Low Oil temp

[mspenc45]

On our flight home with our slightly used Top Cub a few weeks ago, we noticed some condensation on the oil dip stick in the morning pre-flight. Durring flight, the oil temp never went above 165. Aftere an oil change, and within 4 or 5 hours of flying, the next morning there are more water condesation drops on the dip stick. With oil temps still in the 165 range, my A&P says we need to get the oil temp up a bit higher to help burn off moisture. Is this right? If so, is the simplest way to block off some of the oil cooler area?

[Becky Teerink]

On our flight home with our slightly used Top Cub a few weeks ago, we noticed some condensation on the oil dip stick in the morning pre-flight. Durring flight, the oil temp never went above 165. Aftere an oil change, and within 4 or 5 hours of flying, the next morning there are more water condesation drops on the dip stick. With oil temps still in the 165 range, my A&P says we need to get the oil temp up a bit higher to help burn off moisture. Is this right? If so, is the simplest way to block off some of the oil cooler area?

Hi Mark,
One of the easiest ways is to cover part of the oil cooler with aluminum tape...I'm sure there are other ways as well!

[mspenc45]

Thanks kiddo! That is also what my A&P told me to do.

Hi Mark,
One of the easiest ways is to cover part of the oil cooler with aluminum tape...I'm sure there are other ways as well!

[randylervold]

Ditto on the aluminum tape, but make sure you put it on the intake side of the cooler, it won't do much on the exhaust side. In the winter, and in a moist environment, you won't get rid of the moisture up at the top of the dipstick no matter how hot you run your oil -- when the warm engine cools down the moist air condenses up there.

[mspenc45]

What would be our target oil temp?

Ditto on the aluminum tape, but make sure you put it on the intake side of the cooler, it won't do much on the exhaust side. In the winter, and in a moist environment, you won't get rid of the moisture up at the top of the dipstick no matter how hot you run your oil -- when the warm engine cools down the moist air condenses up there.

[randylervold]

What would be our target oil temp?

All the experts say 180-200° would be ideal, but with air cooled engines we need to accept a wider window. I know all the Carbon Cubs I'm flying these days here in the winter never get above 150° even running them hard. These same planes will run 200-220° in triple digit ambient summer conditions. Blocking off the oil cooler really is the best remedy, you can get a roll of that adhesive backed aluminum tape in the aviation department of Home Depot for about $3.

Too bad you have a certified plane or you could install an oil cooler shutter. I put one of these in the last RV I built, check toward the bottom of this page, worked great! Unfortunately this is not an option on a Certified bird.

[mspenc45]

Ah, I think I've been in that department befor, over near the air conditioninf department!

All the experts say 180-200° would be ideal, but with air cooled engines we need to accept a wider window. I know all the Carbon Cubs I'm flying these days here in the winter never get above 150° even running them hard. These same planes will run 200-220° in triple digit ambient summer conditions. Blocking off the oil cooler really is the best remedy, you can get a roll of that adhesive backed aluminum tape in the aviation department of Home Depot for about $3.

Too bad you have a certified plane or you could install an oil cooler shutter. I put one of these in the last RV I built, check toward the bottom of this page, worked great! Unfortunately this is not an option on a Certified bird.

[Clay Hammond]

I think some L-21's had a shutter mounted to the front of the cooler. Might be doable if you could find the data.

[mspenc45]

Hmm, interesting!

[mspenc45]

Middle of summer here in sotheastern AZ, and with 90 ddegree mornings I have finally taken on strip of aluminum tape off my oil coller, but with one strip still in place, I just hit 200 if I really work her hard. Better than having the problem of no tape and running hot!