DA20-C1 cylinder temperature

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Andre
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DA20-C1 cylinder temperature

Post by Andre »

I own a 2011 DA20-C1 and I find that the cylinder temperature is way too cold. For example flying at 3 500 feet, 2550 RPM he temperature will not go over 200, which is just 1/4 scale of the gauge far away from the green arc. The AFM reccomends using full rich setting. When throtteling down for landing the cylinder temp. will of course get even colder and the engine tends to run rough a little bit.

Anyone having this issue ?
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Diamond13
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Re: DA20-C1 cylinder temperature

Post by Diamond13 »

Andre, Firstly, I would recommend you talk to one of the guys at Diamond Aircraft Customer Support, 519-457-4041, they may recommend that you rule out any issue with the Cylinder head temp. sending unit and/or the cylinder temp guage to start with.
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Re: DA20-C1 cylinder temperature

Post by Mchargmg »

I know this is an old post, but I thought I would mention I have seen this on our DA-20 flying in Colorado in the winter. We do run with the restrictor in the air intake (not sure this is a correct term). The POH says minimum operating temps for the CHT should be 240 degrees F. I basically leaned the engine out a bit more to bring the CHT up into the lower green. When I did this, the EGT analog gauge was reading about 115-120 which is what I was told was "normal."

I am curious to see if anyone else has seen this.

Geoff
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Re: DA20-C1 cylinder temperature

Post by alexanderk »

My experience - even summer time the CHT and oil temp tends to be a bit cold. Even in cruise it is pretty much under the green zone on both CHT and oil temp gauges.

For the winter flying I am putting in the front baffles, and it makes a big difference: the CHT temp gets firmly into the green zone in both climb and cruise, oil is always nicely in green zone.

For below freezing I am adding the rear baffles as well, as per the POH. And the temps are in green as well.

So it is normal (outside of winter) operation where the CHT is green on climb but always below green in cruise for me. Ditto for the oil. Always been like this on my airplane....
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Pascal
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Re: DA20-C1 cylinder temperature

Post by Pascal »

I see the same problem as Alexander on my 1999 DA20-C1.

Yesterday, outside air temperature on the ground was around 15 degrees C. Oil temp never reached the green arc, even after waiting twelve minutes at 1000 RPM, although the oil pressure went into the green. I guess I will have to use the tanis heater systematically when outside temps are at or lower than 15?

In cruise, CHT and oil temp stayed under the green arc, and the oil pressure is 3/4 fo the way in the yellow arc. I just don't like that.
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Re: DA20-C1 cylinder temperature

Post by Derek »

Interesting how different it is for everyone. I have a 2001 da20 and for the past 7 years and 500hrs my CHT has never gotten to green - it’s always well below. Oil temp seems to respond normally as expected: reads cool but in the green on cold winter days, and at the top edge of green on climb out in hot summer days. None of the mechanics I ask seem concerned, nor can they fix it.
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Pascal
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Re: DA20-C1 cylinder temperature

Post by Pascal »

If the oil still can't get warm enough this summer and the oil pressure remains higher than normal, I might try partially obstructing the oil cooler with aluminum heating duct tape.
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thefoxx
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Re: DA20-C1 cylinder temperature

Post by thefoxx »

Pascal wrote:If the oil still can't get warm enough this summer and the oil pressure remains higher than normal, I might try partially obstructing the oil cooler with aluminum heating duct tape.
That's pretty odd to have that problem in the summer. I don't have that problem in the summer at all of having oil too cool, in fact it's almost the opposite problem of getting too hot too fast, especially on climb out.

15 degrees my opinion your oil temp should be right in the middle of the green as this is almost perfect conditions.

In winter, I need my front and bottom baffles, but it's a challenge when it's right around -1 to +5 of when to take them out (depends on air aloft temp).

Pascal, do you have the front and rear air baffles? If not, make sure you get those before next winter - you will need them!

My CHT is ALWAYS cold as well, can rarely get it into the green unless a warm summer day. It's unnerving but mechanic not worried about it at all.
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thefoxx
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Re: DA20-C1 cylinder temperature

Post by thefoxx »

Pascal wrote:If the oil still can't get warm enough this summer and the oil pressure remains higher than normal, I might try partially obstructing the oil cooler with aluminum heating duct tape.
Also on second thought - you might want to get your mechanic to verify the Oil Temp gauge and probe are OK before partially taping your oil cooler. Last thing you want is to un-knowingly overheat your bird (indicator shows OK but in reality it is OVER HEATING because of a faulty probe or gauge)
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Pascal
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Re: DA20-C1 cylinder temperature

Post by Pascal »

thefoxx wrote: Also on second thought - you might want to get your mechanic to verify the Oil Temp gauge and probe are OK before partially taping your oil cooler. Last thing you want is to un-knowingly overheat your bird (indicator shows OK but in reality it is OVER HEATING because of a faulty probe or gauge)
Good point Arthur. I’ll have it checked in a few weeks. The reason I believe the oil gauge is correct is that the oil pressure indicator is also always 3/4 of the way to max in the yellow arc while druising. I figure both indicators can’t be wrong at the same time.
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