Baffles for Top Mounted Oil Cooler

[mike.smith]

Does anyone have the patterns for the modified baffles for the top mounted oil cooler? I can't seem to locate mine. Just a photograph would be helpful to make rough cardboard patterns. I was hoping to do some work on the baffles tomorrow.

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

Does this help any Mike?

[mike.smith]

Scott,

That does help, thanks. I'll be making patterns on poster board, but having a starting point is helpful :-)

[Bryan Cotton]

I am working on my baffles. We have a top mount oil cooler. I found this thread I'm replying to, plus this thread links to the Sonex turbo retrofit instructions.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2315&p=17255&#p17255

Also regarding cabin heat, Wes suggests using the oil cooler as a heat source. I think someone else may have mentioned this.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4730&p=36228&#p36228

So my idea is to make an exit plenum for the oil cooler that terminates in a scat hose attach point. I would run the scat hose outside the baffles and either to a Cessna 140 heat thing (I have one on hand) or just into the lower cowl.

From the threads I've read the oil temperature is generally low. Anybody from a warm climate who has a different view?

Thanks

[mike.smith]

Also regarding cabin heat, Wes suggests using the oil cooler as a heat source. I think someone else may have mentioned this.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4730&p=36228&#p36228
From the threads I've read the oil temperature is generally low. Anybody from a warm climate who has a different view?

Bryan:

In winter I have to block off 100% of my top mounted oil cooler. Even then my oil temps often run only 130-150 deg. If I unblock even part of the cooler I can't keep the oil at even 100 deg. So I don't see how the oil cooler could be a viable means of providing heat to the cabin.

[NWade]

So my idea is to make an exit plenum for the oil cooler that terminates in a scat hose attach point. I would run the scat hose outside the baffles and either to a Cessna 140 heat thing (I have one on hand) or just into the lower cowl.

From the threads I've read the oil temperature is generally low. Anybody from a warm climate who has a different view?

Thanks

Bryan -

Check out Episode 44 of the SonexFlight podcast. They talk about cockpit comfort and discuss heating solutions as part of that episode. The short version is basically that no one has been able to get good cabin heat out of an AeroVee or Jabiru using a heat muff or oil cooler as a source. Electric seat heaters or heated clothing (motorcycle gear) seem to be the best bets.

Good luck,

--Noel
...Still plodding towards first flight of Sonex #1339; working on the interior and fairings now...

[racaldwell]

Bryan,

Here in FL, the oil cooler makes plenty of heat for the cabin. At least for an O-320 installation. Here is the air inlet duct to my firewall mounted oil cooler. It worked too well so I needed to choke off some exit air so I did that by switching cabin heat thru SCAT hose for cabin heat. I removed the heat muff from the exhaust and blocked the supply air port above #3 cyl. All works well now after 1010 hrs.

Rick Caldwell
Xenos 0057

[mike.smith]

Here in FL, the oil cooler makes plenty of heat for the cabin. At least for an O-320 installation.

An O-320 isn't a VW/AeroVee. Pretty much a watermellon-to-peanut comparison.

[Bryan Cotton]

On the other hand, Florida and northern Illinois is practically the same! Very nice plenum on your Lycoming.

Thanks for all the replies. I am still considering a plenum and tube to exit the air from the oil cooler as an easy means to balance cooling air through the cooler vs the cylinders, even if I don't use it for heat.

Next question: it looks like the rear baffle wants to be vertical where it joins with the side baffles. If I use the 3 self-tapping screws to fasten it to the motor flange that seems to tip the baffle back. What did you guys do here?

[racaldwell]

Bryan,

Something to think about, consider for cabin heat the exit air from the oil cooler going to a heat muff on the exhaust pipe then to the diverter valve for cabin heat. That way, you are not taking away any cooling air capacity from the cylinders by having a dedicated port to supply the cabin heat muff.

On my experience flying up north in the winter with my oil cooler heat, if the oil is hot then there is heat in the cabin. I've flown in subfreezing temps from the warmer southern regions and had heat. But when the engine is cold and then flown in those cold temps, the oil never heats up enough to warm the cabin. An exhaust pipe heat muff is needed in that case.

Rick Caldwell
Xenos 0057