have put about 2 gallons through mine and so far (knocking on wood) it has been extrememly reliable exhibiting no poor performance other than my poor needle adjustments a time or two.

NewHoundAussie

I am using DA's Pitts muffler.

An update on "MY" situation.

I went back to last years method of tuning.

1.) Set Throttle delay to 20-25% ( approx. 1 second on 9CAP)
2.) Start engine --- warm up throughly.
3.) Lean out the low end until it will not throttle up (quits )
4.) Richen until the engine "just" transitions using small 1/16 changes (with throttle delay)
5.) Set top end ( my engine required a richer mixture than the manual stated )
6.) Set idle(s) ( I have a high and low setting using the idle down feature)
7.) I went to a 22X8 prop so I could taxi better and also to get the rpm up to hasten break-in.

The engine still did not idle well ( high @ 2500 - Low @ 2000 ) ... will usually quit at low setting after 30 - 45 seconds.

Engine will still exhibit "the problem" if let idle too long ( 60 seconds ) ... requires "clearing" by continued "rev up"
Believe it or not ... even at this lean setting the engine still seems to "load up".

At these settings, when I first start the engine, it will not run above 1/4 throttle without quitting until it is warmed up ( sometimes 2-3 minutes),

I was able to put 3 flights on the plane without it quitting during taxi or landing ... but the taxi is at least a fast walk pace.
I am finishing my 4th gallon of gas and I will put 2 more gallons thru it using the break-in oil before I proceed to synthetic.

Good luck to all !

I really dont think that the break in oil has anything to do with the way the motor runs. I beleive you have a falty part somewhere in the system.

Wish i could help you ...but i have'nt run my 50 yet. waiting for the weather to break

Its not the oil that causes this situition and it is not how much fuel that you run through it. Break-in most certainly helps the engine run better. No doubt about it, but a perfectly fine engine will not exhibt the problems people are having and they ARE real problems that needle settings won't get rid of fully. Needle settings help I'm sure, but won't get rid of the problem. It's more than likely it is the fuel pooling problem, but I do not see how break-in helps eleviate that. It does help all parts to mate up however.
MustangFan you need to send your engine back to DA. There is no reason to put up with a pain the in the butt like that sounds like it is.

I have not ran my DA yet, but there is one here at my field and it has ran like a Swiss clock from the first time it was flipped and now about 5 gallons later runs no different than it did the first tank except it has even more power. Idles very low and responds instantly and you can hover it forever and try to get it hot and goose it and it goes up like the Space Shuttle so it sure isn't gettnig hot. That is what a DA 50 is supposed to do. Anything else and something is wrong with it. The needles were very easy to se as I set them for the guy. That thing is as reliable as the sun coming up every morning. Hopefully mine will be too and if not I will give DA a call. They have always treated me like their long lost brother.

Scooter Ross

P51-- You needle setting technique is just fine -
I get to setup lots of engines and the typical results -a bit cold blooded -till warm -is very common on well setup aerobatic .
At last TOC- I started all contestants-- so I got to se how the engines all responded .
Typical cold starts required a brief warm up -
These were all 150 DA and 3W engines but most acted the same.
I find exactly the same results on all sizes of my own gassers.
Loading up on taxiing is typically a characteristic reserved for glo engines.
And gas engines set too rich.
Is your engine mounted inverted?
Does it do the same thing if you hold it flipped to upright - or on it'sside? The little Sportsman ZDZ40 (reed valve) did this --BUT if I tilted the engine to aprox 8:00 -it all cleared up .
It is not a typical characteristic of the DA50 - as far as I have seen.
We run 32-1 syn right from the get- go and the engines all break in just fine.

Guys..I need some of the collective wisdom on this;
I haven't read thru this entire thread, but the two pages I did read never addressed my problem, so here it is, hopefully someone has some suggestions;
I ran about 2 gal thru it on a test stand, set it up in Wagstaff and now I can't get it to start, not even cough! It ran well on the bench with no problems. When I turn over the engine, I can't see fuel being drawn from the tank to the carb. A bubble of gasoline just seems to sit there. There are no blockages in the line 'cause I can blow in the vent and it comes out easily enough when disconnected from the carb. Hooking it back to the carb and turning over the engine gives the same result.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Darryl

I know this might sound stupid...but do you have the choke closed so it will draw the fuel from the tank. it seems it would nt make any difference. if you had it running on the stand or in the plane.

