weston magnum plug
05-22-2003, 06:28 PM
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weston magnum plug
Just got one of these and have read most of the threads, but I don't remember reading much about plugs. Anyone have any suggestions: os, fox, k&B, other?
05-22-2003, 11:05 PM
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weston magnum plug
You have got the West Eurotec engine?
I went through a couple of plugs fast with mine before I ended up with an Enya #6... this one seems to hold.
I had a Proplug #7 (supplied with engine), Rossi R5 (2 of them actually), and an Enya #4 on it, and the were all gone in 2 or 3 flights.
The engine doesn't need high nitro fuel, 5% is more than enough apparently...
I went through a couple of plugs fast with mine before I ended up with an Enya #6... this one seems to hold.
I had a Proplug #7 (supplied with engine), Rossi R5 (2 of them actually), and an Enya #4 on it, and the were all gone in 2 or 3 flights.
The engine doesn't need high nitro fuel, 5% is more than enough apparently...
05-23-2003, 02:38 AM
#3
weston magnum plug
I was going through a plug about every 5 minutes literally, I couldn't even get a full tank through. I was using the K&B 1L and K&B HP (ducted fan plugs) they didn't last at all.
I FOUND THE SECRET THOUGH!!!!!!!
I went to an OS R5 short plug, not a long, I've run 3 full tanks through now and the plug is like brand new, in fact, I test flew the magnum tonight, and I'm on my way to write about that now!
Jeremy
I FOUND THE SECRET THOUGH!!!!!!!
I went to an OS R5 short plug, not a long, I've run 3 full tanks through now and the plug is like brand new, in fact, I test flew the magnum tonight, and I'm on my way to write about that now!
Jeremy
05-28-2003, 07:31 PM
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thanks guys,
lhs doen't carry the enya so I'll try the os r5 if they have it. How does this plug differ from an A3 or A8. I've got gobs of those around of course.
lhs doen't carry the enya so I'll try the os r5 if they have it. How does this plug differ from an A3 or A8. I've got gobs of those around of course.
05-28-2003, 08:44 PM
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Tomorrow I will try a Nova Rossi N7 and a Rossi R8, just to see how they do. They are very cold plugs... A friend of mine used the Rossi R8 in his .40 OPS Pylon engine...
I agree with not using long reach plugs. My Enya #6 is a little recessed and I think this is what keeps it in one piece...
I agree with not using long reach plugs. My Enya #6 is a little recessed and I think this is what keeps it in one piece...
05-30-2003, 02:34 AM
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Well, actually I didn't try them today... I flew they entire day with a new Enya #6 (about 10 flights)... and it didn't quit. I took it out after I got home, and I can see it is only going to last one or two more flights, but that's the best I have got out of a plug so far...
I will try the Rossi and Nova Rossi plugs on saturday.
I get the feeling this engine needs a fair bit of running in. Today I ran it really hard: no nitro and really leaned out for max rpm in the air... and every two flights or so I had had to lean it a click or two, so this indicates the engine still hasn't reached its full potential...
There's only one thing I fear...: one of these days a piece of glow plug coil is going to get caught in the exhaust port, and then I will be shopping for a new liner and piston... so far I have been lucky, but this isn't going to last. Last week I found a small piece of glow plug coil in the header...so...
I will try the Rossi and Nova Rossi plugs on saturday.
I get the feeling this engine needs a fair bit of running in. Today I ran it really hard: no nitro and really leaned out for max rpm in the air... and every two flights or so I had had to lean it a click or two, so this indicates the engine still hasn't reached its full potential...
There's only one thing I fear...: one of these days a piece of glow plug coil is going to get caught in the exhaust port, and then I will be shopping for a new liner and piston... so far I have been lucky, but this isn't going to last. Last week I found a small piece of glow plug coil in the header...so...
06-02-2003, 10:33 AM
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Well, I tried the Rossi R8 and the Nova Rossi C7 yesterday...
The Rossi is just plain too short, the engine won't start with it. This engine head needs long reach plugs...
