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Valley view rc engine problems

Old 02-10-2021, 05:34 PM
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mrjamesdawg
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Default Valley view rc engine problems

I ordered the vvrc 20re gas engine with upgraded bowman ring only to find the ignition has so much noise that it jitters every servo on my plane..runs great but bad noise.So bad it flashes off my receiver.I ordered a new rcexl ignition after no response from vvrc..so I tried the new rcxel ignition and the engine ran like it was out of time..barely run then die...so I dug in my drawer of old ignitions and found an old jc engine ignition that I replaced years ago because the outer wire was bad..IT RAN LIKE A TOP WITH NO NOISE..crazy right?? Well itried them all AGAIN with the same results from all three...THREE TIMES..what in the world is going on?? Am I missing something here?? Can someone please give me some advice..I sure would like to fly my brand new su-31..finally someone contacted me from vvrc and said there were no moving parts in the ignition and couldn't possibly be making noise...WHAT??? and that was the last I heard from them...PLEASE HELP!! THANKS AND HAPPY FLYING!!!

Old 02-11-2021, 05:01 AM
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ahicks
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When it comes to ignition noise, 99.9% of the time the spark plug boot has not been fully installed on the spark plug. Yes, it's usually that simple, and yes, they can be a bugger to install fully when new. The simplest check it to have a close look at the metal hex shaped part of the spark plug. If you can see it, the boot is not fully installed.

And that was kind of a comical response from VV regarding "noise". That will have me grinning the rest of the day.... -Al

Last edited by ahicks; 02-11-2021 at 05:03 AM.
Old 02-11-2021, 05:04 AM
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Mr Ahicks nailed it

Also I've done a lot of business with VVRC, they KNOW gas engines and have excellent customer service, give them a call
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Old 02-11-2021, 01:06 PM
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Originally Posted by BarracudaHockey
Mr Ahicks nailed it

Also I've done a lot of business with VVRC, they KNOW gas engines and have excellent customer service, give them a call
Ther is a member at our field that is having the same problem with the twin..Believe me I looked at the plug cap and she is on there..I have replaced many plug caps for friends who pulled the wire instead of twisting it off or firing ignition off the plug causing a hole in the silicone..for some reason that thing is putting off some serious noise..I tried this old jc ignition and everything was smooth..unbelievable right...but what really stumped me was the brand new rcxel ignition i tried and it ran like it was out of time..tried different batteries.. nimh...life..over and over different combinations and ended up with same results from all three....all the years of trouble shooting this one has me stumped and my shoulder sore from flipping....thanks for your input on my problem. As soon as it warms up I'm pulling a cowl off something and trying one of my dle ignitions..maybe it will run backwards and I can smash the thing and be done with it..I need more servos for my f9f anyway..happy flying and stay warm..
Old 02-12-2021, 05:26 AM
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You've likely already replaced the plug, right?
If so, a second vote for getting in touch with Valley View.

If you end up with some rookie there, tell him you'd like to speak with Tom. He may be one of the best techs in the country. Been around forever.....
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Old 03-09-2021, 08:38 AM
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dryverman
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Just curious, did you get the ignition problem fixed yet? When I bought my VVRC 70, they sent me the wrong ignition...Tom sent a replacement right away...
Old 03-09-2021, 05:07 PM
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mrjamesdawg
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Originally Posted by dryverman
Just curious, did you get the ignition problem fixed yet? When I bought my VVRC 70, they sent me the wrong ignition...Tom sent a replacement right away...
Nope..I hung it back up for now..I contacted vvrc and they sent me an email stating there were no moving parts in an ignition after I told them the problem with noise coming from the ignition and making my whole plane jitter...it might have been funny on there end but I almost lost a brand new plane..it just got worse and worse..at first was a jitter on maiden..a couple of unwanted loops and I shut it off and landed..after that it's so bad it shuts the whole plane off..
Old 03-09-2021, 08:32 PM
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The default caps for RcExl are made for NGK spark plugs. Spent 2 summers fighting engine noise until I was tipped to that little tidbit. Was using Champion plugs, and while nominally the same, the fit for the cap was different, allowing lots of leakage....change plug brands, and it was magic.
Old 03-11-2021, 03:54 AM
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Another simple fix can be to simply use a small automotive hose clamp tightened around the sparkplug cap.
Old 03-11-2021, 03:13 PM
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Any chance you tried changing the RX or switch?

