Engine Life Support for Winter Flying

[RyanM]

So, with the recent discussion about winter flying and the need for, pre-heating, dehydrators. I was wondering if there is a better way to keep your airplane in better shape for winter flying. Living in ND, cold weather is always a factor for flying for most of the year.

There are a few challenges that need to be addressed for winter flying:
1. Thick oil- this can be fixed by using a multi-grade, and installing a sump heater.
2. Corrosion – This can be fixed by installing a dehydrator, and ensuring the whole engine is warm enough to prevent moisture from condensing inside the engine. Also getting oil temps high enough to boil out the water.
3. Cold Cylinders – this can be fixed by installing a heater element in each cylinder to help prevent the piston from expanding too fast once the engine is running.

So, most of these problems are avoided by using a plug in sump/cylinder heater. I was wondering if a different approach could work, and possibly provide better results. What if when hangered the plane was hooked up to a “life support system”. One where the oil was circulated out of the plane, heated, maybe even filtered, and pumped back into the plane. Ideally the oil being returned to the plane would enter where it would follow the same oil paths that the oil follows when the engine is running.
Ideally this would:
1. Heat the entire engine evenly.
2. Would help remove any moisture
3. Provide constant oil flow over the internal parts to help fight corrosion.

Challenges:
1. Making sure the correct amount of oil remained in the sump
2. Landing at a non-home airport.
3. Complexity
4. Cost
5. Others?

Please realize that I’m not an expert in aviation engines, or FWF stuff, yet. So it’s very possible that the idea could be a silly one. But I thought I’d throw it out there, and I’d be very curious what some of the challenges would be with doing this?

[Danny7]

The first thing i would try to do if you want to keep the engine healthy is to fly it regularly, often.


other than that, pre heat or constant heat during winter months would be my next priority.

I would give up on any ideas for an external engine oil recirc system due to unneeded complexity, mess and time/ effort involved. really all you'd need when your plane is finished is a hanger, and engine sump heater, some thick blankets to throw over the cowl, and since it is cheap and easy and it sounds like you want to do something- a dehydrator.

when going x country all you need is hanger space and an extension cord. leave the dehydrator at home.

[RyanM]

This is purely a theoretical idea. The plane is in my basement – still in pieces :-)

[Danny7]

Originally Posted by RyanM

This is purely a theoretical idea. The plane is in my basement ? still in pieces :-)

i saw that, and edited my post

[allbee]

Originally Posted by Danny7

The first thing i would try to do if you want to keep the engine healthy is to fly it regularly, often.


other than that, pre heat or constant heat during winter months would be my next priority.

I would give up on any ideas for an external engine oil recirc system due to unneeded complexity, mess and time/ effort involved. really all you'd need when your plane is finished is a hanger, and engine sump heater, some thick blankets to throw over the cowl, and since it is cheap and easy and it sounds like you want to do something- a dehydrator.

when going x country all you need is hanger space and an extension cord. leave the dehydrator at home.

My neighbor, real nice guy. Has a 182, he has everything for this thing. A motorized pusher that hooks to his nose wheel, this sucker is huge. A blower for the engine, with hoses going everywhere and a bra for the cowl. Funny thing, he really doesn't need the pusher, the way into the T-hangar is flat, with hardly any bump for the door. But he is a big gadget guy.

It's like everything else, get what you want and be happy with it. I'm going to use a block heater, one that's low wattage and keep it on all the time, fly every day, a hand held t-bar and save my money, put it into fuel.

[aerhed]

Before my time, but the old timey pilot's used to take their oil and wood props into the hotel or wherever at night then pour it in in the morning. A warm hangar beats everything, even sex.