Cold weather ops

[BKSC]

Anyone out there have any suggestions for engine temp management in cold weather? I’m based in Mn and find it takes forever to bring my oil temp up to green prior to take off. Thought about foil heat resistant tape over portion of oil a liquid coolers but prefer not to experiment if someone else has already solved.

Thanks!

Brad

[Kevin]

Mine takes a long time even here in NC on warm days. 

[ShawnM]

39 minutes ago, BKSC said:

Anyone out there have any suggestions for engine temp management in cold weather? I’m based in Mn and find it takes forever to bring my oil temp up to green prior to take off. Thought about foil heat resistant tape over portion of oil a liquid coolers but prefer not to experiment if someone else has already solved.

Thanks!

Brad

Hi Brad, there's an entire topic on cold weather ops here on the forum for you silly people who live up north :

In this topic I posted that I have the oil cooler deflector for a SportCruiser that I'll of course never use here in sunny (and rainy) Florida and it's free to a good home if you want it. You just need to install two nut plates on the cowling so you can easily install and remove it with a screwdriver. Many guys just use the HVAC foil tape that you can buy on the aviation isle at Home Depot. Cover about a third of the cooler and she warms up faster. Just keep an eye on the temps after take off. If it gets too hot remove a little of the tape. 

[Velocity26]

My airplane was based in New Hampshire and, in addition to the air flow restrictors for the radiator and oil cooler as shown above, it has a block/oil heater and oil thermostat  in the oil lines too. 

I removed the air flow restrictors and initially planned to remove the heater and thermostat, but they weigh very little and do not seem to hinder cooling in the furnace that we call Florida.   

 

[ronin5573]

11 hours ago, Kevin said:

Mine takes a long time even here in NC on warm days. 

Have a Tannis engine Heater installed.  My engine temps are at 90 deg F at startup. 

[admin]

I highly recommend the “Thermostasis” device that bypasses the oil cooler automatically in cold weather.

I have used this device on two different Rotax 912 engined LSA’s - works well to warm up the oil in COLD conditions before takeoff,  and retains the benefits of an “unblocked” Oil Cooler air opening in HOT weather.  AUTOMATIC OPERATION.

 

I also strongly recommend using a Tannis Engine preheater in your hangar before very cold morning flights.

 

From an earlier post on SCFLIER.

Another option for flying in “cold” temperature conditions with the Rotax 912 engine in a CRUZ LSA, or a Rotax 912 in other light aircraft. 

We used to install the CRUZ S-LSA red oil cooler “cover” when the temperature got below 30 degrees F or so.   Works as advertised.   

But after installing a “Thermostasis” Oil flow regulator that changes the Oil flow

in COLD Conditions

from “mostly” up to the oil cooler (and back) to “mostly” just looping oil back without ALL the oil passing through the oil cooler,

we no longer need, or use  the front red oil cooler cover plate in the wintertime.

Also, on OTHER,  COOLER RUNNING Rotax 912 powered aircraft that have excellent cowling cooling designs (I.e., NOT AS HOT UNDER THE COWLING as a SportCruiser/PiperSport due to LOW cooling air flow in a TIGHTLY COWLED Engine Space),  

In “cooler weather”, the Thermostasis device can significantly reduce the wait time for oil warm up to 120 degrees F, allowing one to perform the Mag Check before takeoff, reducing the Oil Warm Up wait time from  ~ 20 minutes to about 5-7 minutes.

 

The Thermostasis Oil Temperature Control device is an awesome addition to any Rotax 912 engine.  
 

Highly recommended for Any temperature climate.  
 

Simple and effective  - works well.  

  

THERMOSTASIS OIL TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR ROTAX 912 UL / ULS / 914UL | Aircraft Spruce

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/xcomthermostat.php

 

 

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pdf/08-07212m.pdf
 

 

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pdf/08-07212.pdf

 

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[FlyAgain]

I use a Tanis preheat system on a cellular controlled switch from Switcheon.  You can program it for the times you want from the App and also see the temp in the hanger in real time.  I also use foil tape when it gets below 40 degrees.  Start with a strip down the oil cooler and go from there.  The nice thing is you can pull it off easily.  I used to put on the orange plate but the vibration causes wear on the oil cooler.  I often go somewhere and it’s 28 deg and then after lunch it’s 50 and putting the plate off and on became a hassle. I try to keep temps about 200 across the board at cruise. Sometimes even a small piece of tape on the radiator helps too.