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Just a question for those here who fly in cold temps. For my 172, I used 50 wt oil in summer spring and fall, but would change to 40 wt for winter. Here in TX winters can get colder that 40 degrees.

Has anyone used regularly valvolene VR-1 in other weights that 20w-50? I have not looked for other weights yet but just want to know what others are doing...other than putting the plane in hibernation! I also had a pre heater for the 172, but it had an aluminum cowling. I am not real confident about putting a heater close to the fiberglass, but maybe its possible with careful design? any other ideas?

I use the same 20w-50 year-round, and I regularly fly in New England when ground temperatures are below freezing, and air temperatures are less. I'm not aware of any other recommendations from Sonex.

I have a removable pair of electric heating pads that I slip into the oil cooler opening so that they sit directly on/under the oil sump. The pads get TOO hot without some control, so I have it all attached to a 400W soldering iron rheostat so I can dial it down. I turn it on the day or night before I want to fly (my plane is tied down outdoors) and when I show up the engine block and cylinders are warm, and the oil is quite warm, often reading 100F when I arrive but cooling down once I remove the heating pads. So I take them out at the end of my pre-flight.

https://www.grainger.com/product/TEMPCO ... ?$smthumb$

There are versions of these pads made to be permanently adhered to the engine. The installation instructions note they should not be adhered over ANY bumps, not even raised letters/numbers cast into the metal. I opted not to add the permanent pads.

mike.smith wrote:I use the same 20w-50 year-round, and I regularly fly in New England when ground temperatures are below freezing, and air temperatures are less. I'm not aware of any other recommendations from Sonex.

I have a removable pair of electric heating pads that I slip into the oil cooler opening so that they sit directly on/under the oil sump. The pads get TOO hot without some control, so I have it all attached to a 400W soldering iron rheostat so I can dial it down. I turn it on the day or night before I want to fly (my plane is tied down outdoors) and when I show up the engine block and cylinders are warm, and the oil is quite warm, often reading 100F when I arrive but cooling down once I remove the heating pads. So I take them out at the end of my pre-flight.

https://www.grainger.com/product/TEMPCO ... ?$smthumb$

There are versions of these pads made to be permanently adhered to the engine. The installation instructions note they should not be adhered over ANY bumps, not even raised letters/numbers cast into the metal. I opted not to add the permanent pads.

Thanks Mike. I had not thought of heating pads. I might use that, but I am not sure I want them on while I am not present as I am in a common hanger. I might still find the old 172 heater and blow hot air into the cowl openings with several clothes dryer vent tubes made of aluminum

If I can find a slightly lighter weight oil that is the same chemistry from Valvolene, I will run it by Kerry first to see what he says. I suspect he has some history in this area too, as OSH is way colder that I am used to!!

Merry Christmas!

I've been using a home made engine pre-heater for years that works great. The heater is simply a 1500 watt ceramic heater from the hardware store, a 4" dia flexible dryer vent hose, and a galvanized metal duct reducer that adapts the hearer body to the hose.

Try to find a heater with a good strong fan and a metal housing (more of a utility/space heater). The plastic ones are styled for offices and such, and typically are less durable, have weaker fans, and include more thermostat options that don't last very long before dying out. The reducer I use is a 6" diameter to 4" diameter reducer, found in the HVAC section of the hardware store. Attach the reducer to the heater using safety wire and then short strips of aluminum foil tape to seal things up. This is also better if you use a metal housing with convenient handles to attach safety wire to. Lastly, add the 4" dryer duct (aluminum version, not the vinyl versions). Secure the hose to the reducer using safety wire and foil tape, and reinforce the outlet end with more foil tape to prevent fraying and separation of the interior coil wire.

