Cold Starts

Is it worth lugging long extension cords to plug in the Tanis heaters for my
Baron if it's going to sit outside at 12 degrees for two to three hours
after a flight?

I have cowl plugs which may help a little, but is it really a problem? The
oil will be well circulated, and the battery is in good shape to crank the
engines.

Also, the POH says to keep the cowl flaps open during taxi and take off, but
when it's so cold outside does this still make sense? As long as the CHTs
remain within a reasonable range what difference should it make?

Thanks from Wisconsin, where its 2 degrees and clear.

On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 13:18:35 GMT, "Viperdoc"
wrote:

Is it worth lugging long extension cords to plug in the Tanis heaters for my
Baron if it's going to sit outside at 12 degrees for two to three hours
after a flight?

I have cowl plugs which may help a little, but is it really a problem? The
oil will be well circulated, and the battery is in good shape to crank the
engines.

Also, the POH says to keep the cowl flaps open during taxi and take off, but
when it's so cold outside does this still make sense? As long as the CHTs
remain within a reasonable range what difference should it make?

Thanks from Wisconsin, where its 2 degrees and clear.

It is hard to say, as it will vary plane to plane. But in that kind
of cold, for my O-360, 3 hours is pushing it. A cowl cover in
addition to cowl plugs is the only way I can wait that long.

The Baron's engines would have more thermal mass than the O-360, so
perhaps you can go longer. OTOH, you don't mention cowl covers...

Without the covers, I'd bring the extensions for the Tanis.

-Nathan

Aluminum shrinks and expands more than steel. At some temperature around
10 degrees the case will have shrunk onto the crank and cam to the
point where you have zero bearing clearance!

Rip

Viperdoc wrote:

Is it worth lugging long extension cords to plug in the Tanis heaters for my
Baron if it's going to sit outside at 12 degrees for two to three hours
after a flight?

I have cowl plugs which may help a little, but is it really a problem? The
oil will be well circulated, and the battery is in good shape to crank the
engines.

Also, the POH says to keep the cowl flaps open during taxi and take off, but
when it's so cold outside does this still make sense? As long as the CHTs
remain within a reasonable range what difference should it make?

Thanks from Wisconsin, where its 2 degrees and clear.

In article ,
"Viperdoc" wrote:

Is it worth lugging long extension cords to plug in the Tanis heaters for my
Baron if it's going to sit outside at 12 degrees for two to three hours
after a flight?

What is an engine worth? g IF you have a cowl blanket and IF the
engine oil will stay warm for that length of time then it shouldn't be a
problem. I would plug it in if it was my airplane.

Also, the POH says to keep the cowl flaps open during taxi and take off, but
when it's so cold outside does this still make sense? As long as the CHTs
remain within a reasonable range what difference should it make?

CHTs might be okay but other areas of the engine compartment may be
heating up. I used to fly a B-17 and B-24, we always had the cowlflaps
open on the ground because if they were closed it was possible to heat
damage the sparkplug wires. Big difference in engines I know. If the
POH says leave them open I would. If you've preheated properly the
engine will come up to temp quickly and you'll need them open. Also,
with a change in procedure it would be easy to goof and leave them
closed during takeoff and climb which could really cook things.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 13:18:35 GMT, "Viperdoc"
wrote:

Is it worth lugging long extension cords to plug in the Tanis heaters for my
Baron if it's going to sit outside at 12 degrees for two to three hours
after a flight?

I have cowl plugs which may help a little, but is it really a problem? The
oil will be well circulated, and the battery is in good shape to crank the
engines.

On my Lyc IO360, I would put on a cowl cover if I'm going to be parked in
sub 20°F weather for more than an hour. If I did not, and if the engine
were not warm to the touch when I returned, I would preheat.


Also, the POH says to keep the cowl flaps open during taxi and take off, but
when it's so cold outside does this still make sense? As long as the CHTs
remain within a reasonable range what difference should it make?

CHT's only measure temperature in one area of the cylinder. When the
engine is running and the airplane is flying, if the baffling is intact
this gives a representative number for the engine.

