Rocketman612

My Feedback: (85)

We picked up a H9 Taylorcraft at Perry this year with an older DLE 30. This is the side tillotson mounted carb. We cleaned the carb put in a new diaphragm, screen. Using Avgas with Pennzoil Air Cooled oil at 32/1, Xoar 18x8 prop. New plumbing using a three line tank. Today was damp in the low 70's. Got her running with great idle 1700rpms with peak rpms of 5175. Transition excellent no burble in midrange. Rpm dropped nicely going from full throttle to idle with no hesitation.

So other than lower than expected rpms the engine ran fine and tuned easily. Should I be getting more and would a Bowman Ring help.


Thanks,
Pete

Rocketman612

My Feedback: (85)

Forgot to mention the plug is a CM6 that was cleaned and gapped.

Pete

captinjohn

Try a lower pitch prop...and run it more ..........

Rocketman612

My Feedback: (85)

Yea that's the easy answer but in my research a lot of people are using the Xoar 18x8 prop on this engine with much better numbers.

Pete

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

I have the same setup but run with a 20x6 prop. I added the Bowman ring 2 years ago and have been very pleased. More power and easier to hand start.

Go for it.

ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

If it seems to be running OK, I would confirm that top rpm with another tach. That's WAY low!

Indiomike

My Feedback: (5)

It appears that Bowman rings are no longer in business. According to a thread on FG, he has retired.

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

Sad to hear. He is a good man and a true craftsman.

CK1

My Feedback: (60)

5175 rpm on a Xoar 18x8 is really low for even an 1st gen non broken in engine. I would expect to see at least 6200 and it should be closer to 7000 or more after broken in. I would say either your tach is wrong or you haven't yet leaned it out enough. If you can't get more rpm by tuning then maybe a problem exists with the timing or carb . Verify timing , install new kit in carb, retune.

jefflangton

My Feedback: (23)

Avgas is the problem. High octane with low compression actually retards the rate of combustion . These run fine on 87 octane. Been there..done that.

Rocketman612

My Feedback: (85)

Update...

I got up early and found a Xoar 18x6 prop that I drilled and balanced. Off to the field. Made NO changes to the carb or setup from yesterday other than the 18x6 prop. She started right up and I got 8900 rpm's !! So I put the 18x8 back on and she started right up and was running 7700 rpm's with less than 1/8 adjustment to the low needle for better transition. Idle at 1800rpm's

I did the maiden and WOW insane power flew mostly at 1/2 stick with added power in vertical lines and maneuvers.

Other than the Humidity being much less today there was no change in setup. I use a TNC tach that has been flawless and yes it was set in 2B not 3B.

So I cannot explain the improvement. Did it just need to run? Stuck ring that freed up? not sure but this is about what I expected and my brother (it's his plane) was all smiles so it's all good.

Thanks for the suggestions

Pete

jefflangton

My Feedback: (23)

The side draft carb design was never that good either. You used to be able to get a conv kit to make it rear carb. Thats why dle engines make more power than their side carb counterparts

Rocketman612

My Feedback: (85)

No doubt. that's why I was very pleased with the 7700 rpm's. I'm sure she is unloading close to 8k in the air. The tillotson carb was a non issue. I'm no carb guru but when we put the kit in it looked like a walbro and tuned easily.

My goal was to have a good matched setup for my brother since it's his first gasser.. We felt that we scored at Perry as we only paid $500 for the plane, engine, servos. The plane was near flawless and had new powerHD 1201 servos all around with the older DLE 30.

bcchi

The DLE carb that says Tillotson it is a Walbro clone.They will pick out a name that is known to be a good product and put this name on there clone.Had several of them on early DLE 30s.Did not seem to be any problems.I am still flying two of the side carb 30s.They did have some early on carb glitches but was fairly easy to adjust out.They called it te tilt and die symdrone.When you picked the airp;lane up to move from starting stand to runway engine would die.Pick up the idle a little and move the airplane.Run fine from there on.The rear carb conversion kit workes fine and doesn't cost much.
BCCHI Too tired to spell check.BC

Rocketman612

My Feedback: (85)

bcchi,

Thanks for the background info on the carb. I was initially going to swap it out from the get go but went the clean and carb kit route and am happy I did.

Pete

captinjohn

Get the rear induction kit....it is cheap.

Rocketman612

My Feedback: (85)

Captinjohn,
Tower selling it for 17.99 That's tempting but I don't want to hassle with changing the throttle linkage at this point. Will be flying her this weekend and go from there. It's good to have options thanks,

Pete

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

My Taylorcraft has had the side-induction DLE 30 in it for something like 6 years. I have never had an issue of the engine stalling in any attitude. I did install a Bowman ring in year 5, and run the plug gapped at 25 thousandths. It runs very reliably but it does like to be warmed up before going to full throttle.

CK1

My Feedback: (60)

I had the 1st design DLE 30 in a plane for 2 or 3 years and never had any of the stalling when tilted that some or most have had with that engine. I usually keep a higher idle on an engine that is breaking in and that may have helped it get through the break in stage to where it was easier to tune . Once broken in and tuned I was able idle it down more without worry of stalling . I would say that if you are through the break in period and have had no stalling then you must be doing things right and really should not need to change over to the new backplate . One thing I would add though is that eventually you will need to replace the reeds , at that point I would change to the new backplate as the reeds and cage do appear to be much better in the new backplate.