Oil cooler location question?

I have an rv-6, O-320, fixed pitch.
Has anyone mounted an oil cooler on the left side baffling, at the very front at the intake? So the air would come in the inlet and flow down through the cooler and the out of the bottom cowl.

Any problems with this idea, it seems to be the only free space I have with my current arangement.

Also anyone have any photos of this type install?

Buz

The standard Van's set up mounts the oil cooler on the left aft (vertical) baffle plate. That plate plus the left side plate are made from thicker material to support the weight of the oil cooler.
Jim Sharkey

It has been done

buz said:

I have an rv-6, O-320, fixed pitch.
Has anyone mounted an oil cooler on the left side baffling, at the very front at the intake? So the air would come in the inlet and flow down through the cooler and the out of the bottom cowl.

Any problems with this idea, it seems to be the only free space I have with my current arrangement.

Also anyone have any photos of this type install?

Buz

Click to expand...

I seen it and have heard it being done. The down side is longer oil line runs, which cost & weigh a little more. Sure you can do it. You will also put a little more weight fwd CG.

Alternate suggestion, Consider a 3" SCAT tube off the rear of the baffle to the cooler hanging off the engine mount fire wall. A air box/diffuser attached to the cooler connects to the SCAT. I don't care for Vans remote cooler kit too much, but it works OK for 320's. The way the shallow sheet metal air-box is made, is a poor design. 3" SCAT is too small for larger coolers, but OK for 320's. The air-box/diffuser should have a funnel shape. You can make one out of fiberglass easy enough.

Suggest a Stewart Warner or old Harrison brand cooler since they cool the best. If you don't have a cooler yet, try "Pacific Oil Coolers" for info, help, sales and overhaul.

Buz,

My RV-6 has the set up you're describing, but with a 360. It has no cooling problems in the summer. In the winter, I use 200 mph duct tape to cover two rows of the oil cooler. Without the winter duct tape, it runs cool i.e. 165 degrees or so. Vibration has been an issue. IMHO, the baffling must be very stout if it alone is to support the oil cooler in that location. I use a support, which runs at an angle of about 30 degrees, between the top, inboard corner of the cooler and a conveniently tapped hole near the top of the cylinder casting. Good luck!

buz said:

I have an rv-6, O-320, fixed pitch.
Has anyone mounted an oil cooler on the left side baffling, at the very front at the intake? So the air would come in the inlet and flow down through the cooler and the out of the bottom cowl.

Any problems with this idea, it seems to be the only free space I have with my current arangement.

Also anyone have any photos of this type install?

Buz

Click to expand...

Yes, Works great. I got the idea off an orndorf video. Folks in the SW with uber hot days like this setup. I did it cause it was convenient. Oh and forget the flapper door. It did nothing and had zero effect on the temps. Little speed tape over the cooler in the winter kept my temps up and was easy to install right through the air intake.
Pics here

Thanks for the replies. I already have a 10 row SW, and it looks like a snug fit but doable. I'm thinking with an O-320, and Fixed pitch wood prop the CG won't be an issue.

Buz

10 row for a 320?

buz said:

Thanks for the replies. I already have a 10 row SW, and it looks like a snug fit but doable. I'm thinking with an O-320, and Fixed pitch wood prop the CG won't be an issue.

Buz

Click to expand...

Buz you might have too much cooler there for a 320? Talk to Pacific oil cooler, they have a 800 number I think; google them. If the SW fits fine but being too cool is a problem almost as much as too hot.

We used a 3" tube from the aft left baffle and ran it over to the oil cooler, mounted on the right side of the firewall. Works pretty well during Georgia summers, as long as you keep the speed up (at least 140mph). It also works too well for winter, so we rigged up a little door that swings in front of the intake on the baffle. We put a pushrod running from it over to the oil filler door in the cowling and rigged up four notches, so we can adjust it on the ground before flight.

Whenever I get around to building my own (probably not for several years), I think I'll put a separate NACA duct in (maybe under the air filter intake) and draw cold air in for the cooler.

You are probably right, it seems most are 6 rows. I got this cooler for free and its brand new and was trying to make it work. I'll give Pacific a call on Tues. and maybe I can trade down or something.

Buz

I have a Zodiac 640 with an O-360. The oil cooler is mounted on the left intake baffle. Actually it is mounted to a steel bracket attached to the engine block under the left front baffle so that the baffle is not supporting the weight of the oil cooler. I have to have a single width of duct tape over the cooler in the summer, and 2 full widths of tape in the winter to keep the oil temps high enough. After 450 hours I have had no problems. The following link shows the bracket and installation (though not in my aircraft).
http://www.liming.org/ch801/engine3.html

Steve Adams

Good photo Steve.

I called Pacific(great folks) and they said it would be fine. I would rather have a too cool problem then too hot. My reason is that I already own the $500+ cooler.
Thanks for the help guys.

Buz