Starting a Lycoming in cold wx.

Thought I'd share this. Sometimes the old-timers do some wacky things,
and I wouldn't advocate this, but I think it's a good story.

One 80-year old stick here has a nice 172. No hangar. When planning
the next start to be in cold wx: Shuts the thing down, drains a full
GATTS jar of avgas and pours it in the crankcase. Starts it back up for
1-2 mins.

Then, starts it the next time with no preheater (it gets down to about
0F at worst here, usually 10-20F). Swears the diluted oil is thinner,
and no need for pre-heat, then the avgas just burns off when the engine
heats up.

I researched a little bit and fascinatingly, older radials had a very
similar "oil dilution" system.

Don't try this at home.

T

Tman wrote
One 80-year old stick here has a nice 172. No hangar. When planning
the next start to be in cold wx: Shuts the thing down, drains a full
GATTS jar of avgas and pours it in the crankcase. Starts it back up
for
1-2 mins.

I share a 1959 C-172 with a friend, and although we have no need for
it here in Florida, the following is from the Cessna Owner's Handbook:

Oil Dilution System
(Optional Equipment)
To permit easier starting in ex-
tremely low tempertures. an optional
oil dilution system is available. Used
immediately before the engine is shut-
down. this system injects fuel into the
engine oil and reduces its viscosity.
When the engine is agin operated,
the fuel evaporates and is discharged
through the breather so the oil re-
sumes its normal viscosity.
The oil dilution system consistS of
a solenoid valve on the engine fire·
wall. connected to the fuel strainer
outlet, and to a tapped plug in the
end of the low pressure oil screen on
the engine. The valve is opened by
pressing a push-button switch on the
instrument panel.
Detailed operating procedures for
the oil dilution system are contained
in section III.

When I flew P-2V Neptunes in Maine during the early '60s, oil
dilution was a common precedure during winter months on those
large R-3360 radial engines.

Bob Moore

Back in the 50's my Dad did a fair amount of back country flying
in Alaska. The dilution of the oil with fuel was a common
practice. But sometimes they planned badly and it suddenly got
colder than they had thought. There were two ways of pre-heating
in this situation:

Un-cowl the engine. Throw the biggest blanket/tarp/bison skin
available over the engine. Build a wood fire under the engine.
Try to keep the fire small. This ment stoking it every 10-15
minutes. Uncomfortable in sub-zero weather.

Drain as much oil as possible (difficult as it was very thick).
Bring it inside and put it in a pot over the wood stove. Get it
as hot as possible. Dash with it back to the plane (hopefully
not slopping it on yourself), pour it back in and try to start
the plane.

Kinda makes the fuel-oil dilution thing seem kinda tame.

--
Frank Stutzman
Bonanza N494B "Hula Girl"
Boise, ID

On Mar 8, 8:14*am, Frank Stutzman wrote:
Back in the 50's my Dad did a fair amount of back country flying
in Alaska. *The dilution of the oil with fuel was a common
practice. *But sometimes they planned badly and it suddenly got
colder than they had thought. *There were two ways of pre-heating
in this situation:

* *Un-cowl the engine. *Throw the biggest blanket/tarp/bison skin
* *available over the engine. *Build a wood fire under the engine.
* *Try to keep the fire small. *This ment stoking it every 10-15
* *minutes. *Uncomfortable in sub-zero weather.

* *Drain as much oil as possible (difficult as it was very thick).
* *Bring it inside and put it in a pot over the wood stove. *Get it
* *as hot as possible. *Dash with it back to the plane (hopefully
* *not slopping it on yourself), pour it back in and try to start
* *the plane. *

I've read stories of guys in Alaska draining their oil and then
putting it over an open fire the next AM before flight.

-Robert

On Mar 9, 4:51*pm, "Robert M. Gary" wrote:
On Mar 8, 8:14*am, Frank Stutzman wrote:





Back in the 50's my Dad did a fair amount of back country flying
in Alaska. *The dilution of the oil with fuel was a common
practice. *But sometimes they planned badly and it suddenly got
colder than they had thought. *There were two ways of pre-heating
in this situation:

* *Un-cowl the engine. *Throw the biggest blanket/tarp/bison skin
* *available over the engine. *Build a wood fire under the engine..
* *Try to keep the fire small. *This ment stoking it every 10-15
* *minutes. *Uncomfortable in sub-zero weather.

* *Drain as much oil as possible (difficult as it was very thick).
* *Bring it inside and put it in a pot over the wood stove. *Get it
* *as hot as possible. *Dash with it back to the plane (hopefully
* *not slopping it on yourself), pour it back in and try to start
* *the plane. *

I've read stories of guys in Alaska draining their oil and then
putting it over an open fire the next AM before flight.

-Robert- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Has anyone used that "quick start" stuff in a spray can -- the ether
you spray right into the in filter? Works fine on cars and outboards,
probably would work on a/c engines too. Still, having oil too think to
flow would do the engine harm.

In article 669aff10-1e12-4ea6-96a0-c40c0e625b00
@v38g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...
On Mar 9, 4:51*pm, "Robert M. Gary" wrote:
On Mar 8, 8:14*am, Frank Stutzman wrote:





Back in the 50's my Dad did a fair amount of back country flying
in Alaska. *The dilution of the oil with fuel was a common
practice. *But sometimes they planned badly and it suddenly got
colder than they had thought. *There were two ways of pre-heating
in this situation:

* *Un-cowl the engine. *Throw the biggest blanket/tarp/bison skin
* *available over the engine. *Build a wood fire under the engine.
* *Try to keep the fire small. *This ment stoking it every 10-15
* *minutes. *Uncomfortable in sub-zero weather.

* *Drain as much oil as possible (difficult as it was very thick)..
* *Bring it inside and put it in a pot over the wood stove. *Get it
* *as hot as possible. *Dash with it back to the plane (hopefully
* *not slopping it on yourself), pour it back in and try to start
* *the plane. *

I've read stories of guys in Alaska draining their oil and then
putting it over an open fire the next AM before flight.

-Robert- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Has anyone used that "quick start" stuff in a spray can -- the ether
you spray right into the in filter? Works fine on cars and outboards,
probably would work on a/c engines too. Still, having oil too think to
flow would do the engine harm.

You wanna spray *ether* into your $40,000 Lycoming/Conti?

I'd do some *serious* research on that first.

--
Duncan

"Dave Doe" wrote in message
g...
snip
Has anyone used that "quick start" stuff in a spray can -- the ether
you spray right into the in filter? Works fine on cars and outboards,
probably would work on a/c engines too. Still, having oil too think to
flow would do the engine harm.

You wanna spray *ether* into your $40,000 Lycoming/Conti?

I'd do some *serious* research on that first.

--
Duncan

I agree.
IMHE, ether works well in older diesel engines (without glow plugs) when
used correctly and sparingly WHILE cranking (which usually means a two
person job or a remote controlled system plumbed into the manifold).
However ether is very drying and will remove the oil film on the cylinder
walls of engines using dry fuel like gasoline unless mixed with 2 stroke
oil. This drying can cause increased cranking resistance and slower
cranking. It can also cause severe detonation especially if used to excess.
Be very careful if engine is turbo or supercharged.

Good luck,