Shell 15W-50 to 100W +Cam Guard Switch?

[Ray B]

Well I couldn't take it any more! Last Saturday after a trip to Claremore Oklahoma for their great " last saturday of the month lunch" my oil was so black I dumped it at 20 hours and checked the filter and screen like Zach recommended. Filter and screen clean as could be! I should say that I have flown 59P 200+ hours in the last 13 months after purchase. It had only flown about 10-15 hours per for the previous couple of years. It was using a qt. of oil aprox. every hour and a half. I started changing oil and filter every 30 hours and flew the daylights out of it, all on 15W-100 Shell. Oil consumption is now down to a qt. every 4-5 hours and the plugs all run clean. The only change was going to 100W Shell and adding Cam Guard. Since I bought 4 pints of CG I'll go with 100W for this and 2 more oil chgs and see if any thing changes with the turning black early situation. After the first 3 oil changes when I first got her, 59Ps oil looked clear for 20 hours or so before darkening. So, as Zach suggested I may have developed a case of blow by (hopefully due to a divine case of ring grove alignment) and it will go way or I'll need to do a fix to one or more cylinders, or better yet this oil change will go back to normal time laps for oil darkening.----- In the mean time the sun is out, 59P is running smooth, and if they'll get that snow off the runway I'll go flying! Ray B

[Timothy Poole]

Hi everyone -- I'm new to the forum so I apologize for resurrecting a couple of years old thread. I wanted to weigh in to the multiple comments made regarding Phillips 20W50. I'm sure new people (like me) search these threads looking for info so hopefully I'll add some value.

My understanding of CamGuard having talked to many mechanics and engine shops of varying backgrounds over time is the plane should fly regularly and if so shouldn't have any issues with wear. I know, I know -- regularly is a vague term and not every can afford to simply fly their plane all the time. If it's only flying once per month (or less) then you definitely need the additive to help keep a protective film on the cam which prevents corrosion and eventual wear.

We run the Phillips 20W50 X/C exclusively in our entire fleet. Engine mix includes O-320-D2Js, IO-320-B1As in our PA-30, IO-360-CIC, IO-360-M1A, IO-360-L2A, and even the IO-240-B3 when I had the DA-20. I don't use CamGuard in any of these engines because they fly multiple times per week, with the 172s flying several sorties per day. We change oil and filters every 50 hours, take oil samples every 100 hrs, and knock on wood have not yet had a lubrication related problem with any of them. One of our O-320s is currently at 2300 SMOH and running perfectly fine.

In consultation with several engine shops (trust but verify) we are even using the Phillips now as the break in oil when we do our engine changes. We've done this twice now with our last two O-320 swaps and break in occurred without any drama and oil consumption stabilized within 12-15 hours each time.

Tim


Edit: I forgot to add, we are located in the mid-Atlantic (just outside of DC) and we run this oil year round.

[Matt Bogard]

I run the Phillips XC 20W50 and have for three years, year-round, with CamGuard.

I have Savvy Aircraft help manage my maintenance and they strongly recommend CamGuard as well as Blackstone oil analysis.

If you're concerned enough about your oil to be changing it so frequently, I think you should seriously consider sending samples to Blackstone for analysis.

[Ray B]

Since starting this thread four years ago I've put 800+ hours on old 59P and the oil still darkens around 12 to 15 hours and I change it at 25 to 30 hrs. I did change to Phillips XC 20W50 plus Cam Guard about 500 hrs back and could see no difference. Compression is still high 70's all around and bore scoping shows no broken ring groves. Coming close to 1900 hrs now and still flying smooth with oil consumption remaining about 1qt/ 4.5 hrs. At this point I can not complain about early oil darkening from a used airplane that has given so many hours of enjoyable flight at such a reasonable cost.----- (It's also time for trip to Webco for gear transmission lube.) Ray B

[Randy Johnson]

Following the advice of an old Piper Rep...Have always used aeroshell 100 plus when aircraft was in Florida. It always turns dark at about 10 hours and never had an issue. Engine is at 2400 hours and compression is all mid 70s. I Use a tempest filter and the magnetic strip in filter is always clean.

I understand those who rebuild at TBO. My attitude is that oil sample testing and filter magnetic strips (along with external observable changes in temp and performance) will tell me when it's time to tear the engine down. I've experienced impending engine failure after a rebuild or new engine change as often as I have from a high mileage version.

No that I'm home based in New England I have switched to 15w50 cause it's cold out there!

I also religiously use Avblend. It's an anti wear additive we used in the Navy in all aircraft engines. It is used in oil and gas so impacts the entire engine. It's basically the aviation version of Zmax for cars. Use it there too. Kept me out of the drink in the fleet so why change a good thing. Believe it or not..Avblend is cheaper than Zmax but is an identical formula according to the manufacturer. Go figure.

At any rate, while this is my practice and experience offered for what it's worth, and is not an attempt to advocate to others.