Well, I guess I am back in business. I received today the new cdi unit and it works like a charm. Tomorrow I'll start the engine for the first time. Yeah baby.

I found a simple answer to cure the idle-tilt thing. I installed my DLE30cc gasser on my Giles 202. I took care in mounting it on a angle so pooling does not happen. Guess what. I can make that thing shake rattle & roll...she keeps on purring. I will upload the video for proof! P.S. My wife did the video....I made that airplane twist and turn fast!

Karol it did at first. Breaking in and fine tunning helped a lot too. But since I mouted the engine on my pane at a slight angle...no more pooling. I can pick it up and move it around trying to make it quite. She just keeps on purring! I like that a lot. Capt,n

Cap,n,
Any way you can give us a rough estimate of the mounting angle? Maybe just holding a protractor up in front and guesstimating?

Ken

Ken, I cannot find a protractor but used a degree wheel & a 6 inch strait edge. Just guessing 20 degrees or less. I just placed the exhaust kinda on center and measured for actual center of for crankshaft. I made cadboard templates to do this. Capt,n

Capt.n,

Hope your engine does ok. There is no way I would be able to tilt my engine on an angle. I'd have to cut up the nice cowl. The thing is, you shouldn't have to put your engine on an angle to get it to run. It should run in any orientation. I want mine fixed so I sent it back to Ralph.

Bingo!

I also tested the idea of mounting the engine at an angle. Mine is mounted on a test stand that's attached to a Workmate. I lowered the side of the workmate so the carb was tilted up and started the engine and then tuned it. It ran great. If I tilted it more it really didn't change the idle speed. However if I held the engine level for about 10-15 seconds then tilted again it would quit. This may be a good option since the big concern is the enging quitting at ilde while landing and hopefull I won't be that unlevel. Anothe benifit may be that the cowl may mot have be cut up so much for the muffler. Another observation, I have a DA50 and there is a short fuel line that runs from the adaptor that's between the carb and engine case back to the carb. I'm wondering if this is there to collect any excess fuel before it can flood the engine. That hose may be ther for another reason. Does someone know about this? I'm sure glad I found this forum but unfortunately I already bought the DLE-30 directly form China. Keith

I have three of the dle30's and both of the ones running did the won't idle low and quit when tilted thing. Every time I pulled the idle back to land right when the plane stopped so would the engine. It turns out that even though the engines ran like a great in every other way the needles still were not right. The engines quit when tilted because for some reason when you idle it down or tilt the plane the mix richens up. From where they ran and sounded great I leaned out the low needle almost a 1/2 turn and richened up the big end almost the same amount. Now they are so lean at idle that it take a minute or so of warm up before they will throttle up without bogging. These engines now run even stronger. I speculate at this point that the needle lever it the carb is not quite in the right spot. When I get a chance I will probably adjust the lever up a couple of thousands.

I want to fly my airplane with the DLE30 before bad waether sets in here in Michigan. I will have plenty of time to take it apart some day....not for a while though! I forgot to say, I read engines mouted on a 45 degree angle is a lot more easy on the airframe...less vibes transmitted i guess. All I can say this is one smooth running engine...even with wing off airplane! Capt,n

So what happens when you are flying the plane and bring the throttle down to just above idle and turn the plane on edge or do an inverted flat spin and flip it back upright, It will die!!! Tilting the engine will just change the location at which it dies.

It is not I say again is not the metering lever height causing this problem. It is an engine problem. When I get my engine back from Ralph I will take some pictures of his fix.

Hey Jody have you fixed any of the engines you have sold yet and if so could you post some pictures haven't herd from you in a while. Is the manufature aware of this problem and are they going to anything about it?

Hey guys I had been seriously considering buying one of these engines until I started reading all the horror stories. I am definitely not buying an engine that will quit at idle and risk destroying a $300-400 plane. Neither will I consider buying an engine that needs to be mounted at an angle to try to solve what is obviously a manufacturing flaw. Just my 2 cents.

Planeclothes,

$300.00 plus an easy fix is a pretty good price. Or you can wait a month or two for the engines to get the fix and then buy. When you are the first to buy you are always the guinea pig. Look at the Saito 72, 100, 180, 220 etc. They all had some problem with some of the engines. Leaky back plates, broken con rods, poor fuel metering. The '64 Mustang was not the best but it was a good, cheap, start!

