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January 14th 09, 11:02 PM
Greetings:

It's winter here in Tennessee a question for the group: If I took a
flexible Aluminim duct,/ hose hooked it up to my car exhaust pipe,
then put the other end in the lower end of the engine cowling to pre-
heat the aircraft's engine would this cause any problems?

I would drill a small hole in the cars exhaust pipe to allow for
exhaust water to escape

Today's cars are very clean burning with almost zero emissions or so
they say? I would not direct the exhaust at the airframe or the
engine just enough to enter the cowling at the nose strut. I would
open the oil door to allow a flow of exhaust. I would leave the cabin
door open on the aircraft to make sure no CO2 besides, my aircraft
has a CO2 detector installed.

I would allow the exhaust to heat the engine up just enough to get it
past freezing give or take plus turn the prop to limber the oil

This seems like a inexpensive idea to pre heat

Any corrosion potential ?? What do you think

Thank you for your comments.

Paul kgyy
January 14th 09, 11:21 PM
How cold? What weight oil?

The main problem with car exhaust is that all that water will condense
all over the cold airplane engine. Also, if the car is idling, the
exhaust might not be all that hot (i.e. slow process).

Bob Noel[_2_]
January 15th 09, 12:12 AM
wrote:
> Greetings:
>
> It's winter here in Tennessee a question for the group: If I took a
> flexible Aluminim duct,/ hose hooked it up to my car exhaust pipe,
> then put the other end in the lower end of the engine cowling to pre-
> heat the aircraft's engine would this cause any problems?
>
> I would drill a small hole in the cars exhaust pipe to allow for
> exhaust water to escape
>
> Today's cars are very clean burning with almost zero emissions or so
> they say? I would not direct the exhaust at the airframe or the
> engine just enough to enter the cowling at the nose strut. I would
> open the oil door to allow a flow of exhaust. I would leave the cabin
> door open on the aircraft to make sure no CO2 besides, my aircraft
> has a CO2 detector installed.
>
> I would allow the exhaust to heat the engine up just enough to get it
> past freezing give or take plus turn the prop to limber the oil
>
> This seems like a inexpensive idea to pre heat
>
> Any corrosion potential ?? What do you think

I think there would too much water vapor and too much chance
of CO. I don't know if today's engines have a clean enough
exhaust that I would risk my aircraft engine. Besides, I did
spring for a preheater (a red dragon preheater)

btw - flexible aluminum wouldn't be my first choice. I have
some hose that came with my preheater that won't be a hot to
the touch as aluminum ducting would be.

Terry
January 15th 09, 02:39 PM
Typical exhaust gas temps at the tail pipe would not be hot enough. I
would worry about corrosive gases, condensation etc getting into and
behind the instrument panel and gauges. I use the "Red Dragon" and
preheat for at least 30 minutes. Even if you rev'd the engine on your
car, you would never come close to the temps that a good propane heater
does.

Just my 2 cents... Good luck

Terry N6401F

nrp
January 15th 09, 03:27 PM
On Jan 14, 11:22*pm, Clark > wrote:
> wrote in news:0aed474f-8115-4575-84e4-18b6c58bb1b3
> @n10g2000vbl.googlegroups.com:
>
>
>
> > Greetings:
>
> > It's winter here in Tennessee *a question for the group: *If I took a
> > flexible *Aluminim duct,/ hose hooked it up to my car exhaust pipe,
> > then put the other end in the lower end of the engine *cowling to pre-
> > heat the aircraft's *engine *would this cause any problems?
>
> > I would drill a small hole in the cars exhaust pipe to allow for
> > exhaust water to escape
>
> > Today's cars are very clean burning with almost zero emissions or so
> > they say? *I would not direct the exhaust at the airframe or the
> > engine just enough to enter the cowling at the nose strut. I would
> > open the oil door to allow a flow of exhaust. I would leave the cabin
> > door open on the aircraft to make sure no CO2 * besides, my aircraft
> > has a CO2 detector installed.
>
Carbonic acid isn't the problem but the nitrogen oxides and sulfur
oxides combine with the water of combustion to make nitric and
sulfuric acids!

