50 hyper tuning? warm backplate but still loads of smoke!

[Supercaptaincrash]

currently running my 50 hyper on 20% optifuel and im happy with the power its making! since ive had it the back plate and has always been cool and produces loads of smoke! so ive started leaning it out 1 click at a time till the back plate gets hot after around 5 secs with finger on it!its now at the point where i cant really see any increase in power the back plate is right temperature wise but its still producing loads of smoke as if its still rich?? should i be looking at the other needles or do i just stick with experimenting with the main needle? is opti 20 smoky anyway?

[glen_j]

as long as its producing good power and the backplate isn't too hot i'd leave it. tuning an engine by looking at the smoke isn't a good idea as different fuels produce different amounts of smoke

[l0p3d0g]

You should see smoke because Heli engines suppost to run rich aint they?

[squeaky pete]

50 hyper tuning? warm backplate but still loads of smoke!

Is ur too rich they dnt produce enuff power, and use more fuel, if u got enuff power and a warm backplate then leave as is, there is a 10second rule but its vague

[latte]

The low-end needle should be a little rich, like from the factory. I would start with 1 turn and 25 clicks out, and lean it in from there. 1,5 turn is really rich, like for running it in.

There is another reason for having the low-end rich, and that is that you can run your high needle leaner for more power. But you will not be in the high-end all the time, and when the engine "comes down" (in lack of better description) the rich low end will cool the engine.

A more experience fellow described it to me, and also showed me on my engine, and after we richened the low-end to factory default, and leaned the high a little, it ran better with more power, but really cool in comparison!


Sorry Im lacking some experience still, but this was a very good lesson I learned today that I just wanted to share

[RafeyRJX]

I've just changed to Opti fuek and find it really smokey. Rich low end and a little leaner at the top is good advice (see above) Just make sure that when you flick the 'throttle hold' switch on and then off, that the engine picks back up again. Too rich on the low end and the engine will splutter and bog when the servo flicks the carb open.
Temperature wise, buy a cheap bulb thermometer, hover the heli for a few mins and land, measure the temp between the two highest fins on teh head, aim for 100 to 110 degrees C.

[waveydavey]

as long as its producing good power and the backplate isn't too hot i'd leave it. tuning an engine by looking at the smoke isn't a good idea as different fuels produce different amounts of smoke

To a point I agree but it's difficult to get the mid range and top end right without watching the smoke trail whilst climbing out. I've always found that the bottom end on the hyper is very close to standard settings and has never needed moving, only slightly leaner maybe to help with the mid-range transition. The top end always ends up about 1.25 turns out with a click or 2 either way Winter or Summer. I run 20% and whether it's me or the club engine expert it always ends up the same.