Going out for my second sortie and while in the climb with full power I got that hot oil smell and a bit of mist in the cabin.  Closed the heat control valve, reduced power and "bee-lined" to the airfield with good oil pressure while venting the cabin. Taxied in with good oil pressure to a shutdown in front of my hangar.

What a mess...I was down to just below the min line on the dipstick.  Luckily I have another oil cooler (AERO-Classics) on the shelf which I've been meaning to put on since this summer.  I've heard bits and pieces regarding the quality of the UL provided oil cooler and wanted to see if a different cooler might help out with cooling (and quality?)  Anyway, something to think about I guess...

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David, my photo of the ULP oil cooler leak after landing, refilling oil and starting engine for a look see.

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Thanks for posting and chiming in Ron!  I'm going to ponder this in the workshop and hangar this week and see what might work.  Your solution seems quite stout and I do like the rubber isolation mounts.  Cheers!   Dave...

That's a good flow...I suspect mine was a pinhole!  I just haven't got around to pressurizing it in a dunk tank yet.

David

Photo's of a ULP engine on a Sonex OneX.

I installed a AREO-CLASSICS oil cooler. Low time to date.

REGARDS 

Ron Simonsen 

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Ron -  is this your "go fast / hang around upside down plane?"  I was thinking of doing a Onex as my next project!!

Started to work on a top bracket to hold the oil cooler.  Will try going without rubber isolators on top, may go with them on the bottom/side brackets.  Bracket is 0.70" stainless steel, the bolts I just happen to find with a local aircraft parts guy AN3-40, and I used 5/16 steel brake line as spacers over the bolts.

David 

Take a look see at ULP installation manual, ( up dated, page 38) oil cooler. It show it mount with 4 rubber absorbers. As for the OneX, build it for friend.

REGARDS 

Ron Simonsen 

Thanks Ron...got it!  How long to do the Onex?

David

About one & a half years. Very hard plane for me build.

Hey Ron, thanks for the reply.  If it's not a personal issue, can you elaborate on what made it so hard to build?

For those planning on swapping out to the AERO-Classic cooler be prepared to do a significant amount of trimming to the lower cowl opening.  Best to fit your cowl with the AERO prior to paint and not basing the fitting on the ULP oil cooler form.  If you ever have to replace with the AERO-Classics later on you'll be glad you did all the cowl work prior. 

Got a chance to spend a couple days getting the new AERO-Classic oil cooler fitted.  Posted a few pics on my page. I'd like to say it was fun, but I cannot say it was my favorite thing to do.  Expect some cowl trimming, metal fabrication work, head scratching, etc.  I elected to go without rubber isolation mounts after exchanging email with the senior tech rep at Pacific Oil Cooler service (they make and service the AERO-Classic line).  He was uncertain if they would be helpful or not.  His best advice was to ensure to use long hardware with pinch tubes (I call them spacers or bushings) and pickup all 4 flanges for the mounting and securing of the cooler.  Based on that exchange and the fact that there are many GA aircraft installations with oil coolers bolted directly to the engine, and that this is not a ULP oil cooler install I opted for the "no rubber isolation mounts" option.  We'll see how that decision plays out over time I guess.  Anyway, did a ground run for leaks and to get the oil hot enough to open the vernatherm and circulate the oil thru the cooler.  Things appear good to go for a flight test tomorrow.   

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