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-   -   Electronic solutions to modifying glow engines of all sizes to gasoline (https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/engine-conversions-92/11699946-electronic-solutions-modifying-glow-engines-all-sizes-gasoline.html)

Cat 1 08-06-2024 07:34 PM

[QUOTE=1967brutus;12804397

I would like to know: How do you guys fare? Those of you that have one or more converted engines, what are your field-experiences?[/QUOTE]

Since every one is "spilling the beans" on their recent "slow flying" I will too... My new work position is very time consuming and really bites into my free time... But after some reflection during a recent 2 week Holiday I have given the higher powers a "departure date". Its a year away but the light is at the end of the tunnel... Too young to retire completely but will really scale back the work commitment and regain my free time..

I have got a modest amount of flying in and last weekend I proved to myself that I can still initiate a good old " Dirt Nap" on an unsuspecting airframe... I had a Glow 4 stroke "Sport Mustang" that flamed out shortly after takeoff and I proceeded to prove out that the "impossible turn" is still impossible - especially in a wind..

BUT... on a positive note and in repose to the question posed - I have had both the Boxer and the 40 two stroke conversion out this year and both flew with our fuss or adjustment.. - All this with the same "lack of attention" you noted Bert.

Here is hoping we all get back to the flying and "engine fiddling" we so deserve!!!! :)

1967brutus 08-08-2024 07:14 AM


Originally Posted by Cat 1 (Post 12804855)
last weekend I proved to myself that I can still initiate a good old " Dirt Nap" on an unsuspecting airframe... I had a Glow....

There you go... Glow...

:D :D :D Sorry, couldn't resist... Sorry to hear about the demise of yet another decent airframe, but good to hear everything is OK on your side and in the near future you're going to reclaim some of that free time again.


1967brutus 08-09-2024 05:36 AM

Meanwhile, another run of 10 housings in the works...

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...4ba0929718.jpg

Glowgeek 08-09-2024 07:35 AM

Bachelor's oven! :p

1967brutus 08-09-2024 08:02 AM


Originally Posted by Glowgeek (Post 12805009)
Bachelor's oven! :p

Yup... has not seen food inside in years... (actually, bit afraid to put food in it, due to all the heatcuring substances that have been iside over the years...:D :D :D )

1967brutus 08-09-2024 10:54 AM

Ten kits ready for delivery...

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...278073554d.jpg

Glowgeek 08-09-2024 10:55 AM

Very nice, Bert. Thanks for doing this.

1967brutus 08-09-2024 11:08 AM


Originally Posted by Glowgeek (Post 12805017)
Very nice, Bert. Thanks for doing this.


My pleasure...

If my accounting is correct, this will be #131 till #140 of kits produced.
Did not exactly keep track, but I'm in the 3rd run of 50 solenoid housings, and ten unused ones left.
10 currently in use in my own fleet... (still 5 planes waiting for conversion).



Johnfrench13 08-09-2024 09:39 PM


Originally Posted by Glowgeek (Post 12805017)
Very nice, Bert. Thanks for doing this.

Hello, what more can I say

Thank you very much Bert

1967brutus 08-10-2024 12:15 AM


Originally Posted by Johnfrench13 (Post 12805043)
Hello, what more can I say

Thank you very much Bert

You're welcome!

Just 10 minutes ago I dropped yours off at the post office. You should have an e-mail notification by now ;)

Brgds, Bert

1967brutus 08-10-2024 08:47 AM

Hmmm... 5 kits spoken for in a single morning... :D

Cat 1 08-16-2024 06:34 PM

I love the oven picture Bert - mass production!!!

Bert (or others) - Any experience with converting the YS supercharged four strokes. Over the past while I seem to accumulated a few (3) .91's. 1 is NIB and the other 2 are close to NIB.
For fun I put one on the test stand the other day and It probably the finest running glow 4 stroke I have ever operated.. The induction and fuel systems are true genius.

Any thoughts on how they would convert...

Johnfrench13 08-17-2024 12:00 AM


Originally Posted by 1967brutus (Post 12805074)
Hmmm... 5 kits spoken for in a single morning... :D

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...8a84d9e2f4.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...742fb0e159.jpg
Kit received and welded thank you..

