R/C Ray

My Feedback: (6)

I think I've had it with DLE engines. I bought a 35Re less than a year ago w/ a two year warranty. The spark plug blew out of the head not once but twice! When I called to have it repaired I was told it wasn't covered under the warranty and that I could BUY a replacement head for $60! I complained to management and they contacted DLE and supplied me with the head (didn't do the work,but supplied the part). Here is where it gets interesting....the head was on back order! I waited over two months for the part! I really would have been upset if it was the flying season and had to wait that long to get a new engine up and running.


I also have a NEW DL 50 that I've had for a while,but it's brand new. This engine runs fine, but I can't shut it down with the
carb butterfly. The butterfly is completely closed, yet the engine still runs.

Think I'll be sticking with the old reliable Zenoah Gas Engines!?

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

What is that ole saying ........... awwwwwwwwwww yes .............. " To Each His Own ".

SrTelemaster150

Why didn't you just have a Helicoil istalled? Any automotive machine shop could do it & it's in expensive. Heck you could do it yourself if you have basic mechanic skills.

ira d

Was it a dealer or was it Hobbico that refused to honor the warranty and did they give a reason?

pilotpete2

+1 on the helicoil!
I seriously doubt that any engine manufacturer will cover stripped spark plug threads. On a new engine, one of the first things I check out of the box is that the spark plug threads are clean and feel right when I torque the plug, and of course never apply too much torque. I use a shorty handled 3/8" drive so that I can't strip the threads.
Pete

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

You've got an intake air leak.....

dirtybird

My Feedback: (5)

Buy a ring from Frank Bowman and he will tell you how to fix the 55

Truckracer

My Feedback: (19)

I agree with the above points. The heli-coil repair is very simple and you can buy the kit at larger auto parts stores. If they don't have it they can usually get it by the next day. Of course there are many online sources than can have the kit in your hands in a few days. WW ... dot -dot, make a few clicks and wait for the postman or brown truck to arrive.

Regarding the now quite old DL50, that was the first engine that DL / DLE produced and yes there were several known problems ..... all of which have been resolved in newer models. Judging DLE by how that engine runs would be like judging a new Ford, Chevy or other car by comparing it to something that brand produced long ago. A completely irrelevant comparison and not a basis for deciding whether a current product is a good one.

And about Zenoah ..... they've never had any problems?

As Zeeb suggested, you have an air leak. A common problem was the early Walbro clones that were being used on the DL50. Many had throttle plates that didn't seat well in the carb bore. More than a few were even loose as received. Some had oversize holes where the throttle shafts go through the carb body. Any of the above can cause the engine to idle poorly or with erratic speed or not be able to shut down when fully closed.

Roo Man

My Feedback: (1)

Sure sounds like an air leak to me.

From a safety standpoint you should have an ignition kill switch [about $20.00] and that would solve your problem even if you don't fix the air leak.

Gary

ira d

Since there is no way to know for certain how the threads were stripped the warranty should cover it at least once, I don't think that many people strip out
good threads just by installing a plug.

rye

My Feedback: (10)

dle is a newer company ,i frist got my dle 20 a few years ago had some trouble with it but got it to run good now i have the new dle20 ra rear muffler test ran it alls good they are getting the bugs out of them as time goes on ,i see that a lot of glow guys are going to gas i am one of them, i learn a lot from here ,http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/gas-...-1st-post.html and this one http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/gas-...formation.html i like the new gas engines they fit better then the old engines in the cowls and the 20 is bean mounted like the glow engines i wonder if they will ever be able to get a motor out of the box and just have to brake it in like the glow i had to but in the bow ring fit the reed clean out the junk left in on the frist dle 20 the second omuch better just had to fitted the reed better so far she runs good we see once she mounted and takes to the air ,

captinjohn

I predict as china,s economy keeps falling the materials they use will be of less quality. There are ship loads of scrap metals departing from the USA every day. In other words...look for even more junk china made engines on the market!

