RE: Substitute for Ether
 

I used common dieselfuel (with ether) as primer to start, the temperature was about 20 degree in evening. In fact the engine was easy to start than i used the dieselfuel with modificated olive oil as lube (etherless fuel blend of kerosene and modificated olive oil as lube) who was difficult to start without to warm up the cylinder with heat gun.

I do not have the electric starter to learn out the engine was possible to start up with the old fuel receipt from former soviet era. In the book, they used the rope to start the engine, also faster than hand starting and without to use the primer...

RE: Substitute for Ether
 

I ran some straight diesel and oil at about 24C and it worked fine in my LA40. It would quit if the temp was lower....

I would think it would work better without the gasoline.

RE: Substitute for Ether
 

Gasoline in fuel makes it easier to atomize the carburetor in cold conditions (without heating up the engine with a heat gun for example). So it is not intended to remove gasoline from the fuel.
Diesel is heavily atomizing, then gasoline acts as a diluent (Reduce viscosity of the fuel) in the fuel.
With other word: Smaller drops of atomized fuel is easier to heat up by compression temperature under running condition.

RE: Substitute for Ether
 

Or 3. You could copy the DDD setup with a tangental grub screw locking the comp screw.
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RE: Substitute for Ether
 

My easy solution is to find a nut that fits the comp screw, put a "star" washer on the screw and pinch the nut down onto the star washer enough to create the desired amount of "stiffness" to stop it drifting off by itself. Once set this can be left alone for years (as on 2 of my PAW Diesels)

RE: Substitute for Ether
 

Or 4. Make the entire comp screw from brass and it will expand when hot and grip to its position tighter than steel does.

RE: Substitute for Ether
 

Would Gasoline in anyway effect the diesel knock?

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Go to this link, there are movies of the engine running with gasoline mixed together kerosene and oil : http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10632106/tm.htm

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My current etherless starting setup.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Mp0nmCRKHc[/youtube]

RE: Substitute for Ether
 

Nice set-up. What kind of flight time can you get on 13 ounces of kerosene?

Also wouldn't it be easier to have two tanks in the plane? Maybe a two ounce tank filled with model diesel fuel and a 10 ounce tank filled with the kerosene oil mix. Seemed kind of tricky holding the tank and tweeking the needlle at the same time.</p>

RE: Substitute for Ether
 

I flew for about 25 minutes mostly high throttle and landed with 2/3 of a tank. I was guessing well over an hour, and that proved it. I only need 1/4 or 1/2oz of regular fuel to get it running. I'm working on a smaller auxiliary tank and a way to hold it on the airplane. Next is a cowl and crankcase oil.

RE: Substitute for Ether
 

Greg,
          knowing that castor oil needs ether in order to mix a vegetable oil into a mineral fuel, what kind of oil did you opt for?

Thanks

RE: Substitute for Ether
 

Over an hour! That is a lot of stick time. I hope you have a high capacity reciever battery. :D

I wonder how that compares to 13 oz of gasoline if your OS was converted to run of gasoline. Probably less than the diesel conversion since the compression would have to be lower to run gasoline.

Crankcase oil will be a challenge.

I have seen threads where people had oil circulating (in through the backplate and out the cam cover) through the engine from a tank, but I have never seen anyone actually have the oil just sitting in the crankase.


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RE: Substitute for Ether
 

Most castor oils intended for motor use will blend with kerosene and gasoline. They are not straight first pressing oils, but have been modified. One caveat, below a given temperature it will separate. This depends on the fuel you're blending it with. Check the tech sheet of the oil you're using. I have used castor oil. Mostly, I use a high viscosity synthetic though, Klotz R50. Contrary to popular belief, diesels do not need castor oil.