From: "Jeff Whaley jwhaley@datacast.com" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Received-SPF: none
 receiver=logan.com; client-ip=104.47.42.79; envelope-from=jwhaley@datacast.com
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Thermostat for winter operations
Thread-Topic: Thermostat for winter operations
Thread-Index: AQHTmUL6XTio7oAY+kCnoAcquzvMHw==
Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2018 20:51:46 +0000
Message-ID: <DM5PR18MB1594EF5ED5FF40D3F8A1BEB6C4E50@DM5PR18MB1594.namprd18.prod.outlook.com>
References: <listdigest-10624313@logan.com>
In-Reply-To: <listdigest-10624313@logan.com>
Accept-Language: en-US
Content-Language: en-US
received-spf: None (protection.outlook.com: datacast.com does not designate
 permitted sender hosts)
spamdiagnosticoutput: 1:99
spamdiagnosticmetadata: NSPM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-Network-Message-Id: eea85f3e-1bb4-41b7-c834-08d5675a1ca4
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-originalarrivaltime: 29 Jan 2018 20:51:46.6978
 (UTC)
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-fromentityheader: Hosted
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-id: a07f70c7-0440-4b97-b25f-a93dca3f0980
X-MS-Exchange-Transport-CrossTenantHeadersStamped: DM5PR18MB1019

Hello All:
Up until this past weekend I have purposefully avoided using a thermostat i=
n my 13B aircraft engine - reason being is that many years ago I had one st=
ick open and another stick closed in my GMC truck.  Encouraged by reading S=
teve Boese's flight report from last fall, I decided to give one a try.  Op=
eration up here in the frozen north requires some method of maintaining eng=
ine temperature when power is reduced or when it's really cold.  Cowl flaps=
, louvers and mechanical controls are okay but they add a lot of weight and=
 complication VS a simple thermostat.

I opened up the top of my water pump housing, extracted the bypass plug, re=
moved my 0.75" restrictor plate and inserted a 180F thermostat from Racing =
Beat.  On Saturday I refilled the coolant system, pressurized it and ran th=
e engine up to temperature.  On Sunday I bled off the remaining pressure, r=
echecked the system, pressurized it to 8 PSI and went flying.  At first I f=
elt a bit uneasy as the engine warmed up to 185F-indicated while still on t=
he ground - but I assured myself that is what it's supposed to do !  Other =
than my gauge reading 185F and the device being advertised as 180F it worke=
d flawlessly; temperature never varied at all and there was a good source o=
f cabin heat.  OAT was about 3C or 36F at the time.

My plan is to leave the thermostat in place for now and keep a close watch =
on engine temps as the OAT rises next spring/summer.  I expect it will be r=
emoved for summer operations and re-installed again around October 2018 ...=
 we'll see.

Jeff
13B, RD1C, 130 hrs TT.