Fly-in Alexander City, Alabama (KALX) on Saturday, November 18, 2023

There are two points of views on the air/oil separators. One is; they work and the extra two to quarts in the engine sump, is a safety factor and helps with engine cooling. The other is; the oil vapor contains exhaust by-products that actually contaminates the oil and your engine is better off with the oil vapor being vented overboard. To be honest, I don't know which is most true. Personally, I routed and secured a longer flex hose over the center engine mount as high as practical and relocated the vent tube on the right side of the firewall. I could keep about 6-1/2 to quarts in the engine sump for about 20 hrs between refills. Cheaper than an air/oil separator and is a bit of a compromise for both points of view.
 
Check if you have the plastic dip stick tube extension. See Pic. It was added to some Mice to make it easier to reach in and find the dip stick.
If you do have it, then there's a 90% chance you still have the original dip stick. That means it's too short. With the extension, the short stick reads 6 1/4 quarts when there's actually 8qts in the engine. Filling to the 8qt mark on the stick causes the top quart to blow out the vent. I have yet to hear of a Mouse with the extension on the tube that has a longer stick.
The big advantage of an air/oil separator is that the belly stays cleaner. At least a bit cleaner, anyway.

Dipstick tube extension.jpg
 
Rap
I don’t think I will make it
Was advised last night that my sons have something planned for my birthday Saturday
Best to you and Charlotte and all that are attending
Fred n Steffi
 
jhbecker said:
Check if you have the plastic dip stick tube extension. See Pic. It was added to some Mice to make it easier to reach in and find the dip stick.
If you do have it, then there's a 90% chance you still have the original dip stick. That means it's too short. With the extension, the short stick reads 6 1/4 quarts when there's actually 8qts in the engine. Filling to the 8qt mark on the stick causes the top quart to blow out the vent. I have yet to hear of a Mouse with the extension on the tube that has a longer stick.
The big advantage of an air/oil separator is that the belly stays cleaner. At least a bit cleaner, anyway.

View attachment 23279
Click to expand...
Interesting - learn something new every day.

Does anyone know what the length is supposed to be of the two dipsticks? I have the extension and I normally fill to keep it around 6 qts, maybe 7 if it's going to be a long day of flying. I haven't seen signs of a lot of blow out oil but I do have an oil seperator.

I'll measure ours next time I'm at the airplane.
-=-
Mark
 
Circling back to the fly-in this Saturday, here's some info on our location at KALX from Rap:

1. Auburn football starts at 3PM on the 18th, that usually means several jets and a few transients. They will have arrived well before our event, and will leave well after.

2. Altho the ramp will be full, parking for us should be easy. We will be at hangar C3. The C/D taxi way leads to a paved parking area to the east of C3. We can park anywhere back there and the transients never use it. As long as we don't block any of the hangars, we are good. Should easily accommodate 10+ airplanes.

3. The airport manager has offered the airport golf cart for shuttling folks around.

4. We will have a few tables and several chairs. If you can bring a chair, extras never hurt!

5. Fred Dobbs hangar C3 has a bathroom

6. KALX is 18-36. 36 is the preferred no wind direction as it is uphill. 5000ft + useable.

To get to KALX via car will require using Elkahatchee Rd which intersects Airport Dr about 100 yds from hwy 280. Alternatively, one can cut thru the shopping center parking lot and get to Airport Dr by exiting next to the Dominos Pizza. Ground pounders will need to contact someone inside to get thru the gate. Folks inside can open the gate as it is "auto out", just not in. Call one of the phones:

Me. 256 276 6413

Char. 256 276 6326

You: 859 707 6039
 
Unclerap said:
Real simple. Next oil change add 6 qts of oil. If the dipstick shows 6, you have the correct dipstick.
Click to expand...
Likewise; If you just did an oil change, put in 8 qts and the stick shows a bit more than 6 you have the extension with the original stick.
 
We had beautiful weather that brought 9 airplanes and 20 people to Alexander City for the fly-in.
Pictured left to right are: Charlotte McBurney, Brad Mitchell, John Persinger, Doug Muse, Greg Johnson, Jody Robertson, Richard Grimes, Michael Harding, Kurt Heilbronn, Beth Harper, Laura Heilbronn, Gary Harper, Rap McBurney, Mac Molnar, Rachel Wilkinson, Larry Wilkinson, Jane Broeckling, Curt Lindauer and Maarten van Wely. Taking the photo was Don Driggers.
More pictures will be in the next edition of BACFire. Thanks to all that participated.

KALX Group.JPG
 
Wow! There's my BACFest friend and co-board member for many years Brad, my old flying pal Doug, my drinking buddy John, my formation leader Greg and my salvage yard bumming buddy Curt. Of course, Rap and I did just about all that together. I wish I could have made that one!
 
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