cappaj1

My Feedback: (1)

On my third day of solo flight I had three more deadstick landings. I checked the engine between each flight on the stand and couldn't get the engine to quit in any position or at any throttle setting. It was puzzling to say the least. I got the plane back to the runway for all three landings and the plane, other than a bent nosewheel strut, is still in perfect condition (other than deadsticking [:@]).

Rich from the club pulled the carb from the engine, cleaned out around the o-rings, and blew through the inlet and reassembled everything. Then we fueled the plane up and ran it and he made some adjustments to both the low speed and high speed needles and it's now running slightly on the rich side. He pinched the line going to the carb and the engine rpm's increased which was normal. We couldn't get the engine to quit after his adjustments after full throttle, low throttle, quick throttle changes after waiting for 60 seconds in between, verticle, etc.

I had to leave the field so didn't get a chance to try it out again though. Hopefully tomorrow. I have a feeling I'm not done with this problem though. Wish me luck as I need it!

flyX

Maybe the fuel clunk got sholved foward. I'd check there first.

I also inspect to see if i sliced the tubbing in the tank during installation. Once the fuel level gets lower,
it'll start sucking air, therefore causing the engine to run leaner, hotter then die.

If that dosn't cure it..I'd seal the back plate.

opjose

Like he said!

If you can't find a problem with the tuning on the ground, look to your fuel system.

It can often be something simple and easy to overlook.

A forward stuck clunk ( as FlyX said ) or a hairline crack on a fuel tube, a slightly clogged muffler nipple, a clunk that touches the back of the tank as the plane accelerates or snaps up, etc.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Leaving the outside edges of brass tubing sharp invites sliced fuel lines. A rubber honing wheel mounted on a bench grinder rounds off the sharp edges nicely. The fuel tank set up is always to be suspected...fuel foaming will also cause in-flight problems that bench running doesn't detect.

Tony Hernandez

My Feedback: (-2)

always check the tank first

Charlie P.

Agree with combatpigg. I've had enough problems associated with small holes in the fuel lines that I replace them BEFORE any engine disassembly or time investment. Though I just use 220 grit sandpaper to smooth the outside and I flare and swage the inside of my tubing with a *****-punch/scratch awl. This also "trumpets" the ends and helps keep the hose on with a simple Nylon cable-tie clamp to secure it.

Glow engines are like diesel engines. 90% of the problems with them are fuel or fuel flow related. Anything that introduces air into the fuel either over-leans the mix or flat out starves the engine. Better to use $2.00 in new fuel line than waste hours of your valuable potential flight time. Not a bad policy to replace them annually or semi-annually in any case.

Spacemonkey71

WOW!!!!! You are just FULL of rotten luck lately [X(] Doesn't that make FOUR deadsticks in 2 days????? I really hope it isn't contagious

You need to take your instructor out to dinner for training you well enough to nail the landings without any catastrophic events He really taught you well !!!

Congratulations on not leaving craters or little chunky bits of airplane laying around afterwards!!!

Keep up the great work landing under duress. I hope I can learn to be as graceful under pressure as you apparently are. I'm still replaying last weekend's "tree landing" over and over in my head and I'm HOPING that it hasn't freaked me out too badly to where I "regress" and freak out over every little thing (of course, how do you regress when you don't know squat to begin with ???) I'm just going to fly SLOW and HIGH so I can give myself enough room to make corrections!

I know you'll get this sorted out pretty soon. It's probably a $0.50 part that's causing all the headaches. I saw something like this last weekend when a guy had a funky fuel line -just a tiny split/crack near the tank connection that occasionally fed bubbles instead of straight juice. He DID get a little visibly pale when it happened while he was making an inverted low level pass!

Good luck troubleshooting and I hope soon you can "fly normal" again [8D] All those deadsticks are starting to give me the heebie-jeebies

Spacemonkey71

WOW!!!!! You are just FULL of rotten luck lately [X(] Doesn't that make FOUR deadsticks in 2 days????? I really hope it isn't contagious

You need to take your instructor out to dinner for training you well enough to nail the landings without any catastrophic events He really taught you well !!!

Congratulations on not leaving craters or little chunky bits of airplane laying around afterwards!!!

Keep up the great work landing under duress. I hope I can learn to be as graceful under pressure as you apparently are. I'm still replaying last weekend's "tree landing" over and over in my head and I'm HOPING that it hasn't subconsciously messed with me too badly to where I "regress" and freak out over every little thing (of course, how do you regress when you don't know squat to begin with ???) I'm just going to fly SLOW and HIGH so I can give myself enough room to make corrections!

I know you'll get this sorted out pretty soon. It's probably a $0.50 part that's causing all the headaches. I saw something like this last weekend when a guy had a funky fuel line -just a tiny split/crack near the tank connection that occasionally fed bubbles instead of straight juice. He DID get a little visibly pale when it happened while he was making an inverted low level pass!

Good luck troubleshooting and I hope soon you can "fly normal" again [8D] All those deadsticks are starting to give me the heebie-jeebies

flyX

well... you know how I learned

Killed 3 glow plugs.
Became a certified dead stick master.
Had my instructor tuned it for an hour.lol
Took the engine apart to seal the back plate.
Shook the heck out of the model.
Killed another glow plug.
Almost burried it on purpose.
Then I looked inside the tank..

draftman1

you could still be running lean in the air. what engine are you using. back plate is a start, rtv the carb in, small piece of fuel line over the needle valve. NEW FUEL LINES all the way around, even in the tank. better yet, get a new tank, the stopper could be leaking, there could also be a pinhole in tha tank on the top, it wouldnt leak fuel but it would suck air. muffler preasure, did you take the baffle out? that will cause muffler preasure loss. the fuel line in the tank has to be flexable, like a limp @#$%. I had some that wouldnt drop in inverted flight. it took a while to find that problem. the line the tank came with was too stiff, gravity couldnt pull it down

at least you got a good deadstick landing workout. that is also important

1fasthitman

go electric

ohnoucdat

My Feedback: (16)

LOL on the electric

cappaj1

My Feedback: (1)

Deadsticks so far and bad weather!

On 8/6 I had two deaddsticks. On 8/7 I had three more. Carb was then pulled and cleaned and needle adjustments made. 8/8 it rained all day. 8/9 it deadsticked on takeoff.
8/10 couldn't fly due to bad weather. 8/11 flew around puddles on the runway, water up past my feet walking around in some spots, took off, made the first turn, you guessed it, another deadstick.

Between each flight I'm messing with needle adjustments, changing glow plugs, trying to get the engine to quit on the stand but it won't. Just in flight. At least I've been fortunate enough to get it back to the runway each time.

Tomorrow I'm going to replace the tank and all fuel lines. Wish me luck as I need it!

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

The only other thing that comes to mind about what could be different between your test stand and the plane is the mount itself. Once there was a kid at the field who couldn't keep his engine running, it died hot as a pistol everytime. The engine felt tight to me when flipping it. Took it off the mounts and now it felt OK. The mounts were so badly out of whack, they placed a bind on the engine.
99.99% sure a new tank and lines will take care of you. I like the Hayes tanks over the others because they are so simple to set up.
The very best tank money can buy are the bubbless kind that are available from Jett or Performance Specialties. They eliminate foaming no matter what rpm

red head

Just for the heck of it~~~ try running it pretty RICH !!! Make your normal high speed adjustment then Richen it up about 1/2 turn.
You might also set your idle trim up so that it just keeps the plane from moving on the ground ( grass runway ??? ) ENJOY !!! RED