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RV8 oil cooler question

Mikeyb

Well Known Member
I’m starting on the FWF part of my build. I’m going to use the 180hp IO 360 with inverted fuel/oil mainly for sport flying and aerobatics. I live in so cal where it seems like it is always over 80 degrees. Should I plan on another oil cooler than the one Vans provides in the FWF kit?
Mike
 
I have the stock Van's FWF kit on my RV7, IO-360 M1B, and it ran too cool necessitating a shutter on the oil cooler to keep the temp above 150° when OAT is below 60°F. I did however install silicone baffle seals in place of the stock material supplied.
 
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Piston squirters? Those seem to make a difference.
Not sure if factory Lycoming have them. My Titan does.
 
squirters

fl-mike is on the spot.

If you have oil-squirters you should go up one size with the oil cooler.
I have a TITAN engine and it even says so in the construction Manual.

I went with the original Van´s oil cooler size first and had oil temps in the 230´s (summertime, Germany, 85-ish degree Fahrenheit OAT).
Fall temps are helping me Right now continueing with phase 1, but the new (bigger) oil cooler is already ordered and will be my winter project.

One size bigger will fit where the original cooler goes (baffling behind cyl #4), if you go 2 size bigger (like the 20006 model) you either mount it behind cyl #3 or customize.

If you use the search function you will find a company selling a complete kit for the oil cooler mount behind cyl #3. The kit comes with powdercoated mounting angles, a fibreglass duct and all the Hardware you Need.
https://www.showplanes.com/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=OCM-8%2F8A+10R
I would have ordered it but my Christen inverted System is mounted where the kit wants the oil cooler to be at. So i will have to go the way of a customized solution behing cyl #4.

Or you go with the firewall mounting option if you are early enough in the planning pahse.
 
I also fly an RV-7A with an IO-360 and the Vans oil cooler in the standard location on the engine. I'm based in SoCal. I also had to add an antisplat oil cooler shutter to keep the temperatures high enough in March. In the summer, I occasionally see the oil temperatures above 200 in climb with the shutter wired wide open, but they stay below 200 in cruise.

I added the shutter after starting Phase 1, so I decided against putting another hole in the firewall for a shutter control cable. So far, my engine has been happy with the shutter in place but safety wired in the maximum open position. But if I were earlier in the build, I would have added the antisplat control cable system for more flexibility.

David
 
I have the stock Van's FWF kit on my RV7, IO-360 M1B, and it ran too cool necessitating a shutter on the oil cooler to keep the temp above 150° when OAT is below 60°F. I did however install silicone baffle seals in place of the stock material supplied.

Same with my RV-8. IO360 M1B and everything stock running to cool and had to add a shutter which I keep closed most of the year... .

Oliver
 
I’m having the opposite issue

My RV-8 has an Aerosport IO-375 with a full Raven inverted system. I am not the original owner. The aircraft was built with a Sam James Cowl and a plenum.
My oil temps run high in the 200-220 area when flying aerobatics which I mainly do.
I wrote Aerosport and they sent me a limitations page, and told me not to be concerned about my temps. My other engine parameters are all fine, oil pressure in the 60-65 range and egt and CHT all good.
Reading the previous posts has got me pointed in the direction of a larger oil cooler.
 
No temp problems here.....

I have the stock IO-360 with RVbits carbon fiber plenum and Christen full inverted oil. I did install the AirFlow 2002 7 row oil cooler instead of the stock vans. It fits where the stock would go. South GA summer temps never an issue......
 
I have the stock oil cooler on my IO-360. I live/fly out of Las Vegas. I have never seen oil temps above 200 even in the summer, and in cruise flight I typically run around 170. I also regularly fly aerobatics. Just another data point.
 
Thanks for the info

I have the stock IO-360 with RVbits carbon fiber plenum and Christen full inverted oil. I did install the AirFlow 2002 7 row oil cooler instead of the stock vans. It fits where the stock would go. South GA summer temps never an issue......

Thank you for your input. I plan to research this oil cooler.
 
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