RCU Forums - View Single Post - OS32 motor running problems
View Single Post
Old 01-06-2003 | 12:47 AM
  #3  
FHHuber
Banned
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,923
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From: gone,
Default OS32 motor running problems

Vibrating is usually from something being imballanced... Shaking the whole heli is rarely from the engine.
Your main rotor and tail rotor should be checked for ballance.
Also check blade tracking on both the main and tail rotors. (yep you can tweak the tail rotor tracking.) If they aren't tracking right, they can induce an oscillation simulating an imballanced blade set.
Its easier to set the main track than the tail... paint the tip of one tail blade with a magic marker (won't un-ballance the rotor... I hope you don't have black tail blades...) When the engne is turning the blades at high speed, low pitch and with the LG held firmly (keep on the ground, prevent pivoting), apply some rudder. Watch from directly behind for one tail-rotor blade to be consistently in a different track from the other. You only have 1/2 ball link turn resolution... so adjustment may never get them tracking exactly.

It is easier to tune a heli engine out of the heli, on a test stand using a prop. (especially a new engine.) The main rotor wants to get to turning (something about a centrifugal clutch... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] ) and you can't safely get at the needle valve to tune the high end. If the high end is wrong, the low end will probably be wrong.
In the case of a dual needle carb... its possible to have the low end needle take control of the carb's high end, but that doesn't sound like what you have going on. If anything, your low end is probably on the rich side.

Tthe factory settings are approximations that should get the engine running... not the final settings where the engine should run properly. A tiny manufacturing difference in the needles can make a large difference in the needle setting needed. Also, the factory sort of expects 10% to 15% nitro (for most engines... 30% is expected for some heli engines.) and you use LESS fuel when using less nitro.

Use a 10X4, 9X5 or 9 X 6. (appropriate for the .32) Run 2 tanks of fuel through the engine. The main needle setting will probably need a major change in the middle of the first tank, and a smaller change somewhere durring the second. (assuming new engine...) The needle may need a TINY tweak difference when mounted in the heli.. richer due to higher operating temp. If you have to move the needle more than 1/4 turn from the final setting you get on the test stand... something's wrong. (write the setting down... you'll need it.)

When setting the main needle, you want to get max rpm, then open the needle 1/8 turn (about 2 to 3 "clicks" on conventional ratcheting needles.) The engine should put out a visible misty/foggy exhaust. (if you can't see the exhaust.. its too lean.)

The low end should be set for the lowest speed stable idle possible, then test for transition to high speed. If you move the stick at a rate that takes 2 sec to go from idel to full throttle, the engine shouldn't hesitate. (it may take 1 sec more to get to full speed... but it shouldn't sag as you move the throttle.)

A test stand is an invaluable tool for diagnosing the heli engines! If it works right on the stand... then its in the fuel tank setup when problems persist in the heli. A vibration (or tracking) problem can "foam" the fuel, making the engine get air bubbles. No engine will run properly if getting air bubbles in the fuel line.
It is also possible for there to be a pinhole in the fuel lines somewhere... even in the clunk line inside the tank. (that one can give you fits... dies for "no reason" at 1/2 tank every time for example, when the hole is near the stopper.)

As you can see... we can write LONG books on engine tuning. I haven't covered half of it yet!