Originally Posted by
mike109
G'day I've been thinking about your dead sticks. A really rare problem that can lead to lots of dead stick landings is a blocked muffler pressure fitting. As your engine was sitting for several years, it is possible that fuel has dried in the muffler fitting and if this is the case, the engine will start and run as you tune it and then gradually run leaner as a vacuum forms in the tank as the fuel is used up. Eventually the engine can't suck fuel anymore and it stops.
Your problem, as Bogbeagle said, is almost certainly a fuel supply problem.
Try this. Fill the tank, disconnect the fuel line at the engine and blow on the end of the muffler. If all is OK, you should blow a stream of fuel out of the fuel line. Watch out that you don't blow too hard or the fuel may blow back into your mouth. It tastes horrible. I suspect that the engine is basically OK.
On a related but different subject, I have recently converted a couple of models to electric power. It is really convenient, no starting, no tuning and just works. I really love my glow engines but I must admit, I am flying the electric models more often, especially when I just want to grab a model and go for a quick fly. My most recent conversion is of a large trainer - a Sig Kadet Senior - which now has a Turnigy Easy Match 46 size 550kV motor, 60 Ampere Speed Controller (it really only needs about 30 Ampere one), a 13 x 8 prop and a 5000 mAh 4 cell battery. It flies very similar to the way it did with a Saito 90R3 3 cylinder radial, but with more power (the radial is not very powerful for its size). I am really enjoying it. This electric setup will work well in just about 40 size model of medium performance.
Cheers
Mike in Oz
Thanks Mike - This was my first port of call when I first had the problem and I could blow fuel nice and easy from the tank. I have since removed the tank and replaced all fuel lines but am now using the Thunder Tiger engine instead which seems to not dead stick.
I did cut out in teh high winds the other day but I think it was due to a lack of fuel.
Question: How little fuel should you land with? I know the clunk helps but there nust be a point where the fuel is getting thrown around too much and air enters the fuel line which eventually, especially at full throttle, will cause the engine to cut.
Should I be landing with say a sixth of a tank left to be safe?
I'm going to keep enjoying flying with the Thunder Tiger but will revert back to the magnum at some point as I hate knowing I paid for something and have had no use out of it. I'll also try and check the muffler and give it a good clean. I didn;t think there was much inside those things though really and the exit pipe seems clear. I've also fitted an Enya 3 glow plug to the TT which I beleive are the Gucci of the glow plug world and give added reliability. I have another spare which I may put in the Magnum to see how it helps.
As for electric I totally understand the convenience. You don't even need a glow starter of bug 12v battery with you (although I do now normally start the TT engine just with a pocket glow starter and a chicken stick). I just have a draw towards petrol engines though. I don;t know why but I have a petrol mower, strimmer and love anything powered by fuel. It carries no benefits apart from you can fly all day without havng to have a lot of moneys worth of Lipos on hand. I just love the sound and I even like the tinkering and setting them up. Engines are such a great invention and make your plane sound great when it whizzes past whilst in a dive.
I'm going to get some more video on my next outing. I've got some aerial video from my last few flights but it doesn;t really give you an idea of the skills I have learnt so will wait until I can get a friend to video from the side. I do have a photo of one of my deadstick landings the other week which I will add now under this.
Hope all you guys are okay and thanks again for the comments and tips. Please keep things coming as this thread could prove useful for other solo bandits like myself.