understand that they will run quite a while, usually long enough for you to find a place to land. That said, you did the right thing.
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Wm.Ince
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by Wm.Ince »

Jim Stewart wrote:. . . "Keep in mind that loss of oil pressure in a 912 does not mean a seize-up within seconds. I understand that they will run quite a while, usually long enough for you to find a place to land." . . .
That is not what Dean Vogel says at Lockwood Aviation. He teaches the Rotax maintenance courses there.
During both courses I took from Lockwood recently, on more than one occasion, he emphasized (foot stomped!) that the 912 will not run without oil. Lack of oil, the engine will fail in short order.

If you have valid data contrary to this, please point me to it.
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FastEddieB
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by FastEddieB »

For iffy connectors, Cirrus pilots swear by this:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywor ... 21czd940_e

Expensive, but a little goes a long, long ways.

We're all primed to think "It's probably just a connector/sender", because it usually is. But one should initially respond as Brian did, as if its real. One day it might be!
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deltafox
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by deltafox »

Reference: http://lsaeronaut.blogspot.com/2014/08/ ... ssure.html

I had to replace the Honeywell sender last month. Evidently it is not uncommon for that part to fail, I was glad mine did it on the ground. It sounds to me like you handled the situation well.
Dave
Jim Stewart
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by Jim Stewart »

Wm.Ince wrote:
Jim Stewart wrote:. . . "Keep in mind that loss of oil pressure in a 912 does not mean a seize-up within seconds. I understand that they will run quite a while, usually long enough for you to find a place to land." . . .
That is not what Dean Vogel says at Lockwood Aviation. He teaches the Rotax maintenance courses there.
During both courses I took from Lockwood recently, on more than one occasion, he emphasized (foot stomped!) that the 912 will not run without oil. Lack of oil, the engine will fail in short order.

If you have valid data contrary to this, please point me to it.
I don't have valid data, just a recollection of an online article I read about 5 years ago. I'm not about to argue with Vogel though.
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Wm.Ince
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by Wm.Ince »

Jim Stewart wrote:
Wm.Ince wrote:
Jim Stewart wrote:. . . "Keep in mind that loss of oil pressure in a 912 does not mean a seize-up within seconds. I understand that they will run quite a while, usually long enough for you to find a place to land." . . .
That is not what Dean Vogel says at Lockwood Aviation. He teaches the Rotax maintenance courses there.
During both courses I took from Lockwood recently, on more than one occasion, he emphasized (foot stomped!) that the 912 will not run without oil. Lack of oil, the engine will fail in short order.

If you have valid data contrary to this, please point me to it.
I don't have valid data, just a recollection of an online article I read about 5 years ago. I'm not about to argue with Vogel though.
Jim,

If you recall that article, I would be interested in reading it.
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MrMorden
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by MrMorden »

My oil pressure sender has given low indications several times. I have replaced it, moved it to the firewall, and done some rather extreme grounding on it. It seems to be good now (I think the grounding was the trick), but I have had it in flight a couple of times previously read very close to zero. I know what's happening, and the CHT's and oil temp stay steady so it's obviously a sender issue. But I still always treat is as if it's really a problem and land ASAP, because I don't want to be "that guy" on an NTSB report that ignored a potentially dangerous engine indication just because "in the past it has always just been a sender issue".
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CTLSi
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by CTLSi »

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Last edited by CTLSi on Sun Nov 30, 2014 8:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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snaproll
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by snaproll »

Right move - closest airport while looking for a place to land if you can't make the airport.. Not sure about Rotax, but a Continental, Lycoming, and Franklin will run from 5 to 10 minutes before seizing with pulled metal from the main and rod bearings. Have seen a Continental actually go 14 minutes during an oil additive test in the late 50's at Flabob airport - done on purpose and paid for by Bardahl Manufacturing while trying to prove their product. Doubt if Rotax seizes up any different than other engines.
BrianL99
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by BrianL99 »

Thanks for the responses, guys.

So what I did, was ...

When the oil pressure came up within a minute or so, at least as far as I could tell, it immediately jumped back to the "normal" range. In other words, it didn't gently climb from 0- 43, it just went right to the green.

So I headed toward a fairly large, non-controlled airport that I knew well. The airport was marginally within gliding distance (I probably would have needed 2-3 minutes of engine run time to make it there). Had the oil pressure fluctuated again, I would have landed there, but it didn't.

There were no unusual temperature or pressure indications on the EFIS.

I then continue my flight, keeping an eye on the EFIS for anomalies.

I'll open myself up for criticism of my decision making process, because that's how we all learn.

A. I was flying in the middle of the afternoon, on a CAVU day, over an area that I knew fairly well and have driven and overflown, 1000's of times.
B. I knew the PFD/EFIS was prone to anomalies.
C. The engine exhibited no indications that anything was amiss.
D. In spite of having only about 15 hours in the airplane, I'm comfortable with my ability to get it on the ground under most any circumstances.
E. At 3500', I had 4 major airports in view and for the balance of my flight, I would never be more than 10 miles away from an airport.
F. My airplane has a parachute.
Last edited by BrianL99 on Thu Sep 25, 2014 7:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
CTLSi
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Re: Semi Emergency today

Post by CTLSi »

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