I have tried first with the engine choked, then unchoked and no difference. I spoke with a friend today who thought the float could be stuck closed (after sitting over the winter). It has a Walbro carb and he said this is a common problem. I'll try taking that apart tomorrow.
Thanks for the input..and other ideas?

Bodymann:

I wasn't thinking the oil was a problem ... I just want to run with petroleum base for a better "break-in". It is my understanding that rings will not seat if you use synthetic because of its superior lubrication properties. The "general" feeling is the rings need to seat, then the "problem" goes away.


Futurase:

I have sent my engine back to DA ... they set the needles ... but their setting didn't work. JBrannon has stated that DA knows of the problem and is working on a solution .... and yes it has been a pain !

tfacr:

Just a note ... have you made sure you have a spark from the ignition module. I was on my third module after only 3 gallons of gas used.

Good Luck !

I know this is not the problem and I am not going to divert thread, but after talking to Amsoil they say that Lawnboy is garbage in the application we use it for. They said it was designed for lower RPM engines and that they reccommend running Pennzoil 2-cycle at 32-50:1 for break-in. Then going to the ratio of choice of their product like 50-100:1. Since lawnboy is used for break-in Amsoil told me that it definetly lets the rings wear in. They say too much. They told me not to use Lawnboy in any of my aircraft engines, but it would fine in a Lawnboy lawnmower

This is from a tech at Amsoil.

Norman Ross Jr.

Thats good to know cause i planned on using pennzoil anyway's

None of the Wabro carbs that I have worked on has a float, they have had a diaphram that will get stiff and brittle with age and should be replaced at that point.

I don't know how much it could have to do with any of this. But two things to watch. (1) make sure your CDI connection is good and solid. Mine wasn't and it was causing all kinds of problems until I fixed it. (2) make sure your carb is clean. I had run my Walbro without an in-line filter near the carb. My engine starting running like crap. I finally got around to removing the top of the carb and the diaphram. Low and behold, all kinds of junk was trapped in a small chamber there. It had been blocking one of the fuel ports. Cleaned it out and put a Sullivan filter right next to the carb. No problem since. No matter how clean you think your gas is, it is full of "stuff".

Futurase;
No matter what Amsoil told you, the Engine's manufacturer recommends lawnboy as a breakin oil. The reason is it allows the breakin to proceed otherwise you will need to run 10 gallons through it before its broken in!

By the sound of previous posts that's what you need to do before it runs right anyway[:'(]

You're right - my terminology - no float but a diaphragm. I took it apart and a mower guy thought it should be replaced, so a kit is on order.
Mine also had stuff in the little trap inside the carb. I think I will also go with an inline filter.
As the problem was fuel draw, I doubt the CDI connection was an issue. When the diaphragm was removed, it had some "small puckers" in it, which some said it should be replaced.
When I get the carb kit and rebuild the carb, I'll let you know how it goes.
Thanks for the input so far! You guys are great

Do any of you guys use filtered fuel clunks? I'm talking about those ones with the white felt looking stuff on them that most lawnmower shops sell? I have and they seem to work great!

Wiz

Wiz - the filter you described I have inside my gasoline jug so that I filter the gas before it goes into the airplane. I just might put an inline fueler on as well, as was described above.

I have one of the felt filter clunks in my fuel jug but I could not find one that is small enough to fit in the Dubro fuel tanks that I use, if anyone has a source for the small size let me know.

Try this http://www.jerseymodeler.com/

I can tell you where you can get the felt covered fuel clunks. I am a heli pilot mainly and on one of Robbe-Schluter's machines called the Futura SE it come with one of those clunks. It is used to stop the clunk from picking up air due to all the extreme aerobatics helis due and the clunk being thrown around. The part number is S4154. You wil have to get it from a shop that sells Robbe machines. There are several on the net. Ricks R/C. www.Ronlund.com

I use them and love them.

Norman Ross

Well a carb rebuild kit and the bloody thing still will not draw fuel. I have disconnected the fuel line from the tank in the plane and attached a fuel tank right beside the carb. The length of fuel line is less than 6"; I can see where it connects to the carb and where it sits in the bottom of the tank. As the prop is flipped, no draw!
I removed the plug, squirted some gas in the plug hole, assembled everything and it started for a second or so then quit. It will only run on the prime.
Any further ideas would be most welcome!
Thank

Did you think to call desert aircraft and ask them they have good customer service

You really should start your own thread for help on this. This thread is about a completely differant problem.

Joe

Sorry, I thought this was about the DA50 and its running problems, which I thought I had.

No; that's a good idea I never thought of that, but I did end up getting it going and would be happy to share with anyone interested.