Insulated Engine Covers

[cubflyer18]

A couple of years back there was an article in Northern Flyer or some other up North magazine about engine covers. It was a face off between manufacturer's products with infrared comparison photos of various covers. I seem to remember that a relatively unknown outperformed all the big names like Tanis and Kennon. Does anyone remember that issue who might relate the name of that manufacturer. I don't have access to the magazine anymore. Jeff

 

[mvivion]

Cubflyer,

I believe that was a Wiggy's cover you refer to.

Here is food for thought, though:

I'd rather have an engine cover that provides just a bit less insulation BUT can bundle up nicely in the baggage compartment.

The Wiggys cover I saw was HUGE, and you carry enough crap around in winter that you really can't afford to lose a lot of space to excess cover.

Think about it: You aren't trying to preserve that last little degree or two of heat.

Buy a good, compact cover from Kennon or Cunningham and order insulated blade covers for your prop at the same time. You'll have a smaller bundle to carry around, and the blade covers will do as good as a monster engine cover.

The Northern Pilot article would have been more useful, I think if it had been directed toward sleeping bags, not engine covers.

MTV

 

[Ursa Major]

Mike,

I generally agree with you on the bulk of Wiggy's stuff (sleeping bags and engine covers) but, in their defense, they are made of a material (lamilite) that can be compressed to a relatively small bundle with compression stuff sacks, and when opened, puff back to almost original thickness.

Although its a hassle to repack bags in a compression stuff sack when you are in a hurry to get going - it does allow you to carry a pretty warm sleeping bag in a relatively small package. The need for a thick engine cover is probably a bit less critical - though you can pack them in a relatively small bundle if you really feel you need one. My engine cover is a Cunningham (and is plenty thick) but the sleeping bag is a Wiggy's.

 

[ground loop]

In my opinion, the major advantage of Wiggy's lamilite material isn't heat retention. Lots of materials can do that. Lamilites major advantage is water vapor transfer. Many materials claim to do it , but few do it as well as lamilite. Great hypothermia prevention and dryness are not necessary for engine preheating. I have to agree with mvivion's opinion.

 

[mvivion]

Ursa Major,

I'd agree with you 100 %. Wigatow's sleeping bags are probably the best on the market. I sure didn't intend to suggest otherwise, just that an engine is different than my pink carcass.

MTV

 

[Gary Reeves]

I've been looking for something that would add real long term warmth to the engine and oil.

I feel that the Red Dragon would blister the paint, but leave the crank frozen, and strongly feel that a few of our engine faillures are with a hot to the feel , but cold inside engine.

The cowl plugs at Kenon look like a good idea. Recently, I have collected a batch of water bed heaters and am considering putting them into an engine cover that could be fired by one of my 1000 watt geneatrors.

I have been using a Coleman cataliltic underneath with a long stack to get into the cover. I don't have room inside the cowing for the Coleman. I'm sure that it makes the whole system warmer, but it takes a lot longer. Bet it also makes a lot more water.

GR

 

[StewartB]

Gary,

I use a Reiff high-output system on my Cessna. Even with 6 cylinder bands and the sump pad, I'm at 750 watts. (I use a 1000W generator.) The 100 watt cylinder bands are a big improvement over the old 50 watt units.

Honestly, I think I could preheat my engine easily with a poly tarp as an engine cover. You just need something to keep the air from blowing across these air cooled engines. My bigger concern is at shutdown in cold weather. I throw the engine cover on as soon as I turn the motor off, before I push the plane back. Talk about shock cooling!

SB

 

[bill willcutts]

engine covers

You guys using the Reiff system. Do you leave it plugged in 24/7 in the winter or turn it on prior to use? Our local ai is having a running debate about this. Any thoughts? Thnaks Bill

 

[StewartB]

I only preheat if I'm going to fly. 2-3 hours, tops. If the plane's going to sit, I prefer the moisture in the engine to be frozen.

SB

 

[N5126H]

I have the Wiggys and the other more compact brand..... buy the Wiggys it is the best and if you want to stuff it smaller you can with the compression sack supplied. The Wiggys fits better and does not get wet. Northern Pilot said the same thing.

 

[ground loop]

Bill.
A basic premise of chemical reactions is that if you want to accellerate a reaction add heat. So if you want to make a small leap, H2O (from condesation) + metal parts + heat = accellerated rusting. A good recipe for disaster. On the other hand metal + ice = icy metal. The obvious problems occurring during freeze-thaw cycles. Hence, the recommendation for frequent flights at optimum temp or pickling with dessication plugs.

 

[mvivion]

Yep, I agree with Ground Loop. So does Tanis. They've got a pretty good discussion of heating on their web site, so you may want to go look at it.

I have a Rieff system on my O360, and at 0 degrees, 2 hours is about right. At -20, 2 hours isn't enough. If I have plug ins available, and I'm going flying the next day, I plug in overnight, which ensures a nice toasty warm engine, heated clear through.

The core is what I worry about. It takes a while, even with a lot of heat, to fully warm the crankshaft and bearings. And that's the expensive stuff.

And, yeah, I know you can use a compression sack to stuff the Wiggys cover. I'm lazy, and often when I'm flying, I'm in and out six or eight times in a day, so using a compression sack is a pain.

I've got an older Kennon cover, which rolls up really tight, with no sack at all, wrap the bungees around it, and off you go. Takes three seconds.

And, it won't hold the heat as long at -40 as the Wiggys cover, but who cares, frankly? At those temps, I'm not sitting on the ground for long anyway, if I'm even out there in those temps.

