Oil Temp

Ablight · Post by **Ablight** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 14:55

Well I found in the L16 maintenece manuals the "cold weather kit", it consists of the winter cover (below the prop) and a cooling air restriction plate (in the bottom of the cowling). The part number is 4-687. It attaches to the the cowling lip or deflector at the base of the cowling. Does any one have the Aeronca drawing for this so I can get the part made up? Or any source for the part? Thanks...Andy

DRP · Post by **DRP** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 09:59

I am slowly readying for winter ops with my 1958 7EC. I have fashioned a preheater, (see other post in Engines...) and am working on a cowling cover from inexpensive sleeping bags. Flight ops with warmed oil by preheating are notable for satisfactory oil pressure, but I can't seem to get oil temp above 120 deg F with ambient temps around 30-40 deg F.

I searched this site for info on reducing cold air inflow, with appropriate concern for not cooking cylinders, and found this abandoned thread. Horizontal duct tape strips are mentioned but seem a bit unconventional to me. Ron mentions "I now fly with the opening blocked under the prop," but doesn't describe how he blocks it. Nathan offers this: "It's a fairly simple device to make if your incline too. Just cut a peice of Alum. to fit, then take a couple old inspection plates and drill off the springs on the back. Either screw or rivit the springs on the cover." Finally, Andy Alblight, in December 04, noted an L-16 part number 4-687, but the thread died there without a response.

Are there any fresh thoughts or solutions to this problem? Although it was gone the next day, here's what my home field, 1E8, looked like on 10/21/06...

Thanks for the help...I look forward to the responses and to more cold weather ops!

Jody Wittmeyer · Post by **Jody Wittmeyer** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 17:20

If anyone wants a picture of the lower plate, just send me an e-mail to
jodydeb@earthlink.net and I will e-mail it back to you. They work great with Hanlon Wilsons. I run @ 180 deg. at 0 deg. outside temp.

Ron Babos · Post by **Ron Babos** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 19:21

DRP: I fly with it close all year and the best I can get on a 45-50 degree day is 155. I have no case tins installed so it was easy to cut an .020 piece of aluminm that fits into the identation of the opening. Closed , the engine A-65 will only tickle 185 on the hottest days now that it's fully broke in. It would seem for winter opps the inlets should be reduced to about 1/2 of what they are. The area under the prop should be closed and a insulating blanket used on the oil kidney. To me, the outlet is a waist of time as reducing the inlet has the same effect. The only plates that I've seen have been cut out of thin aluminum and basically held in the openings with sheet metal screws that go into the nose bowl. Even with all that crap the 65 still won't get to a normal 175 degrees in the 30-40 degree days. Maybe 140-150 on a good day. At that rate, you're just filling the engine with water. Faster turning engines like the 85/90/0200 and 0235 will make more heat.
Ron

Nathan K. Hammond · Post by **Nathan K. Hammond** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 00:03

DRP, I'll try to get a picture of the nose cover and the duct-tape winter mod, tomorrow when at work.

nkh

MikeB · Post by **MikeB** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 08:31

I was flying Sunday afternoon for awhile. I'd say the ambient temperature was about 60 degrees, but I couldn't get the Champ (A65) over about 140-150 degrees. I didn't have the inlet blocking plate on, though. Even with mufflers, it's hard to get the temperature up to 170 once the outside air temperature goes down. One bright side: at least I have oil pressure (35#)at 140 rather than 28-30# at 170

. Bascially, I think the A65 doesn't make a lot of heat so it doesn't take a lot to cool it. After all, they only burn about 4 gallons per hour or so and, as Ron said, they turn pretty slow.

As far as condensation goes, I change my oil pretty regular during the winter months. Even if I don't put a lot of hours on.

Mike

Jody Wittmeyer · Post by **Jody Wittmeyer** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 08:27

Mike, with the bottom plate I can get the oil temp up descent in cold wx. It actually puts out really hot cabin air at 180 deg.

Jody Wittmeyer · Post by **Jody Wittmeyer** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:34

Here is a web site that has photo's and descriptions of how to make the winter plate. Pete's differs from mine, as his fits inside the cowl lip. Mine completely covers the lip, with 4 small tabs that are bent up and fit on the outside of the lip. I screwed through the tabs, into the lip to secure. The photo's really show you the idea, though. Takes about 20 minutes to make. http://home.mn.rr.com/petegavin/Aeronca%20Stuff/

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