I have a OS .46AX Max engine for my trainer I just built. I can't get it started. I've removed the glow pug and put my finger on the carborator and rotated the the prop to get fuel into the engine. Once I've seen fuel in the carb and in the lines I've replaced the glow plug, hooked up my glow driver and given it a flick. I've got it to kick once or twice in a row and then nothing. What am I doing wrong?

Also wanted to thank everyone for helping me pick out my first plane and help me with the build. I had to take some time away from the build so I just finished it today and can't wait to fly it. Thanks for the help again.

Close the HS needle valve all the way, and then turn it out 2 1/2 full turns. This should get your high speed needle setup right at least for starting. Make sure your glow driver is fully charged. Try it again. If it still does not start, try replacing the glow plug. If it still does not start, then go back and check your fuel lines to make sure you don't have a hole in the line, and make sure you are pressurized from the muffler.

CGr.

Hey there!

The .46AX is my current favorite 2 stroke engine. Mine's great, and it's my easiest starter.

First, you don't have to remove the glowplug from the engine to prime it. That would drive us all mad! The glowplug need only be removed for replacement or to clear flooded engines of excess fuel.

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Fuel the airplane. Reconnect the fuel lines.

Turn on transmitter

Turn on receiver

Restrain plane (lotsa thrust to move it, lots of prop to cut you.)

Open throttle to full. Open the main needle 2-3 full turns from fully closed. Once you get your engine tuned, you will be able to start the engine at it's tuned setting.

Put your thumb over the intake, and rotate the prop by hand several rotations. Observe the fuel supply line while you do. Fuel will be drawn towards the carb. Once fuel reaches the carb, turn the prop 2-3 more complete turns.

Now remove your thumb from the intake, and briskly flip the prop a half dozen times to move the fuel into the cylinder where it will burn.

Reduce the throttle to about 1/4.

Connect the glow driver.

Hold the plane, and smartly turn the prop thru compression. Repeat if necessary. If the engine doesn't start (or at least "bump") in 5 to 10 flips, disconnect the glow and prime for a couple more rotations and try again.

If after priming the engine becomes suddenly very difficult to turn STOP! The engine is flooded (cylinder is full of in-compressible fuel, instead of air and fuel mist). Now is the time to remove the glowplug and turn the engine over a few times to expell the excess fuel. Now replace the plug and try to start without further priming.

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Once the engine is running, follow the break-in and tuning procedures in the manual. It's very clear and easy to do. Takes only a tank or 2 to have the bulk of the break-in done, the rest is for the air. Post back if you need anything clearified

If you've never started a glow engine before, it's a good idea to seek out the help of an experienced modler. While small and innocent looking, there's alot of power in there whirling those steak knives!

J

Starting a new engine is hit and miss with a chicken stick. It'll kick back, run backwards somtimes too.
Not knowing what a nitro engine should sound like, or how much power....as a noobie

I probably broke my first nitro engine in runing backwards

I broke down and finally got an electric starter...Of course I had to wait until i almost lost three fingers.
Bascailly another $100 for proper tools and fieldbox ,power panel, glow driver,fuel pump, starter....etc lol

I don't have problems with using a chicken stick today, nor tuning engines...I'm not new at it anmore.lol

It's $500 to get going.lol
$300 for the model with engine and TX ....AMA, club fee ,and proper tools for the other $200

Also give it a little heatgun action to warm up the engine, makes starting a new or cold engine very easy.

Thanks for all the help. JBurry those are great instructions! I ended up emptying all the fuel out of the engine and starting over and it ran (yes I have all my fingers... for now) I will try the heat gun. I never even thought of that but I use that method on my chainsaw and it works perfectly. Thanks again for the help!

AX series doesn't need the heat gun; they use a method of lining the cylinder that does not require such a tight seal when cold.

I prime my engine 2 flips, 'til fuel just makes it past the needle valve. Over priming causes the engine to start running backwards.

Follow the directions above (but I'd say prime less) and you should be golden. Great engine, I have 2 and they are EASY.

Heatgun at the field???

I actually have one more question... When I open the throttle all the way the engine cuts off. Does that mean that I need to close the needle valve more or not. I start it with the needle valve around 2 1/2 turns. Thanks again.

If you started it at 2 1/2 turns. then slowly close the needle, 2 clicks at a time till it runs at peak rpms then open it back up about 4 clicks . thats how I run mine..

Yup, 2.5 turns will be very rich. When tuned, mine runs somewhere between 1 and 1.5 turns out.

Throttling up a very rich engine must be done very slowly, or it'll flood out. Keeping the glow ignitor attached until you've leaned the needle until the engine sound suddenly jumps from that rough fuel spitting 4 stroke sound to a smooth, powerful, furious 2 stroke scream helps.

Once the engine is started, move behind the engine. Slowly advance the throttle to full.

The engine is running rough. Notice the raw fuel spitting from the exhaust. Slowly turn the needle valve clockwise (close, lean) a couple clicks at a time. The engine will accelerate with each tweak. Then suddenly the engine will smooth drastically. Just into this smooth, powerful running area is about where we start breaking in the engine. Never break in a non-ringed engine in the rough running 4 stroke tune.

As the needle is closed more and more, the engine will continue to accelerate. Then you'll click leaner still, and there'll be no change. Go further and the engine will quit. Rich the needle half a turn and restart. Once you reach that no-change area, we rich the mixture just enough to hear a slight drop in engine speed, 3-400 rpm if you have a tach. That's flying tune.

Be careful, have fun, and good luck!

J

No just in the shop to get it running, i find some new engines are tricky to get going the first times so using the heatgun will aid in starting until it's broken in a bit.

The last thing you need during the summer in Ga is a heat gun.

Your telling me about the summers in GA... lol

The engine is getting easier to start.. cross my fingers. When I get it started and I try to start it again right afterward it doesn't seem to start sometimes. It seems like once I get it running I need to let it sit a few hours before starting it again. Is that normal? Aren't they suppose to start up easier once you get it running?

In the beginning I think I was flooding the engine. After I turned it upside down with the glow plug out and dumped out the fuel in the engine it normally started up within a few flips.

Restarting a hot engine can be a bit tricky, especially with a chicken stick. It is very easy to flood a hot engine.

Try this:

First, refuel the plane. Now open the throttle. Plug the intake with your thumb and turn the prop until fuel just reaches the engine. Prime no more than this, there is still fuel inside from before. Don't forget to flip her over briskly a few times before applying glow to get the fuel around in there.

Close to high idle-1/4 throttle, apply glow, start.

If it doesn't start, prime 1 turn at a time, attempting to start a half dozen times or so in between each attempt. Shouldn't take much. It is much easier to over-prime than under prime. Be sure to disconnect the glow each time you go to prime more. Do not prime more than 3 or 4 times, or it will be flooded, in which case you know what to do.

The hotter it is out, and the engine is, the less prime you'll need.

If you overprime it, and it does start, it may well start backwards. It may do this anyway. If it does happen, often quickly closing and opening the throttle will turn it around. Otherwise it may quit, so just restart without any priming and it should go the right way. Some engines are very stubborn about starting backwards. If yours is one of those, just flip it backwards to start, and it'll bounce to forwards most times.

Anyway, I'm glad you've gotten it going! Impressive little machines, aren't they!

Be safe!

J