Winterization Kit
Moderators: GAHorn, Karl Towle, Bruce Fenstermacher
We ran a full set of baffles our winter in Winnipeg. They covered the oil pan inlet as well as over 50% of each cowl inlet. The biggest problem we had from a cabin heat standpoint was the reduction of airflow through the heater system due to the restricted airfolw into the cowl. If you cut over half the air into the pressure cowl, it stands to reason that you will loose even more airflow into the cabin. The right baffle did have a flange that ducted air into the cabin heat scat tubing, but again I suspect the disrupted airflow was much less effecient than without the balffles.
This was very evident when we pulled the baffles for a week in Illinois (in March) where the temps were just above freezing. It was soooo tempting to pull the baffles for the rest of the winter when we got back up north, but considering we barely got oil temps to 160-180 with the baffles in, we didn't want to risk potential damage to the engine by running any cooler.
Another valuable tip I got from the northern crowd was to eliminate all air leaks to the cabin. The easy ones are door seals and window seals. One that is often overlooked is the wing roots. Pull the wing root fairings, put on your best Red Green shirt, and use duct tape to seal up every opening on the fuselage side of the wing roots. Lots of air gets in through here and it only takes a small draft to turn the back seats from bearable to misserable.
Bruce
This was very evident when we pulled the baffles for a week in Illinois (in March) where the temps were just above freezing. It was soooo tempting to pull the baffles for the rest of the winter when we got back up north, but considering we barely got oil temps to 160-180 with the baffles in, we didn't want to risk potential damage to the engine by running any cooler.
Another valuable tip I got from the northern crowd was to eliminate all air leaks to the cabin. The easy ones are door seals and window seals. One that is often overlooked is the wing roots. Pull the wing root fairings, put on your best Red Green shirt, and use duct tape to seal up every opening on the fuselage side of the wing roots. Lots of air gets in through here and it only takes a small draft to turn the back seats from bearable to misserable.
Bruce
Bruce Shipp
former owners of N49CP, '53 C170B
former owners of N49CP, '53 C170B
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zero.one.victor
- Posts: 2271
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 12:11 am
Cold weather mods on my ragwing:
1) cabin heat: I removed the round directional grilles on the side of the tunnel,where the front-seat cabin-heat air enters the cabin. Fabricated & installed new grilles made of expanded metal--much more air flow & therefore much more heat. In fact,all the cabin-heat air comes out there so there's none left to come out the grille for the rear-seat cabin-heat. By the way,I have the early cabin heat system,airframe s/n 18573 & earlier.
2) cover plate for the "oil cooler" opening in the nose bowl.
3) I made little oval plates to blank off the blast tubes that route air to the oil screen area. They attach via one of the three bolts that attaches the blast tube to the rear engine baffle.
Item 1 is left in place year-round,items 2 & 3 are for winter op's only. Doesn't get cold enough here in western Washington to need cowl-grille covers.
I keep a small ceramic heater in the cabin in the winter--the airplane's cabin-heat system doesn't do too bad keeping it warm,but has a hard time getting it warm when yopu start out with it cold.
Eric
1) cabin heat: I removed the round directional grilles on the side of the tunnel,where the front-seat cabin-heat air enters the cabin. Fabricated & installed new grilles made of expanded metal--much more air flow & therefore much more heat. In fact,all the cabin-heat air comes out there so there's none left to come out the grille for the rear-seat cabin-heat. By the way,I have the early cabin heat system,airframe s/n 18573 & earlier.
2) cover plate for the "oil cooler" opening in the nose bowl.
3) I made little oval plates to blank off the blast tubes that route air to the oil screen area. They attach via one of the three bolts that attaches the blast tube to the rear engine baffle.
Item 1 is left in place year-round,items 2 & 3 are for winter op's only. Doesn't get cold enough here in western Washington to need cowl-grille covers.
I keep a small ceramic heater in the cabin in the winter--the airplane's cabin-heat system doesn't do too bad keeping it warm,but has a hard time getting it warm when yopu start out with it cold.
Eric
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BloomerJohn
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 3:28 pm
winter kit
John ..... Great idea with the hose thing 