To preheat simply stuff the hose end into the cowling thru an exhaust opening and let the warm air fill the engine compartment for 30-45 minutes. This heats everything (oil, heads, and battery), and starts are effortless. You can even get fancy and attach it to a cell phone activate switch to "call ahead" and start the preheater, or do like the Colorado folks and leave your preheater on an appliance timer set to activate every Saturday and Sunday at 8:00 am for 2 hrs. This ensures that the plane is ready to fly each weekend morning when you arrive. If you don't fly that day, it gets a shot of preheat anyway, but in the high county with low humidity, this doesn't seem to hurt things.

http://www.sonex604.com/preheater.html

https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/ ... n-Ceramic/

https://www.homedepot.com/p/6-in-to-4-i ... /100111736

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-4- ... /203626496

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Nashua-Tape ... 030120-_-N

Jeff

When I lived in NY I was in a club that had a 1967 Arrow. We used to plug up the cowl, throw a blanket over it, and hang a trouble light with an old tech 100W bulb underneath through the cowl exit. It made a difference! Light bulbs are pretty safe.

n502pd wrote:Has anyone used regularly valvolene VR-1 in other weights that 20w-50? I have not looked for other weights yet but just want to know what others are doing...other than putting the plane in hibernation!

Hi Joe,

I see no one has ventured in to directly answer your question ... so I won't either except to say, follow what the the company recommends. When I had an Aerovee I used (actually before the sonex recommendation) Valvoline VR1 20W50. I live where winters are fairly mild and I don't fly too much when temps are freezing. Having said that, I now have a different engine (Corvair 3.0 air-cooled) with a flat tappet cam in my tail dragger. My choice year around is Rotella 15W40 conventional oil.

Rotella is the recommended oil for Corvair flight engines: https://flycorvair.net/2013/06/26/notes-on-corvair-flight-engine-oils/

If it counts ... I have a '74 Beetle that I run the Rotella 15W40 in and I also used it in my motorcycle (back when I was still riding). It's good stuff and has all the needed ingredients to protect flat tappet cams in air-cooled engines. It holds up well at high temps and is available at my local Wal*Mart at a reasonable price. Being conventional oil means that it works well with the 100LL fuel when I use it. My Corvair currently has over 160 hours on Rotella 15W40 from the very first start.

For your consideration,

Dale Williams
N319WF @ 6J2
Myunn - "daughter of Cleanex"
120 HP - 3.0 Corvair
Tail Wheel - Center Stick
Signature Finish 2200 Paint Job
165.2 hours / Status - Flying
Member # 109 - Florida Sonex Association

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This is my setup. 30 bucks and two shelf brackets to keep it stable


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Bryan Cotton wrote:When I lived in NY I was in a club that had a 1967 Arrow. We used to plug up the cowl, throw a blanket over it, and hang a trouble light with an old tech 100W bulb underneath through the cowl exit. It made a difference! Light bulbs are pretty safe.

I tried that with my tail dragger Sonex.

1. I'm tied down outdoors, so anything with a blanket isn't very practical unless it's custom fit and waterproof.
2. Getting a light up the cowl exit was near impossible; it's too small an opening especially with the exhausts and the engine mount structure in the way.
3. I pulled the pins on my cowl once and put the light (150 watt) inside, with a quilted packing blanket wrapped around the cowl and held on with rope.
a. Way too much work.
b. My plane looked like trailer trash on the ramp :-\
c. It didn't work. The engine and oil were still cold in the morning.

It all probably would have worked better if I were in a hangar, but with the limitations of the Sonex cowl exit it didn't seem to be a practical solution.

And being outdoors is why a forced air system doesn't work for me, either. I can't leave that kind of a setup outdoors overnight. And forced air preheaters that are only on for a relatively short time may warm up the oil, but they generally don't do the second most important thing -- to warm up the engine metals like the pistons and cylinders. That takes time.

Winter Pre Heating.............I hear your frustration Mike Smith.

I am not yet flying with my Hummel 2400 Onex but on my RV's with Lycomings I use the E-Z Heat Engine Pre Heater p/n 07-01860 from A/C Spruce ($149.00). There are 2 small heat pads that you epoxy bond to the bottom of the sump and then I secured the plug end just inside the top cowl oil door (on an RV) so it was very easy to plug in.....do it the night before the flight.

The Lycomings have an nice flat surface on the bottom of the sump........not sure where is best on the VW.
I also would throw a blanket over the cowl and plug the air intakes to help hold the heat. The airplane was inside an unheated hanger. This worked pretty well..........even here in Ontario, Canada.

Gordon.......Onex....Hummel 2400