I just recently purchased a plane from a guy and it has the SK90 two stroke engine on it. I filled the tank and began to prime the engine by holding my finger over the pipe and then tried to start. I am using my finger (chicken stick) to start. I was wondering if this engine is unable to be started by hand or do I need to purchase a electric starter. Well after trying a couple times my arm hurt and I noticed a little puddle of fuel on the ground under the pipe. Is the tank and or some lines screwed up or did I just flood the crap out of it. Please help I am wanting to get this started. Also what type of fuel do you suggest to run in this engine. Well yah I am a beginner sorry for all the questions. Thanks for the time and hope hearing from you.

bbs,
Please don't use your finger. Use a piece of broom handle or something. It will start easier with an electric starter, but will start with a chicken stick. Make sure your ignitor is charged well. The fuel coming from the muffler could be excess from the vent line to the muffler after filling the tank. 10% nitro 18% oil will work well with engine. You can take the glow plug out to see how wet it is to see if the engine is flooded. Also, while the plug is out, test the plug with your ignitor to see if the element glows bright.
Good luck,
Darrolair

i had the SK.50 i had to use a starter on it

Just for your information, the SK 90 is really A .91 Now you even have more power then you thought. I use A starter on mine on the first start of the day but after that I just prime enough to get the fuel to the carb then back snap them. They start right up. Has anyone mentioned that your plane is A very advanced flying machine and not for anyone new to flying?? Just wondering.

bbspurgeon ,

Welcome to RCUniverse. This not a trainer or a plane for a low time pilot, so don't try and fly it after you get the engine running or its life will be measured in seconds. Check out [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4537845/tm.htm]RCKen's list of trainer aircraft[/link] that is a sticky at the top of this forum. Do some work studying what is out there and ask questions. Also look for a club and an instructor to teach you how to fly your trainer.

Hogflyer

Thanks for all the help with the engine problem. Looks like I am going to have to invest in a electric starter. Gray Beard I was wondering if you were happy with the SK90? And also I was wondering what size prop you are running on it? Well it says a 13x8 but on this plane it doesn't look big enough with the cowl being that big to be able to pull the aircraft? Well I know everybody says I shouldn't fly this for a beginner but I have been spending a lot of time on a simulator (real flight g4.5) and I have heard that its very realistic to actually flying. I have found that I can fly my particular model better than the so called trainers. I think I am going to try to fly this one with a very experienced 3D flier on my buddy cord.

bb- trust hogflyer concerning his advise about flying this plane. It is not a beginner's plane, even on a buddy box. You'll get a lot more enjoyment starting on trainer in the long run. Learn how to fly it, then progress into a second and third plane before you try this one. This is at least a third or fourth plane, not a first plane. Simulator's can teach a new pilot a lot ( I still like to use them even after 25 years of flying), but they are not a be all, do all. There are too many varibles that the sims can never duplicate in real life. I've seen and taught a lot of students who were good on sims, but still needed an instructor to learn how to fly the real thing (model that is). It never ceases to amaze me how they always say how much different it is when they actually take that first flight. It looks like a great plane, but I would hate for it to be turned into a pile of sticks before your ready to fly it successfully. Good Luck