But, buy the cover that makes you happy. My point was consider all the parameters, not just the effectiveness of its heat retention.

MTV

 

[Yard Dart]

Wiggy engine cover any one got their number?

 

[mmr]

1-800-748-1827
Mark

 

[Yard Dart]

Thanks for the number. wiggys 15 x 24 in a bag.

 

[Scooter7779h]

Andy Alexander who posts here requently did the scientific tests and wrote the article for Northern Flyer. I am having dinner with him tonight. If he has a copy of the article, maybe he can post it up here.

I have a Cunningham cowl cover, that wasn't tested in the article. I REALLY LIKE IT. It by far is the best cover I have ever had for the cub.

http://www.cunninghamcovers.com/

 

[750XL]

I just ordered one with the prop cover. Lynn is a great guy

 

[mvivion]

I've gone to using Cunningham covers on everything I have any say about. Lynn will make what you want, not what he thinks you need, and they fit.

MTV

 

[Ursa Major]

I've been happy with my Cunningham covers, but I modified them by adding flaps at the air intakes so that I can open them to allow the warm air to "flow" over the cylinders.

I also replaced the rubber balls on the bungees with plastic hooks (takes up less space and weighs less). They are very well made and do fit well. I would guess that Lynn would probably add any mod you wanted if you asked him upfront. Since I bought mine off the shelf, I added the mods that seemed to work best for me.

 

[Jerry Gaston]

I have been happy with my Wiggsy cover and it is compact in the compression bag (about the same size as a sleeping bag). And I like reading his news letters ...makes you want to stand up and wave the flag.

 

[RedEye]

covers

Mom made mine. Works great, packs down tight. My computer skills prervent me from posting a picture !! :roll:

 

[On Patrol]

We have both the cubs 160HP that I was thinking of adding some sump heat to. Worst conditions in Maine or New Hampshire would be around zero F in the hangar. I have prop,cone and cowl covers for Daisy. The hangars have electric available but when on the ice in China it may need a generator. Any suggestions I was going down the Univair road. Thanks John

 

[Gunny]

John - if you are talking a preheat system for your engine I would recommend Reiff. I have it in mine. Most bang for your preheating buck I could find. Here is a link to their site. http://www.reiffpreheat.com/

I see the other big option - Tanis - has come down a bit in price since I last looked I guess so they are more in line with Reiff. Here's their site. http://www.tanisaircraft.com/

I like the Reiff and although it never gets all that cold here 20-30F - she will fire right up after only a couple hours on the preheat. I went with the whole deal (Turbo XP System) and it was still under $600. I like Reiff's bands that go all the way around the cylinder as opposed to the probes at the cylinder head on the Tanis system.

In my experience with the Reiff, if you plug in the night before the oil temp will be near running temps when you fire her up in the morning. Again - it doesn't get that cold here but I have heard similarly favorable reports from guys in much colder places like AK. Good luck - I hope this helps.

 

[CubCouper]

So... I've always figured that choosing a good/mediocre compromise on an engine cover would be its suitability for an emergency sleeping bag or shelter. With no (or currently anticipated) experience, is this a valid concept to consider? Would an real-life, experienced person choose to carry both a full complement of keep-warm-gear for both the airplane and the souls, or is a dual duty solution a feasible option?

 

[Ursa Major]

Rod,

If you're serious about staying warm, carry the sleeping bag. Even a heavy engine cover makes a marginal sleeping bag.

 

[Crash]

I've slept out in -25 to -30 below zero and I can tell you that any draft in your sleeping bag will soon freeze you. I can't see an engine cover keeping you very warm at these temperatures without a zipper, zipper baffle, hood or pucker string for the hood. When it's this cold I have my sleeping bag hood up and the pucker string pulled down to where just my chin, nose and mouth are out of the bag. Take care. Crash

 

[Scooter7779h]

Crash and Mike are both right on. I too have spent a night or two outdoors at -20F or so... I would NOT want to do it with only an engine cover. You might die, and if you didn't you would cuss your lack of judgement all night as you shivered uncontrollably.

My -40F down bags are very small when sacked up, and I don't leave home without two of them during the winter!!! In my -12 I put them in the end of the VERY extended baggage, and they are easy to get to if needed in a hurry and out of the way at the same time.

 

[N5126H]

Bag big enough to get in fully dressed with a couple of gallon vip locks (to pee in), hand warmers, flash light, and a MRE all inside a bivvy sack ready to go alomg with your wiggys engine cover and a MSR two person four season tent. Now your ready for a good time in the cold.

 

[bearsnack]

I once had an engine cover with black on the outside and blaze orange color on the inside. Just another good angle on the survival side.

 

[cabinflyer]

From the buyer beware dept. Over a month ago I ordered a spinner cover from Cunningham Covers out of Washington state. The owner told me it was shipped on December 23 via priority mail and probably hadn't received it because of the Christmas rush. About 10 days later I called wondering where it was, and he promised he would send ANOTHER one out that same day and offered to call me with the Priority mail tracking number. He did neither. Last Tuesday I called and he promised to send yet another cover. To this date I have not received my propeller cover. They should be piling up in my mail box by now. I paid by credit card so I just can't stop payment. Kind of at a loss at what to do

I've read from others he supposedly does decent work, and bought from Cunningham based mainly on the reviews. Earlier he made mention to me he was having production problems. Has anyone heard if he's going out of business or something? Also does anyone know who else makes good insulated covers?

Thanks!

Steve