Preheater

Especially when you consider the huge amount of wear an engine experiences
while cranking. A weak battery costs you big, big, bucks. So does not
keeping your ignition system tuned up so the engine lights right off.

We've found that just a couple hours of electric heat on the pan alone are
enough so oil temp comes up on taxi or in flight as fast or faster than in
the warm months. The engine doesn't seem to crank any harder for the
cylinders not being warm. Cowl plugs are essential though. Our engine
started in 3 - 4 blades every time last winter. This year, we have a cowl
blanket which should warm the cylinders a bit more.
--
Roger Long

So...do you want to lug around a tank of LP, mess with connecting a
heater to your engine and battery and then run down your battery, or
would you rather drain a little fuel into a generator, plug it in,
and await a warm cockpit and freshly-charged battery?

--kyler

Roger Long wrote:
Especially when you consider the huge amount of wear an engine experiences
while cranking. A weak battery costs you big, big, bucks. So does not
keeping your ignition system tuned up so the engine lights right off.

I think there is extra wear because the engine parts are moving against one
another and the oil has not yet circulated to all the bearing surfaces in the
engine, but I can't imagine what difference it makes whether the moving of the
engine parts is motivated by electrical power or combustion.

Dave

Jay Honeck wrote:
Jay - where did you buy your on/off cube? I remember you mentioning it
once, but I could never find one. I've checked both Farm and Fleet, and
Fleet Farm.
Well, you can always buy it through Sporty's, and pay twice as much. It's
in their catalog.

Also, if anyone is interested in a timer that will only turn it on
specific days of the week (like, only Saturdays), I just found this:
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/77hydro-...rasdigtim.html

I don't see why you couldn't plug the temperature cube into this,
too. That way, it'll only come on when the temperature is low enough, AND
it's the correct day.

I ordered one. We'll see how it goes...

-- Jay


__!__
Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___
http://www2.ari.net/jmasino/ ! ! !

Checkout http://www.oc-adolfos.com/
for the best Italian food in Ocean City, MD and...
Checkout http://www.brolow.com/ for authentic Blues music on Delmarva

I don't see why you couldn't plug the temperature cube into this,
too. That way, it'll only come on when the temperature is low enough, AND
it's the correct day.

Good idea. Although (and this debate seems to happen here every year about
this time) I wonder if pre-heating, and then NOT pre-heating (without
actually flying the bird) doesn't actually generate condensation as the warm
metal cools, thus inducing corrosion?

I just let it stay warm all the time, whenever the temp drops below 35
degrees. And I usually fly twice a week.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Ben Smith wrote:
: Jay - where did you buy your on/off cube? I remember you mentioning it
: once, but I could never find one. I've checked both Farm and Fleet, and
: Fleet Farm.

LOL... I forgot about the Midwest's Farm&Fleet/Fleet Farm
debacle...

-Cory


--
************************************************** ***********************
* The prime directive of Linux: *
* - learn what you don't know, *
* - teach what you do. *
* (Just my 20 USm$) *
************************************************** ***********************

I can't imagine what difference it makes whether the moving of the
engine parts is motivated by electrical power or combustion.

Imagination is a wonderful thing. Without it, we wouldn't be flying today


The oil pump is more effective at running speed than at that created by the
starter.

There is also an effect that is counter intuitive. Slower speeds often
create more metal wear than fast ones. Much of the lubrication in your
engine is created by a hydrostatic film of oil. One part rides up on a thin
film of oil sort of like a water skier. At lower speeds, one surface simply
plows through the oil film maintaining metal on metal contact.

The metal surfaces, when they are moving in contact, are also subject to
some odd effects. You can sometimes see this by taking a tool and trying to
gouge or mark another piece of metal. Move quickly and the tool may simply
skip across the surface. Move slowly and deliberately with the same
pressure and you can make a deeper mark. Somewhere in the Lycoming
literature is a recommendation against turning the prop of a cold engine by
hand before starting for this reason.

--
Roger Long

(and this debate seems to happen here every year about this time)

Say Jay, isn't it also time for the annual "To hand turn the prop or not to
turn the prop before starting a cold engine party" ?

--
Roger Long

Roger Long wrote:

We've found that just a couple hours of electric heat on the pan alone are
enough so oil temp comes up on taxi or in flight as fast or faster than in
the warm months.

Ah. That answers my question. Now. How do you define a "couple hours"? Two, or
some indeterminate number between two and five (that's my wife's definition)?

In any case, I'll take my propane bottles. My CHT gauge will be off the peg in
20 minutes when the OAT is 5 degrees F. Propane doesn't work well below that
temperature, but then, neither do I.

George Patterson
If you're not part of the solution, you can make a lot of money prolonging
the problem.

I've had Tanis in two planes and now have the Reiff product. The Reiff was
easier to install, doesn't mess w/ the CHT probes and is owner installable
w/ an A&P signoff.

I also leave a cube heater in the cabin w/ a t-stat cube on both products.
--

Thx, {|;-)

Victor J. (Jim) Osborne, Jr.



take off my shoes to reply

I define it pretty much the same way as your wife. The colder it is, the
longer a "couple" is.

Remember that the cylinders are designed for efficient transfer of heat from
metal to air and work that way in reverse. After prompting by our A&P, I
started looking critically at oil temperature and concluded that the 20
minute preheats we were getting from the FBO's big blower were not doing
much for the oil deep down in the pan. There is a lot of thermal mass in
the engine. As our A&P says, "Have you ever tried to thaw out a frozen
turkey on Thanksgiving morning?" The oil sump is at least that massive.

The cylinders are designed to operate at a range of temperatures and
accommodate the size changes. Sure, starting them cold, they are tight.
However, the 50 degree spread between a typical winter day and no-preheat
conditions is a relatively small part of the overall operating temperature.

The oil flow is the lifeblood of the whole engine however and proper
viscosity is critical. Trying to pump molasses around until the combustion
and friction (engine wearing out) heat warms it up enough to flow properly
is what really screws up your engine.

In the high cam Lycomings, the molasses also doesn't get up to the cams very
well.
--
Roger Long




G.R. Patterson III wrote in message
...


Roger Long wrote:

We've found that just a couple hours of electric heat on the pan alone
are
enough so oil temp comes up on taxi or in flight as fast or faster than
in
the warm months.

Ah. That answers my question. Now. How do you define a "couple hours"?
Two, or
some indeterminate number between two and five (that's my wife's
definition)?

In any case, I'll take my propane bottles. My CHT gauge will be off the
peg in
20 minutes when the OAT is 5 degrees F. Propane doesn't work well below
that
temperature, but then, neither do I.

George Patterson
If you're not part of the solution, you can make a lot of money
prolonging
the problem.