The Nova Rossi ran fine, but it only lasted 3/4 flight...the engine was still running, but hesitated at WOT, so I landed...plug was gone...
I'm going to lower the compression of this engine...
The Rossi is just plain too short, the engine won't start with it. This engine head needs long reach plugs...
The Nova Rossi ran fine, but it only lasted 3/4 flight...the engine was still running, but hesitated at WOT, so I landed...plug was gone...
I'm going to lower the compression of this engine...
06-07-2003, 05:36 PM
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Ok....
I'm a happy man now...
I think I'm coming close to the sweet spot with the West engine now...
The engine came with a 0.15mm (0.0059 inch) head shim installed... I put a second shim under the head with the same thickness... so I lowered the compression quite a bit.
I started using 10% nitro fuel again.
And I shortened the header up to the point where the engine runs hot on the ground, and then backed it off a couple of millimeters... The silicone pipe coupler is touching the bend in the header now, so I shortened it quite a bit.
I use the Rossi R8 plug now (very cold...I'm surprised this thing still idles).
The increase in performance is awesome! That's all i can say about it.
The engine absolutely howls now when in the air. The ground rpm doesn't appear to be much higher, but the engine really unwinds in the air...
The engine is a little harder to start by hand now, but still acceptable. Idle and pick up are still very reliable. Whipcrack acceleration...
I ran the snot out of it all day long, and you can't even tell by looking at the plug that it has been used... still looks brand new. I burned over 3 quarters of a gallon of fuel today... man I was having fun!
Another nice side effect is that the Magnum now whistles really loud when doing full speed low passes... a really cool sound... but unfortunately that sound means drag...
It is that sound what is keeping me from going even faster...hehe...
A side note: we have very hot and humid weather these days... 32°C or about 90°F for the americans... maybe this has something to do with things too, I don't know... I'll cross that bridge when I come to it...
I'm a happy man now...
I think I'm coming close to the sweet spot with the West engine now...
The engine came with a 0.15mm (0.0059 inch) head shim installed... I put a second shim under the head with the same thickness... so I lowered the compression quite a bit.
I started using 10% nitro fuel again.
And I shortened the header up to the point where the engine runs hot on the ground, and then backed it off a couple of millimeters... The silicone pipe coupler is touching the bend in the header now, so I shortened it quite a bit.
I use the Rossi R8 plug now (very cold...I'm surprised this thing still idles).
The increase in performance is awesome! That's all i can say about it.
The engine absolutely howls now when in the air. The ground rpm doesn't appear to be much higher, but the engine really unwinds in the air...
The engine is a little harder to start by hand now, but still acceptable. Idle and pick up are still very reliable. Whipcrack acceleration...
I ran the snot out of it all day long, and you can't even tell by looking at the plug that it has been used... still looks brand new. I burned over 3 quarters of a gallon of fuel today... man I was having fun!
Another nice side effect is that the Magnum now whistles really loud when doing full speed low passes... a really cool sound... but unfortunately that sound means drag...
It is that sound what is keeping me from going even faster...hehe...A side note: we have very hot and humid weather these days... 32°C or about 90°F for the americans... maybe this has something to do with things too, I don't know... I'll cross that bridge when I come to it...
06-07-2003, 05:41 PM
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Another thing...
Is there someone out there that still has his header stock length?
Could that someone measure how long the straight bit is? That way I can tell how much I shortened the header, because I didn't keep track
Is there someone out there that still has his header stock length?
Could that someone measure how long the straight bit is? That way I can tell how much I shortened the header, because I didn't keep track
06-07-2003, 07:15 PM
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Thanks SJ :thumbup:
So lets have a look...
According to your pic there is about 4 centimeters of straight tube before the bend starts, and I have about 17 millimeters left of that straight tube, with 2 mm of space between the pipe and the header...
So that means I have my pipe length set about 21 millimeters shorter than stock...
The engine manual says something about shortening the header 1" when using the APC 8x8... about right...
Sorry to hear your Magnum is grounded due to the broken header by the way...
So lets have a look...
