Mystery Plane Identification and Help
#26
My Feedback: (29)
With regard to the rudder stick, the old school will say that you need to learn to use left thumb. The bank and yank crowd will say go with the right thumb. I've done both but prefer to keep the rudder on my left simply because that's where my rudder reflexes are. One thing about it, those old three channel trainers are sufficiently stable that as long as you can maintain enough presence of mind to remember which hand has the throttle you can switch channels on a 4 channel receiver easily enough. If you are comfortable enough with flying to test out the changes that you make to you airplane then try it both ways. If it makes you nervous, remember that even experienced pilots are okay with having a trusted spotter who will remind them of what to do.
Not sure how I feel about being called a " Stick Banger " LOL
#27
#29
My Feedback: (1)
Congratulations Allmode's on the successful maiden of your Senior. Not only are they wonderful keepers but for this reason do retain their value regardless, in the kit box, completed airplane or an Arf makes no difference. Arguably The Seniors (and most variations) are the most successful trainers in the history of remotely controlled model flight. Also arguably the most kit bashed into about every conceivable configuration possible. I just received a commission for two of my turbine JetCadets. My fervent hope is Sig continues with the Kits just a bit longer as that is the starting point I prefer when bashing a Senior.
With any three control or for that matter even a rudder only airplane using a two stick Tx it makes no diff which side you put the rudder on. Use the side you feel the most comfortable with. I still fly some oldtimers that I do use a programable mix to use both sticks, thereby giving you a choice. Now by doing this a little trick is by giving one side more rudder throw than the other you now have dual rates without the need to hit a switch. Can,t help with the 6102 but suspect it may have the pre programed mix of aileron to rudder which will give you the ability to use both sticks.
Can't help with the exhaust gasket as I just never use them but perhaps using some sort of "formagasket" from the auto store would do?
With any three control or for that matter even a rudder only airplane using a two stick Tx it makes no diff which side you put the rudder on. Use the side you feel the most comfortable with. I still fly some oldtimers that I do use a programable mix to use both sticks, thereby giving you a choice. Now by doing this a little trick is by giving one side more rudder throw than the other you now have dual rates without the need to hit a switch. Can,t help with the 6102 but suspect it may have the pre programed mix of aileron to rudder which will give you the ability to use both sticks.
Can't help with the exhaust gasket as I just never use them but perhaps using some sort of "formagasket" from the auto store would do?
#30
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Upplands Vasby, SWEDEN
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Hi!
On most modern glow engines there are no exhaust gasket. But if you want one ,go ahead and use one. You can cut one out from thick paper. Silicon is no good as it will come loose with time.
On most modern glow engines there are no exhaust gasket. But if you want one ,go ahead and use one. You can cut one out from thick paper. Silicon is no good as it will come loose with time.
#31
Moderator
I've done the paper thing before. It will compress with thermal expansion of the aluminum and then get loose. It will blow out eventually, leaving your muffler bolts loose. If you had the firesight to locktite them, you will wind up with an exhaust leak that is simple enough to fix. If you didn't, your muffler will probably fall off in flight unless you notice it soon.
I haven't used an exhaust gasket for years. I figure the tiny bit of leakage from not having one isn't going to hurt anything, and I know that there is no gasket there to compress and blow out. If you really feel the need to seal it up, use some high temp form a gasket applied very thinly. I used to do that, and never had a problem. It's just that now I don't care enough anymore to bother.
I haven't used an exhaust gasket for years. I figure the tiny bit of leakage from not having one isn't going to hurt anything, and I know that there is no gasket there to compress and blow out. If you really feel the need to seal it up, use some high temp form a gasket applied very thinly. I used to do that, and never had a problem. It's just that now I don't care enough anymore to bother.
#32
#33
Moderator
My point above is that paper doesn't work well. It won't last. And when it blows out, your muffler bolts will be about a 1/2 turn loose. Put a dab of high temp liquid gasket compound on if you must, but don't use paper.
#34
A loose muffler makes a nasty mess. The exhaust isn't going where you want it and the backpressure and vibration can do a fair amount of damage to mating surfaces,threads, etc. If possible, I would try to find the correct gasket for the engine. I can`t recall now, but there was an outfit advertising in Model Aviation that made gaskets for just about any model engine.
#35
And here it is , the reason I've never lost a muffler . As we all know they expand & get loose with heat . I run an engine till it's good and warm and while it's hot I tighten it (not to the point of stripping of course) .
I never used any kind of gasket , even when one was supplied , for the whole squish/loose reason ...
I never used any kind of gasket , even when one was supplied , for the whole squish/loose reason ...
#37
#38
Moderator
Actually, the fit will never be looser than at room temperature. The aluminum expands more than the steel bolt does, which means a hot engine has more tension on the muffler bolts than a cold engine.
Since this is a confusing topic for a lot of new RC pilots, I'll break down the science (as best I can) on why mufflers come loose.
There are 2 types of elongation involved- elastic deformation and plastic deformation. Elastic is stretching that returns to the original shape, while plastic doesn't. If you've ever stretched the neck out on a T shirt, you have an idea of what plastic deformation is all about.
A new bolt, when put under tension, will immediately stretch elastically. When the engine heats up, it stretches more. The bolt will stretch permanently some, which relieves some of the tension. A couple of cycles of that can stretch it enough for your muffler to become loose, which will let vibration unscrew the bolts. Loctite can stop the vibration from rattling the bolts out, but it can't do anything about the permanent stretching. If you do some searching you can find a few threads from frustrated hobbyists who say they muffler bolts won't stay tight even though they are using loctite on them.