However, when not flying, air flow over the engine will be different, so
some areas may overheat if the POH directions are modified depending on OAT
(unless it's been tested).


Thanks from Wisconsin, where its 2 degrees and clear.


And we're up to 6° now, on the coast.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

Just got back from the flight with the Baron, with the OAT on the ground
being around 15 degrees. Playing with the mixture enroute I could never get
the CHT's over around 325 on any cylinder. (I left the winter baffles off to
see if there were any differences in CHT and performance).

The oil temp did not go over 150 on either engine, which is a little low.

After sitting outside at 15 degrees with a 5-10k wind, the oil temps were
still at 50 degrees after three hours with the cowl plugs in place. Although
I have Tanis heaters, there were no outlets anywhere near the tiedown, so
plugging it in was out of the question. Both started within a few blades, as
normal.

Anyway, I taxied with the cowl flaps closed to try to warm the oil, but took
off with them open. CHT's never went above 325 on any cylinder. Probably
could have left them closed.

Can't wait for warm weather, then will probably post about dodging
thunderstorms.

I started my engines this morning at -4 F... No preheat never do No
problems; though it did take 6 blades each, before they fired - mucho cold
senor... Use 15W50... I get oil pressure indication in less than ten
seconds... That's the way this airplane has been treated ever since
semisynthetic, multiviscosity, oils came out.... Engines go to TBO
routinely...
denny
"Dale" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Viperdoc" wrote:

Is it worth lugging long extension cords to plug in the Tanis heaters
for my
Baron if it's going to sit outside at 12 degrees for two to three hours
after a flight?

What is an engine worth? g IF you have a cowl blanket and IF the
engine oil will stay warm for that length of time then it shouldn't be a
problem. I would plug it in if it was my airplane.

Also, the POH says to keep the cowl flaps open during taxi and take off,
but
when it's so cold outside does this still make sense? As long as the
CHTs
remain within a reasonable range what difference should it make?

CHTs might be okay but other areas of the engine compartment may be
heating up. I used to fly a B-17 and B-24, we always had the cowlflaps
open on the ground because if they were closed it was possible to heat
damage the sparkplug wires. Big difference in engines I know. If the
POH says leave them open I would. If you've preheated properly the
engine will come up to temp quickly and you'll need them open. Also,
with a change in procedure it would be easy to goof and leave them
closed during takeoff and climb which could really cook things.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

The heads can become overheated around the exhaust ports whilst the crank is
still slinging gobs of frozen condensate about... Keep em open...
denny
"Viperdoc" wrote in message
...
Is it worth lugging long extension cords to plug in the Tanis heaters for
my
Baron if it's going to sit outside at 12 degrees for two to three hours
after a flight?

I have cowl plugs which may help a little, but is it really a problem? The
oil will be well circulated, and the battery is in good shape to crank the
engines.

Also, the POH says to keep the cowl flaps open during taxi and take off,
but
when it's so cold outside does this still make sense? As long as the CHTs
remain within a reasonable range what difference should it make?

Thanks from Wisconsin, where its 2 degrees and clear.

In article ,
"Dennis O'Connor" wrote:

I started my engines this morning at -4 F... No preheat never do No
problems; though it did take 6 blades each, before they fired - mucho cold
senor... Use 15W50... I get oil pressure indication in less than ten
seconds... That's the way this airplane has been treated ever since
semisynthetic, multiviscosity, oils came out.... Engines go to TBO
routinely...
denny

Wow. To each his own. I would never start at those temps without
preheat, and I also used 15W50. I've also tried to pour it when it's
cold. G If it works for you, great.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

So, for those of you with plug in heaters, how does that work out? I presume
that at your home airport, you are parked in your own unheated hangar or
near an outlet on the ramp. What about visiting other airports? Do you asked
to be parked near an outlet? Do they stretch a cord across the ramp for you?
Do they plug it into a service truck for a couple of hours before start?

-------------------------------
Travis