Oil Cooler Winterization Plate
Ambient outside temps are fast approaching 50 degrees Fahrenheit and yesterday we had frost in Milwaukee. It's time for those oil cooler winterization plates to go on! 
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
Comments
The weather here is psychotic...last week, Bismarck got 17.1" of heavy, wet snow...today, it's 65 above, and most of the snow has melted. But, I guess it IS time to install that winterization plate!
I love to defy gravity!
1979 Arrow IV
Last week in January is about the only time I use it here in Phoenix!!
Austin
Rub it in, Austin!
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
Here in Louisiana, it can be 30 degrees one day and 70 the next. Wish there was a plate adjustable from the cockpit.
The Cessna TTx had a knob in the cabin for that. I wish we had that in Pipers, too.
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
The parts catalog shows the winterization kit as 760 383 or 760 384 depending on your Arrow serial number.
Austin
Hi Elio,
You can have you shop bend a piece of aluminum into a U shape and drill a hole for a small bolt. Easy as pie!
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
Do you know anyone who rebuilds the hydraulic actuators on the Arrow retract landing systems? Or articles on how to do this. I have the Piper maintenance manual that describes this. Anyone actually done them?
Hi, I don't but I'll check around.
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
Just had this cable-operated adjustable plate from AntiSplat installed in our Archer.
Oh! I need one of these. !!!
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
Very cool but RV or experimental only. Sorry
They also have an add-on cowl flap that I'd like to have, again RV or experimental only.
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
It's been a while but I remember the nose gear actuator is pretty standard. A snap ring in the front and everything pulls out from there. When installing new O-rings there is a stuff called DC-4 (Dow Corning) Aircraft Spruce sells it. The airlines use it also. The main gear actuators are a little unusual. Removing the ring that holds them together is like peeling a potato. Sounds a little weird but that's how I remember it. I'd leave those to someone that has done it before. Yes, that oil cooler shutter is really neat!
Austin
@hallmark How did you get this installed? Field approval? What data did you use? I'm desperate for a solution, I have pitting on my cam 3 years / 300 hrs after replacing it likely due to low oil temps (can never get it above 160F), oil cap looks like snot. I don't want to replace the cam and have it pit again because I can't manage the oil temps.
Scott is right that there's no STC but here in Georgia where in winter we can be in the 30's one day and 60's the next it's a very practical solution. You could argue that other homemade or fabricated winterization plates aren't approved, either. Our A&P recommended and installed ours after the local flight school had them installed on both of their 172's. I don't believe that they had a field approval, either, although that would be ideal. The control cable in our Archer II is installed right below a digital oil temp gauge in the unused cutout for the MAP gauge. Pull it out about an inch - perfect oil temps.