[Wing] Engine Heating Problems; RV-7A (fwd)

[Barry Tunzelmann]

First of all ensure our guage is calibrated correctly.

-----Original Message-----
From: wing-bounces at vansairforce.org [mailto:wing-bounces at vansairforce.org]
On Behalf Of Del Schneider
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 11:07 AM
To: 'Van's Air Force Western Canada Wing'
Subject: RE: [Wing] Engine Heating Problems; RV-7A (fwd)

Just a couple of thoughts....

My engine is an Areo Sport Power O-360 A1A 

1.    When I received my engine I was instructed to use a non detergent oil
for the first 50 hours or until the oil consumption ceased.

2.    I was also advised to run the engine at full power (as must as was
reasonable).

3.    I then switched to Aero Shell 15W-50. 

*         With this oil I experienced higher than normal Oil and Cyl head
temps on climb out.

*         I tried a number of changes with not much effect.

*         I read as much as I could find on oils and then,

*         I decided to switch oils and went to Aero Shell W100 Plus and both
Oil temp and Cyl Head temps have come down substantially. As you know the
weather here was extremely warm over the last while and I am not having the
problem.

 

Del Schneider

Prince George, BC

C-GZVD RV6A

 

-----Original Message-----
From: wing-bounces at vansairforce.org [mailto:wing-bounces at vansairforce.org]
On Behalf Of Tedd McHenry
Sent: July 12, 2006 9:43 AM
To: Western Canada Wing List
Subject: [Wing] Engine Heating Problems; RV-7A (fwd)

 

I received this query from a builder who's having cooling problems.  Anybody

got any ideas about this?

 

Tedd McHenry

Van's Air Force

Western Canada Wing

tedd at vansairforce.org

www.vansairforce.org

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2006 19:31:50 -0600

From: Mel Field <mel.field at shaw.ca>

To: tedd at vansairforce.org

Subject: Engine Heating Problems;  RV-7A

 

Hi, Ted!  I wonder if I can prevail upon you and the members of Vans
Airforce

for some sage advice on how to tackle our high oil temperatures in a new

airplane, newly overhauled engine.

 

We have an IO-360 C1C6, 200 hp, angle valve Lycoming, modified to a front

injector setup and installed as per Vans instructions and parts with the oil

cooler mounted on the left rear baffle wall.  It was overhauled by an AME,
and

is rated by him as a zero time engine, though not certificated.  We have
been

flying it at 75% power so far to seat the rings.

 

We have about 8 hours on it now.  Oil temperatures have been running at 230
F

since startup.  We suspected that with the nose gear, heatmuff, etc., the
exit

area was inadequate, so we added a second exit duct on the left side
alongside

the original centered duct in Vans bottom cowling.  This adds about 35% to
the

exit area, with two 2.5" by 5" openings cut in the left floor of the
cowling.

That helped marginally: still 230 F oil, but with somewhat higher outside
air

temperatures.  Next we tried putting a 1" flared lip across the back of the

entire cowling air exit in hopes of creating more of a venturi effect.
Again

there was a slight improvement, but only enough to offset a 5 F warmer
outside

air temperature.

 

On the latest flight we had the blast tubes for cooling the battery,
magnetos

and fuel pump blocked off; thinking that maybe there was too much air
leakage

from the upstream pressure chamber.  There was no noticeable change.  With
80 F

outside air this time, the oil temp went to 240 F and Dennis terminated the

flight after 30 minutes.

 

We can continue to fly it perhaps in cool air at sunrise, but it looks like

some modification is needed for nornal summer operations.  It is still using

about 0.75 liters per hour of 20W-50 oil, so I guess the rings are not yet

seated.  How much difference that would make I don't know.

 

Do you have any ideas about further cowling mods or other changes?  The
baffle

seals look to be OK and we know of no other "leaks".  I suppose we cold
install

a bigger oil cooler or a second oil cooler.  We could add another similar
exit

duct on the right side of the lower cowling.  A hanger neighbor with a F1

Rocket (IO 540) said that he had to put louvres across much of his lower

cowling to bring temperatures down.  That seems a bit extreme, but what to
do?

 

 

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