18CC FEATHERLITE
 

I've probably been wasting my time in converting a 18cc featherlite for use in a hanger 9 232 1/4 scale.I don't need strait up out of site performance but would like it to be lively. I only use gasoline now and am not interested in going to glow.I have Ryobi and Quadra but they weigh too much.Any non-inflamatory suggestions welcome.Thanks ;)

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

i,VE BEEN WORKING ON THE SAME ENGINE AND HAVE BEEN TOLD TO KEEP PLANE IN THE 10 POUND RANGE.

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Oh yeah, forget the 18cc. It might be ok for a .90 size Piper Cub, but not the 1/4 scale Cap. The Cap might fly ok with a 26cc engine, but probably no aerobatics. It needs a 40cc or larger engine.

AV8TOR

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

I've got a 35cc Quadra but i'm afraid it will be too heavy.Have you tried anything in the 4 pound range on this airplane?Thanks

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Is this the plane your talking about?

http://www.hangar-9.com/Articles/Art...ArticleID=1605

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

No sorry the one I'm refering to is 1/4 scale and about 1000 cubic.it's turquoise and white with blue.Matt Mcconville type that's been discontinued from hanger 9's lineup.

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Ask AV8TOR about his echo 23.6 hot rod!!!!!!!!

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

YEAH! It flies my Katana, which has around those specs REALLY nice.

:D

AV8TOR

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Yeah but what is an Echos weight ?And how exactly did you modify it? I hope i can come up with a lightweigh yet powerful gasser.I still think it's not impossible i have a Q42 on a great planes Giles 202 with CH syncro ign. and albeit a little heavy certainly not rediculous.Do you guy's know what they were talking about on this gas/glow stuff and just using a glow plug.Thanks again

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

You mean this?
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_1267448/tm.htm

You should ask gas/glo questions in that thread, but yea will work good and save weight!

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Ok thanks to everyone.I belong to other forums for everything from Vw. diesel engines to Ham operations but i gotta say they don't get any better than you all.Thanks again[8D]

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

I too had thought you were speaking of the current offering by Hangar 9 when you said Cap 32. The smaller/lighter plane you have would do well on a 21 to 26cc engine. A Homelite 25 or 30cc engine, an Echo in that size range, etc. would work well. My Homelites come out just under 3 lbs. in that size, and the Echos just over 2.5 lbs.

Good luck,
AV8TOR

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

You operate on Hams? Man I just eat 'em!

I have a 3?cc Stihl(not sure yet 30 sumpin) weighs in at 4 lbs unmodified, buddy has what appears to be same motor ready for mounting comes in at just over 2 1/2 .
I dont know how he shed all the weight or what the performance will be like?

BTW, when you operate on a ham is it under anesthisia? Wonder what that does for the flavor?

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

ok, I just got a wild idea with a couple things I have sitting in the garage...

I have this old biplane made of coroplast (US models or US Aircore or something) and I think it was designed for a .46 or something, it was free so I didn't ask too many questions... I just did the math and came out with 730ish square inches not counting the center of either wing or the wing tips. in the garage I also have a 18cc weedeater with a trashed starter.

what do you guys think of this combination on gas/glow? I've heard you guys talk about how the porting sucks, so how about modified?

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

I have a quadra 35 with CH ignition in my 73" hanger 9 cap 232.. I love it.. it runs grate. I just put the servos in the tail. had to add just a little lbs in the tail but not much..... The only reson I put the CH ignition on it cuz the fly wheel would not fit in the cowl. but it took the lbs off the nose that I needed off..

To day I did a test flite with my cap and the quadra 35 on gas/glow.. it was grate. the power did not seem to be that much more on the plane, it was hard to tell for sure. I did not take out the CH yet I just changed the plug. I mite keep the gas/glow on it.. and take out the battery and the modual and that will take some more lbs off, not sure yet.

Love the bird with the enging..

Paul

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

How would an 18cc featherlite conversion compare to a g20ei with regards to weight and power. Have Hanger9 Camel and would like to put gasser in it.
Thanks

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

It's going to have less power than the G20 for sure, but with porting and standard hop up mods it should fly it ok.

AV8TOR

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Ok thanks for the reply av8tor. The camel is overpowered with the g20 so this might work out great. I have one so I may as well give it a go.
Do you know how they compare weight wise?

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

I'm guessing the Featherlight might be a tad lighter...

I don't have any actual numbers however.

AV8TOR

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

I'll pull my 18 that I've been playing with inside and get a weight off of it tonight if I remember at that point... it's about ready to be bench tested once I mount it to something...

any ideas on props for an 18? I have a 15-6 I think it is mounted up to it at this point but I haven't started it yet... once I get this thing going I'll try and remember to do updates as I go up in modifications, wanted to get a baseline with stock everything so that's where I am so far, made a prop hub on friday (super simple, neck down a chunk of 1" stock and tap it through with 5/16-24). I think I'll go stock with mag, gas glow stock then play with the dremel and try both again...

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

I think a 15 x 6 or a 14 x 8 would be a good starting point. See how it goes from there...

AV8TOR

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

I would try a 13X8 or 14X6 if it was a 25 CC then I would try a 15x8 or 16x6 that i've been flying with.

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

I'll see if I can get my hands on a 13x8 or something since I would like to run it on the barnstormer (found out what it was called), figure a plane that was supposed to be 8-9 pounds and powered by a .40-50 might fly a bit better with the 18cc on gas-glow... hey, it'll probably be unique if I ever get it off the ground or finish the project...