Ross
January 15th 09, 05:22 PM
nrp wrote:
> On Jan 14, 11:22 pm, Clark > wrote:
>> wrote in news:0aed474f-8115-4575-84e4-18b6c58bb1b3
>> @n10g2000vbl.googlegroups.com:
>>
>>
>>
>>> Greetings:
>>> It's winter here in Tennessee a question for the group: If I took a
>>> flexible Aluminim duct,/ hose hooked it up to my car exhaust pipe,
>>> then put the other end in the lower end of the engine cowling to pre-
>>> heat the aircraft's engine would this cause any problems?
>>> I would drill a small hole in the cars exhaust pipe to allow for
>>> exhaust water to escape
>>> Today's cars are very clean burning with almost zero emissions or so
>>> they say? I would not direct the exhaust at the airframe or the
>>> engine just enough to enter the cowling at the nose strut. I would
>>> open the oil door to allow a flow of exhaust. I would leave the cabin
>>> door open on the aircraft to make sure no CO2 besides, my aircraft
>>> has a CO2 detector installed.
> Carbonic acid isn't the problem but the nitrogen oxides and sulfur
> oxides combine with the water of combustion to make nitric and
> sulfuric acids!

I assume that you do not have electricity at your aircraft otherwise a
Tanis, etc preheater installed would be much better, or a modified
ceramic heater with ducting. I have a Tanis that heats the oil and all
four cylinders.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI

David Lesher
January 15th 09, 08:12 PM
Clark > writes:


>Big time corrosion potential with all that water vapor and CO2. Carbonic acid
>is a problem with any combustion gas...

Note that mufflers rust out. There's a reason why, and the exhaust gas is it.

On a home furnace, you use a clay or PVC flue.

[It's less of an issue when the muffler/flue gets HOT and stays hot. It's the
cooler ones where the gases condense that get you..]


--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

Robert M. Gary
January 26th 09, 09:15 PM
On Jan 14, 3:02*pm, wrote:
> Greetings:
>
> It's winter here in Tennessee *a question for the group: *If I took a
> flexible *Aluminim duct,/ hose hooked it up to my car exhaust pipe,
> then put the other end in the lower end of the engine *cowling to pre-
> heat the aircraft's *engine *would this cause any problems?

If you do this can you video tape it and send a copy to the CMT?

-Robert

Mark Hansen
January 26th 09, 09:39 PM
On 01/26/09 13:15, Robert M. Gary wrote:
> On Jan 14, 3:02�pm, wrote:
>> Greetings:
>>
>> It's winter here in Tennessee �a question for the group: �If I took a
>> flexible �Aluminim duct,/ hose hooked it up to my car exhaust pipe,
>> then put the other end in the lower end of the engine �cowling to pre-
>> heat the aircraft's �engine �would this cause any problems?
>
> If you do this can you video tape it and send a copy to the CMT?
>
> -Robert

I get what you're saying, but what is CMT? Acronym Finder was of little
help :-(


--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane, USUA Ultralight Pilot
Cal Aggie Flying Farmers
Sacramento, CA

Robert M. Gary
January 29th 09, 05:36 AM
On Jan 26, 1:39*pm, Mark Hansen > wrote:

> I get what you're saying, but what is CMT? Acronym Finder was of little
> help :-(

Country Music Television. They have a redneck version of Americas
Funniest Home Videos.

-Robert

Kobra[_8_]
January 30th 09, 10:54 PM
> wrote in message
...
> Greetings:
>
> It's winter here in Tennessee a question for the group: If I took a
> flexible Aluminim duct,/ hose hooked it up to my car exhaust pipe,
> then put the other end in the lower end of the engine cowling to pre-
> heat the aircraft's engine would this cause any problems?
>
> I would drill a small hole in the cars exhaust pipe to allow for
> exhaust water to escape
>
> Today's cars are very clean burning with almost zero emissions or so
> they say? I would not direct the exhaust at the airframe or the
> engine just enough to enter the cowling at the nose strut. I would
> open the oil door to allow a flow of exhaust. I would leave the cabin
> door open on the aircraft to make sure no CO2 besides, my aircraft
> has a CO2 detector installed.
>
> I would allow the exhaust to heat the engine up just enough to get it
> past freezing give or take plus turn the prop to limber the oil
>
> This seems like a inexpensive idea to pre heat
>
> Any corrosion potential ?? What do you think
>
> Thank you for your comments.

