RPool

Why do you think manufacturers bother to design engine cooling elements on their products? Why do you think every internal combustion engine I can think of is implemented in a manner that allows it to get rid of heat and stay cool? At the very best, a hot engine won't perform as well. I haven't been as picky with glow either...basically as long as I have flow around the fins. As mentioned earlier, hot engines tend to conk out and cause dead sticks. Gas engines especially so. They DO need proper cooling to live and perform. As I said, the best case is you lose some performance and land it before something worse happens (your lack of a bigger tank may be saving your butt). Worst case, you dead stick and MAYBE get it down in one piece, or you fry the engine. Gas engines and the planes they fly represent a significant investment. When you have thousands of dollars in the air, you tend to take care of it. Yes, the way you cool your engine can be "customized", but regardless of how you do it...it should be done.

nonstoprc

My Feedback: (90)

I installed two air scoops on both front inner sides of my Extra 260 cowl to direct air toward DA 85's head. The air otherwise would miss the engine.

8 louvres are used to extract hot air out at the bottom of the cowl. Each louvre is made up of one layer of 3K carbon fiber cloth + one layer of 6oz fiberglass cloth, epoxied to 45 degree L shape strip. The length of the louvre strp is the same as the cut out slot.
One side of the strip is glued onto the inside of the cowl.

The temperature at the exhaust manfold with the setup (immediately after landing) is 150 F.