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On the plans there is a note that an access hole is not needed on the cowl to fill the oil. Can the oil be topped off if needed without removing the cowl? I see that I can reach the dip stick with no problem through the front air inlet.

Gripdana wrote:On the plans there is a note that an access hole is not needed on the cowl to fill the oil. Can the oil be topped off if needed without removing the cowl? I see that I can reach the dip stick with no problem through the front air inlet.

Hi Dana,

I had experimented with a couple of ways to add oil as my previous Sonex/Aerovee had no oil door in the cowl. At first I tried adding oil through the dipstick tube using a syringe with a small piece of clear tubing on it. That worked but was slow and messy. Then at ASA I seen that Richard (Dick) Martin had added an oil fill inside of his fuel filler opening by using a 90º fitting attached to a small oil hose going to a connection on the oil breather plate.

I made a similar set up and it worked but it wasn't real fast. If only needing to top up the oil on a cross country it worked pretty well. I used a 90º brass plumbing fitting with a brass cap inside the filler box. IIRC the oil hose was 1/2 or 5/8" diameter. I thought I could find a pic but I haven't yet ...

Dale
N319WF

***EDIT*** Here is an idea for a fitting that could be riveted inside the filler box. Admittedly there isn't much room in there to do this.

If your cowl is un-painted or you are still building, fitting an oil fill door is pretty simple. I did mine with a round aluminum cover about the size of the other inspection panels and used nut plates to hold it. At home I usually have the cowling off enough times for other reasons that I don't need the opening, but I have used it often enough to be glad I installed it. Other builders have spent the time to install hinges and recessed latches which look great and are easier to use than mine at a cost of more time. After flying for 3 years I'm glad I spent a couple of hours installing an oil filler access opening, taking the cowl off to add 4 ounces of oil and then re-installing the cowl would take all the time I had for flying on most days.

Thanks. I will be doing a door. I don't want to remove the cowl to add oil. I thought I read somewhere that you could fill the oil without. But I think they meant oil could be checked with out.

wlarson861 wrote:If your cowl is un-painted or you are still building, fitting an oil fill door is pretty simple. I did mine with a round aluminum cover about the size of the other inspection panels and used nut plates to hold it. At home I usually have the cowling off enough times for other reasons that I don't need the opening, but I have used it often enough to be glad I installed it. Other builders have spent the time to install hinges and recessed latches which look great and are easier to use than mine at a cost of more time. After flying for 3 years I'm glad I spent a couple of hours installing an oil filler access opening, taking the cowl off to add 4 ounces of oil and then re-installing the cowl would take all the time I had for flying on most days.

Likewise for me. I added the door with nut plates and am happy I did. I considered other options but went for what I considered simple and effective.
http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_l ... 715&row=26

Here is how I did it, about half way through the set

https://www.flickr.com/photos/22387489@ ... 598665670/

Bob (Hunkered down in cold Kansas) Mika