Okay, I took this engine off my plane and back apart to show what I did to it back when we got our first shipment of engines, when I did this it was not because it died when it was tilted, never noticed that but it may have. It was obvious to me through the ground running and tuning I did that there was fuel puddling next to the reeds. It's possible that a nipple with a check valve in it or in line to another nipple in the crankcase may do the same thing, outboards use the same thing to prevent pooled oil from loading up in them as well. They use the pooled oil routed through check valves to lubricate the crankshaft bearings. Anyway here are some pictures, one of a new un-touched crankcase back, then the modified one. If this is attempted I must stress caution, the case is not very thick and can easily be ruined by grinding all the way through, it was done by hand with an 1/8" ball mill and then the edges were smoothed more with a fine file, enjoy.

I contacted the supplier in China that I bought mine from and explained the problem. They said they had'n heard about this but asked for more detail and they would forward it on to DL so I sent them a more detailed description. I also sent them the link to this forum. We'll see if they respond back?? Maybe us who are having this issue should email DL Power at [email protected] and start asking for a solution and refer them to look at this forum. I agree with Craig that the manufacturer should do something about this. Thier reputation is at risk if they do nothing. Keith

Jedijody, Nice pics. I can see where some fuel might pool up there.I would guess if you guy's are having the tip&quit problem this is you're solution.
I have followed this thread from the beginning It seem like the DLE30 is a pretty good engine for the price. Good power to weight ratio, easy to start and run, easy to mount, comes with good rc linkage for the throttle and choke,and hey even a muffler, all in all I would say a nice package at a good price.
I am an ex mechanic I worked as a service tech for a couple different John Deere dealers for about 25 years.
I have seen posts refering to pop off valves and pressures. I would guess we are talking about the inlet needle and seat under the metering diaphragm. I haven't read about anything yet, that would indicate problems in this area. If anyone has changed or adjusted the fulcrum arm that operates that needle under the diaphragm, you should set it back to factory specs. you will create more problems for yourself if you tamper with it. I have a fancy Walbro guage LOL to set the fulcrum arm but you don't need one to get it right. I am guessing this engine has a model wa or wt carb on it if so there are two raised bosses either side of the tip of the arm on the carb body where the diaphragm contacts the arm. Use a small straight edge to set the arm even with the top of the two raised bosses on the carb body. this is the proper setting for fuel metering. It ensures you get the proper amount of fuel into the metering chamber. A Carb. is not a complicated or magical device it is merely a controlled leak. I will stop rambling now. If any one is interested i will outline tuning in another post, just ask.
I hope this helps. It sounds to me like jedijody has solved the tip&quit problem some have had. I believe is caused by fuel pooling good luck to all, I think you all have made a good choice buying this engine especially those who buy from jedijody. It always pay to buy from a servicing dealer. Regards Andy

Jody,

Here are a few pictures from the carb intake side. I did not want to take the engine apart until you look at the pictures. Plus I want to make sure I don't void the warranty. One side has a large area of extra casting material.

The ridge isn’t large at all and would not raise my eyebrow if I were not looking for a source for puddling but is one of the areas that I smoothed out on mine, you can see it in the pictures. I don’t think this area is the whole problem and my not need to touched at all. Ralph Cunningham modified a different area that may be the bigger contributor. Both of our mods had positive results but were not perfect, I think we’re on the right track though.

After further studying of this crankcase and re-reading Ralph’s descriptions I think I understand what he did. So in a bold move I installed a REAL drain for the puddle. I had to think about this for a while because I could not duplicate the dying on my test stand. Engines mounted on it are at a 90 angle to gravity, on a plane, on the ground, and in slow speed flight they are at a higher angle of attack. The ledge right below the reeds would then be able to hold a fair amount of fuel, definitely enough to kill an engine at a low idle. I will modify the way this engine is mounted on the test stand and run it later today.

Just this morning I got the first email from a customer that is having this problem and is sending his engine back for repair. If my testing goes the way I hope, I will install the drain only on his engine and test it.

Jody I just recieved my su26 and dl30 from you .Will I have problems with this motor? Jim

I had more time to test the DLE30cc and I could make it stop (it took a lot) even with the 20 degree angle I mounted it on. So while holding the fuse with engine running I held it at a 90 degree angle with carb strait up. This seems foolproof...but I recomend Jody,s way to fix it for good. I will do the same fix he does. Man what a nice day here to fly! [sm=crying.gif] Capt,n

I would like to do a quick poll which may not be scientific but at least can give us an idea of how extensive this "problem" really is, meaning what percentage of DLE 30 owners have experienced tilt/quit issues. The question is, do you actually own one of these engines, AND have experienced tilt/quit problems? (yes or no)

Temperature might also play a role. Here in Miami these engines will even burn diesel

Yes

Yes. I was one of the first to experience this problem once I tried to get a lower idle for landing.

Do you want me to open the engine to show the entire section or should I send it back? Kinda sucks since there is not much good weather left before winter!