I bought a used plane with a DLE30. It was flown about a year-year and half. The engine has been inconsistent from the beginning. I had problems with dead stick so I changed the plug, Still had inconsistent performance. One day flew great. The next day, would lean out and dead stick. I then replaced the tank and all tubing. I also dropped the engine and pulled the carb. Removed and cleaned the filter. It was very dirty. Reassembled and retuned the needles. Flew great great first day of an IMAC. Great transition and unlimited vertical. The next day lacked power and dead sticked.. Very frustrating. I do not have a lot of experience with a gas engines. Any suggestions? Replace or rebuild the carb? Tear the engine down and inspect the head? Thanks in advance.

I would be concerned about finding excessive crud in the filter screen. Some of that crud could have got through the screen and partly plugged some of the finer fuel passages in the carb. This could be the source (or part of the source) of your inconsistent runs. While you could rebuild the carb, in this case I think I would recommend a new one so that you can completely eliminate the original carb as a source of the problems. Once plugged, it seems that many people have problems getting all the crud out of a carb. Of course, the engine being used might warrant you doing a complete inspection, clean and reassembly from one end to the other. Remove and inspect the cylinder and piston, check bearings, etc. An air leak could also cause your problems so a careful inspection and replacement of all the gaskets would be in order. You might want to split the case and reseal that surface also to eliminate all sealed surfaces as possible leak points. Good luck ..... the problems you are having are not common to this engine.

Use a walbro felt clunk and a 3 line fuel system. be sure to use a gasoline stopper and fuel line as well. do not over tighten the carb/reed block as well. this can warp the reed block as well as induce an air leak. finger tight and a 1/4 turn. I use thread lock as well. You may also want to do the reed block mod and be sure to use only a 4.8 volt battery. My dle will even have a miss on a fresh 4.8 battery. with a 6 volt it will damage the ign.

Ignition problems may give faulty impressions. I would also check ign. battery, connections etc.

Carb rebuild kit is not to costly....usually the pump diaphragm...of course clean the screen as said by others. If problem is still their see if someone in your club has a spare ignition you could borrow for a test. Last sometimes the diaphragm air hole can give problems if air currents hit it just right........most put a tube on it and lead it back into the fuse.

Good luck

A friend had this problem and it turned out to be the clunk hose in the tank was deteriorating

Thanks to all for suggestions.I will give them all a try. I did change the tank along with the fuel line but I guess you never know on intermittent.

Have you tried the Bowman mod?

I guess not since I am not sure what you mean

Kirwin made a good point, the felt clunk! I have one in my gas container, any fuel being pumped into a plane first goes thru the filter. You can obtain such a clunk at most any small engine shop, there are several fuel line sizes so you might have to try several. cost $5.00 at most.
Get a good one, there several that are screens and I think they would pass small particles into the tank? About all chainsaws and weedeaters use these in some form or other.

Not sure about those felt clunks...I bought into the recommendations and installed one on my DLE30 too.
After a season of heavy use, I started getting lean-out problems.
Checked the carb screen and it was filled with white fibres from the felt clunk.
Told the small engine dealer I bought the felt clunk from and he admitted it's happening.
So I installed a regular clunk and went back to an in-line extra-fine filter.
It seems to have solved the problems.
Maybe there are good and bad felt clunks...mine was sold as a Walbro brand name...
Just saying...

Never had a problem in many years......