Setrab Oil Cooler Question

[MK77]

Yea, good point. I'll at least fly it through the winter as I log phase I hours and break-in the engine.

[Doug Eves]

I have an RV6 io-360/constantspeed with one litte seatrab oil cooler. 850 hrs no problem. Been to both coasts and 3 times to florida. It is light,efficient , and durable.

[Doug Eves]

I forgot to mention that I am running 2 emags and about 195 hp. Cools just fine.

[hohocc]

Doug, do you happen to know the part number (or just the number of rows even) for your cooler?
Does your io360 have the piston oil squiters?
Thanks!

[ssmdive]

Originally Posted by MK77

Are people still using these Setrab coolers and has there been any issues with cooling or more importantly, reports of failures of these coolers in recent years??

A single data point. I have a Setrab 50-113-7612 as a second cooler in my Pitts and it has been no problem after my 180 hours of acro and 900TTSMO.

I am replacing it only because my engine made metal and it was less expensive to replace it than rebuild it.

[Doug Eves]

I will check on the exact model that I have in the next couple weeks when I decowl. Or if I can find in the documentation. I never built the plane.

[RV6_flyer]

I refuse to use a Setrab Oil Cooler on an airplane due to a failure of one back in June 01, 2000 on the 3rd flight of the airplane.

Read about it here.

[RVDan]

I used a Setrab on a RV-6 that was completed in 1999 and has been flying since with no problems. The airplane is no longer mine, but a friend owns it. I used the cooler with some consideration. When my build partner and I (both engineers) evaluated the cooler we obtained data from the manufacturer that supported that the burst pressures were adequate and it appeared to meet the cooling requirements. We bought the version with the AN fittings incorporated in the cooler. On examination of the cooler we felt it important to support the connecting oil lines so that the lines could not induce loading to the cooler. Since we did baffle mounting of the cooler, we made sure to secure the lines with clamps to the engine nearby to the cooler and not clamp the oil lines to the engine mount or other components that did not move with the engine. When consulting Setrab factory engineering, they confirmed that this approach was absolutely necessary to prevent fatigue failure where the fittings mate to the cooler.

When the 2000 oil cooler failure occurred, we investigated to see if we should be concerned. As it turned out the failure in that cooler was at the fittings and that the lines going to and from the cooler were not secured to ensure no relative motion between the lines and the cooler. Knowing that, we decided to continue on with the Setrab cooler.

I would emphasize that the lines must be supported so that there is no relative motion between the cooler and the line, thereby inducing cyclic loading in the cooler.

Separately I spoke to SW and they indicated that they occasionally see cooler failures from installations that improperly clamp the lines. If you have baffle mounted cooler, then this is easy if you do not clamp the oil lines to the engine mount or other stationary supports. On the other hand if you mount your oil cooler on the bulkhead, be sure to secure the oil cooler lines adjacent to the oil cooler to something that does not move like the engine mount. It is critical not to induce loads to the cooler from the lines.

[Doug Eves]

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[Doug Eves]

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