L-2/ DCO-65 engine winter front

[N47322]

Hi, I have a 1943 L-2/ DCO-65 and would like to fly it during the winter months but have been told by my planes mechanic NOT to fly it in the winter because the heads could crack hanging out there in the cold air. I do think he is right since when I have had her out in mid 30 degree weather the oil temp guage does not move and the oil pressure is way high.

If anyone has any plans for or has made one or knows where I can get one( if anyone did make them at one time or another) I would be a very happy camper.

Don
Birchwood, WI

[Guest]

Re: L-2/ DCO-65 engine winter front

Hey Don,

Maybe try getting an old military manual they must have rigged up something to fly in the winter. Essco has many manuals search on Yahoo or Google... I may have a manual and will look later on.

Dave

[perryv1]

Re: L-2/ DCO-65 engine winter front

Cylinder head temps run basically the same temp year round, the only real problem is the shock cooling. If you manage power settings and maybey run a lighter oil, the cylinders shouldnt have any problems.
If Im wrong, Id like an explanation as to why
thanks
PV

[fearofpavement]

Re: L-2/ DCO-65 engine winter front

If you can stand the cold, fly the plane. I don't think you'll crack cylinders. Snowmobiles, four wheelers, snow blowers and so forth all have air cooled engines.

Getting the thing started might be a bigger challenge. There is a recent thread on pre-heating.

Mechanics don't like people to fly their planes in the winter because when you fly it it might break and then they may have to fix it in a cold hangar or worse yet on the ramp.

Ok, probably not true but I sorta liked that theory.

To the Northern guys, have you heard about many oat related cylinder problems?

[M Towsley]

Re: L-2/ DCO-65 engine winter front

Don,

I have an L-2B I purchased earlier this year and plan to still fly in winter. There are a couple of liaison books I have that show the WWII Cubs, of course with exposed cylinders like ours, still flying year round. Though it was prohibited by those in-charge, ground crews would fashion cylinder blocking pieces to try and keep the engine warmer. I have no real clear shot of how they did it, or I would try and post a picture. It looked like two big pieces of sheet metal curved out and covering the cylinders from the front. They wouldn't care how these pieces were attached and I don't think you could do it without buggering up the cowl. I agree with being careful on shock cooling and go from there. In fact, I had a more difficult problem with getting my engine in my BC-12D warmed up during the winter with the pressure cowling. The engine in the L-2B, so far in a warmer climate, stays warmer than the BC-12.

[Dick Huish]

Re: L-2/ DCO-65 engine winter front

I have a picture of an L-2B on ski's taken in Wiscomsin in 1942-1943 in the winter time. The person that sent it to me said that they would take off and land without making any turns. They used a frozen river for a runway. Didn't show any cowling changes but the students were well dressed. Dick

[Forrest Barber]

Re: L-2/ DCO-65 engine winter front

Dress well, shock cooling is the problem. Use a booty on the oil tank, intake tubes too. On the B block off the mouth & half of the air into the cylinders. On skis be careful of full throttle for any abnormal length of time, you can burn up the cylinders real quick. Full throttle at no speed for 2-4 mins will cook her .