High oil temperature/low pressure

[wpbarnar]

This may sound strange,  but were your panel lights on when the oil pressure indicated low?   If the instrument case ground is poor on the ship’s gauges,  panel lights can lower your oil pressure indication.   The lighting ground is acting as the instrument ground.  They don’t like the shared ground.  Turn your panel lights on and adjust the lighting rheostat and observe the pressure indication.  If it fluctuates with rheostat movement,  the instrument ground is poor.  

It is easy for me to spend other people’s money, but you really need a engine monitor.   I don’t have a lot of confidence in 30 year old ship’s gauges and IMO,  K models need a engine monitor to be flown correctly.

On a separate note,  I would verify  the safety wire on your oil filter is pulling in the correct direction.

It appears to be threaded through the tab and pulling in a counter clockwise direction. 

Bill

Edited April 27, 2020 by wpbarnar
Correcting original post

[Mufflerbearing]

Good catch on the oil filter safety wire. 

We have such amazing eyes here on MS. 

[jkarch]

That’s what I heard as well from a mechanic, a blocked up frozen oil cooler. Normally the sump and cylinder heaters should be good enough if you wait long enough to preheat. 100w is still good stuff though.

[N231BN]

If it is really cold out, it doesn't seem to matter how warm the oil is when you start. The oil cooler is bypassed until the vernatherm closes and by the time the oil gets warm enough for that to happen the cooler has been completely cold-soaked.

The solution is either lower-viscosity oil or a plate to cover some of the cooler area. The 252 has a hinged plate to do just that, I don't know why they never made a kit to add it to a 231. A strip of duct tape down the middle of the core helps quite a bit.

[carusoam]

1BN,

Where is your home drome?

Sounds like you have some good cold OATs or work with...

In NJ, we get a few days a year that can be problematic...

The continental IO550 has a specific plate that can be place over the oil cooler...

Wondering if Continental has done this for the TSIO360 oil cooler as well...

Best regards,

-a-

[N231BN]

20 minutes ago, carusoam said:

1BN,

Where is your home drome?

Sounds like you have some good cold OATs or work with...

In NJ, we get a few days a year that can be problematic...

The continental IO550 has a specific plate that can be place over the oil cooler...

Wondering if Continental has done this for the TSIO360 oil cooler as well...

Best regards,

-a-

Southeast North Dakota, -20F is a nice winter day. I am not aware of any plate from Continental for the -360 and there is no option for a non-congealing oil cooler like the big-bores have.

Attached is the page from the IPC that shows the winterization kit, the applicability section states "25-1000 thru 25-TBA" which are 252s.

71-00-03.pdf

[xavierde]

On 4/26/2020 at 11:37 PM, wpbarnar said:

 

It is easy for me to spend other people’s money, but you really need a engine monitor.   I don’t have a lot of confidence in 30 year old ship’s gauges and IMO,  K models need a engine monitor to be flown correctly.

I have an old EDM 700 which will be upgraded over the next 12 months. I am also not confident at all in the OEM fuel gauges so really looking forward to that. Haven’t decided on a model though.

 

Thank you for spotting the safety wire issue. I’ll get that checked ASAP as I’m still noticing some oil leaking on the cowl flaps.

[carusoam]

X,

Many people have added new JPI equipment to be able to toss the existing analog gauges...

A JPI 900 (small) or 930 (large) are popular around here...

EI maker of the MVP has a nicer engine monitor, and a nicer organization to work with...

There is other manufacturers as well including Garmin if considering panel upgrades...

 

The reason for this post...  Fuel level sensors have gone all modern too... Ceis supplies digital gauges to go with your new engine monitor... select them together to have them tuned properly.... Not a big deal... just another detail to handle...

Best regards,

-a-

[xavierde]

Thank you Anthony.

I'm actually looking at 3 options right now: 

- CRG 30 (combo)

- GI 275

- G3X/G500 with EIS

Leaning towards a CGR combo as the GI 275 seems more limited and trying to show a lot on a single display. 

[wpbarnar]

I chased oil leaks on my TSIO 360 so I can speak from experience.   The rocker box covers (all 12 of them) are prone to leak.   They are easily distorted if over tightened, especially with silicon gaskets.   If they are not dead  flat on the mating surface, they never will seal.  I replaced 10 of mine to stop the seeps.

The push rod tubes also are prone to leaks.  They are a pain to replace.   If you ever have the exhaust manifold off,  take the opportunity of easy access and replace the seals on any suspect tube. 

I also suspect you have a magneto gasket leaking as the area around oil filter appeared wet from drips above.

Bill

PS.   IMO. The G3X/G500 is hard to beat.  I have about 100 hrs with that combo. (Not in a Mooney).   The experience  is in a much poorer IFR  platform airplane .  I can only imagine how sweet that combo would be in a K model.  

Edited April 29, 2020 by wpbarnar

[Gary0747]

A number of years ago a Mooney 252 driver named Akamil who posted a lot on the Mooney-tech email list had a complete engine failure at high altitude.  He attributed the failure to congealed Straight weight oil at low temperatures. 

[wpbarnar]

On 4/30/2020 at 11:31 AM, Gary0747 said:

A number of years ago a Mooney 252 driver named Akamil who posted a lot on the Mooney-tech email list had a complete engine failure at high altitude.  He attributed the failure to congealed Straight weight oil at low temperatures. 

I have a adequate  amount of time in the high teens or low 20’s. to comment

Maintaining warm enough engine temperature was never an issue.  Thin air does not transfer heat well.  I have cracked the cowl flaps at 18K’ and -10C to maintain temperature.    When flying in the low FLs, I was always more concerned about  ice in the fuel (and my PO2) than anything else.

I can’t imagine the oil in the oil cooler congealing while attached to an operating engine.

Bill

[kortopates]

1 hour ago, wpbarnar said:

I have a adequate  amount of time in the high teens or low 20’s. to comment

Maintaining warm enough engine temperature was never an issue.  Thin air does not transfer heat well.  I have cracked the cowl flaps at 18K’ and -10C to maintain temperature.    When flying in the low FLs, I was always more concerned about  ice in the fuel (and my PO2) than anything else.

I can’t imagine the oil in the oil cooler congealing while attached to an operating engine.

Bill

I remember Akamil. But you're right,  it doesn't happen that way. The problem begins on the ground with a cold soaked engine that is started without proper or inadequate pre-heat. The engine may start but will not de-congeal oil in the sump, lines, cooler, filter, etc. Congealed oil in these areas will require considerable preheat. The engine may start and appear to run satisfactorily, but can be damaged from lack of lubrication due to the congealed oil blocking proper oil flow through the engine.  Taking off at climbing at full power in these conditions has led to multiple engine failures.

[FloridaMan]

Stuck Vernatherm? It does the same thing as the thermostat does for your car’s radiator, but for your oil cooler. 

[N231BN]

In a rare instance a vernatherm can fail but they don't "stick" like a thermostat because they work exactly opposite like that of a thermostat in a car.