O-200 oil cooler? Or not?

[Bdflies]

While visiting a friend, who's building a Patrol LSA, a question arose. Should he plan on installing an oil cooler? I can think of several reasons not to install such and then, I can come up with an equal number of reasons to install a cooler. So, what are y'all planning? O-200; to cool or not?

Thanks for input!

Bill

[BTAZ]

Typical environment would be one question to answer.

Here in AZ, I am installing one. My current airplane(a Christavia) with an 0-200 has one on the left rear baffle and I believe it is required in the Summer(though I block it in the Winter).

[JimParker256]

My O-200 powered 7ECA has an oil cooler, and in our 95-105*F summer days, the oil temp gets into the higher end of the green arc during prolonged climb. (And all climbs in that aircraft are 'prolonged'... LOL) Having the oil cooler gives you flexibility to fly to hotter places.

I saw a pretty slick setup on a homebuilt at OSH (no pictures, unfortunately) where the guy fabricated a "joggle" all the way around his oil cooler mount on the rear baffle, open to the outside where the cowling opened up. Ht then had an L-shaped cover that just slid in to cover the oil cooler. He actually made several different-length doors before settling on two: one that blocked the entire opening, and one that blocked half of it. He used the "half" cover during the transition months, and the full cover when it got truly cold. The cover was held in place with a couple of screws. I wouldn't even have noticed it if he hadn't shown it to me.

[Bdflies]

"All climbs are prolonged"... Ha! Know just what you mean. I remember reading (long ago) that Continental used that kidney shaped oil tank, separated from the case, to avoid the need for a cooler. C-150's dont have coolers (to my memory) and I can't imagine a more tortured application. I'm surprised that the Citabria has a cooler, but that's great info. South Louisiana may not be hotter than North Texas, but it isn't much cooler, either...

thanks!

Bill

[Wayne Massey]

Does he plan to fly it in the summer? N514AK (Marks LSA) did not have an oil cooler when I flew it up from Texas to Oshkosh for the first time. I had to fly at reduced power because of high oil temps. It's no fun flying that far having to keep a constant eye on the oil temp gauge. Nor is it fun not to be able to use normal cruse power settings flying that far. After getting back from Oshkosh Mark put an oil cooler on and it made a world of difference. Based on that experience I wouldn't even consider not having an oil cooler. During the cold weather flying you can just partially block the air flow. My 0-200 powered LSA will have an oil cooler on the first flight.

[Bdflies]

Great info! Just what I was looking for.
Wayne, in S. Louisiana it's darned near always summer...

Bill