Alert: Vans 20006A oil cooler installation

[scsmith]

I just posted this in a thread in the RV-10 section, but it is also relevant to other RV's that use this cooler, typically with the angle-valve IO-360-A engines.

I have this cooler on my RV-8 with an IO-360-A1A engine. I have OK cooling, but on really hot days, the oil still gets up to 225F -- 230F.

I found that when I installed the cooler, there are a series of small leak paths out the side of the cooler that reduce flow through the cooler some, that I should have sealed.

So, looking at the cooler, you can see that along the edge of each of the oil chambers, there is a small "u" shaped strip of metal that faces into the flow, creating a small channel that carries flow to the side edges. At the sides of the cooler, when it is mounted on a flat panel or bracket, these little flow passages are open and allow air flow out the sides. It is a very small area, but it is flow that does not flow through the cooler. So these passages should be sealed with high-temp RTV or some other method of sealing.

I just did mine, I'll report back as soon as I fly if I can tell the difference in oil temps. I'll see if I can get a picture too.

[scsmith]

This is a thread bump. No one responded to my alert that you should seal the edges of your oil cooler with RTV. Maybe everyone else already does it.

Anyway, I flew today for the first time since doing it.
It was cooler aloft so not a definitive test, but I would say the oil stayed at least 10 degrees cooler on a long climb from sea level to 10,000 ft than I would typically see for the same conditions.

[Ironflight]

Originally Posted by scsmith

This is a thread bump. No one responded to my alert that you should seal the edges of your oil cooler with RTV. Maybe everyone else already does it.

Well Steve, not sure if everyone does it, but I know that I do - it seemed sort of obvious to not let any cooling air leak out the gaps...

[flyvans.com]

and to add onto that,
our experience on our 7A shows that the same 20006A cooler actually cools better with the oil cooler shutter kit installed than without (which is kind of against common sense as the inlet area is made smaller)

[Bubblehead]

Originally Posted by scsmith

This is a thread bump. No one responded to my alert that you should seal the edges of your oil cooler with RTV. Maybe everyone else already does it.

Anyway, I flew today for the first time since doing it.
It was cooler aloft so not a definitive test, but I would say the oil stayed at least 10 degrees cooler on a long climb from sea level to 10,000 ft than I would typically see for the same conditions.

How about some pictures? I sealed up a lot of things with RTV but a picture would be good to see if I missed something.