So, after removeing my flywheel (as suggested), and pulling the limiters, without making any adjustments my engine will not get above 1/2 throttle without completely stalling. I have tried leaning it out just 1/8 of a turn and vice versa for richening it. So far nothing. Any ideas????

What size prop do you have on this engine??

Ken

Im not sure ken, im new to the whole hobby and I jut use the one it came with. Im going to put an 11x6 2 bladed prop on it sunday but in the meantime it has the three bladed prop it cames with. its the evolution trainer power system.

Please fill me in. Why did you remove the flywheel?

CGr

Well long story... ill just give u a link to the thread all about it. [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_7441121/tm.htm]go here[/link]

Ah.. Ok. I understand.

Do you know that you have two needle valves.. high speed and low speed. The tough one to adjust is the low speed needle... but you seem to have good low end idle so it's just the transition to high speed.

If you removed the flywheel, are you absolutely sure that the shaft turns without any binds at all? That the prop rotates freely (of course, with compression, but I think you understand my question). If so, then completely remove the high speed needle valve and make sure that the fuel path is clean. If it is, then replace the high speed needle valve and turn it all the way in. Now rotate it out 2.5 turns. For most engines, this is a good starting point.

Now try to start the engine. During all the sequences, leave the glow driver attached. Run it slowly to full throttle. Watch the exhaust. Is it spitting out raw fuel by any chance? If it is, then it is way to rich and that may contribute to its not going to full RPM. If it is not, and it still will not go to full, well, adjust the needle by leaning it out in 1/8 turn increments by rotating the needle valve in, go to idle, wait a few seconds then go to full. Eventually, if it's loaded up, it should begin to clear. If it's to rich, it should begin to go to full RPM.

If it still does not, then I am not sure what to tell you from here. You could always replace the glow plug and see what happens, but I doubt that will fix it... but anything is worth a try, especially something as easy as the glow plug replacement. Use an OS8 or OSF plug.

CGr.

ok thank you, I will try that tomarow morning but for tonight i must get my rest. I am almost positive its the tuning and not the glow plug since the glow plug was just replaced last weekend.

The prop is a 10.5x4. Good advice above definitely check and make sure there is no binding, rubbing, grabbing, then start it up, look at the exhaust, and listen for rich or lean operation. Good luck, you'll get it figured out.

RCken: you should stickie this for everyone elses engine tuning problems with this engine since its such a popular engine. im sure im not the only one who doesnt know how to propperly tune an engine

I understand what you are trying to say here, but if I stickied everything that is put out in the Beginner's Forum that would help others I about 95% of the threads would be stickied. The Owners and Administrators of RCU have given us guidelines to try to keep the stickies down to as few as possible. The problem they are trying to avoid is with too many stickies it tends to clutter up the thread and makes it difficult to see the actual threads in the forum. Plus, with too many stickies people tend to start ignoring them.

Ken

Ok just a thought. but hey thanks for the reply.

Have a nice day,
Tyler

Rockerdude... just a little note here, tomorrow.. not tomarow.

My question is this - and I only ask this because you're new and I don't know your experience level:

Are you turning the High or Low end adjustment? (See pic)

The next thing is, The Evolution TPS is an excellent engine, but sometimes they come out of the factory improperly set up. So even if you ARE turning the correct needle, 1/8 turn is probably not enough.

Here is what I would do:

First, remove the pin in the side of the High End needle that prevents you from turning it too much.

Bring the engine to as high an RPM as it will go and start adjusting the needle.

Once you get it to full RPM, see how well it transitions from Low to High and back. If it does this poorly, report back here and I'll go into detail as to how to adjust the low end on a TPS

...I hope we're not getting distracted from an important thread about a beginner tuning his engine... is it patients, or patience?

Lol thanks CG, im only 13 so my spelling is a little off. (well mabye more then a little).

Ok, will do minnflyer. At 10:00 im going to go to the hobby shop and buy a new prop and spinner so after I put those on ill start her up and start tuning like you guys told me to.

Rockerdude,
If you're going to a LHS why not take the plane along with you. If there is somebody at the LHS that knows airplane engines perhaps they can help you get it set up. While all of us here on RCU can be great help at times, on some things like this there is no substitute for a good ear/eye. We can try to help you for days while somebody with a good ear can get you fixed in a matter of minutes.

Ken

That's ok. That's how we learn. I'm glad you took it the right way.

CGr

Well ken, great suggestion but my moms car is to small to fit the plane in. (my grandma does the hauling ) I will though have my instructor on sunday tell me how to tune my engine. (with all of your replies in mind of course )

PS: Even though it is all talk, I still do learn LOADS from you guys. Im glad I joined this forum .

Thanks again,
Tyler

Well you sound like you are alot older and wiser than 13. I was about your age when me and my dad got into airplanes. We crashed the only one we had flying, so we quit. Don't make the same mistake if you find yourself in the same spot. Fifteen years later, I'm on the buddy box trying to relearn everything

Thanks brett, I get that alot . But im completely hooked onto planes and I dont think there is anything that can keep me away from it. Plus im not exactly on the tightest budget in the world so I always can get a little $$ for repairs. (Grandmother). I basically owe everything to her. She helped me get started in all this and im 100% glad she did.

rockerdude, would you please pass on to your grandmother the fact that I am up for adoption?

Seriously, though, rockerdude, you have an amazing attitude for 13 years. You'll make it in this addiction and you'll find that because of that attitude, these guys will break their backs to help you. Keep on keepin on.

This is great advice, but there is one thing that Evolution engines owners need to be aware of.

Removing the pin alone may not be enough.

The blue collar that is affixed with a grub screw will also prevent the needle from being turned beyond the limiter.

The reason for this is that when you turn the needle not only does it rotate ( hitting the stop, which removing the pin fixes... ) but it also moves "in" as the needle uses screw threads...

The blue collar prevents this "inward" movement.

So you should also loosen the grub screw and remove the blue collar, even if you only do this temporarily.

Usually you will then find that the collar is almost impossible to remove!!!

Why?

The grub screw "digs" into the soft metal needle valve, and it raises a burr or ridge. In turn this catches on the aluminum collar preventing any movement...

You can work the collar off by carefully prying it up a bit at a time.

Once you have it off, get the engine tuned.

Once you have it tuned, turn the HS needle IN another 1/2 to 3/4 turn exactly, and put the collar back on, as far down as it will go, and re-affix via the grub screw.

Then turn the needle back out to how you had it.

Now should you ever need to remove the HS needle, you can merely bottom it out and back it out that 1/2 to 3/4 turn. This makes it easy to retune the plane later.

While you are at this, bend the HS "clip" in to provide more friction as otherwise the needles on this engine tend to walk.

Note that the collar business also applies to the LS needle too!

I wish Evolution would redesign their engines to do away with these "safeguards"...

1) You don't have school at 10:00 am on a friday?
2) Yo uwill not regret removing the flywheel. What you are experiencing now is needle valve related. It could even be the low end. Does it stall out if you advance the throttle quickly? Or does it matter at all? If it's only when you advance the throttle quickly, then I would bet it's the low endbecuase that is 90% of the trouble with transitions. Secondly, if it doesn't matter (eg, if you advance the throttle quickly or slowly, it still stalls at mid throttle) then it is most likely the high end, or a combination of both. If you adjust the low end, you will likely have to readjust the high end. When you change props, you will likely have to tweak the high end just a bit, but not much.

Lol sure thing jolly, although I think she already heres enough about this hobby from me . But thats great to here. It wasnt like this when I tryed to get into nitro buggies a while back.