Can anyone advise me if it is possible to start a Gas engine with a starter? The engine in question is a 32 cc gas engine the Fuji Imvac BT35 Magneto ignition. Or does it have to be hand started???

They make really large starters for gassers. A standard starter for glow engines up to .60 will not work, but look around and you will find several "large" options. 32 cc is not that much bigger than the big glow engines (32 cc is about 2 cubic inches). I have a dynatron starter, for example that would spin the 35 cc engine, especially on 24 volts. some of the larger starters can be used with 12 or 24 volts. There is one called the "persuader", too.

Are you having problems getting it started by hand? Or maybe your just scared to put your hand in there and flip it?

Don't be scared. Get a leather glove. Flip it hard and fast. You'll be fine. 32cc isn't that big. You ever seen anyone using a starter on a 100cc or 150cc?

It's just not necessary to use a starter on a gas engine unless your having problems actually flipping it fast enough to make the magneto generate a spark in the coil. I don't run my gas engines on magneto. I convert all of them to electronic ignition. You can flip the engines with your index finger and they will fire, because the electronic ignition unit isn't dependant n rotational speed to make a spark. It has a sensor and it sparks no matter how fast the propeller is spinning. Electronic igntion will spark at 1RPM speed.

Most magneto ignition units take about 400--600RPM to get a good spark. That means you need to flip them really hard/fast and have the prop set perferctly in the right position so that your hand is moving fastest just before the magnets go past the coil pickup. Not always easy. I once flipped a G-62 about 400 times trying to start it. Never did get it to run. Went home mad and promptly slapped an electronic ignition unit on it. Now it's just a couple flips on choke untill she pops. Turn the choke off and set to high idle. 2 or 3 flips. Putter Putter Putter.

You can use either the hand method or electric starter. Magneto ignitions do not need to be flipped fast, it's all in setting the prop correctly.

I have 2 different fuji's that start with nice easy flips that are on magneto's. My 2 G26's were both on mags before I had them converted (to save weight) and both took nice easy flips

There is only one engine that comes to mind that needs a fast flip and that is a DA engine. The ignition is set to only fire on starting at a certain rpm or higher.

FYI - the DA and 3w electronic ignitions need at least 100 rpm to fire. They do not fire at 1 rpm. They use a coil pickup, not a hall effect sensor.

Hi,

Does anybody know what brand are the smartech 23cc engines?
I just got a new smartech bigfoot with a 23cc gas engine and it won't start, the needles where fully closed when I got the truck. I referenced a Zenoah 23cc guid book (G230RC) and tried setting the needles like they show but no luck.
I would gladly use some pointers on how to set the carb for the first start and brake in.
I used 95 un leaded grade fuell and mixed with 5% synthetic oil.

Hello FoeFoe,
I'm with you, I value my fingers too, I bought a plane today with a 3.2 engine and am in the same boat you are. I lucked out and have a fellow club member that says he will elp me out starting the engine. He's a pretty gret guy and has had his share of hard starting engines. He still has all the finger and thumbs he was born with.
NEDYOB

Hey Guys, Thanks for all the feedback, a couple of things,

1- This is my first gasser so YES I am worried about my fingers but I also used to start my .45's and .50's by hand and got quite good at it before starters came round. The secret with those was the flick of the wrist but also the position of the prop to turn at the highest compression point are gassers the same?
2- There are'nt that many guys with gas engines around to help.
3- Most importantly I no longer have the stamina to throw a prop round 100 times let alone 400 !!!!!!!
No problem I say Miracles happen. Once again thanks for the support.

Don't worry you will get the knack of hand starting before long, and the use of a heavy leather glove goes a far way in providing both safety and confidence to give the prop a real good slap.

I found that with my Zenoahs the main thing is the position of the prop. I set my prop at between 8:10 and 9:15 on the clock face facing the engine and when the engine is starting it's compression stroke. A few strong hand flips/slaps all the way thorough the comp stroke and down the backside is all it takes to get them running. This starting action automatically takes your hand away and out of the prop's arc. HTH

Karol

One of our local flyers ordered the drive cone and rubber insert from Sullivan and uses his 18 volt DeWalt cordless drill. Saves a few bucks and works great. Plus you still have the drill motor for other uses.

To me, the gas engines are so easy to start I wouldn't even consider an electric starter. However, if you need on, Sullivan makes one called the Megatron. The thing is a beast, I have a friend who has one, and he's used it to start a 150 before, not because he needed to, just because he didn't like flipping the prop. It seems like more effort to hook up the batteries and hoist the beast of a starter up to the nose than to just flip the prop, but if you absolutely don't want your hand in the arc, or just hate leather gloves, here she is:

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXADJ2

Run it on 24v, and you can probably start your truck with it.

