Jamie

Jamie

Well Known Member
Has anyone done a retrofit of Van's oil cooler shutter installation with a baffle mounted oil cooler?

From what I've read and/or learned from talking to folks, most people seem to elect to *not* install this thing.

I'm using Van's standard oil cooler. In the summer my oil temps in cruise are 180-ish but I have to be fairly cautious in the climb in ~93+ degree weather. This winter, I have blocked off my oil cooler about 80% and am still seeing oil temps as low as 165 in cruise. I would like to get it up to about 180.

Here in Georgia temps can vary quite considerably. It's not uncommon for it to be 70 degrees in the day and mid thirties at dusk or dawn. Taping/untaping the oil cooler all the time just doesn't seem practical for me.

So....I have the by-the-book Van's oil cooler installed on the baffle. Anyone ever put one of Van's oil cooler shutters in there?

Looking at my oil cooler, I just don't know how that shutter is supposed to fit between the baffle and the cooler, since the baffle has the doubler with the little 'lips' on it that point aft.

If you're not using the oil cooler shutter...how are you keeping oil temps consistent year 'round?
 
I have one

I installed one, I drilled the rivets out of the doubler and just placed the doubler between the shutter and the cooler. I have some pics on this page:
http://home.newwavecomm.net/bobbyhester/MyFlyingRV7A.htm

I take it off when the OAT gets hot and stays hot, Like May-June till Sept.-Oct. when I put it back on.

I have it closed completely right now and only see about 170-175 with OAT around 35-40F

For me it is a must have for cold months.
 
I installed one

a couple of years ago in my '9A. I'm running a 160 hp O-320 with the stock Vans oil cooler (Niagara I believe). The motor has always run cool and this time of year I will typically shut the "shutter" completely. This will generally let me get the temps up to 180 - 190 unless its REALLY cold. Last year I flew on a day when it was 102 outside. I had the shutter wide open of course and the oil temps stabilized out at 205 or so. Hottest I've ever seen. :D I'm over near Huntsville so we pretty much share the weather.

I put the shutter on a bowden cable so that I can adjust it from the cockpit. Turns out this is really useful during spring and fall where you might get 170 degrees unless you shut the cooler off about halfway.

I have the typical cooler mounted behind #4. The shutter made it a little tight on the engine mount tube, but I was able to get away with it. Had to take out a washer or two in order to reuse the bolts.

I think I just took a Dremel and "removed" the little curved pieces ;) on the baffle.

The shutter works great, You'll like it.
 
Install Complete

I installed the shutter control with a simple auot parts store choke cable to the cockpit.
Before installation summer oil temps ran in the mid 180's. At 32 deg.f, I was only getting about 145-150. The first winter I blocked the oil cooler with a plate completely, but it was a hassle, as here in the NW temps vary a lot in the winter and I had a few days of reaching 215f OT, then colder again, then warmer. So, the shutter seemed to be a better solution.
With the Shutter installed and fully closed I can now get 165f at 32f oat, about the same as I had before with the blocking plate.
That is the best I can get.
I mounted the shutter on the back of the cooler due to cowl clearance issues. My cooler is standard vans and mounted behind #4, very high, as high as you could put it. I have the lower 1 1/2" of the cooler blocked directly behind #4 cylinder to route cooling air down the back of that cylinder. year round.
I did have to carve out some of the edge on the cooler and the shutter to make adequate clearance to the engine mount.
CHT's #1 and #2 = 302f, #3 and #4 312f at 32f oat, 165f OT. All cruise power, 65%. I can get it up to 170f OT if I push it hard in climb.
I am pleased with this and consider it a success although I wish I could see 180.
 
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