Reiff Preheater Installation question

I am about to install Reiff cylinder bands and sump heaters. Should I have the plug near the front air inlet or is it better to have the plug near the oil door? For the oil door, I would have to get the wires through the baffles, whereas the front airless would not require much effort.

Also does any one have pictures of placement of the sump heaters on an IO390?

thanks
ken

Stockmanreef said:

I am about to install Reiff cylinder bands and sump heaters. Should I have the plug near the front air inlet or is it better to have the plug near the oil door? For the oil door, I would have to get the wires through the baffles, whereas the front airless would not require much effort.

Also does any one have pictures of placement of the sump heaters on an IO390?

thanks
ken

Click to expand...

I had two plates on the bottom of the sump on a 360, and the wires faced rear. I think they’re better on the rear so you can fasten them to one of the engine mounts for support and then up to the oil door where you want the plug. I changed my oil this evening and I still have the cowl off. If I think of it in the morning I’ll take a picture.

I can't help in re the 390, but I routed my plug through the rear baffle and have it zip tied to the dip stick. I thought about trying to route it forward, but couldn't figure out a good way to secure it so it wouldn't bang around in the wind

Oil door

Same here. Cylinder heaters go through baffles. You?ll need a 1? hole for the plug to get through. Then a simple rubber grommet in the baffle. Meets up with oil sump heater and attached to dip stick.

Near oil door...

I have the same system on my RV-14 and put the plug inside the oil door. Sealed the baffle hole with RTV.

I couldn't stand the idea of a 1" hole in the baffles so I cut the power cord, put a 3/8" hole in the baffle and spliced the power cord back together inside the baffles. I also filled the baffle hole with rtv around the cord.

OK, a countering opinion here... I installed the Turbo XP system on our O-360, as well as the oil cooler heating strip. That made for two strips and the temp sensor on the oil sump, one heat strip on the oil cooler, then the 4 cylinder bands. I mounted the 3-prong 115VAC plug to the forward pushrod tube of the #2 cylinder using Adel clamps. In this manner the hole poked through the baffle at the inboard end of cylinder #3 can be quite small and easily filled with high-temp RTV.

After two winters of operation I'm still very pleased with this setup. My AeroCovers Thinsulate engine cowl cover doesn't have a flap for dipstick door and I'm glad it doesn't as that serves as a "chimney" point for warm air to escape around the extension cord.

Love having the Reiff system triggered remotely via a cellular data modem and smart plug. Makes winter flying so much easier on me and especially easier on the engine.

I might drill the 1" hole in the baffle. Next, I will drill a hole in the sheet Al fitted for the correct sized snap bushing. Then I will make one cut in this piece so I can get is around the wire. then rivet it in place, push in the snap bushing and seal with RTV.

Not sure that makes sense or not.