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Glenn Wilkinson
Joined: 19 Jun 2006
Posts: 5
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 Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 8:11 am Post subject: cowling air inlets |
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My -4 always runs cool except on the hottest GA summer days and was considering reducing the size of the cooling air inlets to reduce drag/increase speed and normalize temps.
Has anyone out there done this before? What were your results? Comments?
Glenn
RV-4 N654RV (at) OKZ
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smokyray(at)yahoo.com
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| Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 12:18 pm Post subject: cowling air inlets |
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Glenn,
I helped my neighbor convert his stock RV4/160HP from the std cowl to a Sam James Plenum and round inlet cowl and gear legs/wheelpants. I flew alongside him in my 150HP/Warnke prop (at the time) Bandit and could actually beat him by a few knots in a flat-out drag race.
The conversion was long and complex requiring 2 months of downtime cutting the cowling, splicing the parts and glassing them on and countless fitting and re-fitting the spinner, plenum and trimming the baffling, moving oil cooler, etc. Then came gear leg removal, wheelpant removal and replacement. Finally in primer we rolled the finished product out and took it up for a test flight with me chasing in my stock RV4. I could still hang with him across the board and had identical results in the flat out drag race....!!! It did run cooler across the board though...
Personally, I would take the money and invest it in 100LL and go fly...alot!
Did it cost over $1200: yes
Was it one big giant pain in the butt: yes
Would he do it again...no!
My 2 cents...
RR
<gpww(at)alltel.net> wrote:
| Quote: | My -4 always runs cool except on the hottest GA summer days and was considering reducing the size of the cooling air inlets to reduce drag/increase speed and normalize temps.
Has anyone out there done this before? What were your results? Comments?
Glenn
RV-4 N654RV (at) OKZ
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PGLong
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 37
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| Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 5:13 pm Post subject: cowling air inlets |
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My -4 always ran cool and I could not get the oil much above 100 degrees. I closed off about half the room for exit air (where the exhaust exits also) and this allowed the oil to get up to where the vernatherm would keep it at 180. The cylinder head and EGT temps did not change where I could notice. Still running 300 degrees cylinder head temp and 1200 EGT. Thinking about closing off this area more and making it an adjustable closure so it would work in the cooler months. My inlets are still stock. As it is, I can just get up to 180 if I fly somewhat hard and the day is warm........
Pat Long
PGLong(at)aol.com
N120PL
RV4
Bay City, Michigan
3CM
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_________________
Pat Long
RV-4, N120PL
Bay City, MI |
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smokyray(at)yahoo.com
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| Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:35 am Post subject: cowling air inlets |
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No wonder it runs cool, you live in Michigan!!!! Somewhat warm is above freezing...ha! Seriously Pat, put a door behind your oil cooler you can close or open inflight. I think you will find it works well, especially in winter. My oil stays at 185-200 year round, of course wintertime where I live means putting on socks... see ya!
RR
PGLong(at)aol.com wrote:
| Quote: | My -4 always ran cool and I could not get the oil much above 100 degrees. I closed off about half the room for exit air (where the exhaust exits also) and this allowed the oil to get up to where the vernatherm would keep it at 180. The cylinder head and EGT temps did not change where I could notice. Still running 300 degrees cylinder head temp and 1200 EGT. Thinking about closing off this area more and making it an adjustable closure so it would work in the cooler months. My inlets are still stock. As it is, I can just get up to 180 if I fly somewhat hard and the day is warm........
Pat Long
PGLong(at)aol.com
N120PL
RV4
Bay City, Michigan
3CM
|
Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1¢/min.
| | - The Matronics RV4-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
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mbick(at)carolina.rr.com
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| Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 6:15 am Post subject: cowling air inlets |
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I did just that putting a door behind the oil cooler actuated via a cable in the cabin. It helps but not as much as I expected. During the summer all numbers pretty much perfect but in the winter, even with the door closed, I am lucky to see 140 on the oil temps.
The engine is new 360A1A
From: owner-rv4-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-rv4-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of rob ray
Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 8:34 AM
To: rv4-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: Re: cowling air inlets
No wonder it runs cool, you live in Michigan!!!! Somewhat warm is above freezing...ha! Seriously Pat, put a door behind your oil cooler you can close or open inflight. I think you will find it works well, especially in winter. My oil stays at 185-200 [i]year round, [/i]of course wintertime where I live means putting on socks..[i]. see ya![/i]
RR
PGLong(at)aol.com wrote:
| Quote: |
My -4 always ran cool and I could not get the oil much above 100 degrees. I closed off about half the room for exit air (where the exhaust exits also) and this allowed the oil to get up to where the vernatherm would keep it at 180. The cylinder head and EGT temps did not change where I could notice. Still running 300 degrees cylinder head temp and 1200 EGT. Thinking about closing off this area more and making it an adjustable closure so it would work in the cooler months. My inlets are still stock. As it is, I can just get up to 180 if I fly somewhat hard and the day is warm........
Pat Long
PGLong(at)aol.com
N120PL
RV4
Bay City, Michigan
3CM
|
Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. [url=http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mail_us/taglines/postman7/*http:/us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=39666/*http:/messenger.yahoo.com]Great rates starting at 1¢/min. [/url]
| | - The Matronics RV4-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
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smullins(at)drury.edu
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| Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 7:09 pm Post subject: cowling air inlets |
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I have had very good luck with a cable actuated valve that is located in the duct that runs to my oil cooler. I can easily keep oil temps at 180 or so summer or winter here in Missouri.
Steven D. Mullins
Associate Professor of Economics
Co-director 06-07 Convocation Series: http://www.drury.edu/post911
“Preparing ethical leaders for the global business community”
The Breech School of Business Administration
Drury University
417.889.5609 (Home)
417.873.7299 (Office)
From: owner-rv4-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-rv4-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of mbick
Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 9:13 AM
To: rv4-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: RE: cowling air inlets
I did just that putting a door behind the oil cooler actuated via a cable in the cabin. It helps but not as much as I expected. During the summer all numbers pretty much perfect but in the winter, even with the door closed, I am lucky to see 140 on the oil temps.
The engine is new 360A1A
From: owner-rv4-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-rv4-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of rob ray
Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 8:34 AM
To: rv4-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: Re: cowling air inlets
No wonder it runs cool, you live in Michigan!!!! Somewhat warm is above freezing...ha! Seriously Pat, put a door behind your oil cooler you can close or open inflight. I think you will find it works well, especially in winter. My oil stays at 185-200 [i]year round, [/i]of course wintertime where I live means putting on socks..[i]. see ya![/i]
RR
PGLong(at)aol.com wrote:
| Quote: |
My -4 always ran cool and I could not get the oil much above 100 degrees. I closed off about half the room for exit air (where the exhaust exits also) and this allowed the oil to get up to where the vernatherm would keep it at 180. The cylinder head and EGT temps did not change where I could notice. Still running 300 degrees cylinder head temp and 1200 EGT. Thinking about closing off this area more and making it an adjustable closure so it would work in the cooler months. My inlets are still stock. As it is, I can just get up to 180 if I fly somewhat hard and the day is warm........
Pat Long
PGLong(at)aol.com
N120PL
RV4
Bay City, Michigan
3CM
|
Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. [url=http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mail_us/taglines/postman7/*http:/us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=39666/*http:/messenger.yahoo.com]Great rates starting at 1¢/min. [/url]
| | - The Matronics RV4-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV4-List |
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