winter baffles & CHT Temps

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Rich
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Re: winter baffles & CHT Temps

Post by Rich »

I've never encountered the need to have something to keep my cylinders warm. I'll concede that I've never had to deal with temps below maybe 10 deg F. The 59 deg F cited in the AFMS seems absurdly high to me.

Oil temperature is a different matter. I would welcome something like this baffle that ONLY inhibits oil cooler airflow. I often can't get oil temp out of the 160's. There are those that advocate partial blocking of the oil cooler with some of that silver duct tape, but it's not all that convenient to put on and off as weather dictates.
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Re: winter baffles & CHT Temps

Post by Lou »

Ilya - I can’t see your photo but I am wondering if the catch has fallen out. When I picked up my aircraft the catch for the baffle had fallen out or was missing. They are the same catches used for all the cowling. Cheap and easy to replace. The baffle itself is easy to install but tricky remove for some reason.

I am now in my sixth winter - I install the baffle when temps drop below 0 C.
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Re: winter baffles & CHT Temps

Post by lgrennlee »

I have needed it in Boston for 0C and below. The CHTs get a little high on climb out but getting the oil warm enough is time consuming without it. I removed it in > 0C and CHTs and oil temp is good.
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Re: winter baffles & CHT Temps

Post by Redkin »

Lou, thanks, you are 100% right. The catch is missing, I asked AME mechanic to assist, they did some temporary installation and ordered a new catch.
Meanwhile, the oil temperature is still 130-140F and that is frustrating.
The POH recommendation about 180F is probably for California or Florida, not for Canada in winter times...
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Re: winter baffles & CHT Temps

Post by Lou »

Glad to hear it.

Someone here has commented that the low oil temps are also related to the location of the temperature probe. I don’t know if that is true, but it sounds reasonable. In our winters, the best I look for in a warm up is 95-100F and climbing. With the baffles in, by the time you are climbing out, it will be low 160’s and that’s pretty much as good as you’re going to get.
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Re: winter baffles & CHT Temps

Post by Redkin »

Louis, unfortunately that's not my case. The highest value I could achieve was 144F (without the winter kit (!) and with OAT around -5C on ground). Yesterday with newly installed winter baffles and OAT -3C I was showing 133 and that makes no sense to me.
My next suspect is the oil thermostatic bypass valve. Requested our mechanic to check it.
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Steve
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Re: winter baffles & CHT Temps

Post by Steve »

Lou wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 2:20 pm Someone here has commented that the low oil temps are also related to the location of the temperature probe. I don’t know if that is true, but it sounds reasonable.
That is my understanding as well. I live in South Texas, and the highest oil temp I have seen on my engine is 186 deg F. Typically it runs high 160s to low 170s. If I lived in a colder climate, I would make a plate to block off most of the oil cooler for the winter months.
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Re: winter baffles & CHT Temps

Post by Johnrschaefer »

This is my first winter with my DA40. I tried the engine baffle on a cold morning (low 20s), and found CHTs to be way too high for my comfort during climb, reaching ~450, whereupon I pulled the power, leveled off and went home. Took out the baffle immediately upon landing! Without the baffle, oil temps have been 160s on the coldest days that I have flown, not significantly lower than the rest of the year, so the baffle is now excess weight in the back of the plane. The wing vent baffle can stay ...
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Re: winter baffles & CHT Temps

Post by Lou »

That’s interesting. If mine is full rich, my CHT’s rarely climb above 400-410. Our field is 2300’ ASL. Wonder why the difference?
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Re: winter baffles & CHT Temps

Post by Redkin »

So we spent C$ 800 for a new temperature oil probe (mechanic was assuring me it was reading low). No joy.
We found and installed winter kit. No reading higher than 140F.
Last update, the thermostatic valve was replaced by mechanic. He told me that he was showing 180F during the ground run. Don't know the price yet.
The next day I took a plane for 1-hour flight and was showing 133F all the way (with OAT on ground slightly above 0C).
That looks more and more like a mystery.
Mechanic told he is looking for some advise, contacted Diamond.
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