SYSSA 30CC GAS MADE IN USA
04-06-2016, 07:12 PM
#6302
A little. I didn't like the Hershey Bar wing on most of the planes I saw.
This one has a high aspect and taper almost like a glider. I did add 3 deg of washout, but I'm not sure if that was enough to make any difference in the low speed handling. I would need to make another wing to test it out. Ain't gonna happen though, I'm done building. It's ARF, ARF, ARF for me from now on.
The winds are finally calming down again so I can fly, but I decided to take a break and go fishing tomorrow.
This one has a high aspect and taper almost like a glider. I did add 3 deg of washout, but I'm not sure if that was enough to make any difference in the low speed handling. I would need to make another wing to test it out. Ain't gonna happen though, I'm done building. It's ARF, ARF, ARF for me from now on.
The winds are finally calming down again so I can fly, but I decided to take a break and go fishing tomorrow.
04-08-2016, 06:07 AM
#6303
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The one thing I found about the Syssa engines is that they're very sensitive to any air bubbles that get into the feed line. Of course, it's not just a Syssa thing; most brands are sensitive to that. Like yours, mine leaked air at the Tee. On one of mine, I ended up making the fuel filler line a separate line into the tank, and that way, the fuel feed line was uninterrupted from the tank to the carburetor. On the one that still had a tee in the line, I used special collets from my work (Dental Tubings) to seal the tee, and after that, I changed my fuel filler out to a positive-plug fuel dot, because I found that the fancy spring loaded fuelers often allow air into the line! So, I went old school, using the dots that just plug the end of the line.
It can be maddening when the engine dies repeatedly, because these are normally awesome-running engines. I made up a small gas tank strapped down to a small board, and when I needed to ascertain whether my fuel system was causing the problem, I just took the plane's system out of the equation entirely by hooking up my test-tank. Suddenly, the engine idled perfectly, and didn't stall out just sitting there. I know it sounds weird, but I unstrapped the test-tank from the board, and duct-taped it to my fuselage, and flew a few picture-perfect flights without a single dead-stick. Ugly, but effective!
That's when I started looking at every possible point of entry for air, and every fitting was a suspect. That was my GSS, and I might have even documented that little fiasco in the GSS thread, or here in the Syssa thread. It was several years ago. That was when I adopted the one-line-for-each-thing method. One for feed, one for fill, and one for vent. Old school! After that, my GSS with the Syssa became my favorite plane. Of course, it only cut down on the dead-sticks some, because I'm famous for flying my planes out of gas and then dead-sticking the approach. I actually LIKE dead-stick landings. Call me weird, you'd be right.
Speaking of fishing, I took some of the money from selling off my RC stuff, and I bought a new boat for fishing. And by "new," I mean it's over twenty years old, and the dealer called it a "Mechanic's Special," which means I got a big discount on it because the outboard doesn't run, even though the boat itself is almost pristine. I bought it sight-unseen (I'm Scottish and cheap, so sue me), because the dealer was in Wenatchee, halfway across Washington state. I got there, and looked at it, and compared to my 15-foot fishing boat, this thing was HUGE, a 19-footer, which I didn't entirely expect, and I NEVER expected that the boat and trailer would be three feet WIDER than my other boat. But, as I said, the boat itself was close to pristine, so the deal was closed. Oh, my little Hyundai Santa Fe groaned and moaned and guzzled gas all the way home, but it did okay, and we made it home. With a deal like that, you never know what you're going to find, so I pulled out all my motor-tools from my mis-spent youth, tools that I rarely use (compression testers, remote starters, etc.) and dug in. Well, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am this morning, because about 4:00 yesterday afternoon, that outboard roared to life, and it purrs like a kitten. YEAH! It kind of reminded me of the day I finally got my Syssa running properly; that feeling when a challenge becomes a triumph.
Anyway, as soon as I get it in the water, it looks like fishing is back on the menu!
