O-200 Crankcase Breather Line

[VF84Sluggo]

I have an Aeronca Champ, O-200 in it. I'm getting tired of the oily belly, oil residue on the right gear strut and brake line.

As is known, and thus to not re-kindle a debate, the opinions on air/oil separators in the breather line vary. But best I can tell the "varying" seems to be over whether or not to return the liquids back into the engine. So, all I'd really like to do is just be able to capture the liquids in the line, then drain it out periodically.

Any thoughts/suggestions? Thanks in advance!

 

[Dan Thomas]

We had one of those Airwolf air/oil separators on a 172. It made almost no difference in the amount of oil on the belly.

And no, you don't want to be returning condensed water back into the case. An oil belly is better than a corroded engine.

The breather fitting on the small Continental crankcase is normally a special fitting, but I have found them replaced with a plain elbow. Here's an article by a homebuilder: https://www.wittmantailwind.com/diy-continental-o-200-air-oil-separator/

And a pic of the Continental fitting:

From http://sky4buy.com/Breather-elbow-for-small-Continental-engine-like-633182-261697416354/0840

 

[Stewartb]

Some guys cut the breather and route it into a baby bottle. Or make something like this. https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/engine-cover-oil-drip.115650/#post-2648766

 

[VF84Sluggo]

Thanks, Dan. My thoughts, too, re. returning the breather tube contents back into the engine.

Just wondering if an air/oil separator gizmo could be installed where, instead of the return line being routed to an engine fitting, it emptied into a container of some type. This way the slime gets kept off the belly, AND out of the engine.

 

[VF84Sluggo]

Some guys cut the breather and route it into a baby bottle. Or make something like this. https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/engine-cover-oil-drip.115650/#post-2648766

This is exactly along the line of what I’m thinking. Thanks!

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Replace the O-200 with a Rotax. Problem solved. Totally.

 

[VF84Sluggo]

Replace the O-200 with a Rotax. Problem solved. Totally.

Yeah. That’s JUST what I’m gonna do

 

[Witmo]

The stock breather fitting for O-200 is the elbow without the tube extension. Continental modified the stock elbow by soldering/brazing/welding (?) a tube onto the elbow similar to what the earlier picture shows and installed it on Cessna Aerobat. For a couple hundred bucks you too can purchase an "Aerobat oil breather fitting" and replace the plane elbow.

 

[Dan Thomas]

The stock breather fitting for O-200 is the elbow without the tube extension. Continental modified the stock elbow by soldering/brazing/welding (?) a tube onto the elbow similar to what the earlier picture shows and installed it on Cessna Aerobat. For a couple hundred bucks you too can purchase an "Aerobat oil breather fitting" and replace the plane elbow.

The fitting predates the Aerobat. Some A- and C- model engines had it. See https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=...aw2cDmbnRJVQ6JMIj3yLA66p&ust=1545860463008775

 

[Tom-D]

The breather fitting on the small Continental crankcase is normally a special fitting

And a pic of the Continental fitting:

This is not true, no 0-200 came from the TCM factory with a special fitting.
the AeroBatt fitting was installed only in the C-150 Aerobat, at the Cessna factory.

many 0-200 in various aircraft have been retro fitted with the Aerobat fitting.
This fitting when retro fitted to 0-200 will reduce the oil discharge but it won't stop it.
In my last 0-300-A the owner installed a aerobat fitting to see if it would help, and thus far it has.

best way to stop the oil on the belly is a catch can, there are several on the market.

 

[chris 601xl]

actually the O-200D engine as delivered new to me (2016) from TCM had the so-called aerobat breather installed

 

[Tom-D]

actually the O-200D engine as delivered new to me (2016) from TCM had the so-called aerobat breather installed

nice to know, the 0-200-A is what this thread was about.
I talked to my latest 0-300 rebuild owner ad he says the fitting doesn't make any difference. but in his case every thing in his engine is new.

 

[unsafervguy]

Replace the O-200 with a Rotax. Problem solved. Totally.

but then your airplane sounds like a skidoo.......

 

[Lachlan]

What do you call an O-200 that doesn't drip?


(Out of oil.)

 

[Huckster79]

What do you call an O-200 that doesn't drip?


(Out of oil.)

Her little sister the c85 im finding to be the same way!

 

[Tom-D]

Her little sister the c85 im finding to be the same way!

This engine has well over 500 hours now and doesn't leak a drop, build them right and they won't leak.

 

[Huckster79]

This engine has well over 500 hours now and doesn't leak a drop, build them right and they won't leak.

I thought we were discussing drips out the vent tube...

 

[DFH65]

How much oil is in it? In my limited experience with the O-200 seems to have a place it likes to run and if you put more than that in it will just blow it out till it gets to that point then it seems to hold there.

 

[Tom-D]

I thought we were discussing drips out the vent tube...

All three of my 150s had aerobat fittings and catch cans none dripped. (built right)

 

[Tom-D]

Replace the O-200 with a Rotax. Problem solved. Totally.

Who would want to fly a chain saw

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Who would want to fly a chain saw

The 912 and 914 seem to work well.

 

[Bathman]

Far better than the 70 year old O-200.