Winterization plate in SE

[WannFly]

SE peeps...how do you folks deal with winterization plate in your bird? Back in ND, I would put it on about mid-sep and it would stay there till about May, however temps are a lot diff here (not complaining ).

For example, planning a flight tomorrow AM when the temps are supposed to be around high 30s at my scheduled departure time, by the time I land at my destination, it would be close to 60 and when I come back to my base, the temps would likely be in upper 60s or 70s.

the plate should come off above 50. so, do you guys not put the plate at all until it gets colder? at your destination de-cowl and take the plate off (PITA)?

I know some of the exp folks have built a contraption that can be opened and closed without removing the cowl, sadly thats not an option for us

 

[luvflyin]

SE peeps...how do you folks deal with winterization plate in your bird? Back in ND, I would put it on about mid-sep and it would stay there till about May, however temps are a lot diff here (not complaining ).

For example, planning a flight tomorrow AM when the temps are supposed to be around high 30s at my scheduled departure time, by the time I land at my destination, it would be close to 60 and when I come back to my base, the temps would likely be in upper 60s or 70s.

the plate should come off above 50. so, do you guys not put the plate at all until it gets colder? at your destination de-cowl and take the plate off (PITA)?

I know some of the exp folks have built a contraption that can be opened and closed without removing the cowl, sadly thats not an option for us

I dunno. I don’t even know what ‘plate’ is. Unless it’s a thing you put in front of the oil cooler. How’d I do?

 

[Salty]

Unless you’re headed a long way north during the flight, I would sit back and enjoy the perks of living in the south.

 

[WannFly]

I dunno. I don’t even know what ‘plate’ is. Unless it’s a thing you put in front of the oil cooler. How’d I do?

yupp, it the plate you put on front of your oil cooler

 

[RyanB]

Do you have a preheater on your engine? If so, just preheat and go.

 

[WannFly]

Do you have a preheater on your engine? If so, just preheat and go.

I sure do

 

[WDD]

Here is Atlanta area we don't do plates, ski's on the wheels, or dog sleds slung under the wings. Clear off any frost on wings, light up the propane pre heater if temp is below 30, and put on a sweater.

 

[Clip4]

You won’t find winterization plates south of 40°N latitude unless the plane is at high elevation. Sump heat and multi grade is all that is needed.

 

[WannFly]

Thanks everyone.

 

[RyanB]

You won’t find winterization plates south of 40°N latitude unless the plane is at high elevation.

Yeah pretty much, my IA said he hardly ever see’s them around here.

 

[Gary Ward]

Thanks everyone.

IMO,
You don't need the plate until it is in the 20°-30°F range all day .

 

[Hang 4]

When I was in the Atlanta area, I put mine on around Thanksgiving and took it off around the end of Feb. I never saw my oil get hot enough for it to be a concern even if the weather was a bit on the warmer side. You do want to get the oil hot enough to get rid of the water from combustion. I have an Archer, which as the plate that needs the upper cowl removed to install.

 

[RussR]

I owned a Warrior is several states, including cold ones (Ohio), medium ones (Maryland and Virginia), and can't-make-up-their-minds-hot-one-day-ice-storm-the-next ones (my current Oklahoma).

Now, my winterization plate was really easy to install and remove, mostly because that model of Warrior had the hinged engine cowl. I could install or remove it in just a minute or two.

But for where you're living now, I probably wouldn't bother with it much. Maybe only if you got a long cold spell where you definitely were going to be flying.

What you definitely don't want to do it forget to take it off before going flying on a warm day. That will really get the oil nice and hot.

 

[wayne]

SE peeps...how do you folks deal with winterization plate in your bird? Back in ND, I would put it on about mid-sep and it would stay there till about May, however temps are a lot diff here (not complaining ).

For example, planning a flight tomorrow AM when the temps are supposed to be around high 30s at my scheduled departure time, by the time I land at my destination, it would be close to 60 and when I come back to my base, the temps would likely be in upper 60s or 70s.

the plate should come off above 50. so, do you guys not put the plate at all until it gets colder? at your destination de-cowl and take the plate off (PITA)?

I know some of the exp folks have built a contraption that can be opened and closed without removing the cowl, sadly thats not an option for us

Never seen one on any plane I've flown. Heard of them, but only for people that live up in the frozen north.

I'll be over there tomorrow doing some Young Eagle flights. Maybe I'll hear or see you in the pattern when you take off.

 

[RyanB]

When I was in the Atlanta area, I put mine on around Thanksgiving and took it off around the end of Feb. I never saw my oil get hot enough for it to be a concern even if the weather was a bit on the warmer side. You do want to get the oil hot enough to get rid of the water from combustion. I have an Archer, which as the plate that needs the upper cowl removed to install.

The Archer I’ve flown has a very hard time getting an oil temp above about 150F even in the summer. Mechanic says it’s fine as long as oil temp is in the green, but I still don’t think that’s right.

