Oily spot by main landing gear

[Code90]

Yesterday, I found a small amount of fluid in front of the right main on our 77 Lance. Fluid was thick and a bit sticky like syrup. Was color of clean motor oil. Not the red color of the brake fluid. I could not see where it had dripped from. I am suspicious of the strut leaking fluid from a seal. After cleaning it up, it hasn't leaked more. Does the strut seem like the likely culprit? How much fluid is in there? It seemed like about a half ounce on the ground. At what point do I ground the plane?

Picture

 

[Boyfalldown]

Don't discount the brakes, I don't know why but the 5606 loses its color quickly in my brakes and turns a greenish yellow.

 

[Code90]

Brake fluid reservoir is still full. Flew plane and brakes both worked well and even.

 

[timrb]

Not familiar with your landing gear configuration, but if the strut was leaking, wouldn't there be oil on the tire, too?

Tim

 

[Code90]

I would have thought it would be easy to trail it back to the leak, but the tire any everything I could see was clean and dry. It was almost like it had leaked in front of the tire. There is a sump for the fuel tank at about that spot, but obviously when I sump the tanks, oil does not come out. Evaporated fuel on the ground does not leave the same stain or residue either.

 

[timrb]

So could it be motor oil? How clean is the oil in your engine right now?

Maybe you've been pranked. Back when I was sailing, I heard of people leaving a handful of miscellaneous hardware at the base of some victim's mast.

Tim

 

[brian]]

So could it be motor oil? How clean is the oil in your engine right now?

Maybe you've been pranked. Back when I was sailing, I heard of people leaving a handful of miscellaneous hardware at the base of some victim's mast.

Tim

Kinda what I was thinking, but I've never seen motor oil stay that clean - especially if it is somehow working it's way through the airframe.

is the gear in a lance hydraulic (mine's electric).

 

[RotorAndWing]

Yesterday, I found a small amount of fluid in front of the right main on our 77 Lance. Fluid was thick and a bit sticky like syrup. Was color of clean motor oil. Not the red color of the brake fluid. I could not see where it had dripped from. I am suspicious of the strut leaking fluid from a seal. After cleaning it up, it hasn't leaked more. Does the strut seem like the likely culprit? How much fluid is in there? It seemed like about a half ounce on the ground. At what point do I ground the plane?

Picture

Hard to say from a photograph, but I suspect your strut is the culprit. Why not just have your mechanic take a look at it?

 

[Norman]

The gear in the Lance is hydraulic and if the fluid was an off color redish-brown and sticky I'd suspect a leak at the actuator.

 

[iflyvfr]

Based on the stain pattern, whatever it is appears to have leaked onto the top of the chock. Any evidence there to confirm? Whatever happened, it happened while that front chock was in place, e.g. your plane leaked something onto it.

Would contaminated fuel leave a stain like that?

 

[Vaflier]

Any dogs around ?????. Looks like what happens when I run out of dog bones for the airport hound. Happens every time.

 

[Code90]

The chock was clean on the top two sides. Fluid must have drained around it from elsewhere.
If a dog could pee that thick oily stuff out, you better stay out of his way.

 

[kgruber]

When was the last time the seals were changed in the landing gear?

 

[mondtster]

is the gear in a lance hydraulic (mine's electric).

Yes, and that's where I'd start looking if the hydraulic oil does not appear to be coming from the strut or brake caliper.

 

[TEFLONSEAN]

Leak is dripping from bottom of pic to top. Originates at the bottom...

Not going to be brake caliper.

Look above(meaning underside of wing)... Drip coming off the wing?

 

[Silvaire]

FWIW the struts, pump and brakes all use the same fluid.

 

[Code90]

Cleaned up the spot. Plane has been flown twice since then without issue. We sat in it in the hanger and pumped the brakes and moved wing up and down (moving strut). Have not seen more fluid. At this point we have decided to wait and look for more fluid before going further. We have some cold weather coming that may assist in looking for a repeat leak. Annual comes in Jan.