Ed Anderson wrote:

I had a very similar oil cooler arrangement (see photo Old Oil Cooler.jpg)
but about 10" back from the firewall and I made 5 modifications ending up
with a large plenum to disribute the air and a 5" diameter hose ducting air
to it with a snorkel inlet to capture the air.  I also had an exit plenum
with openings out the side of the cowl as well as on the bottom.  With
Paul's suggestion of replacing the NACA duct with a Snorkel inlet, it
finally became possible to fly it on those days when OAT was less that 85F.
However the oil the cooling was still marginal on hotter days.

I finally changed from the 8x11" Earl's oil cooler to the stock RX-7 cooler
and moved it up under the spinner (see New Oil Cooler.jpg).  Oil cooling
problem went away and that lower heat load also reduced the coolant temps.
Now I can fly a 100F day with temps still under redline.

Not to say you can't make that location work, but I just got tired to flying
with one eye on the oil temperature all the time.

Ed Anderson

 
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