Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David J. Beaulieu on April 18, 2020 at 10:08am

Scott,

I replaced the oil sump Carter plug on my UL350iS when I first hung the engine.  Primarily because I though it would facilitate "less mess" oil changes and ease the overall process.  Practically, it does not!  First of all, oil changes are not that frequent, esp if using unleaded fuel and synthetic oil (every 100 hrs once past initial 15 and 50 hrs) and there is not much oil volume to drain.  Cowls need to be removed to change oil and filter and the last step of taking off the Carter plug to drain the small amount of oil into a receptacle is relatvely trivial.   I though I would just attach a hose to the quick drain and into a waste container to drain the oil, but you end up with an oily hose you have to store or dispose of...certainly does not facilitate the overall process. More important in my mind is that there is no magnetic pickup on the quick drain like the Carter plug orginally installed which allows for a quick visual for ferrous metal particles in the oil. IMHO, cross drill the original drain plug to allow for safety wire, plan on changing the copper sealing gasket with oil change and do a good engine inspection with the cowls off during the oil change.  Simple, less mess.  Here is a link to what I installed (and will remove next oil change) - part # S5020J  Check specs if you do decide to go ahead.  Not sure without going up to the hangar what the thread pitch for the plug is.

https://www.saf-air.com/products/oil-valves.html#lockopenoildrainva...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scott Miller on April 19, 2020 at 6:40am

David, thanks for the great input and thoughts...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jerold Ebke on April 25, 2020 at 9:05pm

My experience was the same as Dave's. I placed a brand name "Quick drain plug" and didn't like it.

It was still necessary to get in there to try to place a hose and draining the oil through the valve and hose was anything but quick.

I drilled my factory plug as Dave suggested and safety wire it to the dip stick tube.

If I could find it, I would sell cheap.

• ▶ Reply