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 don’t 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.