Spooling up without blades

[Planehazza]

OK so today is the first chance I've had to check the engine on my 90 after the problems at the RCHA flyin. I'm going to spool it up in the garden without the blades. Is this OK to do? It won't overspeed the engine or anything?

Cheers!

[challis349]

Interesting question harry, as when I do my 450 with no blade the motor pulses... watch the tail though if you have tail blades on lol

[Jamin_00]

I do it

Just lower your curve slightly or use head loaders. I done that to check it was still all smooth after doing some maintenance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTSPB4EgpNI

[Planehazza]

Thanks. Well I couldn't even start the bugger. There was no resistance in the starter shaft, and it made this horrible metallicy screaching noise, so either there's a problem with the starter coupling or the engines *******

Does that suggest there's no compression?

[Mike W]

Can you turn the engine over by hand by the fan hub just to see if there's any resistance there just to rule the engine out

[Planehazza]

Sorry forgot to update. Panic over, the engine is good with great compression. It was just the fan hub loose on the shaft. Doh!

[Jamin_00]

lol, nice one

[Planehazza]

Should I used blue or red threadlock on the fan locking nut?

[Mike W]

Blue .. .and let it set before you turn it over .. Normally its because the engines got a little hydrolocked and you have tried to turn the engine over that it sometimes makes the fanhub unscrew itself

[tonystevens]

you'd think they'd put a l/h thread on crank shafts.

[jamiem]

On an electric, it wont overspeed, bacause by nature of a 3 phase motor, it will kind of self govern, and won't want to go any faster than you set it. With a nitro, you will easily overspeed it with no load, so be very careful unless you are running with head loaders. Also watch the tail if you have the tail blades fitted; the machine could whip round and smack you hard in the blink of an eye!

[Jamin_00]

Yea that why I take the tail blades off

Or at least pop the link of then they will center but still be careful

[Planehazza]

To be honest, I don't know where my head was at earlier, as all I wanted to do was start it and leave it idling. Got it all sorted now thanks, glad it was just the fan hub! Was thinking I was going to have to look at new piston liners and god knows what else!