Mind if I rant for just a sec? I used to fly a few years ago and always thought of OS engines as great. I had a .35 that ran like a champ and never even bothered to buy a starter because it would fire right up in a flip or two, I even had a couple other engines that were pretty good but not as good as the OS. I just bought an Avistar to get back into it and I bought an OS .40LA thinking it would be an awesome little engine. Never in my life has something caused that many curse words to come from my mouth.. and I'm a freaking sailor LOL. I have flipped until my arm is about to fall off, and oh yeah.. I'm so smart thinking it wouldn't fire that I flipped it once, just once with my fingers after a dozen or so nogo's and what happened.. it smacked the crap out of me... I realize that's my fault.. I guess what I need to know is, is there some sort of trick to these engines? or should I just go buy a freaking electric starter? I'm doing everything the little manual says... and everything I can remember from when I used to fly... it just seems like it's only going to fire when it feels like it.. and not a moment sooner... Anyway.. thanks.. I just needed to rant. I'll go back to flipping now......
Casey

I bought my first plane a little while back and with not enough research...ordered an LA....

well... luckily before I installed it.... I did more research... and sent the LA back for an AX...

I know there are plenty of people here who have had no probs with the LA...


but from my research (No, this is not experience....just research, at the club, at the LHS, on the internet...) the best thing is to take the engine out and put another in......


Just my very humble, very new... .02

I didn't have major problems with the LA.
I don't have a problem with blowing into the return line to get it prime
If I use a chicken stick.
I had the rear needle pionted straight up on my avistar.
I Took it out of a canel even . Took it all apart to flushed..it runs fine

The La I have has those not so thick rear needle metal brackets. They vibrate
but don't effect the engine.

I should have used blue loctite for the muffuler screws thou

Yeah that's about the norm on the LA engines... A 50/50 mix..
I bought my Avistar/LA46 and have had nothing but great results
to this day. Before I got a starter, It would take some turning to
get started, but then I started, after filling the tank with fuel I
would connect the carb. line and connect the filling hose to the
pressure hose and "slowly" pump till fuel just entered the carb.
then reconnect the pressure line and start.. It worked great then
but even better after I got my starter...

Break it in.......then report back here.

I've personally have never owned a LA. I do have 3 of the 46AX's and love them to death. If it'[s cold, I just prime it by holding my finger over the carb at fuel throttle (without the glow plug ignitor on) until I see fuel going into the carb. After that I flip it about 2 more times and connect the ignitor. One or two flips and she fires right up.

And that's if I forget to charge my starter and only if it is cold.

If I use the starter cold I just crank it until I see fuel going to the carb and about 2-3 seconds later she starts right up.

I have seen LA's take off on the first or second flip after priming and I have seen LA's take forever to start.

Based on power, would recommend replacing the LA with the AX. That way when you are done with the trainer, the AX can go into just about any 40 size plane you want and fly it well

Just my $.02 worth

An easy way to prime: put your finger over the exaust outlet and flip.
Yes there are lots of better engines than an LA, but at what price? The above mentioned TT Pro is a good replacement for the LA too.

A guy at the field told me this tip when starting in the winter but could be used anytime. Drop a few drops of lighter fuel into carb.
Acts like ether. Engine should start. He says thats what he does when he flies in the winter.

dave...

Get an electric starter, it'll save you a lot of heartache and a few sliced up fingers. This is true no matter what engine you're running, at least until they're well broken in.

And welcome back!
Dennis-

I had same LA/Avistar combo, and damn thing didn't like to flip start in the cold at all. I've got it mounted on another trainer now, and it's had quite a bit of fuel thru it, runs like a champ. I would say it needs some good breaking in, and you're gonna need an electric starter to do it.

BTW, I went to the doctor with pain in my right elbow, he called it tennis elbow and asked what I had been doing repetitively with right arm. I realized it was probablly from flipping props with the chicken stick, and started using the starter almost exclusively. Pain is almost gone..... lucky for me it was the airplanes causing it.

