PDA

View Full Version : oil cooler ?



Eric
06-25-2013, 06:15 AM
Hello

I am rebuilding a KF 3 with a Rotax 912
Do I need an oilcooler on my plane?
The average temp in Netherlands is in summer about 25 degrees Celcius (if we have a good summer)
I see often pictures wit complete taped oilcoolers.
I think I never fly full power with my plane ,maybe with the takeoff.
If I don"t need an oilcooler I can build the waterradiator in that place.

Eric

Dave S
06-25-2013, 10:23 AM
Hi Eric,

The answer is going to be pretty much dependent on the particular plane and conditions.

Where I live the temperature has a drastic range and sometimes I can't live without the oilcooler and sometimes it will overcool the oil.

Normally I completely cover the oilcooler when it is 0 C or less....from 0 C to plus 5-10 C I use tape over half of it. When it is 35 C-----need all the cooling I can get but the tape goes off when it hits 10 C in any case.

Others use shutters (which I like but haven't installed yet) and otyhers use an oil thermostat which is reported to work really well

Sincerely,

Dave S
KF7 Trigear
912ULS Warp Drive

St Paul, Minnesota

Av8r3400
06-25-2013, 09:12 PM
I am not running an oil cooler on my IV-1050 with a 912UL. I run Mobil Racing 4T synthetic oil, which gives the oil temp redline 285˚ (140˚C). I have never gotten close to that. My oil temps usually stabilize around 220-230˚ (105-110˚C) in the warmest weather.

In my part of Wisconsin (USA) our summer peak temps are 90˚F (32˚C) with winter flying around 20˚ (-7˚C).

Eric
06-27-2013, 02:54 AM
Thank You

I think I will try it without cooler.I will try to build the radiator for the coolant inside the cowling and with 2 radiators I think that the airflow for cooling the cylinders will be to little.

Eric

HansLab
06-28-2013, 05:21 AM
Erik,

Ik heb een 912 in mijn KitFox IV in aanbouw - met oliekoeler.
Je bent welkom kitfoxclassiciv[at]gmail en
http://kitfoxclassiciv.blogspot.nl