Ok, Im starting to freak out.

When I bought this engine it had a glow plug in it that I used for 8-10 starts before it was installed on the airframe. This was just a standard plug (it looks like a Mecoa MC9). Since it burnt out I have tried 6-7 different glow plugs and they all start it once and burn out during that start regardless of the glow plug setting, Originally the setting was at 28 I went down to 15 for an OS A3 and it burnt out...I tried a cold OS R5 and it burnt out at 19...I drove for 30min to a hobby shop to buy an MC9 which is what everyone uses in these engines and purchased two, both of them melted in the first attempted start. It starts once and then when you try again it times out without ignition, when you pull the plug out the element is melted and clumped. I have been pulling it out about 1/8" of an inch per the manual and I have made sure that its not touching the walls. I have done the "glow test" on every single one for X amount of time to ensure they are not too hot or not lighting at all and they are fine, it is only during the start-up that they get screwed. I usually bring the setting way down and slowly creep it up glow testing each time until its just right. On one occasion, I set it so it would barely glow at all and it still melted it in the first start-up.

I am supposed to go flying tomorrow to get my waiver signed and I setup many things in motion like a transport, a current jet pilot to be there...the strip is 3300ft and about 1-1.5hr away and it would be a colossal waste if I don't sort this by then.

Anyone have any tips?

I'm extremely frustrated.

Chris