REFLECTOR: Engine compartment oil cooler

Craig and/or Denise Woolston cdwoolston at verizon.net
Thu Apr 28 07:59:58 CDT 2005


This might be too little, too late, but I recently had a friend (RV-6A) who
had "higher than everyone else" oil temps (~200degF).  Recently he went from
fixed to constant speed pitch and his oil temps went up some.  So he thought
that it was time to add a second oil cooler.  After going through the
trouble of doing that, one day the oil temps sky rocketed.  Turned out to be
the vermilium(sp?) valve, not oil coolers at all.  Replaced that, oils temps
now 175degF.  Has probably been a problem since day one on a factory new
engine.

Might want to check that first, as it's much easier.  I understand the
technique is to remove it and check like a automotive thermosat.

Craig
XL5FG

-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Richard Riley
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2005 10:26 PM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: RE: REFLECTOR: Engine compartment oil cooler

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.

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