Hey guys,

I just set up my OS .46 La engine today and was all set on running it in. I followed every instruction in the book apart from using a electric starter, i was trying to hand start it ( a bit of wood coverd in cloth). For all i was worth i could not start it. Nuthing would happen after i primmed it and then did the extra turns and set the throttle at 1/3 open then attached glow plug starter then i tried to crank it and nuthing. A few times i had fuel spill out the crby and into my eyes. Im so annoyed can any1 help me out?

First of all when the fuel came out of the carb it was defintely flooded. Also make sure the glow plug is actually lighting. Since the best way to clear a flooded engine is to remove the glow plug, take the glow plug out, remove the fuel line from the tank and plug it if there is any fuel still in the tank, turn the engine upside down and hand crank it. This will clear the remaining fuel out of the engine.

Now since the plug is out, attach it to your glow plug ignitor and see if it glows pretty bright. If it doesn't glow at all then either the plug is bad or the ignitor is completely dead or bad. If it glows but is somewhat dim, then the ignitor needs recharged.

This may mean you are over priming it. if you have an electric starter use that, I do. Just don’t flood it otherwise you could cause damage. Make sure the needle valve is about 3 turns out you may have to turn it in ¼ of a turn if it still doesn’t start, but once started turn it out again.

Good luck! I have a .46 LA and have never had much success hand starting it. Not that I try all that much. Now that it is broken in, it handstarts great once it is warm, but I usually use an electric starter for the first start of the day.

I get the feeling that im ot giving it enough ooompf when i crank te prop. i dunno it just wont click over.

You may want to find someone with an electric starter to help you get it started while you break it in. Then you can get the needle valve adjusted properly and may have an easier time of handstarting.

There are two basic ways to handstart an engine, forward flipping and backflipping. Both can work. Here's how I would try to handstart a .46 LA: With the glow ignitor off, properly prime the engine. You can do this either by putting your finger over the carb and slowly turning the propellor counter clockwise (as you face it) to suck fuel into the carb or putting your finger over the muffler outlet to pressurize the fuel tank and push fuel into the carb. You will see fuel coming up the fuel line into the carb. Once the fuel reaches the carb, give it one or two more turns then release your finger. Watch what happens in the fuel line. If you see fuel draining back to the fuel tank, then your tank is too low. If the fuel keeps siphoning into the carb and fills it up, your tank is too high.

When the engine is primed, you should hear kind of a wet, squishy sound when you turn it over. Now put the glow ignitor on. Slowly take your chicken stick and turn the prop counterclockwise until you are up against the compression of the engine. It helps to have aa helper holding the airplane. With someone securely holding the plane, give the prop a good hard flip through the compression. Hopefully it will start. If the engine won't go through the compression, it has too much fuel in it and is hydro-locked. Do not keep trying or you will damage the engine. Take the glow plug out and drain the excess fuel and try again.

You can also start an engine by flipping it backwards. Surprisingly, it should turn around and run forward. Follow the same instructions, except instead of flipping it counterclockwise after you have primed it, give it a clockwise "bump" into the compression and the engine will start running counterclockwise.

Check to make sure your engine starts up running the right direction. When my LA was first breaking in, it had a tendency to want to start up running backwards. Backwards flipping will actually make it more likely to start in the right direction. Using an electric starter will solve the problem altogether.

Good luck!
-Scott

I would splerge for an electric starter. Put a plastic nose cone or alumium (if you have any money left) on your engine. Lots of manufactuers actually tell you to use them in there manuals (Saito for example). They are doing it (in my opinion) for liablity reasons. They are safer than trying to flip start an engine. And dont belive that bunk you are going to here about damaging your engine, Just use common sense! Check to see if the prop will turn by hand first before putting the igniter and starter on it! I've got big ones I use to start big Saitos. I like flying not fiddling! Enjoy!