Hey All,

My Tiger Trainer MK3 is finally ready to get the engine run in..........here's my dilemma!!!

This is my first R/C plane and I'll be honest getting this thing running for the very first time is very imtimidating, to say the least! This will be a static run in, no flight involved as my instructor is away on business. What I'd like someone to help me with is the "Idiots" guide to getting the engine started for the first time ( it is mounted in the plane )...........etc! ! thru 100's would be fine, but I want to make sure it gets done properly and safely.........with all limbs attached to me at the end!!

All and any "Idiot" lists are welcomed!

Many Thanks All.

I tried to start up my first RC engine alone last summer. I was nervous, especially when it actually fired! It will seem pretty loud and aggressive.

I read the manual over and over, and read this site until I thought I knew everything I needed to know. Apparently I was wrong, and wasn't able to keep the engine running. Probably had it too lean.

Two days later I brought it to the field, and got help from some club members. I learned more in 10 minutes with them than I did in 3 months reading online, and I was a lot less nervous.

If you really want to do it alone, the plane needs to be secured, either by looping something over the tail, or by restraining the stab or wings. All adjustments are to be made from BEHIND the wings once the engine is running.

I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but I really recommend running your engine with someone that's done it before.

Good advice gaRCfield

Hi,

Consider waiting until your instructor returns. Running in the engine won't take long - most good engines only require a tank or two before they're ready to fly, and your chances of success - both personal and with the actual motor - will be much higher.

Good luck,

Joel

some good advice there.........only problem is the instructor will be away for 2 weeks on business, then another 2 on vacation! i would like to get down and dirty with this thing and just get the engine run in!

anyone with an idiot list for me..............

There may be others in the club, besides the instructor, who can help you. I got help with my engine from a few people, including 'non-instructors'. If I lived within an hour of you I'd be happy to make the drive out and lend a hand.

At 12,000 rpm, it doesn't take long do damage the engine or lose a finger.

By the way, I can totally empathize with you. I waited for like 2 months before I got to start my engine (weather). Then the day came and I did it alone and it didn't go quite as expected, and I had to wait another week for good weather and some extra help.

Waiting a few extra days or a week could mean your engine running like a top performer for years to come, or running at at less than optimum performance due to excessively lean runs.

I'm definitely not trying to rain on your parade, but rather sharing my experience so that you can have the best possible time with the hobby. There are tons and tons of good times to be had flying RC planes, but there are also many headaches that can be avoided.

gaRCfield "At 12,000 rpm, it doesn't take long do damage the engine "
how can breakin damage a engine I thought it runs or don't.

icarus,

The fact that you are intimidated is a good sign. While having an experienced person on-hand would be the best its not necessarily any safer.

Can you work in the yard and secure the tail via rope to something solid...perhaps a tree?

Follow the manual regarding settings and fuel to use. Here's a list of items or thoughts that come to mind:

Make certain you know which direction the throttle arm moves to increase/decrease & shutoff.
Tighten the prop nut(s) with good size wrenches, not a 4-way. You should be tightening enough that holding the prop with a bare hand while tightening with the wrench is uncomfortable enough that you use a glove when you do it.

Be sure all nuts,bolts, screws on the engine, mount, and mount to firewall are tight.

Before attaching the glow lighter to the plug...fillup the tank. Recommend you use a filter off the fuel bottle AND one on the engine between the tank and carburetor.

Be certain you can run and monitor the engine while standing behind it. You can't start it that way but once its running make sure you have a clear path to behind it.

Be sure the rubber grommet in the starter properly fits your spinner. These can be flipped to provide a good fit for most spinners.

When you're ready:
1. fill up the tank
2. close needle till it stops. Don't tighten on it just turn it in until it stops. Take note of a mark on it and if there isn't one, make one so you can tell when it completes a turn. Open to the initial setting recommended in the manual.
3. place finger over end of exhaust and turn the prop a few times until you see fuel coming up the vent pressure line attached to your exhaust.
4. Take deep breath. Check to be sure you are ready and no one else is around that might get hurt should the prop fling off, etc. Keep any pets out of the area as well.

5. Attach starter to flight box/battery.
6. Turn on receiver
7. Turn on radio
8. Make certain that atleast the throttle control is working and in the correct direction. If you have a kill button make certain the carburetor closes completely when its depressed.
9. Advance throttle to where the carb is just barely open. (idle setting)
10. Pull the plane towards you to take out all the slack in the line holding it to the tree or whatever you have it secured to. Turn prop backwards until you meet resistance from engine compression.
11. Attach glow igniter to glow plug.
12. Keeping slack out of the securing line and steadying the plane with one hand and making sure everything is clear of the propeller!....firmly press starter to spinner and trigger it. (You might try this before you even fuel the plane and attach the igniter so you have an idea how its going to feel.)
13. Expect the engine to start because it most likely will. As soon as it does pull start away and ease away from plane as you make sure it is going to stay put.
14. With transmitter in hand get behind the plane perhaps even straddling it so that the stabilizer rests against the back of your ankles.
15. If its still running smoothly advance to full throttle and begin breakin sequence. When you idle back you'll have your wits about you. While idling carefully set your transmitter aside and reach up and remove the glow ignitor. Engine should keep running.
16. Retrieve transmitter, stand up still straddling the plane with stabilizer at your heels and rev it up to full throttle again. Let run a minute or two then back to idle. Now, try and kill the engine with your kill button. Hopefully it just cuts off. If it doesn't, set transmitter aside and steady yourself so that you can reach forward and pinch the fuel line from the carb and hold it until the engine quits.

