Backcountry Pilot

[Hawkeyenfo offline]

I have a C-145-2 in my "new" '52 170B and have noticed that as the weather is getting cooler (not cold) here in Va that I can sit for as long as I want with the engine running on deck and the temp never comes off the peg (OAT 45-60F). As soon as I take off and begin the climb, the temp starts to rise but in cooler wx, never exceeds "halfway/verticle" on the green arc. And, in the landing pattern, the gauge reads about a quarter.

This doesn't jive with the Cont pubs (don't take off until the temp rises) and I am wondering how it will act as the high sapproach 40F and lows in the 30s.....

Can anyone shed some light on this for me? I know they're air cooled but, it seems that it should run hotter than it does.

Thanks.

[N419A offline]

Yep, the old c-145 is a pretty cold blooded engine. I rarely see any temp come off the pegs until climb out. I warm for about ten minutes or more before flying. Once in the air I like to see 180 oil temp, but rarely do in the winter. I start taping up at about 40-50 degrees, I start with the blast tubes on the back baffle then start progressively taping the oils sump cooling hole on the nose bowl, then eventually the winter kit goes on. I can usually maintain 160 degrees though -10 F.

Paul

[Flat Country Pilot offline]

Cold blooded is right.

10 F outside now and it was 20 F inside the hangar at 5 am, 2 hours ago.

Blast tubes covered up, weather front on, and preheater going since 5:10 am. I'll fly 50 minutes one way today and be happy if the needle on the temp gauge gos past halfway.

Actually I'll be happy just flying, temperature or not.

Coming home the outside temps should be in the 30s today and the 0-300 should be toasty warm, with the weather front on.

Bill

[Skylane offline]

Hey someone with a weather kit on the O-300 post a picture of that bad boy!

Curious to see what it consists of. I've used tape to cover the oil cooler on the O-470 to keep temps up in the winter.

Fly safe, Bub

[hotrod180 offline]

I've covered the blast tubes & the "oil sump cooler" opening on my 170, still runs cold in the winter. Never so bad that I wanted to mess with covering the cowl inlets. Another winter trick is to cover the vent inlets at the wing roots. Even closed, the stock vents let in a lot of cold air I can do without. Of course, less fresh air available just in case you have an inflight CO issue and can't land. Window still works though!

Eric

[Hawkeyenfo offline]

Flew for 2 hours today, temps on the ground at 52, temp at 2K: 40. Taped off blast tubes, couldn' tell if it did anything. Temp was about 1/4-1/3 of the green arc most of the day. A good climb out during landing pattern work would move it a little higher and then it was back down by the 180. When it get's into the 30's I'll try taping off the inlet under the prop (not the air clnr for those waiting to pounce!)

Good hints, thanks a lot!

[Zzz]

From what I've read, if you can make 180 deg F in the cold, that's good enough for engine maintenance, unless the heater isn't putting out enough heat for you.

Regarding getting rid of moisture in the oil:

http://www.backcountrypilot.org/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=17160#17160

[hotrod180 offline]

Zane, wazzup with your avatar? I thought Wup or somebody installed some virtual BW's for ya, but now I see them little skinnies are back on.
Is this what they call de-evolution?

Eric

[N419A offline]

I put some pics. of the stock cessna 170 winter kit in my album with a clip from the parts book. Then there is a picture or the front of my 170 with my own covers I made, they fit a little tighter and I cut a hole and routed a duct for the carb heat inlet. Next is to due the same for the 3 inch cabin heat intake on the right (although this is not totally cover so it still makes pretty good heat). The cover plates I made cover the same area as the stock cessna plates.

Stay warm, Paul

[Flat Country Pilot offline]

The plates in Paul's pics are what I have. I bought them from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty, original cessna parts with the 50plus year old decal. They should still be available to purchase and if anyone wants to, I will dig out the catalog number.

These are not difficult to make. I was just lazy and short on time, so I bought them.

Paul has a hole cut for his carb heat. I have one for my cabin heat. Maybe my priorities are backwards.

Flying yesterday between 15 F and 38 F, had the cabin heat on half way with just a heavy weight shirt on, toasty. I don't know how accurate the temp gauge is, but the engine temp was hot enough to get rid of moisture.

Better re-think the carb heat hole.

Bill

[GumpAir offline]

Can anyone shed some light on this for me? I know they're air cooled but, it seems that it should run hotter than it does.

With the C170's, and the older C172's, I think you're stuck with what you got. That cowling really needs cowl flaps, and I'm sure some creative folks have done that, but for most of us that's not an option.

My '56 C172TD with the O-300 is a water maker, and even on a hot day down here in Nevada, oil temps never get much above 175F. I use Camguard with the oil, and in the winter change oil every 20-25 hours.

Cowl inlet covers scare me. Too easy to get a hot spot on a cylinder, or fly up into an inversion layer and get air temps above freezing.

Gump