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Hi All,
I am a member of a LSA flight club which owns a 1946 Eroupe. This morning, while another member was taxiing the plane to get gas, the oil cooler ruptured. Yep, if they did not stop by the pump this would have happen in during takeoff!
The president of the club wants to by-pass the oil cooler. My first question is obvious, is this safe to do? Second, is the oil cooler a require part per the engine TC which would make the aircraft unairworthy to operate?
Ercoupes I have worked on did not have an oil cooler, but per Memorandum 20, a kit was made available in case you were operating in a hot climate. TCDS does not show the cooler as required equipment . IMHO I would remove and bypass till I got it repaired or replaced, watch temps in flight. You did not state what model TCM engine was on it, so I looked at several of them with no cooler installed. I would take to local shop to make final evaluation.
Thank you Skyfixer. The motor is a 75hp Continental.
The TCDS for the 415-C does not list an oil cooler and the IPC for the C75 shows the oil cooler as optional. Removing the failed oil cooler may be an option, consult your A&P.
A good question to ask is what caused the oil cooler to fail? These are typically rated in the 300 to 400 psi range, which is about 10x the engine oil pressure. The oil pressure relief valve in small continental is around 40 psi or so. Coolers should not just rupture.... time to start asking why....
Root cause is always a necessary evil. We have an A&P in our group and we asked him about that. Apparently the oil cooler came off a scraped Ercoupe and was not tested. The annual is due in Feb so the trashed oil cooler will be replaced with a new PMA part with an internal by-pass valve. The club voted not to go cheap this time. We're in the Southwest desert so the engine requires an oil cooler during the summer time. I flew it yesterday, thanks to Skyfixer's comments, and the temp stayed around 180F.
Sadly Kurt, when engines get overhauled, very few of the accessories ever get inspected, rebuilt or replaced if needed, and an oil cooler is one of them.
This is true. If you have any questions about oil coolers or have one that should be inspected or repaired I suggest you contact Pacific Oil Cooler service,Quote:
Originally Posted by skyfixer8
oilcoolers.com
I've used this company several times, they are happy to share information and advice over the phone. I've received excellent service from them at a fair price. I have no financial interest in this company, just a satisfied costomer.
All depends on how much of a cheapskate the owner is.....Quote:
Originally Posted by skyfixer8