No ptarmigan this today

[Richard Flanders]

The oil gets drained hot the night before so only takes a few minutes and it heats up pretty quickly on a hot wood stove. I like to heat it to about 200deg, to where I can only barely keep my hands on the sides of the cans for more than 5 seconds or so. Then you run out and quickly pour it all in and hand prop the engine at least 25 times to get the oil system primed, then prime the gas and hand prop to start - the starter battery is useless in extreme cold. Works very well. It's all pretty old school but these engines were designed in the 40's and have changed very little if at all. My engine was made in about 1965 and was originally on a CIA "Air America" Super Cub used in Laos and Cambodia when 'we weren't in Laos and Cambodia'.....