Hi Al;

                Sharp looking plane, even if it does have the prop at the wrong end (hey somebody was gonna say it J)

Seriously though, from the pics it isn’t clear if the gear legs have a gear door fairing attached? It doesn’t look as though the wheels have one. If there is, then wouldn’t airflow under the wing be much less turbulent with the gear up and tucked away, thereby improving airflow to the cooler inlet? The only cost to find out is the cost of another flight (shucks who’d wanna do that? J), but this time do a  few circuits with gear up and give the oil a chance to stabilize. I always found that the oil temp would lag behind the coolant on rise and fall due to the lower thermal co-efficiency of oil. You may have less of a problem then you think. Or not, but I’d find out before making mods to that pretty fiberglass finish. Then as Al Wick has suggested, I’d get some good 2-sided tape and start experimenting with VG’s.

Another idea that I just popped into my head, would be to get one of those Sony lipstick cameras and a small LCD screen or feed direct to a video camera (IRC you were already using one for data logging). Mount the camera under the fuselage pointing towards the cooler inlet, then using small pieces of 2-sided tape; attach a series of pieces of yarn to the bottom of the wing, fore & aft of the inlet. A few mounted around the outlet would be as important, but you may need another camera unless you can see this portion of the wing in flight. This may be valuable info when experimenting with VG position. Of course when you do start making mods you should temporarily install a water manometer and get some readings before making any changes, then again following every change. I’m very bad for not making single changes at a time, instead always trying to improve too many things at once, but I know betterJ

S. Todd Bartrim

C-FSTB

Turbo13B RV9

http://members.cox.net/rogersda/rotary/configs.htm#C-FSTB

http://www3.telus.net/haywire/RV-9/C-FSTB.htm