 

[Hang 4]

The Archer I’ve flown has a very hard time getting an oil temp above about 150F even in the summer. Mechanic says it’s fine as long as oil temp is in the green, but I still don’t think that’s right.

I've never run that low, even in winter. I'd tend to suspect the gauge as a more likely culprit. If you get a ton of "oil vomit" ( the disgusting mix of oil and water from inadequate heating of the oil), then I'd guess there's excessive cooling, but not sure how that would come about.

 

[RyanB]

I've never run that low, even in winter. I'd tend to suspect the gauge as a more likely culprit. If you get a ton of "oil vomit" ( the disgusting mix of oil and water from inadequate heating of the oil), then I'd guess there's excessive cooling, but not sure how that would come about.

That’s the thing, after flight, the oil dipstick isn’t very hot (I can unscrew it with barehands) and my infrared thermometer confirms about 130-140F at the bottom of the oil pan post flight. The engine just runs too cool and I can’t figure out why.

 

[WannFly]

Never seen one on any plane I've flown. Heard of them, but only for people that live up in the frozen north.

I'll be over there tomorrow doing some Young Eagle flights. Maybe I'll hear or see you in the pattern when you take off.

I am planning to depart around 9 AM. see you somewhere in the air / pattern/ taxiway

 

[WannFly]

What you definitely don't want to do it forget to take it off before going flying on a warm day. That will really get the oil nice and hot.

I exactly know that feeling. ask me how i know it

 

[WannFly]

That’s the thing, after flight, the oil dipstick isn’t very hot (I can unscrew it with barehands) and my infrared thermometer confirms about 130-140F at the bottom of the oil pan post flight. The engine just runs too cool and I can’t figure out why.

man thats low. from what i have heard you need at least 180 degrees to get all the water burned out.

 

[wayne]

The Archer I’ve flown has a very hard time getting an oil temp above about 150F even in the summer. Mechanic says it’s fine as long as oil temp is in the green, but I still don’t think that’s right.

You can fix that with, FULL RENTAL POWER!

 

[MauleSkinner]

What you definitely don't want to do it forget to take it off before going flying on a warm day. That will really get the oil nice and hot.

I’ve also seen it cold enough on the ground, but above the inversion the temps get pretty warm.

 

[RyanB]

You can fix that with, FULL RENTAL POWER!

‘Cept it ain’t no rental!

 

[Dana]

I just add or remove strips of aluminum duct tape from the front of the oil cooler depending on OAT. One of these days I'd like to install one of those fancy cockpit controlled shutters (yes, I'm experimental).

 

[wayne]

‘Cept it ain’t no rental!

Are you babying that thing? Crank it up!

I haven't paid as much attention to the oil temps as they've stayed in the green, but I know the cylinder temps are low-ish as I'm typically running LOP at 65-70% power; noticeably higher on the few times I run ROP, but I'm also running 75%+ power too. Even at ROP they aren't that high, maybe 350F for the highest. I do see the cylinder temps drop even more in the descent especially if I'm not leveling out a ways out as I often doing coming into Atlanta from the southeast or east.

 

[RyanB]

Are you babying that thing? Crank it up!

I haven't paid as much attention to the oil temps as they've stayed in the green, but I know the cylinder temps are low-ish as I'm typically running LOP at 65-70% power; noticeably higher on the few times I run ROP, but I'm also running 75%+ power too. Even at ROP they aren't that high, maybe 350F for the highest. I do see the cylinder temps drop even more in the descent especially if I'm not leveling out a ways out as I often doing coming into Atlanta from the southeast or east.

I run it at 65-70% and 75F ROP. I really can’t figure out why it runs so cool and the mechanic doesn’t seem to think it’s a problem… Either the baffling is uniquely efficient or there’s something else at play, it’s weird.

 

[WannFly]

I run it at 65-70% and 75F ROP. I really can’t figure out why it runs so cool and the mechanic doesn’t seem to think it’s a problem… Either the baffling is uniquely efficient or there’s something else at play, it’s weird.

last Wednesday i was running at 50% power at 075 at peak with the oil temps at 170 range. OAT was 56 degrees i believe

 

[RyanB]

last Wednesday i was running at 50% power at 075 at peak with the oil temps at 170 range. OAT was 56 degrees i believe

Weird, this Archer would’ve barely broken 100F flying like that in those conditions.

 

[WannFly]

Weird, this Archer would’ve barely broken 100F flying like that in those conditions.

may be consult another AP/IA? I can give you contact here, he is super knowledgeable on PIpers, used to run Piper service center, very thorough and super expensive

 

[midwestpa24]

I exactly know that feeling. ask me how i know it

Been there done that. Left north country on a cold blustery day, and flew southerly for a day trip. Didn't think about the temp difference between home (10F that morning) and destination (60F that afternoon). I was probably just a few degrees away from landing somewhere to de-cowl and remove the plate. Something else to think about in pre-flight planning.

