My winter flying saga…….after the first winter season flying and summer at altitudes where OAT is 60F and below, I can never get my engine oil temps to desired working range 180F - 210F. When OAT was 35F and below never saw oil temp over 140F. My research over the summer on the forums to address the issue for my plane led me to some key concepts.
https://youtu.be/U4eGTEGOkRk
The video link is to one of my test flights using the 2" winterization plate, pulling data from the Dynon EFIS logs and displaying overlayed on the camera view so I could review the results in more detail after the flight.
1. Installed an adjustable OIL COOLER AIR SHUTTER - https://antisplataero.com/products/oil-cooler-air-shutter which only helps when OAT > 32F. Anything below, I fly up to 0F temps, the door does nothing to help
2. Checked the vernatherm is working OK
3. Tested covering the cowl inlets, first using painter's tape for correct position and width
4. Prototyped an aluminum rib for the cowl inlets to hold different width plates
5. Testing so far OAT variance: 1" plate for 45F - 60F, 2" plate for 32F - 60F, 2.5" plate for 20F - 32F. Not flown yet below 20F to do any testing
6. Vertical rib is attached to cowl with nut plates 1 x top and 2 x bottom (to prevent twisting sideways under wind pressure), easily removable
7. Winter weather is notorious for temperature inversions, so plates can be replaced quickly with prior flight planning or just land at next airport and change them out
8. The oil shutter door acts as a proxy cowl flap allowing me to adjust the temp range up and down by 20 degrees F when winterization plates are on
9. For comfort make sure the connections at the scat tube ends from outside air vents are sealed as they let in a lot of air - good for summer flying but not in winter.
Other items that make the extended flying season more pleasurable:
1. Cellular/LTE/4G Remote Power Control Switch - https://switcheon.com/
2. Engine Preheat System - https://www.reiffpreheat.com/
3. Bruce's Engine Cover - https://aircraftcovers.com
4. Lycoming winter recommendation is to idle engine between 1000 and 1200 rpm for ground operations by adding some throttle. Helps with oil circulation when engine temps are low. (Brake pads are cheaper than engine overhauls).
5. They also recommend on approach into airports to start 10 miles sooner and do a "power-on" descent to maintain higher CHT's.
6. Also every 30 minutes, in flight cycle the prop to push hot oil through the governor and nose prop.
https://youtu.be/U4eGTEGOkRk
The video link is to one of my test flights using the 2" winterization plate, pulling data from the Dynon EFIS logs and displaying overlayed on the camera view so I could review the results in more detail after the flight.
1. Installed an adjustable OIL COOLER AIR SHUTTER - https://antisplataero.com/products/oil-cooler-air-shutter which only helps when OAT > 32F. Anything below, I fly up to 0F temps, the door does nothing to help
2. Checked the vernatherm is working OK
3. Tested covering the cowl inlets, first using painter's tape for correct position and width
4. Prototyped an aluminum rib for the cowl inlets to hold different width plates
5. Testing so far OAT variance: 1" plate for 45F - 60F, 2" plate for 32F - 60F, 2.5" plate for 20F - 32F. Not flown yet below 20F to do any testing
6. Vertical rib is attached to cowl with nut plates 1 x top and 2 x bottom (to prevent twisting sideways under wind pressure), easily removable
7. Winter weather is notorious for temperature inversions, so plates can be replaced quickly with prior flight planning or just land at next airport and change them out
8. The oil shutter door acts as a proxy cowl flap allowing me to adjust the temp range up and down by 20 degrees F when winterization plates are on
9. For comfort make sure the connections at the scat tube ends from outside air vents are sealed as they let in a lot of air - good for summer flying but not in winter.
Other items that make the extended flying season more pleasurable:
1. Cellular/LTE/4G Remote Power Control Switch - https://switcheon.com/
2. Engine Preheat System - https://www.reiffpreheat.com/
3. Bruce's Engine Cover - https://aircraftcovers.com
4. Lycoming winter recommendation is to idle engine between 1000 and 1200 rpm for ground operations by adding some throttle. Helps with oil circulation when engine temps are low. (Brake pads are cheaper than engine overhauls).
5. They also recommend on approach into airports to start 10 miles sooner and do a "power-on" descent to maintain higher CHT's.
6. Also every 30 minutes, in flight cycle the prop to push hot oil through the governor and nose prop.