Hope this helps - A listing of articles from Coupe Capers, including part numbers, and contacts.......
Harry Francis 2851 Sarver Rd. Elliston, Va. 24087 540-268-2307 Ercoupe 415 S/N 853 N-93530 Info on Engine Crankcase Breather: I have reviewed MANY old Coupe Capers, for information on the extension of the breather elbow modification to prevent oil blowing out of Continental Engines. It seems that Continental finally recognized the problem and offers a extended elbow for sale. However, the quoted price seems WAY OUT OF LINE for a simple elbow....Continental Part # 638282, @ $135.00 - source: Coupe Capers, Vol 19, #2, Feb 1990, -page 8, "More on Blow By." Here are all the references I found.... probably more are in the archives, including a drawing (which I remember, but cannot find - may be a figment of my imagination) All from Coupe Capers: 1. Vol 14, #10, Feb, 86, page 3, (Skip, How about start numbering pages- hf):quote -"Fellow Club members, I have twice read about members making oil separators for their Continental Engines. It seamed to me a lot of fussing when the same goal is achieved if the following is done, and it's legal. I'm enclosing a photostat of what Ercoupe did back in 1960, i.e. rerouting the breather elbow and vent tube up at as steep an angle as possible for a short distance followed by an angle change down and back through the baffle and straight down. Gravity pulls the condensed oil back into the case and the pressure continues back and out. I have used this fan (Note: I'm sure he meant for, hf) 15 years and am satisfied with the results. I went further by insulating the section above the cylinders as a precaution against freezing. If one wants to go further, remove the elbow and drill into the threaded end using a 5/8 " drill. Drill in about 3/32" and silver solder a piece of tubing also 5/8" o.d. and about 3/4 " long into that end. What the tubing does is to prevent thrown oil which is draining along the case side from entering the tube directly. Vapors in space go out thru the tube extension. (Note: now he goes back to the revised routing of the vent hose, I think- hf). Don't forget to drill a couple of 1/8" holes in top of the breather pipe back of the baffle to let out pressure in case of a line freeze up. The holes don't cause any oil loss and prevent pressure buildup in the engine if freezing does occur thus preventing a nose seal blow out and oil loss. If you do this, how about letting the members know your results by writing in." (No Name , but may have been written by Skip.)( The picture shows routing of the hose assy.) 2. Vol 15, #9, Feb 87, page 8. "Breather Problems - Coupe Capers - Vol #10 Feb ‘86; An article about the oil vent on Cont. Engine. I tries to install this as described in the article & am losing much more oil that before. Don't know what I did wrong. I extended the line out at same opening that the exhaust foes out (in front of ex pipe) cut the tubing at an angle aprox, 45 deg, drilled on hole in pipe back of baffle. I don't think I installed the pipe or tubing at an angle as steep as the drawing & possibly put it in a somewhat curve ( I lost the drawing temporarily) I tried to remember how the instructions read. The person submitting the article did not give his name of (or, hf)it was omitted. I did not remove the elbow & install the 5/8" tubing and 3/4" long. As it's not easy with cowling and fuel pump in place. If it's possible I would like to hear from person submitting the article. Maybe I overlooked something (apparently I did). I have a 1946 415C Ercoupe (35558H), a very nice one ( my 2nd Ercoupe). Thanking you in advance, Mr. Opal Walker, Rt. 3 Box 144, Roswell, New Mexico 88201, EOC membership #03684." 3. On same page is a warning that extending the vent hose into the slip stream, can cause a suction in the airstream, sucking all oil out of the engine, unless there is a vacuum break in the pipe..... ( see above on perhaps the incorrect placement of the hose). 4. Vol 15, #10, March ‘87, page 4; Under - Hints & Tips from 1978: Dirty Old Ercoupe, column two. I won't quote the entire passage - I'm too lousy a typist - takes too long..., but quote from the section on Oil Breather tubes: "The oil breather tube empties into the engine bellypan and creates as oily mess. There are two ways to correct this problem3/4 (should have been a period, I think, hf). Where the breather filling is screwed into the crankcase, there exists an oil pocket area inside the crankcase. Any oil trapped in this pocket will drain out the vent tube. Removing the fitting and brazing a 1" extension to the inside of the fitting cures the problem. The oil cannot climb up the extension and out the tube. Another fix is Forney's bulletin No. 108, which is rerouting the breather tube up and back over the cylinders, through the rear baffle and down to the rear of the bellypan. This traps the oil vapors and returns the liquid oil back to the crankcase outlet. Daryle & Shirley Lessord, 635 SW 142nd, Seattle, Wa. 98166." 