The International Cessna^® 170 Association

John, do you still have that picture of the Colt ? I'd love to see what it looked like.
Randal, Palestine TX brings back memories- back in 1955 I was flying my Stinson 10A from SAT to St. Louis, stupidly late at night. No radio, just a whisky compass. The engine started to run rough as I was coming overhead Palestine. I could see the flashing beacon of the airport but no other lights. I circled the airport and was about to enter the pattern when someone kindly turned on the runway lights. I landed, spent the rest of the night in the airplane. It was COLD ! Next morning I changed that pesky plug (I carried spare spark plugs and a wrench) refueled and departed.
Rudy

Come to think of it, radial engines, while using more oil than our in-line opposed engines, really aren't that bad. Most radial engines are a lot bigger than our engines, and they use more gas as well as oil.
The DC-3 certainly uses lots more gas and oil than a 170. But when I was flying my Grumman Ag-Cat with a R-985 it really wasn't that big a deal. And remeber we're comparing 985 cubic inches with 300 cubic inches.
My guess is that a small radial engine such as a Warner might not be all that much of an oil drinker- say what Tom Downey ?
Rudy

I'm reminded of the old joke about what the radial engine guy sez to the line boy: "fill the oil & check the gas" !

Eric

quote

Radial engines really do make a lovely sound, especially if the exhaust is all collected into one outlet. However, they drink a pot full of oil under all circumstances. That which doesn't leak out is consumed in copious quantities compared to a flat engine. Damn few owners of radial engined airplanes buy their oil in containers as small as one quart.


Thats BS,,

My Warner burns 1 qt in 10 hours. That was when my valve guides were worn out, it should be around 1 qt in 20 after I replaced the guides.