Aeroshell W15W-50 VOA

[2.7ecoboostFordBronco]

This is an Oil Analyzers/Horizon Aeroshell W15W-50 Ashless Dispersant Aviation Piston Engine Oil VOA with 5% by volume ASL Camguard Added.

It is marketed as “A semi-synthetic blend of base oils integrating ashless dispersant technology and advanced non-metallic anti-wear and anti-rust additive system, providing fast acting engine protection through oil drain intervals and in all seasons.”

I am told the base oil is 50/50 PAO/group II. The ASL Camguard additive seems to be almost universally recommended despite the prevailing philosophy to avoid oil additives in the automotive realm.

 

[fantastic]

Thanks, but I doubt the 50% PAO. Probably a group III?

 

[2.7ecoboostFordBronco]

This is my source of that PAO claim, I don’t know if it is reliable; this formulation predates (or coincides with the early days of) the common use of group III I think? Thus, the additive. I don’t think its formulation has changed much since ~30? years ago when it first came out (regulatory/liability reasons?) but I can’t find a detailed history of all that.

Savvy Aviation Oil Recommendations

Aeroshell 15W-50 is 50% PAO. Exxon Elite 20W-50 is 25% PAO (which is a lot better). Phillips 20W-50 is 0% PAO (and 100% mineral oil), which we think is the best if you need multigrade oil (because you will be doing cold starts in sub-freezing temperatures without a pre-heat).

Obviously Savvy Aviation doesn’t like it but Aeroshell W15W-50 is the oil that is specifically called out to use in my engine and airplane manufacturers’ operating manuals.

 

[wings&wheels]

Thanks for the VOA. Not sure I'd say CamGuard is universally recommended....but I'm a skeptic on most additives.

 

[MolaKule]

This is an Oil Analyzers/Horizon Aeroshell W15W-50 Ashless Dispersant Aviation Piston Engine Oil VOA with 5% by volume ASL Camguard Added.

It is marketed as “A semi-synthetic blend of base oils integrating ashless dispersant technology and advanced non-metallic anti-wear and anti-rust additive system, providing fast acting engine protection through oil drain intervals and in all seasons.”

I am told the base oil is 50/50 PAO/group II. The ASL Camguard additive seems to be almost universally recommended despite the prevailing philosophy to avoid oil additives in the automotive realm.

Adding ASL or any aftermarket additive to a formulated oil skews the results, since we cannot know what ASL contributes to the elemental values. One should have two separate VOAs: one for the additive and one for the formulated lubricant.

 

[2.7ecoboostFordBronco]

Sorry for putting the additive in, I thought it would be good to know about.

Here is one of just the Aeroshell W15W-50 with no additives afaik from Speediagnostix’s website, although it’s a different lab, different year/batch etc:

 

[Cujet]

Aeroshell 15W-50 does seem to contain significant PAO. As its use keeps internals markedly cleaner with orders of magnitude less varnish. And it is quite a bit better at preventing exhaust valve sticking than conventional aircraft engine oils.

Whether it is a better choice for an aircraft operator is another matter entirely. Clearly, flight schools get 3000 hours from abused engines, with regular shock cooling events, using the cheapest oil available. Does that mean the cheap oil is best, or that regular operation is best?

I recently switched from AS 15W-50 to Phillips 25W-60 (conventional oil) in an attempt at reducing oil consumption. My IO360 Lycoming is now using more oil than I'd like and compressions are in the low 70's. Bores still look great, and I suspect I'm experiencing the classic Cessna Cardinal ring tension loss due to poor cowl design. Maybe this oil will reduce the consumption, and also result in a stuck exhaust valve, like every other time we switched from 15W-50.

 

[2.7ecoboostFordBronco]

Aeroshell 15W-50 does seem to contain significant PAO. As its use keeps internals markedly cleaner with orders of magnitude less varnish. And it is quite a bit better at preventing exhaust valve sticking than conventional aircraft engine oils.

Whether it is a better choice for an aircraft operator is another matter entirely. Clearly, flight schools get 3000 hours from abused engines, with regular shock cooling events, using the cheapest oil available. Does that mean the cheap oil is best, or that regular operation is best?

