[Darren Kerns]

Guys,
Next week my RV8 goes in for the conditional inspection and I am changing my oil cooler out. It seems like I cannot get the oil temp down unless I reduce power. I have a new IO-360 200 hp from Aerosport and firewall mounted oil cooler. However, I screwed up by using the biggest oil cooler from Vans. I have a new Aero-Classic 13 plate oil cooler sitting on the table at home. The funny thing is that my CHT always run cool. I average around 320-345. The 345 is in climb. I have a plenum on top the engine so I am hoping the oil cooler makes a difference. My engine has a little over 50 hours on it. My oil consumption has stabilized but I am wondering if the engine is still tight.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks to all,
Darren Kerns
RV8 N214TK
Taswell, IN
Hangared at FRH

 

[dan]

The angle valve IO-360 has higher oil cooling needs than its weenie parallel valve sibling. I believe this is in part due to oil squirting on the piston skirts.

Cylinder cooling is typically not a problem with the angle valve since it has considerably more cooling fin area than its weenie parallel valve sibling.

My 2 cents is -- "go big" and go high quality when it comes to selecting an oil cooler for an angle valve engine. i.e. a large Stewart Warner cooler.

 

[Kevin Horton]

How have you ducted the air to the oil cooler? What are the dimensions of the ducting? You need a lot of area in the ducting, or you won't be getting enough air to the cooler. Lots of people have had problems with oil coolers on the firewall with angle-valve IO-360s. Many people end up eventually moving the cooler to the back of the baffles.

 

[flyeyes]

The advice you're getting is good. The easiest path to success is to copy what has worked before.

I copied my installation more or less from Greg Hale in Oklahoma, and have zero problems with oil cooling, although I live in a hot climate.

Putting the big honkin' SW cooler (part#10611R) on the firewall, with a 4" SCAT duct and it should work.


James Freeman

 

[speyers]

High Oil temp

Just another thought, verify that it is not an indication problem. It in not unheard of for gauges or probes to be bad and give you a false reading. This may be a potential as your CHT's seem to be doing fine. Just curious, what are you getting for oil pressure at high cruise and then again when you throttle back for engine cooling?

 

[gmcjetpilot]

Absolutly

Concur with dan and flyeyes, get a big SW and duct it like show. Van's firewall airbox is poor at best to terrible. 3" scat and very flat diffuser (the funnel or duct that bolts to oil cooler. Bolting a BIG heavy oil cooler on the back of the baffle is a recipe for cracking the oil cooler or the baffle or both. The flyeyes set up is about as nice as it can be. Th cooler part number is a good one. It is a BIG cooler indeed. Call Pacific Oil coolers, they can explain the different part numbers, but SW coolers will cool better than any of the clones, guaranteed.