Cold oil is really no issue unless we are talking molasses cold, but with modern multi viscosity oil it’s just not going to be a problem for most of us. the AK folks have flown in it, well forever in much colder weather.
An argument can be made that your not cooking off moisture, and your not, and if that concerns you, shorten oil change interval
Personally I wouldn’t block much if any cylinder airflow trying to get oil temps up.
Now hot oil isn’t really an issue either, not for the oil anyway, modern oils are comfortable past 250F, but if your oil is getting hotter than max allowed it’s due to an engine problem that you need to get to the bottom of quickly, but the oil is fine.
Op temps during winter
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a64pilot
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V529
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Re: Op temps during winter
The 46 cowling has a substantially larger exit area at the base of the firewall, compared to 47 and later cowlings. O-200's in 46's run on the cool side. 0-200's in the 47's and later run on the warm side. (sometimes even after adding cowling lips, tightening up the baffling, adding blast tubes.......etc. ask me how I know6641 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 7:49 am My 46 also struggles to get good oil temperature (O-200). I keep the blast tube covered all year, the oval holes well into springtime and some tape over the grills below 40 OAT. I monitor CHT.
A friend has a 47 and has the opposite problem. I believe that the 46 cowling is too loose and Cessna tightened it up in 47.
It seems most of the complaints are 46 owner????
Joe
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5422
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Re: Op temps during winter
You don’t see many planes in general in the cold areas of AK with cowl vents taped or that have covers. What you do see is oil cooling vents, blast tubes, oil tank blankets and in some cases oil coolers being blocked or taped. Besides when it’s that cold there is usually a pretty drastic inversion layer.
Plan descents and use power to prevent shock cooling are big on saving wear and tear. Even the bitter cold does not halt any GA activity, that being said I’m no longer a air taxi pilot and if it’s colder than 20 degrees I can fly another day. I do fly for work quite a bit to Barrow, Kotzebue, Nome and Deadhorse where is VERY cold but I have a copilots that are brave enough do the walkaround. I’m to old and sensitive.
Plan descents and use power to prevent shock cooling are big on saving wear and tear. Even the bitter cold does not halt any GA activity, that being said I’m no longer a air taxi pilot and if it’s colder than 20 degrees I can fly another day. I do fly for work quite a bit to Barrow, Kotzebue, Nome and Deadhorse where is VERY cold but I have a copilots that are brave enough do the walkaround. I’m to old and sensitive.