Lesson 5: Engine

Lubrication And Cooling

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Principles of Engine Lubrication
Primary purpose is to reduce friction between
moving parts.
Liquid lubricants (oil) are used universally in
aircraft.
No metal to metal contact occurs.
Friction and wear held to a minimum.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Principles of Engine Lubrication
Oil film acts as a cushion between metal parts.
Crankshaft and connecting rods
Shock-loading parts

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Principles of Engine Lubrication
Absorbs heat from the parts.
Pistons and cylinder walls.
Forms a seal between the piston and the
cylinder wall.
Reduce abrasive wear.
Picks up foreign particles and carries them
to the filter.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Principles of Engine Lubrication

Reduces friction
Cushions
Absorbs heat
Cooling
Forms a seal
Reduces abrasive wear
Cleans

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Requirements & Characteristics Of Lubricants
The Most important characteristic is its
viscosity.
The resistance of an oil to flow.
High viscosity is oil that flows slow.
Low viscosity is oil that flows freely.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

How does temperature affect the viscosity of oil?

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Some Grades of oil become practically solid in cold
weather.
Increases drag
Makes circulation difficult.
Others become so thin at high temperatures that the
oil film is broken.
Rapid wear of moving parts.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Flash Point And Fire Point
Flash Point is the temperature at which a liquid
will begin to give off ignitable vapors.
Fire Point is the temperature at which there are
sufficient vapors to support a flame.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Cloud Point, Pour Point And Specific Gravity
Cloud Point is the temperature at which its wax
content, normally held in solution, begins to
solidify and separate in to tiny crystals.
Pour Point is the lowest temperature at which it
will flow or can be poured.
Specific Gravity is a comparison of the weight
of the substance to the weight of an equal
volume of distilled water.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Aviation oils are classified numerically according to
an approximation of their viscosity.
Classified under an SAE (Society of Automotive
Engineers) system.
SAE divides all oils into seven groups according to
viscosity at either 130 or 210 F.
SAE 10 to 70 (SAE 20W)
W indicates that the oil is satisfactory oil for
winter use in cold climates.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Lubricating Oil Types
Straight Mineral Oil
Ashless Dispersant
Synthetic

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Straight Mineral oil
Used in engines after overhaul or when new to
facilitate wear-in or seating of piston rings.
Often forms sludge when exposed to
temperatures higher than normal.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Ashless Dispersant (AD)
Replaces mineral oil after the piston rings have
seated.
Less tendency to oxidize to carbon, or form
ash deposits.
Particles dont clump together, forming sludge.
Better lubricating properties than mineral oils.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Oil Compatibility

Can different brands and grades of the same oil

type be mixed?

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Oil Compatibility

If necessary in order to have proper operating oil

levels, brands of the same type can be mixed.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Internal Lubrication Of Reciprocating Engines
Three Methods used
Pressure
Splash
Combination Splash-And-Pressure

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Pressure-Lubrication
A mechanical pump supplies oil under
pressure to the bearings throughout the
engine.
Splash-Lubrication
Used in addition to pressure lubrication on
aircraft engines.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Advantages of pressure lubrication system
Positive introduction of oil to the bearings.
Cooling effect caused by the large quantities of
oil which can be circulated through a bearing.
Satisfactory lubrication in various attitudes of
flight.

From Reservoir

To Filter

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Lubrication Systems
Wet-Sump System
Dry-Sump System

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Wet-Sump
System consist of a sump or pan, in which the
oil supply is contained.
The sump or pan is attached to the bottom of
the engine case.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Wet-Sump
What are some of the disadvantages and
advantages of the wet-sump system?

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Wet-Sump
Disadvantages
Oil supply limited by sump.
Cooling is difficult.
Higher operating temperatures.
Not adaptable to inverted flying
Advantages
Requires no external parts and fittings to
complicate installation.
No second (scavenge pump) required.
Can be operated in much cooler temperatures.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Dry-Sump
Oil supply is carried in a separate tank.
Scavenger pumps used to return the oil to the
tank.
Used in radial engines and engines capable of
sustained inverted flight.

Dry-Sump

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Lubrication
System

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Engine Cooling Systems
Why is excessive heat undesirable in internal
combustion engines?

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Affects the behavior of the combustion of the

fuel/air charge.
It weakens and shortens the life of engine
parts.
It impairs lubrication.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Engine Cooling Systems
About one-fourth of the heat released in an
engine is changed into useful power.
Half of the heat goes out the exhaust, and the
other is absorbed by the engine.
Oil picks up some heat and transfers it to the
airstream.
The engine cooling system takes care of the
rest.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Cooling Fins
Cooling fins increase the surface of a cylinder.
This arrangement increases the heat transfer
by radiation (from a jug to a barrel).
Cylinders are normally replaced when a
specified number of square inches of fins are
missing.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Cowling and baffles
Designed to force air over the cylinder cooling
fins.
Direct the air close around the cylinders and
prevent it from forming hot pools.
Blast tubes direct jets of cooling air onto the
bottom spark plug elbows.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Temperature Controls
Controls the air circulation over the engine.
Keeps the engine from overheating on take off
and getting too cold in high-speed low-power
letdowns.
Cowl Flaps, Augmenters

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Cowl Flaps

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Augmenters

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Cylinder Head Temperature Indicating System
Consists of and indicator, electrical wiring, and
a thermocouple.
Thermocouple consists of two dissimilar
metals connected by wiring to an indicating
system. A voltage is produced when the
temperature of the junction is different from the
temperature where the dissimilar metals are
connected.

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Pilot Responsibility
Cowl Flaps?
Power Settings?
Airspeed?
Fuel Mixture?

Engine Lubrication And Cooling

Thermal Shock
Occurs when engine parts that are operating at
high temperatures are quickly cooled.
Idle power, high airspeed, cool or cold air.
Some parts are cooled much more rapidly then
others. These parts shrink in size faster then
the warmer, surrounding metals.