BRRr..... I need a winterfront

[Bruce Perry]

Hi,

Does anybody know if a winter front was ever made available for a 170A? I suppose there is always the tape over the cowl, but I was hoping for something less bush league.

It's cold here this morning and I thought someway to keep the baby warm would be a good idea.


Thanks in advance.


Bruce

[GAHorn]

This has been discussed in several msg threads here. Yes, there was a winterization kit for the 170A. See your Illustrated Parts Catalog. (IPC)

[Bruce Perry]

Gee,

I didn't mean to cause any problems, I have a Parts list, I want a winterization Kit.

I'll find it elsewhere.

B

[GAHorn]

Bruce, my previous (short) answer is not a criticism. It's merely a suggestion that you use the "search" routine (icon) in order to see all the available discussion/information that may be helpful to you.

[LouLaSalle]

Bruce,

It may be a bit late in the season, but I make plugs out of card stock, glue aluminum wrap to them and mount them with tie wraps. It works, you just have to play with the size to the temperature right for your area.

[zero.one.victor]

Living in western Washington,I don't need the full-monty winter kit. I leave the nose-bowl grills unobstructed,but I fabricated a cover for the "oil-cooler" opening,it's held on by two machine screws going thru tinnerman's on the sides of the opening. I've also seen riv-nuts or nutplates used for this. I remove the tinnerman's when the cover's not in place.
I also made some aluminum covers for the inlets to the blast-tubes that are aimed at the oil screen area. Even in my moderate climate,the oil temp runs pretty low in winter-- rarely above 150 or so. I don't have any hard data on how much these covers have increased wintertime oil temps,but I'm sure they don't hurt anything--every little bit helps.
I also made plastic covers (out of milk-jug stock) for the cabin-air inlets at the wingroots. My ragwing has screens at these openings held in place by a little frame,the covers I made go under the frames & over the screens. Even when the vents are closed,cold air bleeds in and these exterior covers help alot with that.
Bruce,like George so bluntly said ( ), you can look up the winterization kit in your IPC. But good luck finding anything ready-made-- a lot of this kinda stuff is a do-it-yourself show. I like Lou's fine-tuning with cardboard idea. A friend of installs a cardboard "oil-cooler" cover on his Luscombe every winter,it's labelled "experimental" & is held in place wit blue painter's masking tape.

Eric

[Harold Holiman]

Bruce,

I used to still have some aluminium winter baffles that were left over from my 170A that I sold many years ago. I will look and see if is still have them. If I can find them, you are welcome to them. I was in your town for the 170 convention back in 1977 and enjoyed the area very much.

Harold
Mbr# 893

[LouLaSalle]

I haven't completely blocked the intakes, yet. But, without any thing in place I never see above 140 F for oil temperature, with 2/3 covered, I can get 170 F. Bear in mind that this is midwinter flying here. This year was especially cold, a lot of days +- 0.

Lou

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Lou
I usually cover half the big air inlet with duck tape or every other space in a 52 or earliar grill. I completely block the oil pan inlet with a inspection cover. This puts my oil temp at about 190. As youmay remember I'm flying from Quakertown and have had these results over Frenchtown so I'm flying in the same air as you.

I'd suspect your temperature gage is not accurate. Heat some oil to a known temperature say 225 degrees which is the oil temp limit for oil other than straight 50 weight which is 240 degrees. Put your oil temp probe (bulb) in it and see where it reads. You could also do 180 degrees. mark all of these and you've calibrated your oil temp in its present condition.

[zero.one.victor]

I think the easiest way to calibrate the gage is to do it in boiling water--212 degrees at sea level. Now you don't need a thermometer.
I don't know about you,but the only thermometer I have suitable for checking the temp of heated oil is a meat thermometer. The old lady ALWAYS overcooks or undercooks the roast so I KNOW that thermometer's no good!

Eric

[LouLaSalle]

Thanks Guy! both of these suggestions are great. Bruce, you definetly fly in the same air. Our Baby is due back from the paint shop on the 10th of April. I don't know if I will be to keen on taping or tie-wrapping my new paint job. I can't wait to see my new carbon-fiber wheel pants.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Lou

I see you have a 52 so you should have the griil bars.

I haven't tried this myself but another trick I heard perhaps here is to use the foam water pipe insulation that is found in a hardware store.

You'd be looking for the stuff that fits a 1/2 inch water pipe. Cut the pieces to fit over the bars in your grill. The foam shouldn't hurt your paint and be easily installed and removed. You could wrap duct or electical tape around the foam at the ends if you feel it's going to come off. 2 or 3 of these should close of the air intake enough to raise the temperature. Just make sure your prop won't hit it.

[Bruce Perry]

Hi Guys,

I recieved a tracing from a fine 170 forum reader in Alaska of the cowl covers. I happen to know a local that is an exemplary tin basher and the next thing I knew there were a pair of beautiful 170 cowl covers. He also produced a cover for the oil cooler inlet. We elected to use nylon zip ties to install the cowl covers. These are very strong, easy to install, heat resistant and come is several great colours. I keep a large toe nail clipper in the glove box for removal and some extra ties for re-installation. The oil cooler cover uses aluminum tape that we tested the removal with a heat gun. Not to hot in case the paint bubbles. I believe that this installation would be more Paint friendly than the stock system based on the diagrams I've seen.

Thankfully spring is springing and we'll soon be back to storing cowl covers and washing bugs off the leading edges...


Bruce