Depending on your ambient temps and if you have a hangar with electric, just
a sealed light bulb (100 or 120 watts) hanging in your oil door might be all
you need. Just make sure the bulb is sealed in a casing, such as a drop
light, and won't burn any hoses or such.

You could put it on a timer that goes off at say at 11 pm and turns back on
at 7 am...or whatever would suit your flying needs. They make inexpensive
times that even know what day of the week it is and if you only fly on
Saturday and Sunday...well you get the idea.

Reiff and Tanis Heaters are pretty inexpensive to buy and install...again,
if you have electric in your hangar.

Without electric and a hangar...hmmm...there's always the FBO 25 dollar fee
or a propane fired pre-heater...but unless you make it yourself...it's
pretty expensive. There can't be much to it. A propane tank, a regulator
and hose, a squirrl cage fan, two clothes dryer hoses and some type of heat
exchanger box. I'm sure someone has posted a home-made unit online
somewhere. Readers, anyone know of such a thing??

Kobra

Drew Dalgleish
January 31st 09, 06:01 AM
On Fri, 30 Jan 2009 22:54:32 GMT, "Kobra" >
wrote:

>
> wrote in message
...
>> Greetings:
>>
>> It's winter here in Tennessee a question for the group: If I took a
>> flexible Aluminim duct,/ hose hooked it up to my car exhaust pipe,
>> then put the other end in the lower end of the engine cowling to pre-
>> heat the aircraft's engine would this cause any problems?
>>
>> I would drill a small hole in the cars exhaust pipe to allow for
>> exhaust water to escape
>>
>> Today's cars are very clean burning with almost zero emissions or so
>> they say? I would not direct the exhaust at the airframe or the
>> engine just enough to enter the cowling at the nose strut. I would
>> open the oil door to allow a flow of exhaust. I would leave the cabin
>> door open on the aircraft to make sure no CO2 besides, my aircraft
>> has a CO2 detector installed.
>>
>> I would allow the exhaust to heat the engine up just enough to get it
>> past freezing give or take plus turn the prop to limber the oil
>>
>> This seems like a inexpensive idea to pre heat
>>
>> Any corrosion potential ?? What do you think
>>
>> Thank you for your comments.
>
>Depending on your ambient temps and if you have a hangar with electric, just
>a sealed light bulb (100 or 120 watts) hanging in your oil door might be all
>you need. Just make sure the bulb is sealed in a casing, such as a drop
>light, and won't burn any hoses or such.
>
>You could put it on a timer that goes off at say at 11 pm and turns back on
>at 7 am...or whatever would suit your flying needs. They make inexpensive
>times that even know what day of the week it is and if you only fly on
>Saturday and Sunday...well you get the idea.
>
>Reiff and Tanis Heaters are pretty inexpensive to buy and install...again,
>if you have electric in your hangar.
>
>Without electric and a hangar...hmmm...there's always the FBO 25 dollar fee
>or a propane fired pre-heater...but unless you make it yourself...it's
>pretty expensive. There can't be much to it. A propane tank, a regulator
>and hose, a squirrl cage fan, two clothes dryer hoses and some type of heat
>exchanger box. I'm sure someone has posted a home-made unit online
>somewhere. Readers, anyone know of such a thing??
>
>Kobra
>
>
I have a radiant heater that I built an aluminum box in front of and
off of it A couple 5" heat ducts that go into the cowl inlets it works
OK but I'm sure it would be better with a fan. A blanket over the cowl
is needed to keep the heat in. This is the heater I use.

http://www.mrheater.com/productdetails_extended.asp?catid=42&id=21

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