REFLECTOR: Engine compartment oil cooler

[Richard Riley]

His cyl temps are fine, in the low to mid 300's.  But the oil temp is out 
of control.  He ends up burning absurd amounts of fuel - 25-30 GPH - just 
to try to keep the oil cool.  A little bit of airflow through the big 
cooler should make a world of difference.

We've pretty much settled on an additional scoop on the bottom cowl, and 
scat.  With cyl's that good, I would have taken air off the right cooling 
runner, but it was his call.  A new scoop may be a little drag, but it's 
the safer solution.


At 11:52 PM 4/22/05, Brian Michalk wrote:
>I have a theory about air cooling.  Of course I could be wrong.
>
>I think that having maximum vacuum in the cowling is the optimum solution.
>Plug all of the leaks in the plenum such that all of the air entering your
>intake scoops goes through the cylinders, and is "sucked" into the cowling.
>It would therefore (assuming my first sentence is correct) seem reasonable
>that any additional "leak" in the form of extra air routed through scat
>tubes to cool the oil pan, oil filter, second oil cooler, or alternator all
>results in higher pressure in the cowl, which results in less cooling of the
>cylinders.
>
>In my opinion, if you have to have secondary cooling in the cowling, provide
>appropriate exhaust for this air.
>
>How are his cylinder temps?
>
> >From my limited experience, I've seen that oil temps lag cylinder temps.
>Keep the cylinders cool, and the oil stays cool.