The SK engines are so good and the design is about everything I was looking for in A two stroke I have given up using anything else. This engine is designed to be A high torque engine with lower RPMs so it is about perfect for that laser you have. DON"T TRY TO FLY THAT PLANE BY YOURSELF!!!!! There was A bit of A miss print in the instructions about props. The 90 requires a 15X6 or larger, A 15X6 is A good one to start out with then you can start that magic search for the perfect prop for YOU. I say you because there is no perfect prop, it's the prop that keeps the engine in it's working RPM range and will fly the plane the way YOU like the plane to fly. I have had the SK .90s in A 60 size Aeromaster bipe, A 60 size Kaos and A rather big for A 60 size Extra 260, sort of like your Laser. A 15X6 or 15X8 is my prop of choice. The 16X6 and 16X4 were also good. I keep the engine around 11,000 rpm or there about. It's A stump puller and at 100 bucks I found it the best engine on the market. That is the best two stroke engine for me, there are A lot of other choices out there that fit other people A lot better. That 13 inch prop will make your engine run lean and you will never get it in tune. I have never run the stock muffler on any of mine but that is just because of the planes I have had them in.
About the plane itself!! No sim is ever going to be anything like the real deal!! Etch that in stone. You can fly the computer tell dooms day and never be up to that Laser. The sims are A big help and put you ahead of the learning curve bvut they are not real!! I use the sim for learning new stunts only. It gets me brain and hands working so I don't have to do A lot of thinking. That works for me pretty well but I have been flying RC for A while.
If you want to know more about your SK then contact RC Report magazine and buy the Janurary 2007 issue. Ed Moorman did A pretty in depth write up on the SK 90. I think highly enough of Ed to have gone ahead and bought one to give it A try. It was everything Ed said. After using them A lot I have never had ond dead stick?? I can't say that about any of my other glow engines. Mater of fact, if you call RC Report just buy that back order and subscribe, you won't be sorry!!!
Gene

Thanks for all the help and I am glad I asked about the prop size I thought it looked a little to small on there. Well I have the plane up for sale on the RCU market place. All you need is a radio system and servos for 300.00 or trade for a good trainer. If i don't sell after a couple of weeks I am going to tempt to fly it. I know what all experience fliers are thinking!!! I am not crazy just a little risky. What size cone would I want to use with a 15x8 prop?? Also could you explain a little about the prop second number 15x8 or x6 I am pretty sure I know its the angle but which is going to give you more speed or torque??????

Just measure the plastic spinner you have on it and buy the same size or one you think looks cool. Most spinners you buy need to have the blade section opened up more anyway using A Dremel with A cut off wheel or grinder. The second number is the pitch of the prop, no need for me to get into the way they measure it for you. An easy way to remember your pitch selection is this: shorter prop bigger pitch= more speed with less torque. Longer prop with less pitch= less speed but more torque. I fly stunt planes so I use the longer props with the smaller pitch to slow my planes down but pull the plane harder. It makes for shorter take offs too. I buy A bunch or props of different sizes and test them on my plane to see what works for ME the best. Notice that ME thing, another pilot may like the same plane with A different prop A bunch better. That sort of kills the question I see all the time about what size prop with this engine on this plane. Any number of props will fly the plane very well. Yesterday I broke the only 14X6 APC prop I had, today I'm going to fly the same plane with some odd ball prop I had that will work on that engine. No idea at all if I'm going to like the way it fly's the plane but I know the plane will fly with it. Question, are you saying you have no club close by that may have an instructor to help you out? Most clubs have someone that will and most instructors have A trainer with A buddy box to get you going on the real thing. Even if someone set you up on A buddy box with your Laser you would be ahead of the game.

Please do not use finger same as chicken stick

My story:

I have been starting engines for about 8 years and have never so much as nicked my finger. I have experience hand proping 300HP lycomings in full size planes. Much different than RC engines. Anyway after 8 years I have joined the "Cut Finger University" with 5 stitches in my middle finger. I would say that I am lucky that this happened! First off I am more aware of where I put my fingers! Second, they are much too important to use anymore for hand proping rc engines. I am lucky that I did not loose a portion of my finger!
What finally got me was a new Supertigre 75 with a MA Schmiitar prop, it backfired and well I got injured. I was in a rush and after a long hard day at work not really thinking clearly. Now, after healing up, even when I reach to set the needle its like slow motion and everything slows down as my focus is really intense.

I was told when I started this hobby not to use my fingers, I cheated the system, and paid the price. It could have been much higher however!
I got lucky!

Hope that everyone that reads this is not as stubborn as I used to be