Mailing List flyrotary@lancaironline.net Message #29092
From: Ken Welter <rotary.coot@verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Frozen coolant...
Date: Sun, 08 Jan 2006 21:49:03 -0800
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Re: [FlyRotary] Frozen coolant...
    It can crack a center housing where it leaks water into the oil, if so its not that  bad as I have found this in a couple of core engines, it will get you home at least.
   Ken Welter



I flew to Mammoth this weekend for some snow boarding.  Has a great time, and was 210 kts GS on the way up.
 
Parked the plane for two nights and came back out this afternoon for the flight home.  But there was a small puddle of coolant under the engine... and it was still dripping.
 
Then I remembered.  I recently sprung a leak in a cooling line - while away from home.  After fixing the leak I used tap water to refill what coolant had been lost - about a gallon.  I had forgotten all about that on this latest trip... to the mountains.  I figure the antifreeze level was now down to about 25/75 and the overnight temps in the low 20's did the job.
 
I had to concentrate on getting back home for work tomorrow so I couldn't do much.  I couldn't even take off the lower cowl.
 
I suspect the radiator is cracked somewhere.  Anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?  Can this do damage to the engine block?  The radiator is custom and will not be cheap to replace, and it will take a while, and the plane is an 8 hour drive away...  :-(

--
Dave Leonard
Turbo Rotary RV-6 N4VY
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/rotaryroster/index.html
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/vp4skydoc/index.html

Subscribe (FEED) Subscribe (DIGEST) Subscribe (INDEX) Unsubscribe Mail to Listmaster