Need Glow plug help  
View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Tower Hobbies
Enter up to 4 keywords or Tower stock numbers
Logged in as Guest



Users viewing this topic: none
  Printable Version
       

All Forums >> Radios, Batteries, Clubhouse and more >> Control Lines >> Need Glow plug help
Page: [1]

Login
Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>
Need Glow plug help - 9/1/2007 6:01:34 PM   
propjobbill


 

Posts: 307
Joined: 1/26/2004
From: Oberlin, OH, USA
Status: offline 		I need help with a glow plug. I am running a K&B stallion .35. It starts right up and has great rpm’s but as soon as I remove the glow clip if will run for about 15 seconds and then die. As long as I keep power to the glow plug it works. I have tried different plugs most are in the hot range. What hind of plug, or what are your suggestions?

_____________________________

propjobbill (I just love to fly)
       Post #: 1

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/1/2007 7:03:53 PM   
cutaway


 

Posts: 323
Joined: 6/25/2007
From: Lake Worth, FL, USA
Status: offline 		How much nitro is in your fuel?

The Stallion was a sturdy but unremarkable performer designed for the sport market where 10% nitro and a medium heat range plug like a Fox "standard" would be the norm.

Other than being a tad on the heavy side, they're usually a decent engine.

(in reply to propjobbill)
       Post #: 2

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/2/2007 1:14:41 AM   
Cyclic Hardover



Posts: 7194
Joined: 5/7/2002
From: New Mexico, USA
Status: offline 		Sounds like you need a new plug

_____________________________

Retired Army Aviator - Excuse Me! You sold me a hair with a cake around it!

(in reply to cutaway)
       Post #: 3

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/2/2007 2:11:37 AM   
build light


 

Posts: 1356
Joined: 11/30/2005
From: Crete, NE, USA
Status: offline 		Do your plugs have an idle bar?
I remember quite well when I bought my first "big" engine which was a Stallion .35. Since the new engine did not come with a plug I also had to have one of those as well. The LHS owner made sure that I understood glow plugs for this engine were to be the "non R/C" or no idle bar type glow plug.


Robert


_____________________________

Keep'er light, and she will treat you right!

(in reply to Cyclic Hardover)
       Post #: 4

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/2/2007 2:48:21 AM   
downunder



Posts: 3168
Joined: 10/10/2002
From: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		I can't remember now what plug I used in mine but for sure it wasn't anything fancy, most likely a Taipan red because that's mainly what we used back then. I suspect it's more likely you've got a fuel problem seeing you've tried other plugs. I ran mine on zero nitro 25% all castor and it ran great in a Count Clipper combat model.

(in reply to build light)
       Post #: 5

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/2/2007 2:55:47 AM   
propjobbill


 

Posts: 307
Joined: 1/26/2004
From: Oberlin, OH, USA
Status: offline 		I have tried fireball hot plugs that have no idle bars. I also tried two different glow plugs with idle bars, but I don't know what brand or heat range they were. I have always used the fireball hot reg. plugs with great results. This is a new to me used engine, maybe it is some other problem. But it works fine until I pull the plug wire. I have tried 3 different plugs with the same results. So maybe there is some other problem.

After it dies I can reconnect the plug wire flip it and it starts right up, but once I remove the plug wire it will run for a short while and die. I am running it at full speed for control line. It runs great but before I can pick up the handle it dies. I tried it atleast 12 times. I thought maybe something was lose in the heater filiment, but I can't imagine it happening to every plug I put in.

Thanks for the imput

_____________________________

propjobbill (I just love to fly)

(in reply to build light)
       Post #: 6

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/2/2007 3:26:59 AM   
propjobbill


 

Posts: 307
Joined: 1/26/2004
From: Oberlin, OH, USA
Status: offline 		I just did a test run in the garage with a cold heat range plug, and it ran for atleast 2 minutes until I pinched the line to stop it from running. I won't be able to fly until Sunday or maybe Monday, but it seems to be working with the cold plug.

Is it possible that engines run better with cold plugs? I have always used standard or hot plugs because the cold plugs take a longer time to heat up with a glow driver.

If you have found that cold plugs work better let me know. I was told that cold plugs were for very high proformance engines. These K & B engines are of the sport line. I still have one I bought new for $6.95 over 35 years ago. Its been run four or five gallons or more, and still runs great, but not real powerful.

_____________________________

propjobbill (I just love to fly)

(in reply to propjobbill)
       Post #: 7

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/2/2007 12:33:48 PM   
da Rock



Posts: 6366
Joined: 10/11/2005
From: western, NC, USA
Status: offline 		I didn't see you mention your fuel.

The amount of oil matters as does the amount of nitro.

Cold plugs are needed for high nitro fuel. Hot plugs are needed for cold burning fuel (need to keep their own heat). When a plug doesn't match the heat of combustion AND the engine is a sensitive one to timing you might have needle setting problems.

BTW, the heat range of the plug often changes when the combustion starts. That changes the timing of the event. Change the timing and they often act up.

What is your fuel?

Also, have you pulled the head of that engine? Did it have any headgaskets? Lots of the old ones did. Some would have as many as 3. They adjusted the mfg tolerances of the day with headgaskets sometimes. Changing the number of headgaskets changes the compression which also changes the timing.

