Using car exhaust for engine Pre- heat??

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.

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).

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.

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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