Thermostat or radiator shutters

[wannafly]

I use a oil thermostat from Bullyhawk. It keeps the oil at 200 degrees and definitly helps warm the engine faster. In the real cool weather 32 F or 0 C...I still put duck tape over the oil cooler just to help out. At those low temps the oil will only reach up to 180. I do not have a water thermostat. I also put duck tape on the water radiator. If you look close at the photo you can see the tape. I leave two cooling veins open on both rads. So yesterday I went up it was -5 C or 28F and the oil was at 205 and the head temp was 210.
Question...I do NOT have a heated hanger or pre engine heat. Before start up I hand prop about 50 blades, then crank without mags on for 3 or 4 seconds(I now have indicated oil presure). Turn on mags, fuel pump, pull choke and it fires almost immediately.
With the oil this cold will this method hurt my engine?
I have 70 psi presure before it starts. I have head temp in about 4 minutes and my gauge starts at 120 degrees. The oil temp moves the gauge in 7 minutes also at 120 degrees. This is at a 2000 rpm idle.
Your thoughts....?

[kmach]

I am a believer in preheating an engine when it is below freezing. pour oil out of an oil can sitting outside below freezing and one that is at room temp, there is a big difference in flow.

the metals of the engine itself will have tighter ,closer tolerances by the low temps .

I use a reiff 150 watt preheat system , at -15 C / 5 F it takes 4 hrs plugged in to get these pre-start temps: 67F CHT's ,57 F EGT's, oil 63 F, coolant 44 F .

I usually plug it in to a timer and give it a minimum 5-6 hrs of preheat before planned flight, temps are usually in the 80's F before prestart.

unheated hangar, cowl cover, reiff preheat 150 watt are the conditions.

[Slyfox]

these poor little airplanes are bad in the winter time. air leaks!!!. I have my redneck ways when it comes to this little plane. I use heated air off the radiator. yup, a plastic oil funnel and scat tube into the airplane from outside. it does work pretty good down to 25 degrees f. after that , too cold. I also use a heated vest plugged into the battery. and thin gloves. If I had a thermostat this wouldn't work. I use a piece of aluminum with a couple after market ties for installing an air cooler on a car and stick it on and cover up the radiator. works like a charm. no weight, I'm very weight conscience. I love the performance of my plane. so no more weight than I need. I do have the oil thermostat way cool. and have the reise system for both the block and the oil tank. I leave mine on 24/7. I jump in the plane start and run to the runway and take off. about 5 minutes wasted.

one more thing, I remove the cowls and put a plastic wrap around the windshield bottom and around the firewall back to the door. this really helps out.

[kmach]

Hi,
I dont think before the water pump is a good idea, the thermostat restricts flow at times which i think would be very hard on the water pump.

I have my thermobob thermostat about 8" above the radiator "IN" , after the expansion tank.

No room on my setup to have it closer to the expansion tank on my setup.

[Paul Z]

I purchased an oil thermostat from John McBean, easy to install, and works great. Mounts behind the engine to the engine mount. It never fully restricts the flow of oil. This is the same one used on the rest of the SLSAs.

[HighWing]

Mine is mounted like Kevin's My outlet to the heater is just down stream from the thermostat. If I felt I needed the external bypass, it could be mounted between the inlet and outlet of the heater. As a note, HighWing LLC is no longer in business, but the thermostats are still available through my partner's new business. In keeping with the guidelines of the forum and not being an advertiser, send me an email - preferably - or a PM and I will provide the contact information.