Airwolf oil "chiller"

[ackselle]

Do any of you have experience with the airwolf oil chiller offered here:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...oilchiller.php

Looks simple... Should work, right?

Cheers,
Ackselle

[HighWing]

A couple of thoughts on this question. First, in my install, the fins would not fit, but then I have an oil coorer and it is the mount that would interfere.

I remember when I was first building and the factory sold the 8" (between inlet /outlet centers) oil cooler as an aftermarket add on. I was at that stage when I went to the factory fly-in one year and every airplane there with the 912 had tape over most of the oil cooler- and this was late August / early September. That was evidence enough for me that the larger cooler was overkil. I opted for the smaller oil cooler (5" beteen centers). Soon I fouind that this oil cooler was too much as well, so made some shutters, whick I rarely opened. All this is to suggest that the oil cooler in the Kitfox Model IV, at least, is marginally needed. I think, based on that experience, if I didn't already have the oil cooler in my new project, I would give it a try. An oil cooler would cost at least twice that, with tubing, fittings, and mount It just might work.

Lowell

[ackselle]

Thanks Lowell... I too thought the chiller should do the job.

Regarding the expense of an oil cooler...

I've been running race cars for 30+ years... 600+ hp, 9200 rpm shift point etc... and the oil coolers I use are rock solid, but FAR less expensive than an oild cooler purchased form a supplier to us homebuilt guys... for example:

This cooler (a 10 plate Aero Classic oil cooler) is $262 @ Aircraft Spruce:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...ssiccooler.php

While this cooler (a 10 plate Derale cooler) is $77 @ Jegs... and it includes the AN fittings:

http://www.jegs.com/i/Derale/259/51008/10002/-1

Here's another one I've used (a heat sink transimission oil cooler)... it's $65 @ Jegs:

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performan...60350/10002/-1

From my experience there would be no reason not to be VERY confident the coolers I've used on race cars are every bit as reliable as the expensive ones.

Thoughts?

Cheers,
Ackselle

[enyaw]

From my experience there would be no reason not to be VERY confident the coolers I've used on race cars are every bit as reliable as the expensive ones.

Thoughts?

Weight? And yea I'm too lazy to follow the links to check my self.

[HighWing]

The Derale cooler looks very much like the Earl's cooler. If the picture is reresentative of the cooler, it also looks like the wide Earl's cooler that the factory sold. I always stayed with the Earl's cooler because that is what I knew. They also come in numerous configurations. The coooler in ACS looks like the aviation specific coolers that are made for the certified engines. I see that it is certified for 400 psi. I know that some engines take the oil cooler lines from an adaptor placed under the filter. In this case the oil passing throught the cooler is pressurized. The Rotax lines are placed on the suction side of the oil lines - which has issues of it's own. As I recall the Earl's is pressure tested to something like 200 psi. There is also a note shipped with the Earls cooler that if you like to pound the throttle on a newly started engine, the cold oil can exceed that pressure and if that is your thing, to install a bypass thermostat to protect the cooler.

The "weight" question. The Earl's cooler sold by the factory and used for years, is an automotive cooler. Light weight aluminum. For our needs, it can be far more compact and very likely lighter than the ACS cooler.

Lowell

[Av8r3400]

I don't run an oil cooler. Haven't had the need for one. 80hp 912.