I have a TT .42 and I keep hearing so many things about how to break it in. Is there a definite answer to this confusing issue[sm=confused.gif]. Im clueless as what to do. Any info would be great.

Thanks

Hi,
Yes there are many,many ways to break-in an engine, and this part of the running is quite important. In saying that with most sport engines, all you really need to do is to run them rich on the ground for a few tanks then fly.
Here's what I would do.
Start engine up, (rich) then go to full throttle.
Run the engine as rich as you can (always two-stroking) for the first couple of minutes, then start SLOWLY leaning the needle by a few clicks(still quite rich)
Run say one more tank, and keep slowly leaning the needle(a click or two at a time)
Fly! (make sure its still rich(should be a smoke trail))
Over each flight slowly lean needle until you're at the peak setting.
Clear as mud?

Stefan

I agree with the comments from Stefan.

The Golden rule is to keep it always a bit on the rich side, even after you consider it to be run in.

Cheers

Phils

Hey Mutare,
I know this a bit abstract but by any chance are you from Zimbabwe? Maybe I should have given you a private message> Sorry

Hey Stefan,
I am almost in the air. A friend of mine has given me Eagle 2, 4 ch Futaba, and Tiger Shark 46. How long does a glow plug last?
P.s- Are you going to Lake Crichton fly in next year?
C ya in da skies

Newbies, starting members, junior members,

There is ONLY one correct way to break a tapered-bore (ABC, AAC, ABN) engine in.

If your aim is a long, high power and reliable engine life, do not allow the engine to run at a cold, rich, four-cycle setting, for any length of time, during the break-in process.

Run it at a rich two-cycle mixture setting, at proper operating temperature only. Short initial runs (with complete cooling between them) are optional and surely non-damaging.

Trying to be "gentle" to the engine by allowing it to run cold, will potentially be damaging to it. It must be broken-in at "operating temperature" only.

Only ringed-piston and lapped, cast iron piston engines need cold, rich four-cycle initial runs.

Hi everyone,

Yes Dar is right ABC engines should never be run-in four stroking, and ideally with a smaller prop. However my 46 FX was run-in(by a guy who knows heaps of stuff about this hobby) with a big prop and 4 stroking for the first tank. I now know it was run in wrong, but this engine runs perfectly. Its in a pylon racer and its plenty fast.

Yes its good to hear from you Paul. I'm glad you're nearly flying. You will enjoy it(especially your first landing). This hobby is worth every dollar I have spent over these last 4 years
Anyway in reply to your question, Its difficult to say how long a glow plug will last for. They will last longer if you look after your engine(no lean runs). I would say about 20 hours running time(which is quite a lot), and the glow plug element is starting to deteriorate. A poor idle, hard starting and generally poor running are signs that the glow plug is ready to be replaced.

Anyway hope that helped

Stefan

By the way, I live in New Plymouth so unfortunatly I wont be at the Fly-in.

Thanks for the replies people. I have a couple of other questions. What is the difference between 2 cycling and 4 cycling? And how do you know which is happening?

Thanks for the help

When a 2 stroke engine is running too rich, it produces lots of smoke, and 'burbles' at a lower frequency. This noise goes away when you slowly lean out the mixture, and the revs pick up.

It suddenly breaks into 2 stroke, and the difference is difficult to explain in words here, but is obvious!.

-David C.