David
Old 03-11-2021, 03:48 PM
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Originally Posted by daveopam
Any chance you tried changing the RX or switch?

David
yes I did both a few different ways and still same result..I have an old jc engine ignition with a bad wire and it runs that engine like a top..
Old 03-12-2021, 09:37 AM
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Originally Posted by mrjamesdawg
Nope..I hung it back up for now..I contacted vvrc and they sent me an email stating there were no moving parts in an ignition after I told them the problem with noise coming from the ignition and making my whole plane jitter...it might have been funny on there end but I almost lost a brand new plane..it just got worse and worse..at first was a jitter on maiden..a couple of unwanted loops and I shut it off and landed..after that it's so bad it shuts the whole plane off..
Reading through this thread I can see where VV could have mis-interpreted your description of the ignition problem. You consistently refer to "noise from the ignition" but you never refer to it being RFI / electronic noise rather than a mechanical noise. They probably thought you were talking about a mechanical noise of some sort and that's why you got the response you did that referred to mechanical parts. I can understand why you got the response you did. Tom at VV is very good about taking care of customers. You might consider contacting them again with a detailed description of your problem. I'm sure they will resolve your problem. And, I have no connection with VV other than being a customer. They have resolved warranty issues for me twice and without question.

I am a bit curious why the new RCexl ignition didn't work on the engine. Your description of how it runs suggests low supply voltage. What battery / voltage were you using?

Last edited by Truckracer; 03-12-2021 at 09:41 AM.
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Old 03-12-2021, 10:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Truckracer
Reading through this thread I can see where VV could have mis-interpreted your description of the ignition problem. You consistently refer to "noise from the ignition" but you never refer to it being RFI / electronic noise rather than a mechanical noise. They probably thought you were talking about a mechanical noise of some sort and that's why you got the response you did that referred to mechanical parts. I can understand why you got the response you did. Tom at VV is very good about taking care of customers. You might consider contacting them again with a detailed description of your problem. I'm sure they will resolve your problem. And, I have no connection with VV other than being a customer. They have resolved warranty issues for me twice and without question.

I am a bit curious why the new RCexl ignition didn't work on the engine. Your description of how it runs suggests low supply voltage. What battery / voltage were you using?
I have tried a 6v nimh and a life 6v battery..same results from stock ignition..I can tell you right now it is a bad ignition ..the same thing with a member at our field with a twin...I'm not trying to bash anyone here it was just very aggravating when I waited so long for a response from vvrc and then they told me no moving parts in ignition..just like most of us on here I have had the rc bug for 25 plus years and have mounted so many engines on brand new planes I can't even count..you can't get a car in my garage..all I'm saying is it would have been nice not to have waited for over a month for a response to my emails in a complaint with a faulty product...I'm done with the ignition problem..stuck it on my pitts engine and same thing...rf noise like crazy...
Old 03-12-2021, 10:30 AM
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I'd try reaching out to Tom again. Explain the whole situation calmly and thoroughly and I have to believe he will take care of you. Note they are moving the whole operation from Washington to Indiana so use their current contact information from their website.
Old 03-14-2021, 07:26 AM
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When I bought my VVRC 70 from Valley View (as I said in a previous post, I got the wrong ignition), the reason it was wrong was the ignition had the 1/4 sized plug caps. When I emailed Tom, he misunderstood my problem...so I called him and once we talked he sent me the right one...I think if you call him he will be glad to exchange it...customer service IS important to him. At least give it a try...

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