~ Jim ~
It can be maddening when the engine dies repeatedly, because these are normally awesome-running engines. I made up a small gas tank strapped down to a small board, and when I needed to ascertain whether my fuel system was causing the problem, I just took the plane's system out of the equation entirely by hooking up my test-tank. Suddenly, the engine idled perfectly, and didn't stall out just sitting there. I know it sounds weird, but I unstrapped the test-tank from the board, and duct-taped it to my fuselage, and flew a few picture-perfect flights without a single dead-stick. Ugly, but effective!
That's when I started looking at every possible point of entry for air, and every fitting was a suspect. That was my GSS, and I might have even documented that little fiasco in the GSS thread, or here in the Syssa thread. It was several years ago. That was when I adopted the one-line-for-each-thing method. One for feed, one for fill, and one for vent. Old school! After that, my GSS with the Syssa became my favorite plane. Of course, it only cut down on the dead-sticks some, because I'm famous for flying my planes out of gas and then dead-sticking the approach. I actually LIKE dead-stick landings. Call me weird, you'd be right.
Speaking of fishing, I took some of the money from selling off my RC stuff, and I bought a new boat for fishing. And by "new," I mean it's over twenty years old, and the dealer called it a "Mechanic's Special," which means I got a big discount on it because the outboard doesn't run, even though the boat itself is almost pristine. I bought it sight-unseen (I'm Scottish and cheap, so sue me), because the dealer was in Wenatchee, halfway across Washington state. I got there, and looked at it, and compared to my 15-foot fishing boat, this thing was HUGE, a 19-footer, which I didn't entirely expect, and I NEVER expected that the boat and trailer would be three feet WIDER than my other boat. But, as I said, the boat itself was close to pristine, so the deal was closed. Oh, my little Hyundai Santa Fe groaned and moaned and guzzled gas all the way home, but it did okay, and we made it home. With a deal like that, you never know what you're going to find, so I pulled out all my motor-tools from my mis-spent youth, tools that I rarely use (compression testers, remote starters, etc.) and dug in. Well, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am this morning, because about 4:00 yesterday afternoon, that outboard roared to life, and it purrs like a kitten. YEAH! It kind of reminded me of the day I finally got my Syssa running properly; that feeling when a challenge becomes a triumph.
Anyway, as soon as I get it in the water, it looks like fishing is back on the menu!
~ Jim ~
06-22-2016, 12:44 PM
#6310
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06-22-2016, 02:54 PM
#6311
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Is Syssa still around? I have a well used version 1 if anyone wants to make an offer... no issues with it. It's just been sitting since I don't have much time to fly any more... (work/school/family)
06-22-2016, 03:29 PM
#6313
This was the last post that I saw from Steve on 06-14-2016:
"My shop is set up and as of last night, I can finally start to think about actually working on the engines and being back in touch with the guys I appreciate the most. The cylinders we got back from US Chrome didn't pass QC. Todd and I were most disappointed, but plan "B", a new liner for the cylinders is in the works.
The bad news is, I haven't been able to get in touch with Todd for a long time. If I don't hear from him with dates and a clear path forward this week, I'm going send all the engines I have in repair back to their owners, and my parts inventory back to Todd. Great engines, I fly very little else, but, without manufacturer's support, I can't do much more. I will give you updates every day. I truly hope that I get to continue with SyssaUSA."
There may be later posts after that, but it looks like Todd is back to his old pattern of not communicating with anyone, even those who are trying really, really hard to help him. I would say Todd needs to get out of the model airplane engine business, if he was ever really in it.
"My shop is set up and as of last night, I can finally start to think about actually working on the engines and being back in touch with the guys I appreciate the most. The cylinders we got back from US Chrome didn't pass QC. Todd and I were most disappointed, but plan "B", a new liner for the cylinders is in the works.
The bad news is, I haven't been able to get in touch with Todd for a long time. If I don't hear from him with dates and a clear path forward this week, I'm going send all the engines I have in repair back to their owners, and my parts inventory back to Todd. Great engines, I fly very little else, but, without manufacturer's support, I can't do much more. I will give you updates every day. I truly hope that I get to continue with SyssaUSA."
There may be later posts after that, but it looks like Todd is back to his old pattern of not communicating with anyone, even those who are trying really, really hard to help him. I would say Todd needs to get out of the model airplane engine business, if he was ever really in it.