Here I don't usually put the plate on until our temps are consistently below freezing during the day. In 40-50 degree weather I can still get the oil to 170 or better. But once it goes on it stays on until spring, too much trouble to mess with. In spring I won't fly with it on if it gets warmer than 40-50, because the temps will get over 200 pretty quickly.

 

[Sinistar]

SE peeps...how do you folks deal with winterization plate in your bird? Back in ND, I would put it on about mid-sep and it would stay there till about May, however temps are a lot diff here (not complaining ).

For example, planning a flight tomorrow AM when the temps are supposed to be around high 30s at my scheduled departure time, by the time I land at my destination, it would be close to 60 and when I come back to my base, the temps would likely be in upper 60s or 70s.

the plate should come off above 50. so, do you guys not put the plate at all until it gets colder? at your destination de-cowl and take the plate off (PITA)?

I know some of the exp folks have built a contraption that can be opened and closed without removing the cowl, sadly thats not an option for us

Unless its worth big money up here I would recommend hanging it up in the hangar as a reminder that you've freed yourself of our crappy winter weather. Better yet, fly the Archer to the Bahamas go snorkeling and hide it on the reef somewhere in a ceremony to celebrate your tundra escape

 

[Wagondriver]

I fly high elevation in Colorado in the winter. Sometimes with air temps -10 or colder, I don't, nor does anyone I know use a winterization plate. I have flown my kit plane with the liquid cooled Rotax 582 on days it was so cold that I could see ice crystals in the coolant. Once up to temp, stays at temp. Not an issue. BUT, I now have electric heated socks in my pac boots, and multiple layers of clothes on. Even in the 180 which has a heater, I dress to survive if I have a forced landing.

 

[Albany Tom]

I run it at 65-70% and 75F ROP. I really can’t figure out why it runs so cool and the mechanic doesn’t seem to think it’s a problem… Either the baffling is uniquely efficient or there’s something else at play, it’s weird.

Maybe you're really running richer than 75 over? Just guessing...and wondering if you lean to rough and then rich until smooth, what that temp is reported to be. If it's running that cool I'd be concerned about water not getting out of the oil. I'm not a mechanic, just going on silly pilot knowledge.

 

[Country Flier]

I've owned a few Pipers and found the winterization plate doesn't matter much, either way. I've left it on when it was 75 degrees, and not had it on when it was 25 degrees...didn't get oil temps that were anything but normal under all circumstances. If you have a model where the oil cooler is out in the open (like the one in the picture above by @Gary Ward ) you can just put tape over it when colder (I've seen both metallic and duct tape used). I often would fly from northern areas to the south every winter, and to make it easy, instead of using the plate, I'd use metallic tape on the oil cooler when I left the north, peeling it off once I got in the south. Then I'd tape it up again on my trip north (although I really didn't think it was all that necessary either).

 

[donjohnston]

SE peeps...how do you folks deal with winterization plate in your bird? Back in ND, I would put it on about mid-sep and it would stay there till about May, however temps are a lot diff here (not complaining ).

For example, planning a flight tomorrow AM when the temps are supposed to be around high 30s at my scheduled departure time, by the time I land at my destination, it would be close to 60 and when I come back to my base, the temps would likely be in upper 60s or 70s.

the plate should come off above 50. so, do you guys not put the plate at all until it gets colder? at your destination de-cowl and take the plate off (PITA)?

I know some of the exp folks have built a contraption that can be opened and closed without removing the cowl, sadly thats not an option for us

Spent 15 years in the Chicago area with a 182-RG. Never put in any winterization equipment. And I flew at times when it was -10F (on the ground).

 

[JOhnH]

SE peeps...how do you folks deal with winterization plate in your bird? Back in ND, I would put it on about mid-sep and it would stay there till about May, however temps are a lot diff here (not complaining ).

From central Florida, what is a winterization plate?

 

[AKBill]

I use HVAC tape on my cooler. Block 50% or so. Put the temp sensor in hot water 180* F and looked at the gauge to see what in was reading. Bottom of the green on my gauge.

 

[iamtheari]

On my RV, I put a butterfly valve in front of the oil cooler. There are also louver systems on the market. A push-pull knob on my panel controls the valve. That way, I can control oil temperatures when I’m flying from hot to cold or from cold to hot without even landing the plane.

If I were flying a certified plane mostly in Florida, I would just forget about this issue. The same as I wouldn’t keep a snow brush in the plane or snow tires on my car.

 

[WannFly]

On my RV, I put a butterfly valve in front of the oil cooler. There are also louver systems on the market. A push-pull knob on my panel controls the valve. That way, I can control oil temperatures when I’m flying from hot to cold or from cold to hot without even landing the plane.

Privileged!!

 

[iamtheari]

Privileged!!

This is a privilege that I can say I truly earned, though.