4 cycle fuel
 

can i run 4 cycle fuel in my alpha 60 trainer 2 clcle.i messed up the other day and bought 4 cyle instead of the 2 cycle fuel.later asked the man at the hobby shop and said it would run just fine no need to bring it back for trade in.so i finally got to use the 4 cycle and all my eng does when i throttle half way or more is spit and sputter.had 5 dead stick landings today.that was exiting and all and i got pretty good at it but i did rip my landing gear out once.easy fix.im new maybe 2 gals of fuel put threw alpha 60 so far and half a gal of that 4 cycle.any comments would be much help.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

hmmm, I wouldn't think 4 cycle fuel would matter. I would bet the only thing differant is that the '4 cycle' fuel doens't have any caster and is all synthetic. I've heard some ppl don't like caster in there 4 strokers, cause it gums up the valves. Have u played with ur mix valves? U might wanna give that a try. See if u can beg a tank of fuel of someone else to see if the problem goes away. My guess is u just need to retune the engine. Sounds rich.
-John

-- edit --
Oh, also have u checked ur clunk? My engine was chocking to death today at 1/3 throttle after I misjudged hight on a shrub coming in on a simulated dead stroke. THe clunk line was stuck and kincked.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

oh and more about my great day.:)had about 8 to 9 flights.more than half maybe due to that 4 cycle fuel.broke 2 impellers.but all in all what a great day.got to pracise the most hardest thing in rc airplanes.thats the landing.found out a lil wind can be ur freind when landing if u going into it.and i succesfully trimed my alpha 60 today for first time.kinda gave up on instructers after 3 flights due to both i worked with only instructed on sundays.so i took matters in my own hands.but of couse they helped me out on buddy box and all in which i really thank those guys.i did loose one alpha 60 rtf due to no instucter and now flying with my arf alpha 60 haveing a ball.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

cluck line????remember im a noobie wut color is the clunk line?

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

I'm a noob too:) Clunk line is the fuel line. As oppose to the pressure line. It's the line in the tank that has a clunk (heavy piece that keeps the fuel line in the fuel) attached to it. A few good shakes of the plane free'd it up in my case.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

I've talked to the owner of my LHS. We looked and could find no difference between Cool Power 15% and Cool Power "4 cycle" fuel other than the label and the fact that it was a few dollars more a gallon. I would think it wouldn't make a difference.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

it sure dosent, go ahead and use four stroke fuel in 2 strokes and vise versa. no problems for twenty years.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

ok the clunck is the thing in the fuel tank.when u shake the tank u can hear it rattle.i remember that when i was putting the arf alpha 60 a few days ago.im gonna drain the fuel tank.i guess i will shake it???to see if it rattles.or what should i do?

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

What type of fuel do you normally run?

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

byron performance blended fuel.premium sport standard 15% nitro and 16% total oil.synthetic to caster blend.and have ran cool power before maybe green.this one is red.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

You may have gotten a type of fuel that is different enough that you would need to retune the engine a little. I would try leaning the mixture slightly and possibly the low end if the transition if effected.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

The Cool power 15 percent "airplane" and "4 stroke" fuels are identical in all but the label.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

;)


Ken

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

thanks guys.gonna go tune her now.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

Let us know how it goes

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

ok guys thanks a lot.got her tuned out useing the manaual.did the pinch test and.one more?she is pretty lean after i tuned it with the pinch test.and shes pretty hot after full throttle for about 3 mins.i can only hold my hand on the eng for about a sec.the high neddle valve is set the leanest.its lean but thats the only way the eng will run succesfully.am i getting the eng to hot?remember i did the pinch test on the high and low needle valves on myalpha 60 trainer and its a 61 eng.anyone else have one of these if so how hot does ur eng get after a hard flight?is urs leaner than rich.by the way my alpha is tottaly broke in now and i think its ok to run it leaner now.im i right people?ty for all the help guys.any comment will help me bunches.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

sorry for all the questions guys but just one more question.yesterday i broke about 8 inches from mystandard radio transmitter antanna.i did a maybe 40 ft range test and it seemed fine.is it ok to keep useing it for my alpha 60 trainer?

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

by the way i changed from the 3 prop propeller to the 2 bladder during the useing the 4 cycle fuel due to some rough landings and all i had was 2 blade props left.i was gonna use them in the future but it didnt work that way.the props are the standard ones for the alpha 60 trainer.she really screams with that 2 blade prop.i love it.sad thing is im on my last one and hobby store is 40 miles from here[:o] ok guys sorry about all the post but i just wanna be succesful.my skills r getting better fast.by the way if any new guys wanna fly there bird for the first time get a instucter.u may not want to but its very important u do.even if u just have one session with the instucter like i did and about 6 flights on buddy box.ur chances the next time u go up on ur chance of soloing on ur own will be much much greater.i no for a fact when ur by urself soloing u get a way larger butterfly in ur stomack than with a instructer.its a high that u cant explain till u experence it.later ill let yall talk now lol.im just wasting time so my batterys can charge glo plugs etc.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

No, it's not ok. Buy a replacement, if they're user replacable, or send it in to a service center for replacment.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

If I where you I'd just pick up a new antenna. It will have reduced range. It MIGHT be enough, but it might NOT! Couple bucks for a antenna is WELL worth it. The broken antenna won't effect the range test as u do those with the antenna collapsed anyways.
-JIohn

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

I don't use the pinch test, I've never found it reliable enough. Instead I point the plane vertical with the engine at full throttle and hold it that way for about 10 seconds. If it slows down, it's too lean. If it stays the same speed it's still too lean. If it speeds up a little and holds that it's about right. If it speeds up a bunch, it may be a bit too rich.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

vertical meaning the propeller is pointed to ground?

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

Make sure you have a firm, two hand grip on the plane and point the nose straight up.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

What two-blade prop did you install? The Evolution .61 recommends 11x7 or 12x6.

If the "four stroke" fuel you are using only has 16% oil, it is marginal for use in your two stroke engine. Omega and Cool Power regular 'aero blend' fuels have 17% oil; Powermaster has 18%. Be sure you run rich if you only have 16% oil.

RE: 4 cycle fuel
 

the prop was a 12x4.it was all the hobby store had at the time.he said they would work.the last 12x4 is working ok i guess but later did reserch and found out its not the correct size to use according to this prop graph http://home.merlin.mb.ca/~kmartel/propcht.htm but anyway im working on the last prop out of 3 of those i bought.anyway i finally got the eng tuned some what today and had 3 flights.1 resulting in dead stick to eng failare.took 3 hrs to tune her lol.the only way she would run at close to her peak is if the high speed was very lean and the low speed needle vale somewhat lean allso.that the only way i could get her to run without sputtering .by the way the broke antanna on my transmitter is ok.did range test at 1 mile before flying today.had some great landings today with no wind.very easy with no wind to land.so thinks guys on all ur imputs.i would have never made it this far without u guys.