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Winter - Kit for the 4

kjelle69

kjelle69

Active Member
Does anyone of you with a RV-4 use some sort of winter kit to increase the engine and oil temperature during the cold season ?
 
I have a engine mounted mounted oil cooler with scat going to it from the baffles. I put a butterfly valve inline to restrict flow to the cooler in cooler weather. Even with it completely cut off I still don't see 180 degrees on a cold day. I see people that wait for oil to get to 125 degrees before taking off. My -4 would never leave the ground if that were the case for me.
 
I have blocking plates on the cowling intake. 2 #3 bolts screw the plates on top of the front baffle. And a block off plate on the intake for the oil cooler. I have 3 different blocking plates (different diameter hole in the middle of the plate) that reduce the airflow into the oil cooler.

They work well.
 
kjelle69 said:
Sounds interesting AX-O, do you have any picture of the blocking plates ?
Click to expand...

I don?t, but will try to take some this weekend. Basically the plate is a 90 degree aluminum angle. The horizontal part bolts to the front baffle via the 2 #3 bolts. The vertical part sits in front of the air intake openings and reduces the area. Same concept I used on my Cessna 140.
 
Here's what mine looks like on my 4.. cable run inside, works great....


041_zps6d1b352c.jpg








Caveman I did it!!!! posted a pic!!!
 
kjelle69 said:
Does anyone of you with a RV-4 use some sort of winter kit to increase the engine and oil temperature during the cold season ?
Click to expand...

Mine is a -3 and it barely get's cold here in NM but same problem. I have the butterfly on the oil cooler. When closed, I could only get up to around 125 F. on colder days. CHT's would typically be 250 F. or less. Not good, I know. I experimented a bit and finally ended up with some cowl inlet "plugs" that reduced the intake area by about a third (maybe a little more). Sadly, my plugs never evolved beyond foam and duct tape - maybe next winter...

I theorize that a "plug" at the cowl outlet may work as well as one at the inlet. Thinking of a fully enclosed wedge shaped "box" that consumes the majority of the open space between the exhaust pipes. I need to remember to build one this summer while it is warm and try it next winter!!
 
Can confirm those exact figures from our flight today:
CHT 250? F
Oil 130? F
OAT 17? F

This figures was with the Oil Cooler totally blinded out with an aluminiumplate, I think we really need some king of obstruction in the intake similar to the winter kit of our C172. :-/
 
Anyone who has a picture of some cooling intake obstruction in the old type of cowling which works ? I'm mostly interested in the size and how they are attached to the cowling or baffle. :confused:
 
I have not been able to take a picture. I am sorry. I will not be around my aircraft until 21 Apr. Send me your phone number via a PM. I will call you.
 
I live in Northern Sweden so it would be an International call. :-/
Just wanted to bump up the question again, in case someone have a good tested solution it would be nice to see that.
 
I know this is probably a stupid question and if it were this easy someone would have done it already, but why can't one simply remove the oil cooler from the oil circuit in the winter? Disconnect the line going into the cooler and connect it directly to the fitting going back into the engine and then cap off the oil cooler.

Like I said, there is probably some simple reason why this is a bad idea (and I haven't tried it on mine either), but it seems fairly simple.
 
oil temp low during winter

from what i understand of the oil system is :you do have the vernatherm
valve in the oil filter adapterbody that prevent the oil to go the oilcooler until it is required(when oil temp is high enough). basicaly by restriction the air to the oil cooler will not work if the remaining of the engine has to much of cold air. on cessna the cold weather kit do restrict the amount of cooling at cowling entry.

my rv4 stay on the ground below -10 deg C

Michel
 
Winter again, did not construct any blocking plates yet. Anyone who has some suggestion or pictures of a construction that blocks off enough without harming anything? Our C172 has winter kits in plastic that blocks off just about 1/3'd of the total intake area behind the prop. They are placed towards the center of the plane.
 
My oil cooler is mounted on the left rear baffle with a 2.38 inch diameter hole through the baffle for an inlet. I have a blocking plate on the front side of the baffle that is held in place by one pivot screw. I loosen the screw and pivot the plate over the inlet to block off some or all of the air flow to the cooler when the weather turns cold. Tightening the pivot screw holds the blocking plate in whatever position I want. Typical temperatures are in line with what others are posting with the engine running a little cooler than desired. Advantage - its simple. Disadvantage - I have to take the cowl off to make adjustments.
Alan
RV-4
 
I have already blocked off the oil cooler, what I would like to do is to block off the total amount of air that enters the cowling.
 
A few weeks ago VLAD posted a good photo and description of what he does.

The oil cooler even if air flow is blocked, will easily disperse heat and cool the oil unless you tape off BOTH FACES with aluminum foil or plates and silicone.

Just search for all threads from VLAD and you will see the photos.

I would be cautious about restricting the air intakes on a 4.
 
I didn't know a vernatherm existed so, I just leaned something to day. From what I just read on it, I suppose it would. I think I'll do a little more research and see what is best and easiest.
 
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