Gentlemen,

Stayed up really late last night getting all the stuff together so I could run the BME 102 today. Got to the feild at about 1:30 it was about 45F. We in Newport News sit at appx. 45 foot above sea level if that much. Winds light and variable 10-15 mph.

Mixed the Lawn Boy ashless oil 40:1 with 87 octane gas as instructed, choked and got the carb wet with fuel, took off the choke after she popped (this took maybe 20 flips) 5-8 flips later she was running. I let her warm up a bit and slowly advanced the throttle. WOW, this engine really pulls. I know I could have done a verticle takeoff even without the engine broke in. I took a rpm reading and I was getting 1200 rpm on idle (this was higher than I could have gone) and I got 6100 rpm on a 3W 26 x 10! I was only hoping to see 5800 rpm today. So I was pleased. Burned half the 32 oz in the tank and shut her down.

Some other guys showed up and wanted to hear her run. No matter what we did could not even get this engine to pop. Now before you go making a snap judgement and condem all BME motors to hell, I am most likely the problem here. This is my first gas motor on a plane. I do however own a landscaping company, so I do know a little something about 2 stroke gassers.

Any ideas?? There was a fully charged (5.22 volts on voltmeter) 4 cell 2700 mah battery on ignition. I was thinking a 2700 mah pack would run the ignition module for like a week straight!! I had only run it for maybe 5 minutes on the first run. So, ignition was not the problem. I bought the gas today. There are like 4 fuel filters between the tank and the carb. Is it just because it was cold? I know my arm feels pretty crappy right now!

Please help, any suggestions from guys with gas experience. Thanks!

Scott

Set throttle to idle, choke on, ignition on, flip until it pops.
Take the choke off, leave throttle at idle, flip until it runs.

Well that's close to what I did.

The BME instructionc call for....And I quote

"1. Make sure ignition is off.
2. Close choke (so that it blocks venturi).
3. Set throttle to full wide open.
4. Flip prop CCW till fuel is seen entering the carb.
5. Set throttle to 1/4 open if it is the first time running engine
that day, otherwise set it to full idle.
6. Turn on the ignition system.
7. Flip the prop CCW with the choke still closed until the engine
fires. It will fire then stop.
8. Open the choke and flip the prop CCW until the engine fires
and runs.
9. Let the engine warm-up for a while before advancing the
throttle abruptly."

I'll try it your way.

Scott

I imagine that you already did what Diablo said because that's how you said you started it the first time. You need to pull the plug, connect it back to the spark plug lead and ground it to the engine. Turn the power on flip the prop and see if you get a spark. If you don't, try another spark plug. If still no spark, send the engine back to BME for a check. You may have had early life failure (infant mortality) in the ignition system.

You may have only flooded the engine. In that case, if you pulled the plug, it would be drippy wet. If you had a wet carburetor, it can't be a problem with the carburetor keeping it from firing.

Keep us posted,
Ken

There was fuel dripping from the carb, so I throttled back down and opened the choke kept on flipping and flipping and flipping.......

It's prolly just the cold and lack of skills. I'll try again tomorrow when it's warmer.

Keep the hints and advice coming though. Thanks.

Scott

Yeah, I just pulled both plugs and we are getting fire, it was just cold out there and I had flooded the engine for the second start. Like I said it started fine the first time, and ran great.

Scott

I have/had a BME44 and it was the same thing with mine. So I called Kieth.

After a short discussion, this is what we came up with. Leave the igntion ON and act like this thing is going to fire up, CHOKE it and now flip till it farts. Take the choke off and try again, SHE'LL RUN I PROMISE.

What it amounts to is that when I was leaving the ignition off, it was flooding. Apparently it doesn't take as much as I/you thought. I have never had a problem since.

Keep in mind that if it is the first time you are firing it up in a couple of days you can prime it, but I would not plip that prop more than 6 time without the ignition on.

Good luck and let me know if this helps.
Jeff

PS as new as it is the needle adjustments are VERY TOUCHY and even more so in cooler weather.

Hello Gents:
Please reread my post above carefully.
It differs from your original method because I said to "Leave the ignition on".

That way you aren't flooding the engine. If you flip it with the ignition off and the choke on, you can easily flood the engine because you don't know when to stop.

By leaving the ignition on when you choke it, the engine will pop when the mixture gets to the combustion chamber.....good enough....engine is ready to start. Take choke off and it will start within a couple of flips.

Diablo, the way I read bvmjethead's original post was:

"Mixed the Lawn Boy ashless oil 40:1 with 87 octane gas as instructed, choked and got the carb wet with fuel, took off the choke after she popped (this took maybe 20 flips) "

The way I see it, he must have had the ignition on inorder to get it to pop. He did it the way you said to. The quoted BME instructions differed.

Diablo,

You're the MAN! I did misread your post and I apoligise. You were right too, I did as you said and it fires up every time.

Shakes like a muther though. I'm not sure what to do. I balanced the prop and the spinner, although both required very little (a 3W 26 x 10 and a Tru-Turn 4 1/4). I was told that as I lean it out it will smooth out, I'm just not sure some of the components will survive break in till I get to lean it out!

Scott