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

OY!
I was searching through for Featherlite info but it doesn't sound like we have the same engine. Mine is off an OLD trimmer and is a Kioritz (sp) with points [sm=what_smile.gif] on the back side.

I'll take me gas glow questions over there but do you folks have any clues on this Featherlight? What the heck is a Kioritz?
Stripped down to bare gas-glow operation I'd guess a 14" or 15" prop?

I have an old Astro Hog that needs a motor and thought I'd fart with this one.

Thanks.

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

as pictured this 18cc weighs in at 3 pounds 15oz, I took the fins off of the flywheel and trimmed the plastic engine cover thing and that's it, if put on gas/glow as I'm planning to in the future, it should be in the sub 3 pound range, especially without the fuel tank... :)

as far as Kioritz (I know I'm probably way too late, but hey...), that's part of Echo, they are upper end engines, as far as the particular engine you have your hands on, hard to tell without a picture

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

ok, I'm further into the conversion, stripped for gas/glow with 15x8 prop it weighs 2 pounds 3 oz.

right now I'm working and pondering porting the thing, I just measured the exhaust duration at 113 degrees, intake duration is 107 degrees, I guess I'll figure out a way to measure transfer duration tomorrow as it's getting late... the plan so far is to increase the exhaust to around 145 degrees, and increase the width of the intake port, and that's about as far as I got on the planning part.

it turns out when you take the jug gasket out and try to degree the engine, the piston hits the head, I'm planning on running a very thin gasket if any gasket, so I guess I'll chuck the piston up in the lathe and turn the edge down some.

I'm willing to try any tricks on this thing, I've got several small carbs that would probably work fine on it (like stock 25cc carbs), it has some light scoring on the piston and cylinder so if it doesn't work it's not much of a waste. I just like the looks of the little thing, so it's a little rough around the edges with the weight loss program of choice (pliers), but I'm curious what it'll do once screwed with...

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Pliers...lot faster with horse hoof TRIMMERS!:D Capt,n

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

As you know as long as the scoreing is below the exhaust port it isn't a real problem.

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

The first thing to check when working on a used engine is the ring gap. Every used engine I've taken apart without exception had a ring gap that was too wide. This costs power bit time. Stock specs for ring gap are around .003", which is VERY tiny. It's not uncommon to take one apart and find a ring gap of more like 1/8"!!

Frank Bowman's rings go in all my engines. I have taken an otherwise good running engine, but with a bit wide of a ring gap, and replaced the ring with one of Frank's, and gained almost 1000 rpms! All the trick modifications in the world won't help an engine that doesn't have a good ring seal....

BTW, Frank actually specs ZERO ring gap for his rings!

Have fun,
AV8TOR

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Hammer House of Horror for engines [sm=lol.gif] At least I give the poor things swift service with a hacksaw and a swig of rum!

Hoof clippers !!!

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Featherlites RULE. .40 size Twist with 21cc Featherlite. All the porting mods but stock ring. Best way to reduce weight? Don't use a heavy prop hub. Just have the thrust washer fit the taper, put on prop, prop nut on crankshaft....same prop drive as glo engines. Throttle coupled spark advance. I've gathered up a bunch of these, older style, bolts better to firewall.
Also no backplate. Just run bolts from rear of firewall through rear cover and into engine. Got one for my H9 Camel, Great Plane Tripe and my Great Planes 80 inch Cub. SWEET.

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Wrong pic, here's a cloer shot

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Where does one buy a .40 Twist? Is that a Goldberg kit? Thanks Capt,n

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Here ya go Captain: http://search.horizonhobby.com/index...d=117A4F5683E5

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Joe, That installation is beautiful!

So you took a chunk of thickwall aluminum tubing, turned it down to a washer and cut the taper????

Or were you fortunate enough to find something that worked?

I'm looking at gas-glow to shave as much weight as possible and I really like your idea.

BTW, what prop are you running on that 3D beastie?

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Hello Team Monkey, 15 x 6 Zinger prop. The thrust washer/pulse wheel (holds the magnet) is made fron 1/4 inch aluminum. The prop nut is a DuBro 5/16 x 28 hobby shop item. I turned the front of the case for the pick-up wheel (holds the pulse switch for the ignition), and cut a groove in front of it for a snap ring to hold it on. It (pick-up wheel ) is connected to the throttle so spark timing advances with advanced throttle and retards with reduced throttle. Just like the older Brison set up. thanks for the interest, Joe Buitch

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

One of these days I'm going to learn how to cast aluminum. One thing I would really like to cast, is a 90 degree elbow to mount the carbs facing rearward to make these piston port engines a little narrower.

I know someone is likely to say "Why not mount it facing forward for a ram air effect?" First, that messes carb calibration all up. Secondly, I have read that even at well over 100 mph, the power gain from ram air is only around 1 to 2%.

AV8TOR

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

Thanks for the info Joe. Mine will be mostly stock except for the gas-glow so I bought a 14x6 as a starting point. With no port mod's that's probably a fair place to start. Once it's warm enough to get back in the garage[:@] I'll get under way!

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

ok, the scoring might be worse than I thought, it's about a 1/2" wide by 1.5" strip of scoring going from 1/4" below the exhaust port to the top of the cylinder (like it's following the ring)and it's from the middle of the exhaust port to just past the edge... I'll clean it up and if if doesn't run, I'll chock it up as porting practice... not to mention the ring gap is .015", if the thing actually runs, I'll get a bowman ring for it :)

RE: 18CC FEATHERLITE
 

if anyone was curious, the engine is 2 lb even with everything but glow plug, 1 lb 12 oz with everything but glow plug and prop. apparently pulling out the two steel plates from inside the muffler and the choke plate made some difference.