REFLECTOR: Plenum drain?

[Terry Miles]

I can add to this as a ditto.   I have had engine compartment oil leaks that
do spray (or mist) the leaking oil all over the place including up the
utility ducts, or back on to the back side of the prop blades.  

Terry

 

From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Jerry Teitsma
Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 13:31
To: Reflector
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Plenum drain?

 

Don Johnston asked an interesting question.  I have experienced engine
compartment pressure that forced hot air back up through the ducts.  I also
have a plenum drain that extends through the firewall into the engine
compartment.  I do not have it plumbed to the outside, just into the engine
compartment, just under the plenum.

 

One time I reached altitude and leveled off at 3,000 ft AGL and suddenly had
a mist in the cabin.  The mist was thick enough to obscure vision.  After I
shut down power and put the plane to best glide speed, the mist gradually
went away.  Upon landing, I found that an oil fitting in the engine
compartment had failed, spraying a fine mist of oil over everything.  I had
less than a quart of oil remaining in the engine.  In a way, I was lucky to
have the mist carried back into the cabin or I would have left the vicinity
of the airport and would have run out of oil while flying over the
mountains.

 

Re-thinking this situation, I think I will duct that drain line to the
outside and reduce the possibility of taking in carbon monoxide.  As an
additional measure, I have constructed a reverse scoop in the bottom of the
cowling to try to create a negative pressure zone in the engine compartment,
assisting in more cylinder cooling.  Will fly this configuration within the
next 2 weeks.

 

Jerry Teitsma, Inc
PO Box 796, Granby CO 80446 970-887-3910 (Phone/Fax)
jerryteits at comcast.net

Jerry Teitsma, RRC, RRO, CCCA
RCI, Inc
PO Box 796, Granby CO 80446 (USPS mail/shipping)
36 Lodgepole Ct, Granby CO 80446 (UPS/FedEx shipping)
970-887-3910 (Phone/Fax)
jerryteits at comcast.net

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