(in reply to propjobbill)
       Post #: 8

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/3/2007 3:49:06 AM   
ifr2lax


 

Posts: 43
Joined: 9/21/2002
From: CA
Status: offline 		PropJob,

STOP...I doubt if the glow plug or nitro is your problem...I will guess you are overheating and seizing due to low total castor oil and WAY TOO lean a needle setting.

1. What fuel are you running?

The older 50's to 60's basic engine designs set up with iron piston/steel sleeve construction and plain bushing crank like the K&B Stallion 35, Fox 35, McCoy 35, etc MUST HAVE at a minimum 25% CASTOR OIL fuel...1% synthetic MAX if at all.

MODERN engines like a "OS LA" have a aluminum piston and brass sleeve...they run FINE on lower total oil, 18 to 22%, and a 50/50 synthetic oil to castor mix.

Find some Fox Superfuel...29% castor oil or Sig Champion 25% castor...just so it is ALL castor and over 25%. Do not sweat the nitro...5 to 10 % is fine. Think OIL!
The really low oil fuels are for the ball bearing crankshaft engines that have modern piston/sleeves

2. If you set your needle valve to a screaming, shrieiking, FULL LEAN on the ground, the engine will overheat in short order...if you even get it in the air on the "low oil" fuel I suspect you are using it will be a toasted compression-less paperweight soon.

When the engine is in flite, it speeds up as it unloads and the mixture then gets leaner...SIZZZZLE..!

CASTOR OIL gets THICKER as it gets hot...but, synthetic oil evaporates...ie: an overheating engine with CASTOR will get gummy as the castor oil DRAGS it down and deposits a protective, if messy, layer of varnish on the piston, sleeve, and crank bush.

However, synthetic oil just burns and goes away...very clean...but, you will have a worthless lump of ruined engine left over. But, very clean.

Final thoughts...

Get the correct fuel for the engine, BREAK the ENGINE IN????, and always back off the needle from a full screamin' peak RPM.

Once the engine is broken in, go to peak power if you have to, and back off, ie: enrichen the mixture a 1/2 turn...it should hold that setting in flite...if not, you are likely ruining the engine.

Have fun with the old engines. Break in is a whole other story in its self for the old type engines.

Pete


(in reply to da Rock)
       Post #: 9

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/3/2007 4:44:48 AM   
propjobbill


 

Posts: 307
Joined: 1/26/2004
From: Oberlin, OH, USA
Status: offline 		The nitro is at 10% with 29% caster oil, I back the needle out until it is about to 4 cycle It does lean out in the air. I've never had an engine act like this one does. It has reasonable compression and good rpm. Today I got a couple of flights out of it, but I was not pleased with the way the engine ran. I will spend some time in the next few days trying to find out what is wrong with the engine. It will run with a cold plug, but not with a hot plug. I've had Enya's that needed cold plugs but this is the first K & B Stallion that I've owned that wouldn't work with a hot plug. I am going to order more plugs, I think I will order O S #3 and #8 and some kind of a cold plug and test them all out.

Ive had a good bit of feedback between here and another forum so I think I will waite until I get new plugs and try some different fuels I have 10% nitro with 29% caster oil, and I have 10% with 20% mixed blend I also have much hotter fuels 25% and 40% but I won't run anything more that 10% to 15%. If this engine continues to be a problem I will retire it and go on to a different engine.

Thanks for the help

_____________________________

propjobbill (I just love to fly)

(in reply to ifr2lax)
       Post #: 10

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/3/2007 5:01:34 AM   
cutaway


 

Posts: 323
Joined: 6/25/2007
From: Lake Worth, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I've had two Stallions and they both ran fine with a standard long Fox plug and fuel that I mixed myself approximating the mix you described. I was probably at 25% on the castor rather than 29% though. Basic stuff, nothing fancy. Castor, nitro, methanol.

(in reply to propjobbill)
       Post #: 11

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/7/2007 1:07:20 AM   
lukesp



Posts: 362
Joined: 4/24/2006
From: BrisbaneQueensland, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		Perhaps you have a varnishing problem? I know that my engines will display erratic running behaviour when there is a sufficient varnish buildup on the piston and liner.

(in reply to cutaway)
       Post #: 12

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/7/2007 12:29:26 PM   
Strat2003


 

Posts: 611
Joined: 3/9/2003
From: Mt. Pleasant, OH, AFGHANISTAN
Status: offline 		Take a close look at the element in your plug. Is it shiny and silver, or sort of frosty-white looking? Maybe a little rough and bumpy rather than smooth? Sometimes plugs get coated with something (I've heard silicone, which becomes silica, or glass) that keeps the platinum in the element from reacting with the methanol in the fuel. That catalytic reaction helps keep the plug glowing when you remove the batterey. If it doesn't take place, running becomes iffy without the heater.

(in reply to lukesp)
       Post #: 13

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/7/2007 12:35:55 PM   
gcb



Posts: 2384
Joined: 10/24/2002
From: Port Ewen, NY, USA
Status: offline 		One last guess. Have you checked all the gaskets for leaks? Head gasket, backplate, glow plug? Perhaps something is warping when it's in the air, causing a small leak.

George

(in reply to Strat2003)
       Post #: 14

RE: Need Glow plug help - 9/7/2007 2:23:37 PM   
propjobbill