Sandore

I really appreciate everyone's enthusiastic replies to this thread; you've sparked my interest in digging out the BW and seeing what I can do to get it going.

I still plan to get a tach and experiment with a couple of different props for the cub. I might have a 2.4 radio in my future, so if I do buy one I'll order it with small servos & rx and try to lighten up the PoC. Not sure if I want to tackle re-covering the plane though. The last time I tried removing monokote it was a PITA.

MJD, I love your comment about how the BW deserves to be flying with a grinning pilot below. Oh, I'll be grinning! Sorry, you lost me with SOYY?? Please fill me in.

lildiesel, it's not R2R. It's O'Donnell High Performance Racing Fuel, and "30% Car". LHS said that I should add a couple of oz of castor for the 1/2A, so I poured off a couple of oz into a primer bottle and then topped the qt bottle up with castor. Hey, maybe that's why I couldn't get my BW to run right, nor get the cub to fly my plane, I was using car fuel! (Sorry, it just came out...) Seriously though, why not try the heli or racing 30%?

proptop

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There's an R/C flying field right across Rt. 5 from Brennan's Hobby shop...Paradise R/C Flyers...I'm a safety officer there, and one of the instructors.
We also used to fly at Griffiss (RAAM )...from the early 70's until 2005 when we got the boot [][:@]

A couple friends and I have flown at the Lee Town Park w/ our electric stuff, but not since the Summer of '07..

If you want some club info, PM me...I can help ya out there.

MJD

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It's a small company that makes kits for a bunch of nice old timer designs in 1/2A scale: http://www.soy.on.ca/Plane2.html

Lots of good subjects there. Many of these will fly fine with your Cub and climb like crazy on a BW.

On the subject of fuel. O'Donnell racing fuel uses pure synthetic oil, and I bet no more than 16%. These engines should be run on at least 20% and better yet 22-23% oil of which a minimum of 50% is castor oil, in order to protect areas like the ball and socket joint in the Cox pistons. If I read you right, you took 32oz of car fuel, dumped 2, added 2 oz of castor oil. This works out to 21.3% oil of which 5.3% is castor - if the 16% figure is correct that is. They will run on this, but I bet the Cub is suffering from lack of castor everywhere and the Cox is wishing its ball and socket joint had a lot more lubrication. SIG Champion 25% is a great 1/2A fuel. 30% car fuel with synthetic oil is not. These engines use different metallurgy than modern car engines. But really, the BW will let you away with a few runs on what you have, but I'd aim to get some proper 1/2A fuel soon as you can.

MJD

vauxhall

A common problem with Cox reedies that have been stored for a long time is the reed petal glueing itself shut with dried castor oil. Strip the engine and clean the reed. Make sure the spring goes back so the petal can open! That's about all that can go wrong with 'em.......John

MJD

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This is a haven of 1/2A nuts, a festering den of modelling iniquity. You'll inevitably get more than you bargained for anytime you ask questions around here. Tough problem to have. And you'll get lectured about fuel and rpm every time until you toe the line.. so get it together man!

Total agreement: Applying film is a PITA. Removing film is a PITA. Finishing airplanes all together is a PITA.

Firing up a 1/2A engine after cleaning and repair, and having it start and needle properly and sound happy again is one of those special moments the socially-challenged among us crave.

MJD

Sandore

Thanks for the info about the car fuel. I probably am light on oil and castor then. Now that I've used a few tankfuls I could add more castor, but then of course I'm dropping the nitro content too, right? I also tried a tankful of some 25-30 year old Cox fuel that I still had kicking around, and the cub ran on that too, although by ear it was slower than the fresh 20% & 30% that I have. My 20% is Traxxas car/truck fuel also, same thing, I added some castor to it. I wasn't precise with any of my measurements though. I'll get some proper fuel as you suggest, and maybe I'll have to break down and get one of those 1/8 scale 4wd buggies one of these days to use up my car fuel. My wife will love that justification.

I hadn't mentioned it before, but when I couldn't get the BW to start I consulted with a couple of guys at work that are familiar with them, and they suggested many of the same things as you folks have. So, I disassembled and carefully cleaned everything, replaced the fuel pick up line, blew through the needle area (and it was gummed up so I had to focus some attention there) and cleaned up the reed surface area. As for the tank O ring, when I took the thing apart there was no O ring. So it either disintegrated or maybe I took the tank off at some point 20 years ago and lost the O ring. I'll have to do some more fuel line slicing to see if I can get it. My slicing technique is to put the fuel line over a length of cotton swab stick, and then start making whisker thin slices with a single edge razor. If anyone has a better way to do it, please let me know.

MJD

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I don't, sorry.. I think you're using fairly up-to-date technology as far as this job is concerned.

You blew through the fuel inlet too, right - where the fuel pickup line goes? That little 90 degree section there can hide gunk. if so, get that seal working and you ought to be off to the races.

Again, the fuel you have mixed up isn't going to kill it immediately. But that old Cub might run a bit finicky depending on state of break-in, or it might not, and the ball and socket joint on Coxes needs lots of castor so the wear rate will be "higher" but on a relative scale the amount may not be staggering. Just be careful on the needle, you don't want it running lean ever, but esp. not now.

MJD