5. Vol 15 #11, April ‘87., page 5, Hints & Tips:-200 Problems: "Dear Skip - Some information I want to pass along to Coupe owners. After installing an 0-200 engine in my Forney F-1, I had an oil loss problem. About 1 qt per hour out of the crankcase breather pipe After tearing the engine down 3 times looking for a problem to account for the oil loss, all to no avail. As no problems wee found to explain the oil loss, I wrote a letter to Coupe Capers explaining my problem. This was published in Feb. 1096 (1996) issue of Coupe Capers. As usual, Coupers came through in great style! I received many letters, phone calls, postcards with possible cures. The cure was simple - took about 30 minutes, $ .30 worth of parts, and I didn't even have to take off the cowling! Most 0-200 engines came from Cessna 150's where the engine is mounted straight and level. However the Ercoupe engine is installed with an offset to the right and slope to the front. This causes oil to pool in the front of the crankcase around the vacuum pump drive. This rotating shaft slings oil into the upper part of the crankcase and out the breather pipe. The Cure - remove the L-shaped fitting in the upper right corner of the crankcase - Braze or press fit an extension about 1 - 1/12 inches long to the inside of this fitting. When re-inserted in the crankcase, this tube projects inside past the crankcase wall, and immediately stopped the oil loss. Oil consumption is now normal in all respects. Continental offers a breather fitting redesigned for this application. Per Alon Service bulletin #SB-1. If you are interested contact Sanford Grumet at West Coast Air Devices, 1-714-625-4891, 9137 Central Avenue, Montclair, CA. 91763. I highly recommend the 0200- engine conversion-------------------------( he continues with another improvement you all may be interested in , hf)---- Want to put brakes on your coupe without buying $400 Cleveland conversion? How to - remove brake assy &take to a good machine shop, and mill out the calipers to fit the kidney shaped Cessna brake pucks. This greatly increases brake pad surface area, & will slide both wheels on pavement. Cost about $30.00 . I hope this information will help fellow Coupers, so many who were quick to respond with help on my problem. I want to thank Sanford Grumet, Don Schottschneider, Dave Tomborn, Capt. Kelly Rogers, Dave Johnson and all others who wrote, called or helped. The response was terrific! About twenty Coupers ! Thanks, Bob Conlon Rt 3 Box 142 Buchanan, VA 24066 1-703( Now 540hf)-254-2382." Note: These type responses are why I think it is important to support the Ercoupe Owners Club. Sure we have problems from time to time, but hey, When have you contributed ???? Participate and Benefit. HF. 6. Vol 18, #9, Sept., "89., page 13, (from Coupe Scoop, Region 9 ) "Permanent (and Cheap) fix found for 0-200 engine oil blow-out problem The oil problem that Doug Tindal has had for the last six months is now cured!" The article goes on to discuss the problems and tried solutions - oil separator, vent re-routing, etc, etc., and then_ "------------Burt Ellgard of Minnesota said that the extension was the only thing he had to do on his engine to fix the problem. At any rate Doug's problem wasn't fixed until he installed the extension to the breather tube elbow.-------------" 7. Vol 19, #2, Feb, 1990. Page 8 column two, "MORE ON BLOW BY-------------I have also made the cheap fix on my blow-out problem OIL as per newsletter of September, 1989. Boy, it really works.-----Thanks for the tip. E. J. Wiedemann. This was followed by a comment from I suppose, Skip—" Thanks E.J., for the comments. I receive a note from Burt Ellegaard in which he said that the Continental part number for the elbow was 638282. The folks at El Reno told me that the price for this part is $135.00!!! I am working with them on a plan to make an elbow available to us as a reasonable cost, and should have this information next month. Burt said that the elbow would a cure for an engine with excessive blow-by." Well, it looks like there is a cure for preventing excessive oil loss due to the design of the crankcase vent system on the Continental Engine. I have not attempted to contact any of these folks as to their long term experiences, or the need for 337's, etc.... The Continental price must be wrong, but ?????. On my engine, C-85, one must remove the fuel pump to remove the elbow....., if I remember correctly....... Skip may have published further information about the availability from El Reno; and the contact Bob Conlon gave would be of interest (Sanford Grumet, at West Coast Air Devices., 1-714-625-4891 (check for new area code); 9137 Central Ave., Montclair, CA., 91763.) T's disturbing to lose all your oil on a long cross country trip. Sure messes up the day and the budget..... Another plug for The Ercoupe Owners Club..... for $25/ year, you too can have all this information..... and share problems and solutions with other Coupe nuts......through-out the world.: Ercoupe Owners Club, 7263 Schooners Ct., S. W. A-2, Ocean Isle Beach, N. C. 28469-5644. Fly Safe - Have Fun Regards, Harry Francis N-93530 Blacksburg, Va. Airport 2851 Sarver Rd. Elliston, Va. 24087 540-268-2307 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<<attachment: winmail.dat>>