17. Step away and sit down and enjoy a coke (and in my case a cigarette too).

You're on your way!

Enjoy,

Clay

Hey Icarus98, did you join the 495th? I was at the meeting last night, and didn't think to ask for you. If the weather is warm this weekend, there will almost surely be someone at the field (or any other field) who would be willing to help you. Even if nobody is there, it's a lot safer and easier to use one of the benches than to try it on the ground, especially with the snow.

I might try to get out on Sunday, but I'm not sure yet.

Good luck

One of the lessons this hobby teaches is the expense that is associated with impatience. Thankfully that doesn't generally include physical harm, but I know I've lost many dollars and many hours of work learning all about the downside of impatience.

What's to be gained by running your engine, other than feeling as though you're doing something? Anything? Not that I can see.

even tough I felt like Icarus once, I completely agree with Mike, the only thing that I got with my lack of patience is lots of money wasted. and I can say I'm very lucky as I seen some videos on the net that shows taht we can lose more than money (some fingers maybe?)

If the air/fuel mixture is too lean, the engine will overheat. It may or may not be damaged by this.


Icarus,
If the instructor is gone for several weeks, running the engine really will not accomplish anything since you will not be able to fly until he returns.

if you get the radio setup wrong and it will not stop the engine how do you stop it?

Put your finger over the carb (carefully!) or the exhaust, or pinch the fuel line until it dies.

that's why it is better not to run the engine if you don't have experience... to put your finger over the carburator or even taking the glow driver off could be simple, but a little mistake can result on a very bad accident...

One observation if I might, if you do decide to run your engine without help, Clay's post says to turn on your receiver and then turn on your radio. Please reverse this! Turn on your transmitter first, then the receiver! This is to be done in this order always.

When you've finished, turn your receiver off first, then the transmitter.

This alone should be one reason not to strike out on your own. Even people trying to help can get it wrong. It's much better to have someone there to help so that they can teach by example and not an "idiot's list" as you asked.

Good luck!

Yeah amazing isn't it.... I remember your first posts here, and now YOU are the one giving out the sage advice which the "old timers" agree with!

I see posts from people trying to tune their first engines by themselves.

The first time I tried RC glow engines I was so frustrated by being unable to get an engine to run properly, I basically quit it for a long time.

One session with an experienced instructor, on tuning, and that was over.

I was trying to visualize you moving around your plane in my minds eye and not thinking about preparations for flying. Please follow your owners manual as far as the sequence to use with your transmitter and receiver. My FM set makes no mention of this in its manual as best I can tell but my new 2.4gh does.

Folks just want you to have a positive experience and don't wish to see you hurt. But you can't always have someone around and I felt that if you desired to give it a go on your own the least I could do was give you a process that I hoped would keep you from harm's way. Its what you requested.

Its not hard but there is some danger. If you aren't comfortable with any of it wait for assistance. If you decide to go ahead do a couple of dry runs going thru every sequence except skip the glow starter on the plug. You don't want it to fire until you really mean it.

Take care and let us know how you make out,

Clay

I would tend to agree that you should wait until you have help, but Clay's procedure is good if you follow it very carefully.

The one thing I would stress, and Clay mentioned it several times, is that you keep pulling your plane forward against its restraint. As you try to start the engine, you tend to push the plane backwards. If it is not tight against it's restraint, it will jump forward when it starts up.

You just really want to make sure that nothing is near the prop, especially your body parts, but also TX, cables, clothes, etc... Give the prop plenty of room.

But, really, it's best to wait until your instructor gets back or you have some help. You can break in your engine and fly it the same day.

Good luck

One other tip that I learned the hard way - if you get too much glow fuel in your engine, and decide to dry it out by removing the glow plug and hitting it with the electric starter, keep your face away from the engine. [:'(]

Another thing that you had asked is what happens if you don't do it right. Well, you didn't mention the engine model, but if it is an ABC, and you break it in too lean, you can do a lot of damage to the engine bore (the Chrome liner) and have an engine that will not give you many years of service. The reason to 'break in' an engine is to get a good coating of stuff (polymerized oil residue) built up into the liner which acts as a protective lubricating coating for years of service. Make sure you read and follow the directions in the manual about needle valve settings on the break-in procedure, or if you have questions post them here again.
Best of luck.
Curtis
P.S. It can be done alone, but be very careful and don't start if you are unsure of anything.