You will want to wipe the stick off, put it back in, then pull it out and check the oil. Other wise you may get a false high reading. Oil does have a tendency to wick up the stick. Some say this is an old wives tale but I have seen it with my own eyes in all sorts of engines from my lawn mower to the airplane.
Kevin1 --- In [email protected], "pilotmac818" <pilotmac...@...> wrote: > > Wow! I way underestimated how much I would learn from asking this question. > In answer to Hartmut I open the side cowl (I don't have an oil door) and pull > the stick all the way out to check the oil level and color before each > flight. I take the stick out, wipe it off, put it back in and out again to > get a clear reading. Been doing oil checks this way since my 1949 Chevy. I > never thought about only pulling the stick part way out. Certainly would cut > down on the mess. But John makes a great point about pulling it all the way > out and holding it up to the sun to see if there are things that shouldn't be > there. I think I will continue to take it all the way out most times and use > John's system to keep the mess to a minimum but now I have a better reason to > do so. And when only a fast check is needed I'll pull it out only far enough > to check the level thus minimizing the mess. Wow, what an education! > > Mac McMahon > N94184 > VKX Friendly, MD > > --- In [email protected], Caliendo Dan <djcaliendo@> wrote: > > > > I read all the accident reports I see and they almost always find some way > > to call it pilot error. I've NEVER seen them > > blame an accident of pilot was too thorough on preflight inspection. > > Dan C > > > > > > On May 19, 2010, at 11:51 AM, heavensd@ wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > I always open the side of the cowl. > > > How else would I drain the gascolator and sample what's in it? > > > How else would I look at my throttle link and verify it's secure? > > > How else would I take a general look for anything that may not be right? > > > > > > Am I being too thorough on my preflight??? > > > > > > Eliacim > > > > > > > > > --- ed@ wrote: > > > > > > From: "Ed Burkhead" <ed@> > > > To: <[email protected]> > > > Subject: RE: [ercoupe-tech] Messy oil check > > > Date: Wed, 19 May 2010 10:38:36 -0500 > > > > > > > > > > > > Besides the good advice of the others, I'd add that I stopped using the > > > small oil-check door. My messes disappeared and my pre-flight inspection > > > was much more thorough when I skipped the oil-check door and opened the > > > whole side cowl. > > > > > > > > > I know that you, like most, have already been opening the side cowl but I > > > wanted to mention it in case others, like me, haven't picked up on this > > > quickly. > > > > > > > > > > > > Ed > > > > > > > > > > > >
