Well, there haven’t been any yet. When there are, I expect this thread will have some sort of announcement by the developers. If you bought from the Wing42 site, hopefully they will send an email. If you bought from the Marketplace, you’ll see an update listed as Available in your Content Manager settings in the sim.
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Alright, sounds good, thanks!
So what is the optimum oil pressure and oil termperature range?
I’m finding that I burn through all my oil after about 2.5 hours of flying!
I aim for my oil pressure to between between 60-80 and usually need an oli temp between 60-80 to acheive that, my cruise RPM is set around 2000 by adjusting the prop and manifold pressure is just below the white line
Does that sound about right or am I doing something wrong causing me to burn through so much oil?
Note that I’ve not had an engine failure ever flying within these paramaters; no I’m not using the simple engine mode.
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I honestly feel like the temperature is fluctuating. I did a 1hour flight in Australia yesterday and the oil temperature and pressure was stable for about 20 minutes and then suddenly without any change in power setting and or ambient conditions the temp increased and the pressure fell. So I had to open the shutters to not cook the engines.
That what baffles me. Because if the conditions don’t change why does the oil system suddenly go nuts?
I really think this needs some looking into by the devs.
Don’t get me wrong I still think this is the most immersive addon for MSFS so far!
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This is discussed above extensively, and is discussed in the period Maintenance and Service manual I posted above weeks ago. The oil temps are measured at a point in the oil system where the oil starts flowing into the engine. So until the engine has been running long enough to cycle ALL the oil capacity in the tank through the engine, temps will appear low.
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And… it can also be related to altitude and fuel mixture ratio (you didn’t state if that was 20 minutes at cruise or if it included your time to climb, or what altitude you were flying at, what your mixture setting was, or exactly what the ambient conditions were. All of that matters.)
But it won’t take 20 minutes at 2000rpm to cycle all the oil. I’m sorry but that cannot be the explanation. Especially since the oil that is returned into the tank is already hot from the engine and will heat also the tank. So that’ll be a gradual increase in oil temperature in the tank. Not a sudden one after 20 minutes.
As I stated I didn’t change any settings. No throttle no prop or mixture. I was at cruise for about twenty minutes when suddenly the oil pressure Decreased. And I have never witnessed this began out in any real airplane I’ve flown.
You need to realize that the tanks are 10 gallon capacity, the oil flow rate is not THAT high, and the oil passes through the oil cooler before it flows back to the thermocouple again. Also, look into the specific heat rating for lubricating oil. It’s designed to carry away heat before itself getting hot. That’s what oil is for in he first place. There are plenty of slick, medium-viscosity liquids that could be used for lubrication, but not very many with the right ability to also help carry about the heat of friction without getting too hot.
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This is a 1930’s plane with one of the first radial engines ever designed. Tolerances and materials back then were much different, and not much was known about the actual operation of engines, at least, not as much is known today. I don’t have any idea what types of engines you’re used to, but, if you’re thinking of Lycoming 4 or 6 bangers, there is zero comparison.
I’m sorry I’m not trying to pick a fight but the first job of oil in any engine up to this day is lubrication especially where metal and metal can get in contact like the crankshaft and or the pushrod or camshaft bearings. Does it also carry away heat yes it does but that’s not the main reason for the oil.
Also you’re trying to tell me that ten gallons of oil need 20 minutes to pass through those Pratt & Whitney R-1340. Even though I don’t have the specific data I highly doubt that. But that’s ok.
My opinion is that there’s something off with the oil simulation. And I hope the devs will look at it and fix it.
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The physics didn’t change though and if the engine is operated at a certain power setting for extended periods of time it won’t suddenly develop more heat unless something is broken. And it doesn’t matter if you fly a Lycoming O-360 or a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 with that regard.
Are those old engines more sensitiv to changes probably yes. But as I said. Nothing changed. Power setting, altitude, airspeed and ambient conditions stayed the same.
Well, look. The airplane’s manual from Wing42, the Boeing Service and Maintenance Manual, and my engineering degree and intuition says your thinking is wrong here, but I’m not going to argue further. You can believe what you like.
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I thunk it is important to look at the details of what PiperDriver0624 is saying for us to consider. The oil temp made a rapid change, after no change for 20 minutes. I am with them that this is an issue, specifically for the reasons that the other posters have mentioned. A 10 gallon tank of oil would take some time to cycle all of its contents through the engine. For that very reason, there should always be a gradual increase in oil temp. There is no other way to suddenly heat the entire tank. Because of the heat capacity of the oil, the uncycled oil in the tank will remain cool but as the cycled oil returns, that latent heat will be absorbed by the uncooked oil in the tank and thus raise the temperature of that oil. Yes, we can say it is an old radial and all that but none of that can explain away what PiperDriver is seeing. As we have all known for some time now, there are bugs with the oil temperature indication on this module. It does not mean it is not a fantastic aircraft as is, only that it still has some teething problems as we should expect with such a groundbreaking approach taken by the developers.
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Exactly what I’m talking about.
And yes. I still love the plane. As I said above the most immersive simulation for MSFS as of today.
Thanks
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The physics totally change depending on how well the bore and piston are machined and the design of the rings, and how the fuel enters the cavity, and how the fuel burns in the cavity, the spark plug design, and soooo, sooo much more. A lot about engine design was learned between the original R-1340 and the development of the Lycoming O-360. One engine is a radial, the other is a flat 4. The differences go on and on. That was my point. But, I think we can end the discussion here. We don’t know the cause of the sudden change. It could very well be the design of the modeling of the engine performance. I could come up with reasons for a sudden change after a period of time, but, in the end, it’s a model of an engine, not an actual engine. And, yes, absolutely, there could be something up with the model.
Yea. The highly sensitive/unstable oil temp/pressure equation has me scratching my head. For the time being, I practice starting, fly a pattern (or two if I’m lucky) and shut down. Longer hauls are simply not possible at the moment. (I know, I know… other people are doing it.)
If real-world behavior was this tricky, the aircraft would not be possible to fly safely. And frankly, something is simply not right with the model. I trust it will get sorted, and be a hoot to “fly the beam.”
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Due to work I was unable to do flights longer than 2 hours but in my experience flying the B247D for several hours now (you can see them in my channel) I have noticed once you understand the oil needle is showing the wrong temperature and the needle you have to folllow is the oil pressure (<60 psi oil is hot, >100 oil is too cold) and open and close the oil cowls accordingly, the temperatures and the performance of the engine is quite stable. However, the temps can change rapidly if there is a change in altitude, or if there is a change in speed. Furthemore, if run at high temperatures it burns and losses oil. Less oil, more friction, more friction more temperature hence the problem intensifies. I hope this week I will be able to test some 3 hour flights and see if any of the problems mentioned in other post above will reproduce.
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I’ll have to watch your videos because I can’t seem to figure the oil out still. I don’t see your channel name in your profile, could you link me to it? Thanks!
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