EJ-22 Coolent Temp

[barnstorm2]

My reason for running this poll is that I have heard that the EJ22 should stay around 200F.

However, a guy a few hangers down from me has a KitFox and said that his runs in the 210 to 230F range.

This seems too hot to me so I thought I would see what you guys are getting.

[Gary_in_Orygun]

I think my magic number is 180. I thought I once read that number is what most thermostats are set to. You didn't give me that option in the poll.

[Aussie_Paul]

The thermastat in an ej-22 are mostly 78 c which is 172 f, but I have seen an 80 c, but that may have been a non genuine.

If your engine goes above a serviceable thermastat temp, then your radiator is too small for the outside temp that day. Quite often after I land and am taxying back the temp will rise 10 c as the heat from the engine is transfered to the water and the engine being at idle the water is not circulating fast enough, and there is not much airflow through the radiator.

Does that make sense you cooling experts?

Aussie Paul.

[StanFoster]

I only have experience up to 55 outside temperature...but so far my EJ22 stays between 185-190

[Aussie_Paul]

I just remembered that the thermastat is at the non normal end of the engine, so the readings at the temp guage sender could be higher than the thermostat figure.

I did at one stage make a housing to fit the thermostat after the outlet at the top of the engine. That eliminated the air trapping problem when filling with coolant, but I can't remeber what the guage reading was. I dont have it on at the moment due to a radiator change with different plumbing. The housing I made was two thermostat housings bolted together. A cheap was of proving a point. I have a couple of wrecked ej-22s due to crankshaft failure.

Another thing to remember is that gauges can vary in accuracy.

Aussie Paul.

[barnstorm2]

Ok, so his is running hot then.

Anyone use an oil cooler?

Paul,

Any idea why the crank shaft failures?

[Aussie_Paul]

The side loads applied to the crank with a belt drive. The ea series used a different metal to what they use for the cranks in the ej series.

You don't read about them much but a lot of Rafs have broken crankshafts.

The tightening of the belt is quite critical, but not the real problem. The crank material in the ej series engines is not designed for side loads at all. The average guy who does 50 hours a year will probably not have a problem due to the limited hours, but the CFIs have all broken cranks I think. Particularly the 160 hp models.

Aussie Paul.

That is why I prefer the gearbox.

Raf now say that if you have a prop to ground contact strip the engine.

Aussie Paul.

[CLS447]

Paul, The EA's were better???

What? Don't make the belt to tight?

[Aussie_Paul]

Paul, The EA's were better???

What? Don't make the belt to tight?


Better at not breaking cranks, and it is the horepower that is trying to pull those two sprockets together that puts the side load on the crank, particularly the 155 and 160 hp models.

I love my gearboxes for that reason.

The ej-22 on Hybrid has done almost 500 hours since November 2001, with the bulk of that 390 hrs have been done since mid Feb last year when I started to conduct all my training in it.

The engine was a reconditioned one, and the only problems that I have had is a head gasket and now a leaking water pump.

Aussie Paul.

ps. I have got onto a155hp ej-25 sohc today so I may buy that to compare it against the130hp ej-22 and the 120hp ej-20.

[GyroRon]

I know a guy nearby that flys a RAF and he has broken his crank twice now.

[Aussie_Paul]

Geez, the more I look the more varieties of Soob engines I find.

There are 100, 120 and 134hp ej-20 sohc.

There are 150, 155 and 161 hp ej-25 sohc.

Ok Ron re the broken cranks. I think that when Raf started with the ea-82 it was better because of the different metal in the cranks.

I may be wrong on that. Don Parham, can you shed some light on this?

I don't know why I am worrying as I only use gearboxes now even though you have to idle then 200 rpm higher if you do not run a heavier enough flywheel.

Aussie Paul.

[KenSandyEggo]

The cranks may be breaking because of the bearings getting sloppy in the small pulley assembly (at the crank). They were set in the aluminum of the pulley, which everyone knows is soft. Some parked their RAFs after a flight and had all the bearings drop on the floor as they leveled the prop by hand (Al Cunningham, once again). The bearings start to wobble in the soft aluminum they're pressed into.

The solution is to modify the lower pulley assembly with the steel insert. I have the engineer drawings that I can e-mail to anyone that wants them. I have over 425 hours on mine with no problems and run my Gates belt per their specs....banjo-string tight.

My temp is always at 180, unless I've developed a crack in the manifold, which I have once, or the gauge is not properly grounded. That can give you fits. If your water temps are erratic, run a separate ground for the temperature gauge. I found this out from the manufacturer after going nuts with spiking temps. That's all it was. The water temp should not be varying except maybe as what's his name says :-*, when you're taxiing back after landing. A 20 degree range means something's wrong. It should be locked at 180 in flight.

[Sonnyj]

Hi Barnstomer I've been rebuilding engines and working on equipment for perty close to 40 years and if that engine is running at 230 he mite chek the sending unit or the guage.