MikeOH Posted August 4 Report Posted August 4 41 minutes ago, EricJ said: In motor racing the usual wisdom was to have both the inlet and outlet at the top, which makes an awful lot of things easier and assures that the cooler is more likely to be purged of air. The next best way is to put the inlet at the bottom and outflow at the top. Radiators usually go the other way because there's an independent purge and fill system and you want to maximize the likelihood that there's coolant at the bottom for the pump to draw. For whatever reason a lot of oil coolers get set up differently, though. @EricJ Since my cooler has both inlet and outlet at the bottom, just how long would it take for the air to get purged out assuming my mechanic didn't fill it first? I would think after 5 years, it'd be air free, right? 1 Quote
EricJ Posted August 4 Report Posted August 4 56 minutes ago, MikeOH said: @EricJ Since my cooler has both inlet and outlet at the bottom, just how long would it take for the air to get purged out assuming my mechanic didn't fill it first? I would think after 5 years, it'd be air free, right? It might drain every time you shut down, too, I don't know. Quote
lithium366 Posted August 4 Author Report Posted August 4 (edited) 2 hours ago, MikeOH said: @EricJ Since my cooler has both inlet and outlet at the bottom, just how long would it take for the air to get purged out assuming my mechanic didn't fill it first? I would think after 5 years, it'd be air free, right? I have the same oil cooler and was convienced that in high pressure systems such as oil lines and oil cooler - there are different physics in play and air getting purged on it’s own (apparently oil vigorously entering an oil cooler is kinda foaming and carrying bubbles of air away). You can buy an IR camera for your phone on Amazon and walk with it around an airplane, look at the oil cooler and lines - very useful Edited August 5 by lithium366 1 Quote
MikeOH Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 58 minutes ago, lithium366 said: I have the same oil cooler and was convienced that in high pressure systems such as oil lines and oil cooler - there are different physics in play and air getting purged on it’s own (apparently oil vigorously entering an oil cooler is kinda foaming and carrying bubbles of air away). You can buy an IR camera for your phone on Amazon and walk with it around an airplane, look at the oil cooler and lines - very useful I've tried the IR thermometer. Problem is, that after powering back for entering the pattern, landing, and taxiing, the temps are down. Quote
lithium366 Posted August 5 Author Report Posted August 5 19 hours ago, MikeOH said: I've tried the IR thermometer. Problem is, that after powering back for entering the pattern, landing, and taxiing, the temps are down. How much down? Mine are still in 210-ish. To me it sounds like if your oil temps affected by an airflow while descending at increased airspeeds then oil cooler is doing it’s job well Quote
MikeOH Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 43 minutes ago, lithium366 said: How much down? Mine are still in 210-ish. To me it sounds like if your oil temps affected by an airflow while descending at increased airspeeds then oil cooler is doing it’s job well You may be right as my oil temp is back in the 180s after I land and taxi back to my hangar. I was attributing the decrease merely to the fact power was way down from cruise so the oil cooler wasn't really needed. But your 210 oil temp suggests otherwise; i.e. my cooler IS working. Every summer I go through this angst! Quote
lithium366 Posted August 5 Author Report Posted August 5 (edited) 29 minutes ago, MikeOH said: You may be right as my oil temp is back in the 180s after I land and taxi back to my hangar. I was attributing the decrease merely to the fact power was way down from cruise so the oil cooler wasn't really needed. But your 210 oil temp suggests otherwise; i.e. my cooler IS working. Every summer I go through this angst! For reference my oil temp today was 228 in climb, 215-220 in cruise and got down to 196 at shutdown and 208 in the pattern. 100 degrees OAT. I try to lean very aggressively for taxi and during descent Edited August 5 by lithium366 Quote
MikeOH Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 2 minutes ago, lithium366 said: For reference my oil temp today was 228 in climb, 215-220 in cruise and got down to 196 at shutdown. 100 degrees OAT. I try to lean very aggressively for taxi and during descent Nearly identical to my flight today, except my temps were down when shutdown. OAT was 95-100. I was running 65% LOP. Quote
Ragsf15e Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 I think it might be important for us to make sure our oil temp sensors are in the same location. I know there’s a place it’s supposed to be, but there are “alternate” locations it could be, and the oil temp varies a lot throughout its circulation. 1 Quote
MikeOH Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 27 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said: I think it might be important for us to make sure our oil temp sensors are in the same location. I know there’s a place it’s supposed to be, but there are “alternate” locations it could be, and the oil temp varies a lot throughout its circulation. @Ragsf15e HA! Funny you should mention that... I had mine relocated to the correct location many years back in an attempt to 'solve' this vexing issue. No joy Quote
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