Truckracer

My Feedback: (19)

?? Not sure where this is going. Capt'n, the Chinese economy grew by about 7.7% in 2013. How does that compare to the USA? By any account, they are not hurting.

And about all the scrap metal that is shipped to China, how do current shipments compare to what has been going over there for the last decade or so?

Of course, all of this is completely irrelevant to this thread.

cubcrasher

My Feedback: (6)

That China stuff is not to be repaired. Use once and destroy.

captinjohn

China,s economy did grow, but the news says it is going to decline in 2014.

jefflangton

My Feedback: (23)

Waaaaahhhhh! Warranty will never cover the user stripping threads. Zenoah,aka...paperweight!

rcguy59

My Feedback: (8)

More for me!!!

nute12

My Feedback: (14)

zenoah's are good engines. now stripping threads or over tightening are usually induced by the user. (not tryin to be harsh, just honest)
only plug i ever had blow out i over tightened. that, ironically enuff happened in a G-62. if the plug threads is all that is wrong put a heli coil in it.
might be cheaper to have your local auto machine shop do it than buy the gear yourself.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

China's economy is slowing markedly, and that trend will continue for some time to come. It's a worldwide market adjustment, and though it hit us first, it had to get to China eventually. Balances shift. Power, wealth, they are all in flux, all the time.

That being said, I doubt this has much bearing on a DLE head being backordered. Rather than some random shortage of bauxite ore, I'd wager that there is a container bogged down in the California shipyards due to our poor economy and the reduced workforce there at the shipyards.

You'll notice that WalMart has no problem getting millions of tons of Chinese product for their stores, primarily because of their wealth and influence. Our little hobby concerns are laughably small, and inconsequential in comparison. So we can scratch the ore shortage theory off the list.

Take it from me, though, an engine doesn't have to be Chinese-made for the modeler to be denied access to parts, etc. I just had to go online and buy a carb kit for my Syssa, because I couldn't get it from Syssa Aircraft. Before that, I waited a full year for a Syssa engine that I had paid for, and finally gave up and bought a Valley View Chinese engine. A week later, Syssa sent me a completely different (as in; not nearly as nice) engine than I had ordered.

If you've ordered a new head, then it's probably a good idea to wait for it. In the meantime, you can pick up a helicoil kit at AutoZone or similar auto parts store, install it, and continue to use the engine.

R/C Ray, it does sound like you have an air leak. Check your gas lines. Usually it's a 2-piece filter or a spring-loaded fueler (switch to a fuel dot), but it can leak at any junction or barb in the line between the tank and the carb.

Thanks for letting me put my two cents worth in.

~ Jim ~

irocbsa

My Feedback: (12)

FYI, the helicoil kits for the 10mm plugs are very expensive. I think the thread is 10 x 1.0. It's a bit of an odd ball. I bought a kit and it was $90. A good investment if you need it in the future, but for a one time repair it's cheaper to buy a new head (that is, if they are in stock). With that said, I have a lot of leftover helicoil insert from the kit I bought. If you get in a jam, PM me.

thepamster

Jeffangton...aka... does not know what he is talking about.

3136

OK RC Ray, you talk the talk, lets see if you walk the walk.
If you are really serious about being done with DLE then give your engines to someone like Sr telemaster or Truckracer, they will have them ticking like a clock in no time, and get years of service out of them.
Time to translate your words into actions.

SrTelemaster150

I would fix it & pass it on. 4-strokes only for me.

Heck, my Stihl weed wacker is a 4-stroke!

zacharyR

My Feedback: (5)

it sounds like a User issue not a engine issue in other words you hvae problems with other brands too so


buy whatever you like but , you'd have a hard time trying to put DLE out of busness becouase alot i mean alot of pepole are flying them .. myself included ..

SrTelemaster150

He should probably stick with PNP electrics.