You guys have been great, plenty of good information.

 

The normal operating range for oil pressure on my engine is 30-60 psi, so running between 45-50 is about right.  Continental had Drew Dickinson turn his pressure up to try to bring the oil temps down, with minimal results.

 

I called Pacific Oil Cooler yesterday and he doesn't think it's a clogged cooler or bad vernatherm.  He thinks the engine is still new enough to have high temps.

 

What I can't explain is why my temps were fine for about 25-30 hours and then literally jumped 20-30 degrees from one flight to the next, the flight right after the birds nests.

 

Pacific Oil Cooler only charges $180 to do a complete cleaning, including checking the vernatherm for operation and proper seating in the cooler.  Everything points to either a sudden block of airflow (bird doo doo), or a sudden block of oil flow (engine crud, or maybe some sealant that made its way to the cooler).  For $180 plus shipping I can find out.  I'm pretty sure Pacific Oil Cooler will even send you a bag of stuff that they got out of the cooler.

 

Another theory I'm working on is an increase in pressure differential between the upper and lower cowl would benefit the oil cooler more than the cylinders.  In other words, if my exit tunnels are too small, then I don't have adequate pressure differential between the upper and lower cowl areas.  The air flow through the cooler is far more restrictive than between the cylinder fins, so it makes sense (at least to me) that the cooler would show signs of low air flow before the cylinders.

 

Since my wings still need to be painted, which grounds me for a couple weeks, I'm considering sending my cooler out for overhaul during that time. Unless, when I pull the cooler I find something obvious blocking the air or oil flow.

 

Thanks again for all your ideas.

 

Mike Easley

Colorado Springs