[nickw9815]

I purchased an RV6, which has slick magnetos. At the back of the baffling, there are vent holes and hoses that direct the air towards the slick magnetos. I have heard from other pilots that this is not advisable, because if we fly into rain we will spray water on the slick magnetos which could damage them. Is having air cooled slick magnetos common practice?

 

[SwimmingDragonfly96]

Mine are air cooled, I've heard some debate on the necessity though.

 

[Roadjunkie1]

I purchased an RV6, which has slick magnetos. At the back of the baffling, there are vent holes and hoses that direct the air towards the slick magnetos. I have heard from other pilots that this is not advisable, because if we fly into rain we will spray water on the slick magnetos which could damage them. Is having air cooled slick magnetos common practice?

Mine are air-cooled. Never had any problems including in the Rain. There are Slicks on the Cub which, pretty much, are hanging out there in the open. No problems with them either.
It makes sense to me to have something that has the potential to run hot in a hot environment to have them cooled off.......
IMHO...........

 

[FORANE]

I have 2 Slick mags in the classifieds now that weren't air cooled. If they were air cooled they might have still been on my aircraft instead of failing in flight, over the mountains, at night, in IMC...

 

[n700jl]

I have 2 Slick mags in the classifieds now that weren't air cooled. If they were air cooled they might have still been on my aircraft instead of failing in flight, over the mountains, at night, in IMC...

A blast tube is recommended. They have plastic gears inside them.

 

[AlpineYoda]

The magnetos are sealed. I don't know what damage rain would do to the mags that it wouldn't also do to other stuff. If it is so wet that the exposed p leads are having problems, that would be a LOT of water. And you would also have issues with sensor blocks, starter relays, etc.

Seems to me that the risk of a mag NOT having a blast tube and overheating in flight after 100s of hours of use is far higher than the possibility that water causes an issue, unless you fly in bad storms way more often than I do.

 

[Dr_Dave_MT]

I have 2 Slick mags in the classifieds now that weren't air cooled. If they were air cooled they might have still been on my aircraft instead of failing in flight, over the mountains, at night, in IMC...

... up hill, in the snow, in your bare feet....... (both ways)

 

[DanH]

Check me please (my manual is in the shop), but as I recall, Champion/Unison/Slick doesn't recommend for or against a blast tube. They merely state a maximum temperature, which was something in the 205 or 210F ballpark.

Air temperatures near the mags are never that hot in flight, with or without blast tubes. They can reach or exceed the maximum after shutdown, when all air circulation, including any blast tube flow, has stopped.

 

[turbo]

after landing ventilate the engine compartment as needed. get out the heat. park into the wind, open oil door etc.
blast tubes....?

 

[AlpineYoda]

after landing ventilate the engine compartment as needed. get out the heat. park into the wind, open oil door etc.
blast tubes....?

After I land, before I push back into the hangar, I always open the oil door and pull out the oil filler cap / dipstick handle so it is resting on the edge of the filler tube. A bigger or smaller puff of steam always comes out, depending on how long I flew and how hot I got the oil. I heard about this technique on a Mike Busch podcast - letting out the steam helps to reduce any water vapor in the engine and oil. If you aren't flying the plane every single day, letting out the vapor can help when the plane sits for a few days.

But, I guess this serves two purposes, since opening the oil door also helps to get the heat out of everything else, like the mags.

 

[plehrke]

After I land, before I push back into the hangar, I always open the oil door and pull out the oil filler cap / dipstick handle so it is resting on the edge of the filler tube. A bigger or smaller puff of steam always comes out, depending on how long I flew and how hot I got the oil. I heard about this technique on a Mike Busch podcast - letting out the steam helps to reduce any water vapor in the engine and oil. If you aren't flying the plane every single day, letting out the vapor can help when the plane sits for a few days.

But, I guess this serves two purposes, since opening the oil door also helps to get the heat out of everything else, like the mags.

I open the oil door and put one of these in the door to pull out the hot air. Works great as it fits perfectly in oil door and reduces the temp inside the cowl (behind the baffle) by 30 degrees in about 20-30 minutes. I like the rechargeable as I can take it when I go for the $100 hamburger where the airplane sits in the sun and bakes while I eat.