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  #1  
Old 09-05-2014, 07:27 AM
dweyant dweyant is online now
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
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Default Oil Cooler

What are my options for an Oil Cooler?

I think I'm going to mount it on the fire wall rather than on the baffles.

Is bigger better? I assume it would be, but I'm not sure. Should I just go with the Van's recommended cooler for the 9a, or is there a better option?

Thanks,

-Dan
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  #2  
Old 09-05-2014, 08:38 AM
krw5927 krw5927 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Wichita, KS
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dweyant View Post
What are my options for an Oil Cooler?

I think I'm going to mount it on the fire wall rather than on the baffles.

Is bigger better? I assume it would be, but I'm not sure. Should I just go with the Van's recommended cooler for the 9a, or is there a better option?

Thanks,

-Dan
If you're putting an O-320 in your 9A, the stock cooler mounted on the baffles is plenty. I had to tape off 1/4-1/3 of my cooler to get oil temps up to 190 this summer.

If you mount remotely, it may or may not be as efficient. It's all an experiment from there. However it's easier to block off part of the cooler to remove capacity than it is to add capacity.
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  #3  
Old 09-05-2014, 09:03 AM
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Neal@F14 Neal@F14 is offline
 
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Depends a lot on what particular engine you're going to have. The standard, small 7-row NDM cooler Vans sells is generally fine for a stock Lycoming carbureted 160hp O-320. That's what's on my RV-6 (mounted on rear baffle aft of cyl #4) and it has always performed adequately even in the summer heat we get here in north Texas. I have seen my oil temps hit 210-220 in a climb however. One friend of mine with an IO-320 on his RV-6 says his 7-row cooler is marginal on his plane on a hot day. He even had to move his from the rear baffle all the way up in front of the #2 cylinder to get enough cooling out of his. Several folks here on VAF have reported acceptable performance with this oil cooler on a normal 180hp O-360 engine, but most of those are not flying in Texas summer heat either.

For a bigger more high performance engine, like another buddy's ECI Titan IO-360 with 9:1 pistons and piston oil squirter nozzles installed in the crankcase, the 7-row was woefully inadequate, within a few minutes after takeoff it was hitting oil temps approaching 240, so we ended up swapping it out right away, ultimately for a high-dollar Stewart Warner cooler that cost almost $700.

In my experience so far with oil coolers, it seems that when you mount one on the firewall and plumb air to it thru SCAT duct, that the cooler needs to be one or two rows larger than one that would be baffle-mounted.

When you do choose your engine, give Pacific Oil Coolers a call (www.oilcoolers.com) and they can help you with selecting the right size and brand of oil cooler to keep the engine happy flying in Texas summer heat.
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  #4  
Old 09-05-2014, 09:04 AM
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bruceh bruceh is offline
 
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I have the standard cooler in the recommended position on the baffles. I've been flying off my Phase 1 hours in the dog days of summer (it was 102F last weekend when I landed). Oil temps are no problem. Always around 185-195F.
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  #5  
Old 09-05-2014, 09:04 AM
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grubbat grubbat is offline
 
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Default cooler mounted on motor mount on Maule

My Maule 180 has the cooler mounted on the engine mount with a hose going over to the baffle. Anyone ever try that?
cj
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  #6  
Old 09-05-2014, 09:06 AM
dweyant dweyant is online now
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neal@F14 View Post
Depends a lot on what particular engine you're going to have. The standard, small 7-row NDM cooler Vans sells is generally fine for a stock Lycoming carbureted 160hp O-320. That's what's on my RV-6 (mounted on rear baffle aft of cyl #4) and it has always performed adequately even in the summer heat we get here in north Texas. I have seen my oil temps hit 210-220 in a climb however. One friend of mine with an IO-320 on his RV-6 says his 7-row cooler is marginal on his plane on a hot day. He even had to move his from the rear baffle all the way up in front of the #2 cylinder to get enough cooling out of his. Several folks here on VAF have reported acceptable performance with this oil cooler on a normal 180hp O-360 engine, but most of those are not flying in Texas summer heat either.

For a bigger more high performance engine, like another buddy's ECI Titan IO-360 with 9:1 pistons and piston oil squirter nozzles installed in the crankcase, the 7-row was woefully inadequate, within a few minutes after takeoff it was hitting oil temps approaching 240, so we ended up swapping it out right away, ultimately for a high-dollar Stewart Warner cooler that cost almost $700.

In my experience so far with oil coolers, it seems that when you mount one on the firewall and plumb air to it thru SCAT duct, that the cooler needs to be one or two rows larger than one that would be baffle-mounted.

When you do choose your engine, give Pacific Oil Coolers a call (www.oilcoolers.com) and they can help you with selecting the right size and brand of oil cooler to keep the engine happy flying in Texas summer heat.
Thanks!

I will give them a call. I've got a Superior IO-320 with PMags sitting in a create ready to mount .

I've been told that the firewall is a better mounting location because the baffles will generally crack with the weight of the oil cooler.

-Dan
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  #7  
Old 09-05-2014, 09:14 AM
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Neal@F14 Neal@F14 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dweyant View Post
Thanks!

I will give them a call. I've got a Superior IO-320 with PMags sitting in a create ready to mount .

I've been told that the firewall is a better mounting location because the baffles will generally crack with the weight of the oil cooler.

-Dan
The baffle will *always* eventually crack from the weight of an oil cooler mounted there.

For your engine, with a firewall-mounted cooler, I'd recommend something like a 9 or 10 row Aero Classics cooler. Put some kind of valve in line with the SCAT duct feeding air to the cooler and you can control the airflow reaching the cooler from the cockpit.
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  #8  
Old 09-05-2014, 09:30 AM
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Ironflight Ironflight is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neal@F14 View Post
The baffle will *always* eventually crack from the weight of an oil cooler mounted there.
Well, since you used the word "Always".....

This isn't true if the baffles are properly designed to support the cooler. I've been building baffles this way for years now, and have yet to have one crack after a couple thousand hours.

Improperly designed and supported? Of course they'll crack, and I've seen that happen as well.

But it can be done, fairly easily.
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  #9  
Old 09-05-2014, 09:33 AM
BJUST BJUST is offline
 
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My 6 row Stewart Warner cooler is mounted on the rear baffle. 1051 hours and no sign of cracking. By the way the 6 row SW cooler is more efficient than my stock Vans cooler was.

Bayne
RV-9A N910BJ
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Last edited by BJUST : 09-05-2014 at 09:35 AM. Reason: signature
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  #10  
Old 09-05-2014, 10:17 AM
alpinelakespilot2000 alpinelakespilot2000 is offline
 
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I have the stock vans 0-320 oil cooler for my 0-320 d2a on the baffles and wish I had more cooling than it gives me. On 85 degree days I tend to see 200-210F in cruise.
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