Adventures in Oil Changing.

I have a cold, but the college flying club 172 needs an oil change… no problem, I shall manage.

1.) Drive car to hangar and get airplane.
2.) Upon bringing aircraft over to maintenance hangar, notice that carb heat has no effect.
3.) Remove cowl.
4.) Begin draining oil.
5.) Note that carb heat control arm is broken off of shaft.
6.) Order carb heat repair kit.
7.) Remove airbox for repair, upon removal note that carburetor float bowl drains its contents through bolt holes for airbox… not a good sign.
8.) Investigate further and discover that bolt holes were drilled and tapped all the way into float bowl, this is not as its designer intended.
9.) Discover that carburetor is out of warranty by one month.
10.) Cry.
11.) Order carburetor.
12.) Cry more.
13.) Go home and go to bed.


Carb heat repair kit? – $350.00
New Carburetor – $1150.00
Turning an oil change into a major disaster on Friday before a holiday weekend? Priceless.

~~Warno