I just bought a DLE 111 and downloaded the instruction manual from the Hobbico website. They say the timing is set from the factory at 44 degrees BTDC. Is this correct or a misprint? Every other gasser I know of has timing around 26-30 degrees BTDC. I have a timing wheel and know how to set timing, but I haven't seen this issue brought up in any DLE engine threads. So, is everyone resetting the timing to 28 BTDC to prevent knucklebusting starts and not melting the piston?

just for the fun of it, Email Hobbico and see what they say.

Timing should be set 28-30 Deg BTDC

Milton

I was hoping Jedi Jody or one of the other DLE distributors would straighten out the confusion. I don't know if Hobbico wrote the instructions or just translated them from Chinglish.

ALL gassers like to be timed at 28 BTDC....DLE is no exception...

I sent the question to Hobbico a few minutes ago, and we'll see what they say about their instructions. I checked the timing on my engine, it came set at 32 degrees BTDC. I reset the timing to 28 BTDC, which is the fully retarded position on the sensor holder. There is a very limited range of adjustment, and no way, no how, could you set it close to their specified 44 degrees BTDC. Thanks Milton and Ralph for confirming my thoughts on this.

I've straightened out the confusion countless times. The Hobbico manual is a joke, lots of errors and wrong informationin that one.Milton and Antique are correct, set it at 28-30 degrees.

When setting the timing, if you turn the engine over clockwise as viewed from the front, (the wrong direction) you will see the 44 degree timingspec make a little more sense.

Thanks Jody for the clarification. I did many forum searches and couldn't come up with any hits on DLE 111 ignition timing.

Hobbico responded to my quest for info and said 44 degrees BTDC is the correct timing. I responded that they should check the timing themselves with a degree wheel and piston stop and see what they get. I also gave them Jedi Jody's explanation that 44 degrees could be the reading if they are turning the crankshaft in the wrong direction. I asked them to measure the timing with the crank turning counterclockwise. We'll see what they say.

See who people are buying there engines from, How could anyone expect good service from a company that has no knowledge of products they sell.?????

About all they can tell you is it was your fault and not covered by warranty. LOL

Milton

It would be a good thing if one of the other distirbutors of the DLE would put online a nice engine manual that included all of the correct technical information. The only reason I downloaded Hobbico's manual was that it was the only one that came up in a google search. The instructions that come with a DLE engine are mighty sparse. An online parts list would also be a handy item for one of the other distributors. I know you can't find that info for some of the other manufacturers (DA and 3W), but you could for ZDZ. My old Sears lawnmower came with a nice manual and complete parts diagram so you could order the correct parts easily for repair. Hint, hint.

dle ignitions retard about 24degrees..If you set it at 44 degrees it will retard only to 20 degrees BTDC for starting...A big twin bites pretty hard at 20 degrees...Be aware...And 44 BTDC is way to much timing for running, your engine will get too hot and could self destruct.

And then it is user fault for over heating engine and then not covered by warranty.

Milton

Hobbico sent me another reply, unfortunately they're sticking with their answer of 44 degrees BTDC. They didn't say if they actually measured the timing on any engines to verify....hmmmm.