Winter Plate & Vacuum Pump Cooling

Thanks for your thoughts/experience, Super User.

I really did not give it much thought until overhauling my AI a few months ago. Started researching vacuum pump longevity, and realized cooling was very important. We have "super" vacuum pump cooling without the winter plate! Thus the question with the plates installed. Guess we would not have been installing winter plates on Alons/Cadets if problems were noted.

Mike

For those of you that cover your vacuum pump/oil tank air inlet hole to fly in the winter, I was wondering if there are any vacuum pump longevity effects noted. I have searched, and have not seen this discussed.

I’ve been flying for 2 years now in Ohio, and cover that inlet when it gets routinely below 40F. I am sure there is some vacuum pump degradation, but just wondering if anyone has a story to tell. I get at least 10-15F higher oil temps when I cover that inlet, but I rarely get the oil temp above 145F in the winter anyways.

So, I am questioning if this practice is really worth the possible damage vacuum pump damage as I am not getting oil temps high enough to boil off the water vapor regardless. I have not noted any performance issues with the vacuum pump so far, but I have only flown 40 hours with the air inlet cover on.

I do like my vintage instrumentation, so I do want to keep sporting a vacuum pump! Thanks for listening…

Mike