I recently switched from AS 15W-50 to Phillips 25W-60 (conventional oil) in an attempt at reducing oil consumption. My IO360 Lycoming is now using more oil than I'd like and compressions are in the low 70's. Bores still look great, and I suspect I'm experiencing the classic Cessna Cardinal ring tension loss due to poor cowl design. Maybe this oil will reduce the consumption, and also result in a stuck exhaust valve, like every other time we switched from 15W-50.

Interesting, how much time since new or overhaul on your Lyc IO-360? Mine is at 530/3 yrs snew and only uses about 1 qt per 20 hours, but I suspect some sticky exhaust valves are causing coughing/chugging on cold starts. Had to replace a fuel tank due to a leak on a metal fold which ended up taking a month - quoted a week. Had I known, I would’ve changed it to Phillips 20W-50 anti-rust oil before I took it into maintenance.

 

[Cujet]

Interesting, how much time since new or overhaul on your Lyc IO-360? Mine is at 530/3 yrs snew and only uses about 1 qt per 20 hours, but I suspect some sticky exhaust valves are causing coughing/chugging on cold starts. Had to replace a fuel tank due to a leak on a metal fold which ended up taking a month - quoted a week. Had I known, I would’ve changed it to Phillips 20W-50 anti-rust oil before I took it into maintenance.

Engine has about 1000 hours since overhaul, 18 years ago.

Baffling was properly renewed at OH, and maintained well with leaks addressed. The '71 Cardinal RG is known to anneal piston rings due to poor overall cooling airflow. It came as no surprise when mine started using more oil than it should, right on schedule.

Flying yesterday, first flight after annual. Ran great! Roughly 10GPH, 143Kts TAS, 5500 feet. Clyde Cessna's direct reading oil pressure gauge is not really a calibrated indicator, but the 25W-60 oil clearly produces a tick higher needle position both cold and hot, than the Aeroshell 15W-50.

 

[2.7ecoboostFordBronco]

Engine has about 1000 hours since overhaul, 18 years ago.

Baffling was properly renewed at OH, and maintained well with leaks addressed. The '71 Cardinal RG is known to anneal piston rings due to poor overall cooling airflow. It came as no surprise when mine started using more oil than it should, right on schedule.

Flying yesterday, first flight after annual. Ran great! Roughly 10GPH, 143Kts TAS, 5500 feet.

Very nice! They are imperfecct machines, and I wonder if we are deluding ourselves by thinking some operating trick or maintenance product can overcome that, but it still probably won't stop me from trying (after the seed gets planted about some new strategy by a mechanic, usually). To answer your earlier (tic) question, flying frequently is the best medicine for these engines, I just wish that I always had the weather, budget, and time to fly 2-3x per week!

 

[Cujet]

Very nice! They are imperfect machines, and I wonder if we are deluding ourselves by thinking some operating trick or maintenance product can overcome that, but it still probably won't stop me from trying (after the seed gets planted about some new strategy by a mechanic, usually). To answer your earlier (tic) question, flying frequently is the best medicine for these engines, I just wish that I always had the weather, budget, and time to fly 2-3x per week!

As recently retired aviation professional, I've developed my opinions over time. Right or wrong, they exist. Agreed, frequent use is the secret to long engine life. Not just 2-3x per week, but that many per day, 7 days per week. The local parachute jump planes manage it this way. They purchase factory new engines, and go fly. According to the tech, they get well over 3000 hours and only have 1 or 2 cylinder changes towards the end. The plane goes up 5x/day, often to 14,000 feet, so it spends little time in cruise flight.

Contrast that with my plane, which is sporadically used, mostly for longer trips. I've never improved the cowl to the later style (a known benefit in cooling and speed) and despite 25 hour oil changes, have experienced a touch of cylinder bore corrosion and really I should install the NiCom coated cylinders to prevent problems.

But in the end, I tend to stay conventional and avoid too many alterations. Instead dealing with the known issues as they crop up.