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Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 23:27:35 -0600
From: Jim Sower <canarder@frontiernet.net>
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To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] FW: Cooling system update
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THAT is a great idea.  Probably cost maybe 87 cents to manufacture, but 
a critical accessory, particularly for an EWP.
I'm *definitely* going to install one in my system ... Jim S.

Chuck Dunlap wrote:

>  
>
>  
> My coolant temperature has been rising  little by little over the 440 
> hours I have been flying my 13B. Last summer on the way to Arlington 
> fly-in, I departed St George Utah at 100 degrees OAT and the coolant 
> temp quickly rose to 230, my absolute maximum allowable. I could not 
> climb above pattern altitude, so I landed. I cobbled together a water 
> dribble system out of drip irrigation tubing, and it allowed me to 
> continue the trip. After returning home I decided something had to be 
> done. After checking everything I could think of, I removed the 
> radiator, and after careful inspection, I found debris clogging much 
> of the core that was visible. Some of it was bits of silicone used to 
> help seal the couplings, and some of it looked like scale from the 
> water jackets.I cleaned out as much as I could get to, and I made a 
> screen out of stainless mesh and inserted in line inside one of the 1 
> 1/2" silicone hose couplings. I flew it like that for about 10 hours 
> while I had a new radiator made by Griffin Radiator. Coolant temps 
> were better, but still not acceptable. I got the new radiator 
> installed yesterday, and I found the screen already 3/4 clogged with 
> more scale debris.
> Today I flew it with the new radiator, and at OAT of about 65 F a full 
> power climb out at 80 KIAS resulted in the coolant temp stabilizing at 
> 167 F. I am not running a thermostat, and part throttle cruise coolant 
> temp was about 130F. Descending out of 10000 ft  the coolant temp 
> dropped to about 110F, and my cabin heat was practically nil. Looks 
> like I need cowl flaps now! I am actually looking forward to some 100 
> degree days this summer to see how it cools now. If a 35 degree rise 
> in OAT results in the same rise in coolant temp, I predict that my max 
> coolant temp will not go above 202 F.
> My coolant temp rise problem has been so gradual, while other things 
> were being changed around, that the possibility of a clogged radiator 
> did not even cross my mind.
> Lessons learned: 1. Keep good flight data and refer to if often, the 
> only way to catch gradual trends.
> 2. A cooling system in an aircraft definitely needs some sort of 
> screen or filter. I may try one of these http://www.babymall.com.au/tefba/
> 3. 230 F does not seem to have hurt my 13B, I have probably 10 total 
> hours flying at that temp.
>  
> Keep the shiny side up!
>  
> Chuck Dunlap
> N616RV 13B