Last month, we told you about our move to source quarts of oil from the Rabbit fuel trucks.  This month, we want all pilots to get a deeper knowledge about oil quantity.  Not enough oil in the engine can cause all manner of damage, including increased wear and excessively high oil temperatures.  Checking oil quantity before and after flight is good standard procedure.

Many believe that there is no such thing as too much oil, but this is not the case.  Most engines have pressure relief valves that will blow out excess oil.  In that case, adding an extra quart may just result in an extra quart of oil blown out into the environment, or onto the underbelly of the aircraft.  Depending on the engine, too much oil can interfere with the normal combustion process, leading to improper combustion and internal damage.

Many airplane POHs do not give explicit useful guidance on normal operating quantities of oil.  Ask your CFI, or check the SCFC oil label inside the oil access door for the quantities we recommend for your airplane.