Cold Weather Plate

[bashibazouk]

Guys, does this look right for a cold weather blocking plate?



My oil's still not getting above 120 deg-- it's 26 deg out today.

Josh

[jmvolpp]

Re: Cold Weather Plate

What would one expect, living in a place named Winterville? I'm having a bit of the same problem - after blocking 100% of the air inlet hole, my oil temp went from 140 to 145 (summertime temp 180). I'm hopeful the new oil tank
cover I have yet to install helps a little more, assuming the 60 year old gauge is accurate!

Mike V.

[PT13Pilot]

Re: Cold Weather Plate

I just made one for my customer. Flew it and flew it home today, 14 degrees and was seeing almost 150 and that was at 3000 feet on the way back to his hangar. When I flew it down last week it was 40-something and it didn't get to 140. So it helped. I blocked the whole thing. The bottom flange had 3 holes with screws and tinnermans, probably from a previous install. Riveted small plate nuts in and added 1 on top, it's close enough to the prop I didn't want to trust a clip.

[bashibazouk]

Re: Cold Weather Plate

Thanks, guys. I'll modify my version to include a fastener at the top of some sort. A clip makes sense. I'll look into tank insulation, too.

Josh

[astjp2]

Re: Cold Weather Plate

2" of duct tape over the upper areas of the grill. Tim

[Len Petterson]

Re: Cold Weather Plate

I have 2 plates for the Main grills as well with a large 5 " (about ) hole and smaller 2 " for the carbheat and cabinheat. I does lower the airflow into the cabin and to the carheat as well, but I can't say for shure, As I can't verify or measure the airflow in any way.
The larger one is toward the outside for the cylinder head coooling.
Last winter in - 5 to 0 C( above 3500 ft) I did get the oiltemperatur up to
160 -165F
I also have the lower air intake covered. The plates are saftey wired in place with a silicon bead around the edges not to mark up the paint.
I have been told what partly blocking the lower airoutlet would help.
I forgot to take out a lagre spunge I use to keep the bird out one summer day and the temps went high FAST! OPPS! May work well in the winter, I NOT tryed it in the winter!
Preheating with a can of alcohol in can with a tight fitting roll of toilet papper. it is suposse to work, anyone tryed it?
Merry Cristmas and happy winter flying, Fellows.
"Snow please go FAR FAR AWAY, SO I can fly without skis.Len"

[VictorBravo]

Re: Cold Weather Plate

Len be VERY CAREFUL about closing off any airflow to the carburetor heat! I was experimenting with things (trying to get more airflow through the cylinders for a heat problem) and accidentally restricted the airflow to the carb heat intake. Engine failure on the next takeoff ! Not recommended !

[Len Petterson]

Re: Cold Weather Plate

I have flown some 15 hr with this plate no proplem but I can see where it may not addequate airflow if I do get carb-ice, and it does not melt it in time.
Len

[jmvolpp]

Re: Cold Weather Plate

Today I put the new "long johns" on the oil tank and intake manifold tubes and aviated a bit to see what kind of temperature rise resulted. Ambient temp was 35 and oil temp ~155, for an improvement of ~10 degrees over the winterization plate alone - working it a little with some chandelles and lazy 8s brought it up another 5 degrees. It'll be interesting to see how it goes when below freezing. I think this will have to do, as I'm reluctant to cover the cylinder air inlet grilles without being able to monitor CHTs.

Mike V

[pftcraft]

Re: Cold Weather Plate

Mine has a 2 inch diameter hole in the center ...

[VictorBravo]

Re: Cold Weather Plate

I think this will have to do, as I'm reluctant to cover the cylinder air inlet grilles without being able to monitor CHTs.

Go and get one of the 4 probe CHT systems with the spark plug probes. This is good information that will help you figure out what's going on inside the cowling.

It will take less than 2 hours to install, you can make a simple bracket to temporarily hold the gauge above the instrument panel while you're figuring out how your engine is behaving. Then you can move the gauge to a permanent location or take it out completely if you have enough data to make that decision.