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0 oil pressure!

don d

Registered User
don
Lost oil pressure in my 182A. Flying along minding my own business. Glanced at engine gauges and 0 oil pressure. Made it to Cascade airport with big oil leak and little oil left. Oil pressure gauge line broke. A few more minutes = fried engine and off airport landing. Alot of oil can go thru that 1/8 line. Not good!
 
Why are we still relying on mechanical oil pressure monitor systems?
Not the first time this has happened and certainly not the last.
 
Why are we still relying on mechanical oil pressure monitor systems?
Not the first time this has happened and certainly not the last.

Explain?

Whether mechanical or digital gauge is used, oil pressure is measured at the same port. This is dictated by the engine manufacturer. Mechanical gauges use a line to transmit the pressure, hydraulically, to the gauge, whereas digital gauges use a short flexible line to connect the sensor to the port on the engine. (this is done to isolate the sensor from engine vibrations by mounting it on the engine mount or firewall) Either way, a restrictor fitting needs to be installed in the port in order to slow the loss of oil due to a broken line/sensor/gauge.

Web
 
If I could afford a brand new carbon hotrod with a total glass panel I still on day one when I got it home would install a mechanical oil pressure gauge. If I were allowed only one instrument in an aircraft it would be a wet oil pressure gauge

Glenn
 
The 182A uses an oil pressure transducer (Stewart-Warner) screwed into the LH side of the engine (between cylinders 2 and 4) and then only a wire runs inside the cabin to the inst. panel and the S-W cluster gage. (The '57 180 has the same set-up.) One more thing - the early airplanes used copper lines for oil, fuel and manifold pressure and Cessna replaced those in later years with steel lines.
 
Thanks Web for clarifying mounting of electrical sender.
Another thought, and simple: "t" in an idiot lite switch into the pressure system.
A red lite on your panel might get your attention sooner than a little bottomed out needle, buy you more time and save an engine.
 
I can agree with that. Easy to do with an oil pressure switch (Hobbs meter switch) and a light assembly.

Web
 
I think an annunciator panel would be a cool feature for these older planes - starter engaged, oil pressure, vacuum, alternator ...
 
The 182A uses an oil pressure transducer (Stewart-Warner) screwed into the LH side of the engine (between cylinders 2 and 4) and then only a wire runs inside the cabin to the inst. panel and the S-W cluster gage. (The '57 180 has the same set-up.) One more thing - the early airplanes used copper lines for oil, fuel and manifold pressure and Cessna replaced those in later years with steel lines.

Service kit? I was curious about an electric gauge in an early 182 and went and looked. Can't find a mention in the pre 63 manual and the 77 through 86 manual specifically calls out a direct reading gauge plumbed to the engine.

Web
 
No, not a kit. See the IPC, which captures factory configuration vs s/n effectivity. Regarding the airframe MM, your 182A wiring diagram w/ oil pressure gage is shown on p. 17-114.
 
curious why they went with mechanical gauges in the later models.

Web


wife and i were driving past the car dealers lot the other day in town and there was rows of new vehicles. i told her look at all those electrical problems looking for a place to happen.
 
wife and i were driving past the car dealers lot the other day in town and there was rows of new vehicles. i told her look at all those electrical problems looking for a place to happen.
I am guessing Cessna was saving a buck. That's all. I prefer to have a sending unit vs. an oil line running into the cabin.
 
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