1967brutus 08-17-2024 04:52 AM


Originally Posted by Cat 1 (Post 12805375)
I love the oven picture Bert - mass production!!!

Bert (or others) - Any experience with converting the YS supercharged four strokes. Over the past while I seem to accumulated a few (3) .91's. 1 is NIB and the other 2 are close to NIB.
For fun I put one on the test stand the other day and It probably the finest running glow 4 stroke I have ever operated.. The induction and fuel systems are true genius.

Any thoughts on how they would convert...

I really would not know how that ingenious fuel pressurizing system would work out on gas, since it contains YS specific parts made out of silicone, for which I would not know an alternative.

The engines themselves should be fine on it, albeit due to their "supercharging" they might benefit from high octane rating fuel.

I have never owned an YS and my budget won't allow me to in the foreseeable future...

1967brutus 08-17-2024 05:00 AM


Originally Posted by Johnfrench13 (Post 12805382)

Hi John, happy to see that...

If you connect it to a receiver, and put the channel midstick (any random channel, as long as it is set for full servo travel) you should hear silence in the end positions, and a soft rattle over nearly the entire stick-movement. Then you know the solenoid works.

When you push the solenoid in its housing, make sure that the ridge on the solenoid touches the metal housing (sometimes it requires a strong push. A tiny bit of vaseline befor inserting helps).

When inserted, if you connect a piec of tubing to either of the connections, and insert the set to the receiver, blow gently into the tubing, while operating the stick, and you can determine which side is open and which side is closed.

If you use a liquid (preferably fuel), you should see something like this:


1967brutus 08-17-2024 05:03 AM

By the way, there is no need to completely cover the wire to the solenoid in isolating tape... Mine are usually bare, with just a dab of hotglue to protect the weld.

Cat 1 08-18-2024 07:12 AM


Originally Posted by 1967brutus (Post 12805390)
I really would not know how that ingenious fuel pressurizing system would work out on gas, since it contains YS specific parts made out of silicone, for which I would not know an alternative.

The engines themselves should be fine on it, albeit due to their "supercharging" they might benefit from high octane rating fuel.

I have never owned an YS and my budget won't allow me to in the foreseeable future...

YS's can be had "quite reasonably" over here with the disappearance of glow - you just have to keep watch out - All of mine were "collected" at less than the $200USD price point.

I have reviewed the system and conversion all looks doable and there are no really complex soft parts - The diagpham is simple an could be made with the regular gas resistant material - The valve "head" is hard silicone but could also me made of a gas resistant plastic. the rest are o-rings with the exception a soft rubber seal on the throttle barrel which I presume seals back super charging pressure from its location.

Would have to determine how much "boost" is going on with the case supercharging to determine what fuel requirements might be - I did find one instance of a guy who converted one and it ran well but the needle valve was very finicky - they are both only open about 1 turn on glow. BUT - we know how to fix this.. There is a perfect spot in the short line from the regulator to the carb where the solenoid could reside...
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...86f797a611.jpg

1967brutus 08-18-2024 11:35 AM

It would be very interesting to know...

Jim.Thompson 08-23-2024 09:51 PM

Old man's confusion here:

I am looking for the thread that I read some years ago for replacing a diaphragm carburator (or modifying it) with and electronic Sthil manufactured electronic solenoid, microprocessor driven, to improve efficiency etc.
Am I now on the correct thread?
Of is there another thread covering this subject?

I have a 26 cc converted industrial two stroke running on a Wallbro diaphragm carburettor (WT 668 clone). I fancy converting this to the Stihl electronic solenoid system of fuel regulation etc.

Please advise.

Jim.

1967brutus 08-23-2024 11:08 PM


Originally Posted by Jim.Thompson (Post 12805714)
Old man's confusion here:

I am looking for the thread that I read some years ago for replacing a diaphragm carburator (or modifying it) with and electronic Sthil manufactured electronic solenoid, microprocessor driven, to improve efficiency etc.
Am I now on the correct thread?
Of is there another thread covering this subject?

