Light Aircraft Association

I have been using the recommended TOTAL AERO DS 15/50 oil in my JPX 4TX75/A (very similar to a type 4 VW air-cooled engine). Both the engine and the oil are now out of production and the oil has recently become unavailable. I am looking for an alternative oil.

The engine specs state that alternative oils must be automotive (ie car) oils that must conform to API SF-CC CCMC G3 MIL 46 152B. Is there anybody out there who can interpret what this means?

Am I right in thinking that essentially it means a good quality petrol engine oil?

Does the insistence upon a car oil amount to a prohibition on using an ashless dispersant oil (as I strongly suspect that it does)?

What oils are people using in their VW based aircraft engines these days?

Is the new Aeroshell Oil Sport Plus 4 being used on VW based engines (with their higher head temperatures compared to the liquid cooled Rotax).

Thanks in advance for help and advice

Richard

PS. I shall continue to use AVGAS 100 LL

I've always run VW's on good quality 20W50 such as Morris Magnol. I certainly know that mineral rather than synthetic is preferable.

Ivan
________
The cigar boss

I was advised by Barry Smith (who knows as much about VWs as anyone, I should think) to use Millers classic 20w/50 oil, which I have done with no reason to be dissatisfied. As Ivan says, any good 20/50 should be ok, though.

Incidentally, I think that the cams dip into the oil in the sump in the VW which ought to protect them againt dry running when the engine is started after a long break. I believe this because, when I removed one of the cylinder heads and pushrod tubes without draining the sump, lots of oil came out onto the hangar floor!

Noel.

We too have been using the Miller Classic 20/50 in our Limbach...
By the way, Richard, there was a JPX for sale on the RSA website: http://www.rsafrance.com/index.php?opti ... &Itemid=29, under "Vente moteur compet" in case you need a spare!

Thanks for the feedback; it seems that no one (yet?) has switched to modern oils - I remember that I ran my Limbach on Castrol.

That TOTAL AERO DS was just so good for my JPX. My Inspector was quite astonished - as I was - just how clean the pistons and the head was after 750 hrs. The technical specs of that oil and the Aero Shell Oil Sport Plus 4 are very similar indeed, to the untrained eye, so I may yet try it. Its just that I would have felt easier in mind if someone else had been able to report a favourable experience when used in VW based engines. The big unknown must be the possible effect on the rings at the higher head temperatures of the air cooled engines.

Hi Nick, that particular engine was a very early engine that made much less horsepower than mine. Actually there was another 4TX75/A for sale earlier this year but I only found out about it last week. I have tried to make contact but perhaps its been sold (although the asking price was sky high).

Richard

I had a load of Aeroshell 15/50 left after I sold my Tomahawk and have weaned the VW 1834 in my VP1 onto it.

Things seem fine and given it's designed for aircooled engines, should be OK in the VW.

I wouldn't want to use it on a new or freshly rebuilt VW engine but as mine is well "loose", I'm happy to use it.

Richard,
The various Beetle BB's and some of the notable engine tuners suggest that whilst straight 30 was ok when it was current, the new 10/40, 20/50 oils are best. They do however state fairly categorically that you shouldn't use synthetics.

Rog, glad to hear you had some oil left over, at least you can stop those wardrobe door hinges squeaking

Rog, glad to hear you had some oil left over, at least you can stop those wardrobe door hinges squeaking

Wardrobe door hinges Nigel! You're behind the times matey.

The latest mod for the VP1 does away with hinges completely and relies on nanobots attaching themselves to the control surfaces and flying surfaces then holding hands.

They don't need oil and they get there energy needs from devouring composite materials i.e. carbon fibre etc which they normally source from other aircraft in the vicinity.

MFI maybe no more but with a Wickes in most towns, "real" aeroplanes can still be built!

I give up! Having just spent a couple of hours trying to return a fledgling starling with a glide ratio of around 4:1 to it's nest, an MFI homebuilt seems a good bet!

Thanks Nigel.

I know of those concerns but Aero DS is (or was!) actually a synthetic which surprised me too when I got to see the spec.

Richard

Perhaps the JPX engine has "synthetic oil proof" oil seals...