why oh why?

[clarkee]

i cant seem to start\restart my heli.

it takes an absolute age to start - 5 minutes. When it does start it runs ok until I take the glow plug igniter off and then it dies. If I try to restart it it will take again an age to restart.

Ive got an OS .32 engine with very little use (its not new and has been running before ok). the needle is 2.5 turns out. I have experimented with turns between 1 and 3 out.

The fuel I think is ok. I don't get to use the heli much but I have stored the fuel ok I think.

Im frustrated as I wanted to use it this afternoon. I don't have much time as it is to play!

[robgt]

If it dies almost instantly when you take the glow heater off, it's likely the glow plug thats blown.
Cheers,
Rob

[Raptormadsteve]

If it dies almost instantly when you take the glow heater off, it's likely the glow plug thats blown.
Cheers,
Rob

Yep i'd agree with rob! treat it to a new one regularly .
Steve

[Fixxxer]

New plug me thinks aswell.

[Stuart]

Have you checked the idle needle, from memory its sits inside the main needle. What fuel are you using, how old is it ?

[Raptorite]

Ok, first things first, start with a new plug as has been suggested by many of the replies above. There are a few choices when it comes to plugs, the enya 3 is a very popular choice, as is the OS 8, personally I use Model Technics MaxFlash M7's as they are also a very good plug and are around half the price of something like an enya 3.

Once you have changed the plug, if the fuel you have is more than say 12 months old, buy a new gallon and blend it with the original 50 - 50 so you are not waisting the fuel you have now but at the same time are fairly confident that it is nice and fresh. It may be worth doing this anyway if you are at all unsure of the condition of your existing fuel.

The model should start fairly easily, for the first start it might take a few moments before it fires as it takes a little time for the fuel to reach the engine. Once you have the model running, increase the trim to give you a nice high tickover, and maybe bring the stick up very small amount too. Be very careful when you do this and always always make sure you have a firm grip on the rotor head with one hand. The next thing is to bring the tickover down to a more sensible level, which if it will maintain without stopping, carry the model out to the flight line, keeping it tipped backwards slightly as this helps the exhaust pressure feed fuel into the engine.

Bring the model up into the hover and listen for a worbling type noise, which means the engine is whats known as 4 stroking, this means the engine is rich to the point of almost being too rich. This is fine for the time being especially if it is a new engine.

Land the model and put your finger on the back plate underneath the engine to check the temperature, it should be relatively cool to the touch, if it is roasting then it is too lean and the main needle needs richening up a bit. If on the other hand it is nice and cool then the main needle setting is about right.

With one hand take a firm grasp of the rotor head and with the other pinch the fuel line leading to the carb with the thumb and finger of the other hand, if the engine runs normally for more than 2 or 3 seconds then starts to pick up speed, the idle needle is too rich, if it takes less than 2 or 3 seconds before the revs increase the idle needle is too lean.

Adjust the idle needle as necessary, so that the pinch test above is about right and once again put your finger on the back plate to check the temperature of the engine, it should still be realtively cool although as it has been ticking over on the ground for some time by now it might be a little warmer than the first time you checked it.

Once you have done this, the engine should be set about right, so bring the model up into the hover again and check the rotor head speed, if it is now a little higher than it was before, then if you want to lower the throttle curve a bit.If you are using wooden rotor blades, dont what ever you do let the rotor head speed go above 1700rpm.

If the engine is new and has not had much running time then chances are it will still be a bit tight, it will loosen off in time which you will notice as the engine speed picking up a little. If you feel confident enough to do so, give it a burst of full pitch to get it to climb to about 20 or 30 foot and then gently bring it down to about 3 foot again. You may notice the engine speed and ultimately rotor head speed pick up a little each time you do this. If you can do this about half a dozen times every flight for about 5 flights, this should bed the engine in nicely.

At this point you might want to lean out the main needle a couple of clicks to give the model more power, but if you are still fairly new to hovering I would be tempted to leave it where it is for now as you may not want a blisteringly quick climb out rate just yet.

I hope this helps

Cheers,
Pete.

[3dbasher]

Ok, first things first, start with a new plug as has been suggested by many of the replies above. There are a few choices when it comes to plugs, the enya 3 is a very popular choice, as is the OS 8, personally I use Model Technics MaxFlash M7's as they are also a very good plug and are around half the price of something like an enya 3.

Once you have changed the plug, if the fuel you have is more than say 12 months old, buy a new gallon and blend it with the original 50 - 50 so you are not waisting the fuel you have now but at the same time are fairly confident that it is nice and fresh. It may be worth doing this anyway if you are at all unsure of the condition of your existing fuel.

The model should start fairly easily, for the first start it might take a few moments before it fires as it takes a little time for the fuel to reach the engine. Once you have the model running, increase the trim to give you a nice high tickover, and maybe bring the stick up very small amount too. Be very careful when you do this and always always make sure you have a firm grip on the rotor head with one hand. The next thing is to bring the tickover down to a more sensible level, which if it will maintain without stopping, carry the model out to the flight line, keeping it tipped backwards slightly as this helps the exhaust pressure feed fuel into the engine.

Bring the model up into the hover and listen for a worbling type noise, which means the engine is whats known as 4 stroking, this means the engine is rich to the point of almost being too rich. This is fine for the time being especially if it is a new engine.

Land the model and put your finger on the back plate underneath the engine to check the temperature, it should be relatively cool to the touch, if it is roasting then it is too lean and the main needle needs richening up a bit. If on the other hand it is nice and cool then the main needle setting is about right.

With one hand take a firm grasp of the rotor head and with the other pinch the fuel line leading to the carb with the thumb and finger of the other hand, if the engine runs normally for more than 2 or 3 seconds then starts to pick up speed, the idle needle is too rich, if it takes less than 2 or 3 seconds before the revs increase the idle needle is too lean.

Adjust the idle needle as necessary, so that the pinch test above is about right and once again put your finger on the back plate to check the temperature of the engine, it should still be realtively cool although as it has been ticking over on the ground for some time by now it might be a little warmer than the first time you checked it.

Once you have done this, the engine should be set about right, so bring the model up into the hover again and check the rotor head speed, if it is now a little higher than it was before, then if you want to lower the throttle curve a bit.If you are using wooden rotor blades, dont what ever you do let the rotor head speed go above 1700rpm.

If the engine is new and has not had much running time then chances are it will still be a bit tight, it will loosen off in time which you will notice as the engine speed picking up a little. If you feel confident enough to do so, give it a burst of full pitch to get it to climb to about 20 or 30 foot and then gently bring it down to about 3 foot again. You may notice the engine speed and ultimately rotor head speed pick up a little each time you do this. If you can do this about half a dozen times every flight for about 5 flights, this should bed the engine in nicely.

At this point you might want to lean out the main needle a couple of clicks to give the model more power, but if you are still fairly new to hovering I would be tempted to leave it where it is for now as you may not want a blisteringly quick climb out rate just yet.

I hope this helps

Cheers,
Pete.

yeh what he said lmao

[Raptorite]

Thanks basher

I know its a bit long winded, but it just fell out as I did exactly that with a customers model today

Cheers,
Pete.

[jimbob]

If it stops when you take the plug power off, its either the plug, or the low end mixture is too rich.

Change the plug for a new one (I only use OS8s) and then see.

If its a new engine it might keep blowing plugs as well until its run in.