You don't suppose doing away with the pressure control valve caused
Chuck Harberts oil cooler to fail  and caused his in-flight fire do

you?

I'm quite certain that Chuck had made no such mod.  There were other
contributing factors, and since he had three oil coolers in series; the
other two in the nose of the Velocity, I was guessing that the pressure in
the first (the one that ruptured) was running at or near whatever the bypass
relief is set for.

I was told (at some point) that the reason for the Oil controller valve
(which releases at around 150psi) was to provide a safety release should

the

oil cooler or filter be clogged and prevent those components from

bursting

under the resulting high oil pressure.  The normal oil pressure

regulator is

for the routine regulation of oil pressure under normal conditions.

Ed Anderson

We need to devise a pressure test where we can check the operation of that
valve. I think we can plug tap a front cover right where the problem

O-ring

is normally located. Pump it up with a hand hydraulic pump through
the oil cooler outlet fitting on the front of the cover. Then measure
the point where the spring releases the pressure increase.

Good idea.  I have asked three others what that bypass pressure is and got
three different answers; all of which were best guesses; and all were lower
than 150#.

And is it the same for a 20B and 13B?

Al Gietzen

 
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