According to your pic there is about 4 centimeters of straight tube before the bend starts, and I have about 17 millimeters left of that straight tube, with 2 mm of space between the pipe and the header...
So that means I have my pipe length set about 21 millimeters shorter than stock...
The engine manual says something about shortening the header 1" when using the APC 8x8... about right...
Sorry to hear your Magnum is grounded due to the broken header by the way...
06-07-2003, 08:39 PM
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weston magnum plug
your welcome..
The picture isnt realy accurete, because it is taken from an angle.
The straight bit is exactly 3,5cm long.
grounded....no way
The spare engine is already in, even thoug its a dog compared to the west
dunno why it looks like 4cm on the other pic...
SJ.
The picture isnt realy accurete, because it is taken from an angle.
The straight bit is exactly 3,5cm long.
grounded....no way
The spare engine is already in, even thoug its a dog compared to the west
dunno why it looks like 4cm on the other pic...
SJ.
06-08-2003, 12:02 AM
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How do you guys start this thing by hand?! Mine turns over so hard that my starter will barely turn it. It makes a really loud squeeking noise too.
06-08-2003, 12:16 AM
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Get yourself a proper starter and a good lead-acid battery...and don't forget to charge it...lol 
... just kidding man. I have a 17 year old Sullivan starter and use a 12 Ah wet motorcycle battery...last week I used it to start a young clubmember's Moki 1.50, so... It doesn't have the power to swing my Saito 1.50 through compression though.
About hand starting: I found this engine starts pretty good by hand. You know you can develop much more torque swinging the prop by hand than your starter will ever develop? I use a heavy leather glove to protect my fingers against the sharp APC's. But last week I forgot the glove at home, so I used my bare fingers... I wasn't too happy about this, but luckily they are still intact...lol
My engine never made the "squeeking noise" though... it was nice and tight when new, but not too much... Maybe I got one of the looser fitting piston-liner sets... I dunno...
I ran the engine pretty hard already, and now there's only a very slight pinch left at TDC when cold...But hey, it screams on the 8x8 now, so I'm happy.
... just kidding man. I have a 17 year old Sullivan starter and use a 12 Ah wet motorcycle battery...last week I used it to start a young clubmember's Moki 1.50, so... It doesn't have the power to swing my Saito 1.50 through compression though.About hand starting: I found this engine starts pretty good by hand. You know you can develop much more torque swinging the prop by hand than your starter will ever develop? I use a heavy leather glove to protect my fingers against the sharp APC's. But last week I forgot the glove at home, so I used my bare fingers... I wasn't too happy about this, but luckily they are still intact...lol
My engine never made the "squeeking noise" though... it was nice and tight when new, but not too much... Maybe I got one of the looser fitting piston-liner sets... I dunno...
I ran the engine pretty hard already, and now there's only a very slight pinch left at TDC when cold...But hey, it screams on the 8x8 now, so I'm happy.
06-08-2003, 12:50 PM
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thanks, didn't plan to ever start by hand. Its just that my engine turns over so hard I don't think it would be possible. Their has to be something wrong with mine. I know its supposed to be a tight fit, but this is rediculous. It's so bad I can even hear the sqeaking noise when the engine is idleing.
06-08-2003, 02:13 PM
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Mine was that tight at first... It was very hard to turn it by hand over TDC, and there seemed to be two "mechanical stops" just before and after TDC.
Even when starting it with a Dynatron on a fully charged 17Ah 12 Volt battery you had to spin the starter up prior to "engaging" it to the spinner, and you could really hear the engine breaking in while idleing. All the scary noises gradually disappeared.
After running about 10 tanks of fuel throught it, on ground and in the air, the engine was broken in, and i could use my smaller starter without any problems.
Even when starting it with a Dynatron on a fully charged 17Ah 12 Volt battery you had to spin the starter up prior to "engaging" it to the spinner, and you could really hear the engine breaking in while idleing. All the scary noises gradually disappeared.
After running about 10 tanks of fuel throught it, on ground and in the air, the engine was broken in, and i could use my smaller starter without any problems.