I have a 26 cc converted industrial two stroke running on a Wallbro diaphragm carburettor (WT 668 clone). I fancy converting this to the Stihl electronic solenoid system of fuel regulation etc.

Please advise.

Jim.

You might be thinking of this thread?
https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/eng...-fuel-mix.html

There also is this thread on another forum that unfortunately ended up in the nebulas of oblivion: Start saving big on fuel costs. Build our controller and convert to gas. - RC Groups. It contained a lot of useful info but got pretty damaged by people trolling, and participants consequently removing their content.

Although it is out of our leage since we in this thread we occupy ourselves with converting old glow engines, AFAIK, the electronics as used here should, provided good care is taken to ensure a slop free throttle linkage, also work with a Stihl M-tronic carb in combination with aroplane use (any application where load is mainly dictated by RPM).

I'm a bit pressed for time right now, I can elaborate further later today.

Jim.Thompson 08-24-2024 12:53 AM

Rcgroups thread.
 
Thanks Bert, it was the rcgroups thread.
I am aware that I need to do a lot of reading about this electronic fuel metering system for two strokes.
As I may have mentioned, I have two converted industrial engines, one 26 cc and the other 40 cc.
I am still not clear if the Stihl M-Tronics solenoid can be integrated into the Walbro carbs that I am using, or not.
You may be able to suggest that this is possible or not. After all, if chainsaws are using it, my little 26 cc engine did come out of a chainsaw, so it follows that this is likely to be possible.
No pressure from me at this stage, I have a flying festival coming up in a couple of weeks and will be busy preparing for it over the next two weeks anyway.
After that, I will do more reading up on this.

Jim.

Glowgeek 08-24-2024 02:01 AM


Originally Posted by Jim.Thompson (Post 12805716)
Thanks Bert, it was the rcgroups thread.
I am aware that I need to do a lot of reading about this electronic fuel metering system for two strokes.
As I may have mentioned, I have two converted industrial engines, one 26 cc and the other 40 cc.
I am still not clear if the Stihl M-Tronics solenoid can be integrated into the Walbro carbs that I am using, or not.
You may be able to suggest that this is possible or not. After all, if chainsaws are using it, my little 26 cc engine did come out of a chainsaw, so it follows that this is likely to be possible.
No pressure from me at this stage, I have a flying festival coming up in a couple of weeks and will be busy preparing for it over the next two weeks anyway.
After that, I will do more reading up on this.

Jim.

One of our members here in this thread has a DLE 30 2 stroke gas engine with a Stihl M-tronics carb. Not sure if he has tested it yet but it should work with either of the controllers mentioned in this thread.

Jim.Thompson 08-24-2024 02:37 AM


Originally Posted by Glowgeek (Post 12805719)
One of our members here in this thread has a DLE 30 2 stroke gas engine with a Stihl M-tronics carb. Not sure if he has tested it yet but it should work with either of the controllers mentioned in this thread.

That's very encouraging. I hope to follow up on that and find more details etc.
Thanks for the reply.

Jim.

Raleighcopter 08-24-2024 09:08 AM

You won't be able to convert your existing carburetor to work with a Stihl m-tronic solenoid because those carbs have an integral fuel pump which would hinder the action of the solenoid.

Cat1 (Chris) has converted a Stihl m-tronic carb to fit a dle30 and has flown with it. I have an m-tronic carb and engine to 🫴 nvert but haven't gotten to it. Chris 3d printed parts for the conversion.

I believe it worked well but haven't done it myself yet.

Black market m-tronic carbs are all over AliExpress for black market prices.

1967brutus 08-24-2024 11:42 AM

Like the others have stated, it is NOT possible (at least not without great effort) to modify an existing Walbro carb for use with the solenoid.
What you need, is an equivalent to your current carb Stihl M-tronic carb, or one at least compatible to your engine.
Since Stihl uses a different bolt pattern from Walbro, you will need to do some modding here and there.
But once fitted, indeed the electronics as discussed in this thread and the RCGroups thread, should be fully able to do the job for an engine in airplane configuration.
Mind you, you still need a TX with good curve programming functions, and you still need to determine those curves yourself.


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