06-22-2016, 03:53 PM
#6314
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I'm guessing your engine will become a boat anchor like mine and the rest of them as there is no backup, I'd take it for parts but the freight will be too much for me.
06-26-2016, 02:15 PM
#6316
Sincerely, Richard
06-26-2016, 06:35 PM
#6317
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Good luck getting a hold of Todd,i used to work for him over in Southington CT and in Meriden CT,he is busy doing other projects suchs as contract work for other factories,if you are still waiting for your engine to be fixed or for parts good luck!!!
08-10-2016, 12:12 AM
#6318
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Correct me if I'm wrong is Syssa dead and gone know. Seems to have taken the same path as Mintor! If you have one and it runs enjoy if not and you need parts it's just a door stop or boat anchor.
08-10-2016, 05:03 AM
#6322
08-10-2016, 06:20 AM
#6323
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Todd does have other contracts, and that means that he has time to pay attention to one aspect of the engine business at a time. So, when there's a hiccup, he seems to disappear. Todd is also very stubborn, and he'll become focused on one little aspect, to the detriment of the whole business. For instance, he recently ran into a problem with the cylinder plating, quality control, I believe, and the result was that he's back to square one on getting the plating done in the U.S.
As Steve may have mentioned, Todd refuses to outsource the plating to China, because he's determined to get everything done in the U.S., even though he seems to be wearing blinders to the many customers he's alienating. I'm sure his intentions are good - that he'd like to be able to claim that his engine is made entirely in the US, or that more of it is made in the US than any other engine. But in the manufacturing world, the US is far from the dominant power it once was, and finding sources for all his needs here is a big headache at best, and possibly a fool's errand at worst.
He loses focus of things. He could send those cylinders to China for plating, and buy himself a year or two of smoother sailing. That would give him time to find sourcing here at home. He doesn't really get that his stubbornness forces his customers to wait, and that the end result of his quest for perfection may yield a perfect engine built in the USA, but it will also yield a failed market for the goods Syssa produces.
No, Syssa won't go under. He has other revenue sources that keep him on solid ground while he tries to sort out his manufacturing issues. But he's leaving a lot of customers in his wake, and it's to the point where some of them are now formerly tried and true, loyal customers. I just hope that when he finds his holy grail, he has somebody left to show it off to. He's lucky to have Steve out here; that's one of the few smart things he's done. There are a number of other smart things he needs to do if he wants this venture to be successful.
As Steve may have mentioned, Todd refuses to outsource the plating to China, because he's determined to get everything done in the U.S., even though he seems to be wearing blinders to the many customers he's alienating. I'm sure his intentions are good - that he'd like to be able to claim that his engine is made entirely in the US, or that more of it is made in the US than any other engine. But in the manufacturing world, the US is far from the dominant power it once was, and finding sources for all his needs here is a big headache at best, and possibly a fool's errand at worst.
He loses focus of things. He could send those cylinders to China for plating, and buy himself a year or two of smoother sailing. That would give him time to find sourcing here at home. He doesn't really get that his stubbornness forces his customers to wait, and that the end result of his quest for perfection may yield a perfect engine built in the USA, but it will also yield a failed market for the goods Syssa produces.
No, Syssa won't go under. He has other revenue sources that keep him on solid ground while he tries to sort out his manufacturing issues. But he's leaving a lot of customers in his wake, and it's to the point where some of them are now formerly tried and true, loyal customers. I just hope that when he finds his holy grail, he has somebody left to show it off to. He's lucky to have Steve out here; that's one of the few smart things he's done. There are a number of other smart things he needs to do if he wants this venture to be successful.
08-10-2016, 07:12 AM
#6324
Out of sheer curiosity I've been following this thread and though I don't have a dog in this fight you have summed it all up quite well, especially in your last paragraph.
08-10-2016, 08:08 AM
#6325
PNWSP - Well said.
I wish Todd would get in or get out of the engine business. I don't mind him building an engine for himself as a hobby, but to market it as a business venture is deceptive.
I wish Todd would get in or get out of the engine business. I don't mind him building an engine for himself as a hobby, but to market it as a business venture is deceptive.