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Oil change in 185

I mounted an Aiwolf remote filter on the lower firewall where it can be changed through the right cowl flap. It's kind of a pain to safety wire but not too bad. Also have a 2 foot hose clamped to the drain where I can drain at the left cowl flap.
 
Aeroquip drain valve. Release the right cowl flap and reach in to connect a 3' piece of hose. Open valve and drain oil into. jug. Remove too cowl. Stuff an oil absorbant pad under the filter area. Remove cabin heat cable attach block. Remove and replace filter. Safety wire and re-attach heater cable. VERIFY heater function before installing top cowl. ��

Placing a quart size ziplock over the filter will help catch some of the mess but I don't bother. Those oil diapers soak it all up just fine.
 
All of my 180s and 185s came from Cessna with a quick oil drain valve on the lower left side of the engine mount. All you need to do is open the left cowl flap and turn valve.
 
It has the inverted engine mounted oil filter which is easy to get at with the top cowl off.
Never realized what a pain it is to remove the bottom cowl on a 185 as opposed to a 180.
It is scheduled to go into the shop in a few days for a few items and we will see what can be done.
Pete, I did read in the Cessna manual about that remote oil drain option. It there any info or literature I might find to see what it is? I did a Google search but did not find anything.

T
 
Getting the lower cowl off isn't as difficult as getting it back on when you're by yourself. Unplug nose lights wire, disconnect cowl flap rods, and disconnect the intake bellows. That leaves what, 8 quarter turn fasteners to release? I have to pull the cowl over the ski fittings before gravity takes over and the cowl drops. Yes, the re-installation is definitely more tricky. With an assistant you may prefer to install the top cowl first and then lift the lower cowl on. Its easier to seat the baffles correctly doing top first but its impossible to do solo. The last time Atlee rebuilt my airbox they removed the quarter turn airbox fasteners so now I have to use drilled bolts, washers, castle nuts, and safety pins. Those two little bolts are the most difficult part of cowl removal/replacement and seriously, they aren't that difficult to deal with.
 
Taking it off by yourself is not terrible but putting it back on by yourself is like keeping all the plates spinning while juggling boxes of band aids that you'll need shortly!
 
Stewarb,

I thought you had a 180 not 185. I looked up in the right cowl flap area and I can't even find the drain plug with all that stuff there.
Isn't there also a tube that goes from the intake area to the bottom of the cowl that needs to be removed?

Spent all day cleaning and waxing. Got about 1/2 done.

Tried to polish up the aluminum spinner with Mothers aluminum polish and it did take the dullness off but left swirl marks.
So need to figure how to get them off........

T
 
Removing and replacing the bottom cowl on a 185 is a PITA and shouldn't be necessary just to change the oil. As Pete noted, get the quick drain, and I always replaced the bolt connecting the left flap to the actuator rod with a pin with safety clip. Pull that clip, pull the pin, and you have much better access to the quick drain.

Let them pull the lower cowl at the 100 hour.

MTV
 
It's a reach up through the cowl flap to get to the sump. Some guys attach a hose and leave it so it's easier to reach. Do what works for you.
 
Actually I've found removing and reinstalling the cowl to be a piece of cake for one person. Only takes a few minutes. It helps to have long arms. Once you get the sequence down it takes no time at all.

Remove Mike's safety pins in the cowl flaps. Disconnect the air intake hose 1/4 turn wing nut, pop off plate. Open oil door, disconnect landing light connector. Remove top cowl. Disconnect upper fasteners on both sides of bottom cowl. Support bottom cowl with one hand. Disconnect the rest of the fasteners. Lower cowl to ground. Done! To install reverse procedure. Check baffles while installing top cowl which can be reached through door on left side. In extreme circumstances a long screw driver can flip the baffles forward through the right inlet opening.
 
Last edited:
An oil change does not require any removal of the cowlings if you have a quick drain. My 185 has a IO-550 with an Aeroquip quick drain on the aft rear sump. Access is thru the dipstick door. Simply run a tube from the quick drain down and out the left flap to a bucket. When finished, release the quick drain and remove the tube. Add oil and check for leaks. If you are doing the filter, then only the upper cowl comes off.
 
My 180 has a hose on the quick drain that exits the cowl flap like Stewart describes and makes the drain easy but the filter change even with it mounted low on the left side of the firewall requires the lower cowl to come off, well either that or a bunch of bandaids after you change it through the flap door.
 
C'mon, man up. Who doesn't want to be that soft 50-something man posing like a gymnast doing a floor exercise while reaching into a smoking hot engine compartment to attach a hose to a nipple that he has to find by braille? Good times.
 
Thank you all, some great suggestions.
I did not know you had access through the dip stick door to the quick drain......anxious to get to the grass strip where I keep her tomorrow to see if that will work.

I do have a new quick drain ready to install.

T
 
stewartb said:
C'mon, man up. Who doesn't want to be that soft 50-something man posing like a gymnast doing a floor exercise while reaching into a smoking hot engine compartment to attach a hose to a nipple that he has to find by braille? Good times.
Click to expand...


An don't forget.... When you get that hose onto that nipple that you found by braille, you shove it on nice and hard, and you know you've got it because you activated the quick drain, and the smoking hot oil is gushing onto your crotch....!
 
Ruffair said:
An don't forget.... When you get that hose onto that nipple that you found by braille, you shove it on nice and hard, and you know you've got it because you activated the quick drain, and the smoking hot oil is gushing onto your crotch....!
Click to expand...
You too
 
Well I looked in the dipstick door today and felt around and there is a quick drain with a short length of tubing, Yea.

That problem is solved.
 
Changed the oil with Philips XC and adding Cam Guard.
I do have to come up with a way to change the oil filter without making a mess.
Punched a couple of holes in the top of the filter and let it drain over an hour before removing it but still a mess.
After removing the filter oil was coming out of the filter mount just below the starter for some time.
It seems removing the lower cowling will be necessary to rig some sort of funnel setup.

Its a learning process.....
 
Old Super Cub.org calendars make a great oil change funnel, they wrap around and under the filter really well...or so I'm told
 
Tom, Take off the bottom cowl when doing the filter. It is a quick and easy job and your mess will be easier to clean up.
 
Pete,
Ya, I realized I will have to take the bottom cowl off and can probably come up with a funnel design that will work.

Tom
 
When you buy Tempest filters in a six-pack box, they come individually wrapped in a nice plastic baggie. These worked pretty well on my 320-Lycoming powered airplane to contain the oil when you slid it up onto the filter after you crack it loose. Some oil will dribble out of the filter adapter however. I've been told that turning the engine backwards a couple blades will suck the oil back into the engine from the screen cavity on a 470, resulting in less oil there to dribble out. Tried it, don't know that it worked as promoted but at the least it didn't make it any more messy.
 
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