Before long though, the plastic deformation settles down and the bolt returns to its original length after each stretching cycle. You can make the bolt settle down without risking your muffler by tightening it to its elastic limit (evidenced by a sudden increasing in the effort needed to tighten it more) and let it sit for a day or two.
The idea for keeping a muffler attached then is to not let it stretch to its plastic limit when the engine heats up so that it returns to its original length when it cools down. I do that by tightening 1/2-1 turn past snug once the initial stretching has happened. It works for me.
Since this is a confusing topic for a lot of new RC pilots, I'll break down the science (as best I can) on why mufflers come loose.
There are 2 types of elongation involved- elastic deformation and plastic deformation. Elastic is stretching that returns to the original shape, while plastic doesn't. If you've ever stretched the neck out on a T shirt, you have an idea of what plastic deformation is all about.
A new bolt, when put under tension, will immediately stretch elastically. When the engine heats up, it stretches more. The bolt will stretch permanently some, which relieves some of the tension. A couple of cycles of that can stretch it enough for your muffler to become loose, which will let vibration unscrew the bolts. Loctite can stop the vibration from rattling the bolts out, but it can't do anything about the permanent stretching. If you do some searching you can find a few threads from frustrated hobbyists who say they muffler bolts won't stay tight even though they are using loctite on them.
Before long though, the plastic deformation settles down and the bolt returns to its original length after each stretching cycle. You can make the bolt settle down without risking your muffler by tightening it to its elastic limit (evidenced by a sudden increasing in the effort needed to tighten it more) and let it sit for a day or two.
The idea for keeping a muffler attached then is to not let it stretch to its plastic limit when the engine heats up so that it returns to its original length when it cools down. I do that by tightening 1/2-1 turn past snug once the initial stretching has happened. It works for me.
#39
My Feedback: (1)
Good morning AllModeR/C perhaps I can provide some additional thoughts to this conversation. When in the early heyday ofI I/C engines for model aircraft mufflers were never even a consideration, not even as an after thought except possibly as some form of deflecter to keep gunk off of the airplane.This lasted all the way thru the late fifties when it was realized backpressure from some form of muffler could be used to improve fuel delivery as well as throttling of RC engines.
At this point in the sixties some manufacturers started providing mufflers as accessories, these were generally of the strap on type to fit engine exhaust bosses not intended for mufflers. Any real seal was impossible but not needed. It was not until the late sixties and early seventies that many manufacturers started to build their engines with sealable exhaust bosses on their manifolds and most followed. It was at this point that many also started including gaskets (but not All).
In the next twenty years or so a reversal of this occurred when manufacturers realized that most new engines ended up with an exhaust gasket only being used just once in their lives when new. Now fast forward to more recent times when production of new glow engines seems to be going extinct (depressingly so). I am not aware of any that may include and exhaust gaskets.
Another factor which indeed affects the seal of an exhaust manifold and that is the quality of the machining of the seats. As an example OS in their more mature years were among the best and on the other end of the scale were the Super Tiger engines that used the water pipe mufflers were the worst. These were the ones
that the mufflers looked like cast iron water pipe.
Now If I may offer one little trick to improve any engines seal of the muffler manifold. It involves no goop or lots of work. Just remove the muffler and lay some #400 to #600 Wet or Dry with a bit of oil wiped over it on a an iron (or steel) machine table such as a drill press for example. Now just a bit of working the mufflers manifold seal surface over this held flat to the surface will improve the seal, even just doing only the muffer. If the engine is not mounted also doing this to the engine's muffler seal surface improves things even more.
Also judging from virtually all the responders in your thread The vast majority of us who still use glow engines just never bothered or was a gasket ever really needed.
Just one last thought (I promise) Dawn Power Dissolver will work wonders over the old dangerous and labor intensive radiator coolent/crockpot method to clean our engines of the gunk that oozes out every corner of our glow engines. Not just the muffler manifold seam.
John
At this point in the sixties some manufacturers started providing mufflers as accessories, these were generally of the strap on type to fit engine exhaust bosses not intended for mufflers. Any real seal was impossible but not needed. It was not until the late sixties and early seventies that many manufacturers started to build their engines with sealable exhaust bosses on their manifolds and most followed. It was at this point that many also started including gaskets (but not All).
In the next twenty years or so a reversal of this occurred when manufacturers realized that most new engines ended up with an exhaust gasket only being used just once in their lives when new. Now fast forward to more recent times when production of new glow engines seems to be going extinct (depressingly so). I am not aware of any that may include and exhaust gaskets.
Another factor which indeed affects the seal of an exhaust manifold and that is the quality of the machining of the seats. As an example OS in their more mature years were among the best and on the other end of the scale were the Super Tiger engines that used the water pipe mufflers were the worst. These were the ones
that the mufflers looked like cast iron water pipe.
Now If I may offer one little trick to improve any engines seal of the muffler manifold. It involves no goop or lots of work. Just remove the muffler and lay some #400 to #600 Wet or Dry with a bit of oil wiped over it on a an iron (or steel) machine table such as a drill press for example. Now just a bit of working the mufflers manifold seal surface over this held flat to the surface will improve the seal, even just doing only the muffer. If the engine is not mounted also doing this to the engine's muffler seal surface improves things even more.
Also judging from virtually all the responders in your thread The vast majority of us who still use glow engines just never bothered or was a gasket ever really needed.
Just one last thought (I promise) Dawn Power Dissolver will work wonders over the old dangerous and labor intensive radiator coolent/crockpot method to clean our engines of the gunk that oozes out every corner of our glow engines. Not just the muffler manifold seam.
John
Last edited by JohnBuckner; 09-28-2019 at 11:33 AM.