Oil Cooler

["Steven R. Wooden" <Wooden@navix.net>]

Like Pete, I too have agonized about where to put the oil cooler or coolers.
As time goes on, I am hearing little reason to put one in the nose.  It
seems there are many drawbacks, from the length of the hoses to the
inefficient heating capacity.  Let me summarize what I have learned on the
reflector and perhaps someone could provide direction for those of us
needing some in this area.

Possible locations include: 1. in the nose as the plans call for.  2. in the
wing root ( ? location) with air intake at the leading edge and output below
the wing and diverted hot air into the cabin.  I understand this places the
hoses outside of the cabin and shortens them considerably.  3. on the
firewall with air intake from above or even no external intake at all.  This
provides for short hoses, but is there enough room and does the approach
without a scoop yield good results?  With a scoop for this one, where is the
scoop located.  4.  are there any other acceptable locations?

Cabin heating includes: 1. nose oil cooler as plans call for, but is this
efficient enough for comfort in the sub zero north.  2.  Electric heater,
has many drawbacks as a primary heater and may not provide enough heat.  3.
Wing root oil cooler as above  4. Firewall oil cooler diverting heat to
cabin.  If the nose heater is inefficient, I could not imagine that this is
any more adequate.  5. Muff heater as conventional aircraft use.  Is this
practical?  Are the dangers any more than any other aircraft ( i.e.
carbonmonoxide )?  If it is practical, who is using what devices and how are
they placed with both the Lycoming and Franklin engines?

Steve Wooden
173 FGE