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Shutter on Oil Cooler.. Now what?

JP11

FRIEND
Minot, ME
I put a shutter on my oil cooler.

Experimental Cub with 160. Cooler is on the back of motor.

I didn't fly a long leg at cruise.. but I'm guessing I maybe have 20 to 30 degrees of authority... maybe it would keep getting hotter at cruise.

Anyway.. what would you consider a GOAL temp for winter flying.

Got my skis on.. and my home runway was about perfect with 8" snow on it.

JP IMG_3812.JPG
 

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You need to fly much longer than 5 min. to know what it's doing. I find the colder it is the longer it takes for temp to settle out. Doing too many takeoffs and landings may not be a good idea in the winter?

I find it difficult to keep the temps up when it get's below 30F even with my coolers blocked( front mount on a O290 & rear mount on IO320) In general it's best to fly as long as I can stand it. (Both open cockpit and/or w/o cabin heat.)

My goal is 180-200 winter or summer. Both are difficult when very cold or hot.

Jack
 
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Didn't mean to imply I only flew it 5 minutes. I went around the patch a couple times.. flew to my strip about 7 miles away. Went back, got gas.. flew back to my house..

It seemed to be in the 150s for that. I had the shutter closed. I cruised up the river for 5 or 10 minutes and it was getting into the 160s. I opened the shutter and it was cooling down at a degree every minute maybe. I didn't experiment much more than that.

I'm sure there will be a hamburger somewhere up north I have to go eat.. a longer leg will let me determine cruise settings for the day.

JP
 
What RPM? Note that temp redline is what, 240F ? Don't be afraid to run it up and get some heat in that engine to boil the moisture out of that oil. What oil pressure are you seeing at the low oil temp? I don't feel that cruising with low temp and oil pressure at the top end of the arc is a very good combination. Are you confident of the accuracy of the oil temp/pressure gauge?

Jim
 
Prop is pretty flat.. it's not working too hard. 2400 rpm.. Oil pressure 66.

I haven't had high oil temps really ever. I think I saw 209 once. The shutter is new.

pretty confident in numbers. New EDM installed last year. I do see real high pressures when first starting. Gauge will blank out over 100psi for the first 30 seconds or so on takeoff if I launch when the oil is at around 75 degrees.

JP
 
I've read articles that say our oil is exposed to surfaces that bring the oil temp up 50* higher than indicated so the 165* number on the gauge is fine for corrosion protection. The redline of 240* +50 is too high for normal running. I remember reading an article where Continental's winter minimum was 145* but I've looked and looked and can't find it again so I use the 165* mark there, too.
 
I've read articles that say our oil is exposed to surfaces that bring the oil temp up 50* higher than indicated so the 165* number on the gauge is fine for corrosion protection. The redline of 240* +50 is too high for normal running. I remember reading an article where Continental's winter minimum was 145* but I've looked and looked and can't find it again so I use the 165* mark there, too.
Stewart, I have read that, too, but can’t find the source. If you find it I would appreciate reading that again. Thanks!
 
In cooler, below freezing and colder weather it takes my flying time at least 1/2 hour to achieve proper temps, with the shutter mostly closed in my cub.
John
 
In cooler, below freezing and colder weather it takes my flying time at least 1/2 hour to achieve proper temps, with the shutter mostly closed in my cub.
John


My rebuilder of the -320 on the -12 told me to keep oil temp above 180 and below 220 (both "Indicated") to prolong the life of the engine. As noted above, even with the shutter closed, it takes at least 30 minutes of cruise power flying to warm it up enough to be at or above 180 if the temps are in say low double digits to 20's. In the single digits or colder, I struggle to reach and stay at 180. I tend to keep the shutter mostly closed between Nov - May and mostly open the rest of the year..but always looking to be in the range noted above.
 
What shutter did you put on your rear mount cooler? Is it manually activated or by cable from cabin?
 
I like to cruise at at least 180 (airspeed I wish). I'd try taping over 1/2 of the cooler, and then see if your shutter doesn't have a lot more effectiveness.
 
What shutter did you put on your rear mount cooler? Is it manually activated or by cable from cabin?

Pull cable identical to my cabin heat. Shutter mounted to the backside of cooler.

https://antisplataero.com/products/oil-cooler-air-shutter

LOVE the Datum Skis. Plenty of floatation. I switched to springs this year (still need to tweak just a bit for exact fit in wheel mode){because of the sutton exhaust} . I've purposefully gone into some slushy crap to test.. and have been very happy with how they go.
 
Blocking the front side of the cooler is more effective than blocking the back. Just in case you need more.
 
Blocking the front side of the cooler is more effective than blocking the back. Just in case you need more.

I'll see what I get for temps with a descent length leg. It was mounted on back just for ease of install. I may do a small block off plate in front to help get the temps up a bit more.
 
FYI, front mounted cooler with the factory block off plate runs about 200 all winter.


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I was never near that even in summer pushing it hard when I had the prop pitched way out to go on my trip to OH. I guess I'll find out all my limits a bit more when I go on floats. High power, lower speeds.

JP
 
My first cub had a oil cooler shutter. About all I could manage was a 20 degree difference open to closed. In the winter I was not able to get my oil temp to the 180 degree range with just the shutter, I had to tape off part of the inlet. I am currently (my second cub) using a valve in the oil cooler line so I can regulate the amount of oil the goes through the cooler. This works much better, giving much quicker warm ups and allows accurate oil temps at all outside temps I’ve tried so far. I’ve not tried it below 0 degrees yet. I suspect at very cold temps it still might require some level of airflow modification.

Bill
 
We used Vans shutter, cable operated from panel. Even in AK summer temps have to have it closed off a ways to get to 195 range.
Nice to have proper temps.
John
 
Bill, is this a diverter-type valve that circumnavigates the cooler, or are you simply choking down the flow? Also, is this in conjunction with a Vernatherm or a viscosity valve? Thanks!
 
Thanks Bill. I had questions as to whether it was Kosher to simply throttle it down. Apparently the viscosity valve just opens accordingly as the flow is restricted. That should be extremely effective.
 
180F + for 20 to 30 min, to get the moisture out of your oil. Remember that moisture is combining with combustion by products and is very corrosive! You don’t want to run your engine for short periods of time in the winter. Get it up to temp and keep it there... That 20 to 30 is the minimum it takes...
 
Flew for an hour today. 160 is all I got. Guess I'll block a bit of the front too. Ice still looks iffy. Farmers field are about perfect though.

JP
 
My lexan slider on the Rotax's oil cooler is augmented by partially taping off the cowling inlets. When it gets much below 20 or 15 degrees, even with my cooler shutter and my coolant divertor valve both shut all the way, once in steady cruise flight temps will drop to 140-160, without taping. It looks like hell but is effective, and I can't see it while I'm flying. The correct amount of taping was found by trial and error, now I have it just right, even playing hard shooting lots of landings in 40 degrees it doesn't got too hot. I have such control now, it's a bit scary, as it's up to me to pay attention and not let it overheat as conditions change.
 
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