Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

I saw an ad for Evolution Engines that said that they were broken in/tuned at the factory? I'm looking at a .40-.46 for a new Skyraider Mach II and was considering an Evolution because i'm lazy and cheap.

Anybody have any experience with these? I dont feel like wasting a gallon of fuel on a break-in and tuning isn't really my forte'

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

Great engines. Go for it they are everything they claim.
You will be happy with them.

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

They are built in Taiwan for Horizon Hobby. The needles are preset at the factory and the engines are run on the bench. One thing to remember is the temp/humidity in Taiwan is higher than most locations in the US and some needle setting will be required. Olso the engines are NOT "broken" at the factory since it takes about a gallon of fuel to get the engine running OK. Use the same method with Evolution engines like any other engine. They are very good once set in run properly.

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

I'd say they are partly broken in. Enough to fly them right out of the box, but you'll get better handling after a few flights, better idle, etc.

As long as you don't need peak power, the pre-set limiters are usually ok. But if you want max power from the engine, and know what you are doing, you're best off removing them. For beginnners, they are a great feature though.

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

I have two of 46 NT's. Its the only engines I've ever had. I have nothing to compare it to, but I liked it enough to by another. I flew it right out of the box. You will have to learn to tune it hough. Different props...The needles stopper gets bent or loose. The booklet expains the pinch method of tuning really good, its no big deal if there are no problems.

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

I did a review of the Evo trainer engine in RCU magazine, and I loved it.

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

Seems my .61 Evolution ran but after a few flights a skilled person went somewhere about 1/2 + turn turn past the stop to richen it out,runs a lot better now,but do the pinch test and you'll be alright.I cant wait til i get some time on this engine then i'm gonna go to a 2 blade prop somewhere around a 11X7.5 then go from there.

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

What's the "pinch test"?

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

With the plane sutiably restrained and the engine running at full throttle, you -CAREFULLY- reach in and give the fuel line to the needle valve a quick pinch. If the engine speeds up, it's still rich. If it dies, it's too lean. If it dies no matter where you have the needle valve set, you're pinching too long.

Andy

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

I've got a .46 and I love it. I am considering getting a .61 as well. The directions are real clear about starting and setting the needles. You should'nt have any problems getting it going and it has proven to be very reliable. Good Luck!!

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

There seems to be a lot 46 sized engine owners out there but not tooo many 61 size as yet. Based on the owners reports on the smaller size, I bought a 61 and hope to try it in my Kaos next weekend. The engine looks first rate!

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

who cares about breaking it in??
I break in all of my os and TH engines in the air...LOL:)

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

I have a 61NT and it needed to be adjusted beyound the stops at first
It still is a great engine and as far a break in just don't lean it out too much at first.
As in life - a little rich is a good thing!!

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

Where have you folks been buying these Evolution engines? Anybody know of any good deals?

I'm also looking for a good Futaba flight pack (so I can use the transmitter from my Avistar)

Thanks!

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

Try the hobby barn in Arizona. I live in Alaska, but do a great deal of ordering through them.
They are almost always lower priced with good shipping prices. I just bought a EVO 46.NT for 79.00 thats the NT not the TPS wich is 69.00.

You can find them online www.thehobbybarn.com
You will have to call them because thier website is not that great they have more in the store than on the site.

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

horizon hobby is a good place. Cheap as anyplace, but you have to pay for shipping.

I live in Carrollton KY, not too far from your club.

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

I flew my .61 right out of the box,needed to rich the highspeed but it ran pretty good,runs better all the time now.

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

My friend has one on an xtra easy 2 and it seems to be ok but he has been tuning it and it looses the tune all the time. I have an Os .46 and it tuned mine in like 3 min and it runs great and never dies his dies all the time. We are brand new to the hobby and have learned everything ourselves with about 25 flights a piece. I like my engine over his but it seems to be preety good.

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

bought my .40nt through LHS for about $79.00. thats including shipping and tax.

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

Wings,

You'll have to come up some time. We're not far from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Intl Airport -- only about 10 minutes off I275.

We have 2 grass runways which are constantly groomed. The traffic pattern is over some fields and the ohio river so there are very few challenges or airplane-eating trees. Great place to learn.

Wednesday night is trainer-night. Club instructors are around from around 5pm until dark for free instruction (bring your own buddy cord/box). www.flyingcardinals.org

For the more advanced folks or those who like paved runways the Comair field is down the road in Burlington KY. Its got a paved runway and a nice air-conditioned clubhouse, but seems to have quite a few more experienced pilots there who are less tolerant of newbies like me! It's also on the top of a hill and surrounded by forrest. For those of us who frequently deposit the remains of their airplanes somewhere on downwind, the prospect of hiking down a hill into the woods to recover the wreckage does not seem too apealing. [:@]

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

My club is probably about the same distance from my house as yours. I was considering maybe joining your club, but my family lives on the other side of Louisville so I choose to join the club in Louisville. I drive an hour to get to my club.

Maybe I will stop by sometime!

Wings

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

Funny,

I went out and bought the Hangar 9 alpha trainer that comes with the evolution engine. Yesterday I tried to get it up and running. I was succesful in getting the engine started. But the engine just seemed so unstable that I would dare try to take it up in the air. If it idles it would shut off, If you gas it, It would shut off. The directions cleary say get engine to full throttle and pinch the fuel line..Ok, thats wonderful but as soon as I increase the throttle the engine takes a crap and dies. So I tired doing some minor adjustment to the high speed needle thinking that engine was starved for gas....No such luck...3 hours of tweaking and setting the two needles just to get this POS to run right....Now, I will admit that I am clueless when it comes to this stuff....but the directions dont cover my situation....

Symptoms are

It throws fuel out of the muffler (is that normal!?!?!?! quiet a lot...covered one side of my bed liner in my truck)
It will idle for about 2 minutes then die shortly after if you dont touch the throttle
going full throtle will kill it immeditley if you go past half way....And I know it will go faster


I am left with 2 options
Throw the damn thing away and right it off as a stupid mistake for getting into this hobby

Or go join 2433241 clubs to get idea of what hole I dug myself into

O and yeah, Sorry to be so negative.....just frustrates the living hell out of me

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

Is this a 46? I have a 46 and Minnflyer has a review that states that the low speed needle should be set 1 1/5 turns from all the way shut. That advice has helped me a lot.

If it is not a 46, find out what the setting should be for the low speed and set it there.


If you are blowing fuel out the exhuast chances are you are too rich on the high speed.

You say it dies at full throttle? Give it just enough throttle where it will not quit on you and hold it there.

Slowly turn the high speed CW. If engine start speed up you are too rich and you need to continue to lean it untill it will run at full throttle. Then you can do the pinch test.

Hope this helps, I'm no expert either but have been down this road.

Good Luck,

Wings

RE: Evolution Engines: No Break In? Tuning?
 

Minion,
You apologized, so I won't go off on you too much, but how the heck can you call the engine a POS in one sentence, then say you don't know anything about them? :eek: Of course it MUST be the engine, right? (Sorry, as I said you apologized. This rant was focused more on the people that can't accept responsibility for their own ignorance. ;))

Your engine is definitely set too rich. You only made things worse when you assumed, "engine was starved for gas", and richened it further. Try leaning it out the next time you run it, or better yet, find someone who's done it before. It'll take them about three minutes to get it running right. :D
Dennis-