cylinder break-in in low OAT

Mxfarm

Mxfarm

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Marc
New cylinder on O-540 w/about 2.5 hrs on it - acceptable or not to continue break-in in current temps? -05c @ altitude.
 
This would be the lowest temps she's been in for me, restricting airflow to oil cooler would be an experiment that I'm not sure I'm up for.
 
Not exactly, but close.

No, I don't know what oil temps I'll see, the only other option I know to control the oil temp would be to restrict the oil cooler, but there may be others.

I'm open to trying other options depending on what they may be, but restricting the oil cooler would require more than a 'let's try this' guess, which is what I'd be doing.

Since the oil is only part of the cooling, but now I've got colder air cooling the cylinder, I'd expect my cylinder head temps to be lower than on a 5c or 10c day, which I'd think wouldn't be ideal for seating the rings. There is no CHT info available.
 
I thought I was pretty close.

My Dad's Cherokee had a factory-provided restrictor plate that he installed every winter. His Lance didn't nor does mine.

I don't know what options you have with the PA-24. Apparently, neither do you. Keeping the bird on the ground for the cold snap is probably your best bet.
 
PA-24?

The vernatherm should keep the oil at 180.
 
Rgbeard said:
I thought I was pretty close.

My Dad's Cherokee had a factory-provided restrictor plate that he installed every winter. His Lance didn't nor does mine.

I don't know what options you have with the PA-24. Apparently, neither do you. Keeping the bird on the ground for the cold snap is probably your best bet.
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My buddy's Cherokee.
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My latest add on to my 172.
IMG_1469.JPG
 
CHTs aren’t affected much by cooler OATs. Oil temps are. Taping the cooler to maintain oil temps in winter is very common. I wouldn’t hesitate to break an engine in with those temps, let alone one cylinder. I’d use Phillips XC, tape the oil cooler to keep oil temp around 200°, and run it hard.
 
Mxfarm said:
correct, how was the snow in Phx?
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The snow in Phx was a fun, seldom-seen event with the news stations getting the little poorly-filmed smartphone footage from residents.

Once the snow hits the ground, it commonly lasts a little longer than a fart in a windstorm. There are exceptions all over for this, as Phx is one of the cities where we have hills (mountains) distributed throughout the city itself.
 
Mxfarm said:
Correct PA-24, I wasn’t as concerned about the oil temps as the colder air temps across the cylinder.
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Various pilots throughout time have had mixed results with running the engine with the cowl-plugs still in place. Worth a shot?

(please, to you serious Sally types, that's a joke. I doubt even @mandm would try that one.)
 
if oil temp was too low and oil level was reduced to 3 q, how much would raise the oil temp? :rolleyes:
 
Mxfarm said:
if oil temp was too low and oil level was reduced to 3 q, how much would raise the oil temp? :rolleyes:
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I'm not missing the sarcasm, but seriously, as far as Lycoming is concerned, for most all 540 series engines, 3qt is within the "safe oil" parameters.

Hell if I'd start mine with 3qt!!
 
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