Hi

Is it possible to say anything about how this engine is running, lean, rich or "ideal", from just this video?

https://youtu.be/YlcwsW-QCnw

Rich

Thanks, that's what I thought.

The thing is, I have had severe problems getting this engine to run, as have many others. It just starts and stalls.

The manual says how to configure the low speed needle, and it also says DO NOT CHANGE! the low speed needle. For the high speed needle it says to be very careful and only change 1/24 of a turn each time and never more than 1/4 of a turn in total.

In the video, I have turned the low speed needle half a turn back in, and the high speed needle a bit more than 1/4 turn back in. (I guess the HS is not "active" as is only "idling")

But basically, if the engine is still running rich I still need to turn the LS needle further in.

Now wonder it just starts and stalls on factory settings, it is choked.

But right now I am just so happy the engine is running at all

Let's hope it stays that way

In the video I see a running engine, but, I see no prop or load on the engine.

What the heck are you trying to do? We use engines to do work (foot pounds per second), no load means only friction no work.

I always tune an engine for load.

What work do you have in mind for this engine?

Like I said, I am trying to get the engine to work at all! If you have any idea why it started and ran yesterday but not today, I'd be very happy if you'd tell me. Because I honestly don't have a clue. Though I am suspecting some kind of problem with air fuel mix. Compression measured to 150psi. Load or no load shouldn't matter, the engine must be able to idle anyway. And no point in trying to tune for specific load when I can't even get the engine to run reliably in any case.

Completely agree with kmeyers here. Any kind of tuning is completely futile w/o a load on the engine.

Is there even a flywheel on this engine since it is obviously for a car or possibly a boat.

Sorry guy's but when the engine is idling there is no load on it. Also, it is pretty obvious the engine will need to be tuned for it's use sometime in the future, but the original question isn't about how to tune the engine in a use case, it is about how the engine in the video is actually running the way it is de facto tuned.

Regarding your original question, it is hard to say how the engine is running as there are so many unknowns. But in general, if it is rich it will sputter, etc. and put out lots of exhaust smoke and will tend to slow down after it has run awhile. If lean, it will run smoother and tend to speed up and perhaps die after it runs awhile. If the engine gets too hot, it will act lean whether it is actually rich or lean and may be almost impossible to restart. Rich engines start easier than lean ones and normal starting procedures involve overpriming / choking to make starting easier.

It is nearly impossible to tell much from that video . We know nothing about the engine and it's intended use other than it's on a tuned pipe . Knowing that an engine using a tuned pipe is intended for high rpm use , a video of off idle use tell us nothing . Piped engines are tuned for max desired rpm range or " up on the pipe " as commonly described . Low or mid range operation may appear rich or lean and means little as long as the transition from low rpm to high rpm is correct .
Regarding it no longer starting .. well ya can't phone that one in . Someone has to put there hands on it to see what the problem is.

Question:

Answer:

No.

So, kmeyers, IYO the engine in the video could very well be running lean?

No, IMHO there is not enough information in the video for any conclusion about: lean, rich or ideal.

Here are my observations:

Pull start engine
Clamped in a vise! This is a big no no.
I see an electronic ignition is being used on what looks like a mag engine.
Running at a high RPM ( sounds to me like ~ 3500)
There is some light smoke in the exhaust ( no mention of fuel, needle settings, oil ratio, oil type, this list could go on and on...............)

So my conclusion is that with the information in this 10 second video with no written info (like a text inserted page with info):

I can not determine (from the video) whether it is running " rich, lean or ideal".

Thanks, I found similar info on a really informative webpage. In the end it turned out my engine was way too rich, most likely due to a carb issue. Managed to get it running a bit better today, even though the issue was still there. Carb fixed know, new tests tomorrow.

http://www.randakksblog.com/lean-vs-rich/

If there was an olympic event in stating the obvious, you'd be the gold medal winner

Considering your "missing info", we're in the gas forum, so clearly the fuel is gas, the needle settings are mentioned in the post just prior to your answer, not that I think that would give you more info than looking at the video, as that would be more individual than most other things, but it's definitely "mentioned"!


Clamping in a vice is no problem at all, correctly done. Perhaps you didn't notice the soft plastic shoes, and you can't see the bracket the engine is in.


Whether what can be seen in the video is "light smoke" or heavy smoke or something else, is all subjective and let's just say that opinions differ. What was interesting to me was what, if anything, could be said about how the engine was running. Clearly w8ye could as it turned out he was correct, it was running way too rich. Most likely due to an incorrect metering level height, which was corrected tonight. New testruns to be made tomorrow


Oh, and btw, work is generally defined as energy (Joule, or Ws), while foot-pound per second is power (Watt), hence foot-pound would be the "correct" (in your terms) unit for work (energy), not foot pound per second. Also, per definition, even if I had put a prop on that engine, clamped in the wise, it would still not perform work.