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Oil Cooler Shutter needed? IO-390 EXP119

R

romaja

Well Known Member
Currently planning the panel and cables that penetrate the firewall. For those that are currently flying the RV-14A or the -14, have you installed an oil cooler shutter to help with cooler temperatures at the higher altitudes or the colder winter months? I noticed Vans sells one and also Anti-Splat. I wanted to get opinions if it is needed. Much easier to install now.

As mentioned above, I will be using the IO-390 EXP119 with the newer lower cowl design and the cowl exit door.

Best,

Jim
 
TCW BUTTERFLY VALVE

I don't have the newest IO-390 but I find in Ohio winters a flapper valve helps get the oil temp in the 190 range in wintertime operation. Make sure it's reliable. An oil flapper stuck closed even for a few minutes will result in temps climbing way above the safe zone. You are correct, much easier to install in the build stage.
 
Generally the angle-valve engines transfer a lot of heat to the oil ( piston oil squirters) and so the cylinders tend to run cool and the oil tends to run hot. I have a butterfly valve in the duct to my oil cooler and I very rarely use it.


I do use it once in a while, but all things considered, you probably don't want the sliding shutter type control because even with it wide open, it still obstructs a fair fraction of the oil cooler, and it is likely that you will struggle with high oil temps more often than low oil temps.
 
The EXP119 will require all the cooling for the oil as it can get, especially in summer time. With the cowl flap closed, the exit air is very little and the oil temp will get up there easily.

Those oil cooler shutter that VANs and anti-splat sell are for the different model RV, I had one on my RV7A but will not work for the 14A.

TCW has a shutter that will fit a standard 14 and I had installed one in my last 14A which I hardly ever used it for the same reason.

https://www.tcwtech.com/product/butterfly-valve-for-oil-coolers-4-inch/
 
cooler

I got a message from Greg Hughes telling me pretty much the same thing about cooling on the 119 engine. It needs all it can get. I have the shutter from Anti-splat and it won't fit the 119 oil cooler anyway. All things considered I decided against installing one.
 
.02 worth here: Great RV10 client of ours with the TCW liner actuators on the heater boxes and the oil cooler flapper door. One of the heater door actuators failed with the heater door in the open position, presumably in flight. Hot, might an understatement.
Well what if the same happened on an oil cooler door? Engine temps on climbout might get out of hand in a big hurry. Stupid me suggested he put in a manual override cable to open the door in case of this failure. Kinda hard to see from the pilots seat in flight, so the only way to know for sure would be to get on the ground and pull the cowl.
With all you pilots have to do, all that aviate, navigate, communicate things with all those switches and stuff, It might be 1 less thing to worry about. Just another redundant backup system.:D

Tom
 
romaja said:
Currently planning the panel and cables that penetrate the firewall. For those that are currently flying the RV-14A or the -14, have you installed an oil cooler shutter to help with cooler temperatures at the higher altitudes or the colder winter months? I noticed Vans sells one and also Anti-Splat. I wanted to get opinions if it is needed. Much easier to install now.

As mentioned above, I will be using the IO-390 EXP119 with the newer lower cowl design and the cowl exit door.

Best,

Jim
Click to expand...

Install a shutter or butterfly damper and use a cable. I've had a few liner actuators fail. I use mine year-round to keep oil temps in the 180-200F range.
 
Thanks for all the replies. After reading the responses. It does not appear that the shutter valve that Anti Splat and Vans sells will fit. In addition it might block air flow when fully open as some have mentioned, the angle valve needs all the cooling it can get.

The TCW shutter valve using a cable to actuate might have been a consideration but I dont see a 5" flapper on their website just a 4". Dont have the plans in front of me but the -119 now uses a 5" hose to the oil cooler instead of the 4". Will confirm.


Jim
 
I have a AntiSplat shutter on my RV7's, IO-360's, oil cooler. With it fully open, the oil seems to run 140F year around. I modulate the temperature, with the shutter, to obtain 180 to190F.
 
Bavafa said:
TCW has a shutter that will fit a standard 14 and I had installed one in my last 14A which I hardly ever used it for the same reason.
Click to expand...

The butterfly valve from TCW is 4” and the oem duct is 5”. How did you adapt it to fit and did the reduced diameter cause any issues when wide open?
 
Butterfly valve

mc607 said:
The butterfly valve from TCW is 4” and the oem duct is 5”. How did you adapt it to fit and did the reduced diameter cause any issues when wide open?
Click to expand...

You can make the butterfly valve pretty easy. Assuming you have the flange
Round piece of .040 that fits the inside of the flange.
Section of 1/4" aluminum rod.
Two 1/4" snap bushings
One B-Nut kit with 1/4" hole in the arm

Drill two holes for the snap bushings
Grind a flat on the rod
Drill two holes through the rod
Match drill the flapper.
Insert the rod in the snap bushings
Rivet the flapper.
Attach the B-Nut arm
I mounted mine in the #4 baffle.
 
wirejock said:
You can make the butterfly valve pretty easy. Assuming you have the flange
Round piece of .040 that fits the inside of the flange.
Section of 1/4" aluminum rod.
Two 1/4" snap bushings
One B-Nut kit with 1/4" hole in the arm

Drill two holes for the snap bushings
Grind a flat on the rod
Drill two holes through the rod
Match drill the flapper.
Insert the rod in the snap bushings
Rivet the flapper.
Attach the B-Nut arm
I mounted mine in the #4 baffle.
Click to expand...

E97A86FB-E5E8-4EA6-AA80-49BAA9FCDC99.jpg

I made these the way Larry just suggested. I have about 6 5” units remaining. Send me a PM if your willing to purchase one. Unless this violates the VAF rules.
 
Last edited:
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