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Aircraft Engine Oil Cooler

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nebraskaairboater

nebraskaairboater

Well-known member
I have a guy in our airboat club looking to replace his oil cooler on a 4 cyl Lycoming Aircraft engine. Last year he had "high compression" pistons and rings put in it and now it runs hot when it is hot outside. What do you all use for oil coolers? It is a true "aircraft" engine with up-draft carb and dual mags. Any help appreciated in figuring size and source.

Thanks,

Dan
 
I don't know what is in vogue now days, but I used to see a lot of the 4 cylinder guys using automotive heater cores from Discount Auto Supply.

Scotty
 
I have seen several of those heater cores burst from the high oil pressure on a cold lycoming (80-100psi). I like an oil cooler that has tanks on it like a radiator. The stock groundpower oil coolers are a real popular one, getting hard to find in good condition for reasonable price though. I am using a fluidyne oil cooler on my 520, http://fluidyne.com/pl_theoc.html I have found these to be high quality and efficent and nowheres near the price of a new aircraft oil cooler.

Here is a pic of mine,
fld-db-30416_w.jpg

exhaust2.jpg


Larry
 
any idea what model would be a good recomendation for his application? There is a dealer for them pretty much down the street from me. I can call for a price for him.

Thanks,

Dan
 
Larry thats a sweet looking little unit ! Im glad ya posted that. I just added it to my parts listing for my boat. Old School ain't ALWAYS the best school. Lota stuff we did was cause nothing else was there for us.

Scotty
 
I run one of those finned alum collars that clamps on the oil filter in addition to the regular oil cooler. I havent had any overheating problems with my Lycoming here in Central Fla in hot weather. Every little bit helps.


Vern
 
Ya know your right Short ...... Every little bit helps.

When I bought my kid a little Taylor boat with a 90 GPU on it, the thing would overheat and start losing power (cowing down) when it got hot running dry ground.

We gave it a Slick-50 treatment and you wouldnt believe the difference. He could dog it as long as he wanted on dry ground and you could walk up and lay your hand on the cylinder fins and not get blistered. Hot yes, but not burned. It make all the difference in the world in "THAT" little boat. It just had the normal little GPU cooler on it.

Scotty
 
I run a 0-435 and have an oil cooler that looks as though it has been painted. Would this affect the efficiency of the cooler? Also, could you give me more details of the "slick-50" treatment?

I have been running hot this summer. Temps are mid 90's and 8% humidity. Trying to keep that middle cylinder cool.
 
I had a good experience with Slick 50, others claim not to have. The FTC got after Quaker State over their advertising practices, not because it doesn't work. Anyway heres a link to a source of Slick 50.

http://www.autobarn.net/ch43206032.html

It is likely available at your local autoparts store. I followed the instructions and got super way better than dreamed fo results. Keep in min I was not trying to restore a run out engine, I was looking to reduce internal friction and generate less internal heat in a new engine.

Scotty
 
he already has a shroud on the engine. Is there a good rule of thumb for the size of cooler to put on it? I suppose bigger is probably better?

Thanks,

Dan
 
I don't think you can go "too much". Run as big of one as you can get/afford within reason, or hook two together if you can't find a real big one for cheap.
 
I usually install a 4 or 6 row Hayden Oil Cooler for my 4 cylinder Lycomings. They have a 4 row model on Ebay going for $30 right now and a six row with a Buy it Now for $95. The six row should cool down just about anything. I don't understand how they run them without shrouds and coolers in Florida, but every boat I bought from Florida ran hot and I had to add a bigger oil cooler. I also cut down the seats so I sit in the boat instead of above the boat. The tubing is always full of salt water. I know in aircraft tubing we use boiled linseed as a preservative. The Flordia folks must use salt water for that purpose. In the winter it's easy to see because the tubing bursts where there's water. Probably not a problem down there.
 
A small 'weep hole' drilled near the bottom of all vertical tubes will prevent that, and add many miles to the riggin. That lets air in and water out

Nothing larger than an 1/8th inch is necessary, and it won't weaken the tube enough to matter.
 
Thanks Olf Art, that is exactly what I do. I learned that following the first winter I stored my first airboat from Florida. It was a fun boat but it just had so much corrosion. It was an an aluminum hull over and the aluminum was turning back into oxide. The guy I sold it to took it back to Florida and put a new bottom on it. I stick with fiberglass boats now.
 
Aluminum hulls are NOT zero maintanance hulls. But then neither are glass hulls. Either will last a while with no attention but in the end if it goes to extremes it costs money no matter which you have.

Scotty
 
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