Andy

i have a .65 LA and im bout tired of it, sometimes my 12v starter cant even make the damn thing spin, and thats after a rigorous break in when i first got it and i prime it everytime, is this something common with these engins?

I'll trade you even up for one of my .46 TPS evos, if it's still in good shape/never crashed/fairly new.
Seriously.

Also, you may be over priming it. It doesn't take much over priming to not be able to turn over a .65 with a standard starter. Try just a couple of drops, and then flip it twice before hitting it with the glow driver and starter.

DBCherry,

Hit it dead on get an electric starter!!!!!!!!!! spend more time flying less flippin

My first trainer came with a 40LA. I remember when it was new, it would take quite a long time to start. So I did the best thing I could think of, I went and bought an electric starter. Now that the engine is well broken in, I rarely use the starter. To the point that I don't think I have charged the starter's battery for a few months.

Just make sure you prime it good before you attach the glow igniter. Put your finger over the carb, and hand flip the prop until you can see the fuel coming up the line to the carb. Then, remove your finger and flip it over a couple times. Then attach the glow igniter. After the engine is broken in, it should start in 1 or 2 flips.

i reckon o.s. should be lobbied to re-release the fp series,i have a 40 fp which is a wonderful engine,starts first flip and much more powerful than an la,the la was 10 steps backwards imho.

I have never had a problem with the LA (several .15, .40, and a couple .46). Break in is a must with these motors to "loosen" them up enough to start/run reliably. If you do end up using an electric starter, there's really no need to prime-unless you have a leak somewhere. If you stick to hand-propping it, I agree, about two flips with the carb covered(throttle full open) usually does the trick. Another neat cold weather trick is carry a thermos with really HOT water. just before the first start of the day, cover the carb and pour hot water over the cylinder head of the motor. They use this in the arctic countries pretty effectively(I lived in Iceland for 2 years - learned to fly there).

I am also fairly new to the hobby. Had a TT trainer 2000 with a OS 46 AX and now have a H9 Super Stick 40. Let me tell you, get a electric starter. That will be the end of your swearing, blue fingers and numb arm. I tried the chicken stick to save some bucks but couldn't believe I was so stupid once I bought the starter!

You should always prime when using an electric starter -- just like you do for flip starting. If you don't prime, the starter keeps spinning the engine at high speed, without adequate lubrication until it draws enough fuel into the crankcase to fire. It also puts a significant reverse thrust load on the crankshaft bearings (particularly bad thing with bushing engines), so keep the starter spin time to a minimum by priming.

Yes, always prime, and don't use the starter to "spin the engine". When used correctly you should just hit the starter for 1 second or less, really. It only takes a "blip" to start the engine when it's set up properly.

Also, especially with bushed, or "plain bearing" engines, don't use TOO much force when holding the starter on the engine.

So here is my $.02 worth, but what would that be with inflation????? I guyss we don't have negitive money so it doesn't matter.


Anyway, I used to be a proud O.S. person. But I have found that over the years there are a bunch of engines out there that are just as good if not better. For one thing I would never own a bushed engine. Just my opinion. For about the same money for that LA you could get a Tower .46. A huge differance in power and reliability. The one thing I will say is that with any ABC engine on the market it is critical to properly break in the engine and a electric starter will save you huge in head, and arm, aches not to mention the frustration of getting many reverse starts from hand flipping.

I think my favorite general purpose .46 to .75 engine is the Tower line. I have had more trouble free hours run time than any other two stroke of modern production. The absoulte best engine I ever had was a Super Tigre .61. You can not beat the price of the Tower line and once broke in they run out standing.

If you need a race engine then there are others out there specialized, same with the notion if you desire a 4 stroker. I have come to the feeling that O.S. are not premium quality as they once were and their price is a premium.

Good luck and happy flying.

ps. I just wanted to add that a twin needle carb is also my choice. I think the LA series is an airbleed type. This is the result of trying to manufacture a less expensive engine for the budget minded. I don't think you can beat bearings and twin needle carb for reliability and longevity.

Dave