You can make your own electric starter using a small starter from a snowmobile or outboad or anything with a 12 volt system. Just add the cone and a switch. If you want to get fancy...build a stand for starter so the center is level with center of you prop spinner. With a foot switch you can start your engine just by wheeling plane over to it and shove plane so spinner engages cone. Hit the foot switch and away she goes.

FoeFor:

I have the Fugi on my Giant Stick. I start it using a Magnum geared starter (similar to the Kavan) powered by two 7-cell 3600mah NiMH car packs wired in series. Starter is lightweight, totally portable and it works well.

Works for me.

Dan

I am about to 'go' gasoline,myself - [or 'petrol' as we say here in the UK]. This is a most useful thread for a newbie. Thank you from me, as well.

Runway

I agree this Forum is great and so are the members, everyone is so helpful it is really a pleasure to be part of it. I want to thank all you guys for your input. I also want to ask for some advise on an ARF suitable for this engine. The original model I got for this engine (proposed by my inexperienced hobby shop without bad intentions) the great planes super Stearman biplane ( a beautiful model) was vetoe'd by the manufacturer when I called them advising the airframe will not handle it. Maybe some of you guys already owning a Fuji bt32 can advise me what model it is installed on? I am an intermediate flyer. Thanks again

FoeFoe:

As I said in my earlier post, I have the Fugi 32 on a Great Planes Giant Stick. It was (is) my first gasser and I chose it because the Stick is setup to use the Fugi 32 as the gas engine option. It came with stand-offs, templates, and a firewall adaptor so it was just a matter of drilling the firewall using the template and bolting the gas engine parts together. It really was a no-brainer. Everything fit correctly and I didn't have to modify anything.

My experience.

Dan

Thanks for the info Dan, my first R/C was an ugly stick that I enjoyed. Will surely consider the big stick as an entry into large aircraft.

I used to use the hobbico 180 heavy duty starter at 24 volts to start a poulan 46cc with no problems its a cheap way to start your plane insted of geting a 100+ dollar starter.

I converted a Homelite 25cc and could start it with my normal electric start. It actually cranked it over rather easily.

Later I used a converted Homelite 30cc and the starter could barely pop it over TDC. I eventually bought a helo sized started than another club member was using on his DZY 48cc engine. It's far better but still struggles with that first pass over TDC.....which could be attributable to the 3 year old 7A SLA battery I use.

BTW if you have a magneto engine, you need to spin the engine at a decent speed to get that ignition firing. You'll notice all the 'hand prop' starts are with electronic ignition equipped engines.

please advise -----I am building a buecker jungmeister from Hostelter plans and would like to put a gas engine on it ......what engine would a good set up for this airplane , thanks for any help

19v cordless drill, Sullivan Megatron cone, 3 1/2" bolt, lock washers, and locking nut; spins my Zenoah's (including the G-62) like a top..............[8D]

For those of us that are not famaliar with that particular model, if you state the size and estimated flying weight of the model it would help us to help you.

Karol

I've been starting Zenoahs by hand for 15 years , still have all fingers intact , I wear a welders leather glove , and make sure the ignition switch is off , open throttle to full rock the prop agaist compression until prime is evident ( Wet ! ) switch on the ignition cut off to ON , close the throttle to high idle or (open just a crack)make sure the aircraft is secure (Tied down)or a helper restraining it and have the prop set so that compression is at 11:50 and slap it hard thru compression , should start within 3 or 4 attempts.
if the engine is set up within factory specs.
I Have a 24 volt system and a Sullivan Dynatron and find hand starting easier!
its even easier if you have an electronic ignition usig the same basic procedure
Good Luck !!

I have never heard of any big gas engine "kicking back" your hand with prop... but I don't wanna be so blindly optimistic since I'm going gas really soon, so here I go: Have any of you heard of this? I don't mean some unfortunate modeler slow enough to keep his hand in to the prop's way after flipping it. I mean a prop freeze midway trough the first flip and "kick back" then. This last seems to be a common on overchoked nitro engines and I have actually seen this before in my field. Regards. Oliver

It happens all the time..When a piston stops 28 degrees BTDC it can and sometimes does break the prop...Engines with mechanical spark advance are more prone, the throttle must be just above idle for starting by hand..