RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Thanks, I'm just going to keep my fingures crossed and hope for the best. I wonder if they would replace a plane if you lost it because of a proven engine defect. Maybe that would be asking too much. I'm sure that it will be fine. By the way, what size ignition battery are you guys using. I was going to use a 2000 mah 4.8, would that be good.

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

I'm usig a Sanyo 4.8 volt AA 1100 mah pack. Good for 7-15 minute flights with 450 mah left in the pack.

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Im using a 2200 li-ion it's good for 25 10 minute flight's :D:D

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Every DA-50 I have seen has had problems and had to be sent back to DA. That is a total of 5. A few of them are not still sent as our flying season is short and guys want to fly as much as possible, they don't want to wait for the engine to come back free of charge [:o].

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

I guess that's what happens when you only have one airplane to fly! .:D

Would you care to describe the problems? If it was the rattling/ringing I had with mine then yes it was a defect but DA made good on fixing it.

As for the issue of replacing the plane mentioned in the other post..... That's just not going to happen. I know of so may guys that have lost planes to Zenoah's that it's not funny and those boat anchors keep selling and AS YET I have not heard one guy say he thought Horizon was responsible for replacement of the airplane.

when you start flying the bigger, more expensive, models the same risks are present that are there with the small one's....BUT the cost is much higher. If your not prepared both mentally and financially to lose one of these then you probably should stick with the cheaper stuff.

Sorry to sound so harsh but that is just the black and white of it. [X(]

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

It's funny to see people jumping up their chair as soon as soon someone dares to talk about their DA engines issues.

It's like saying a DA engine can explode but do not worry, it's DA[sm=bananahead.gif].

I agree, DA has the best customer services on earth but the DA-50 is not the most reliable. 3W and ZDZ make very strong and reliable engines too.
Daniel

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

The problem with all this talk is that most people (myself included) base our opinion on anectodal evidence. Nobody ever surveyed from the myriads of DA + 3W + ZDZ engines out there, how many have performed flawlessly, and how many have given problems. Without those data, all the other comments are reduce to hearsay. Nevertheless, there's a value in experience, and in asking a fellow club member who's "been around" and going for his recommendation. If you ever run into problem, that individual hopefully, will be able to troubleshoot for you.

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Hi Ralph,
A rumor forum may work also.

Dave

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

I've got 2 of the DA 50's, and both of them had the latest update to the crank/rod bearing problem back in March. I've been flying one of them most of the season and since the update, I've got 44 hrs. and 18 gallons through one of them. Other than tweaking the needles as the engine breaks in, I haven't had any problems.........Anybody else out there got more logged time on theirs than that? How much more reliable do you want?.............

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Its funny how these threads will die off and then a few weeks later someone comes along and digs up the horse and starts beating it again![8D]

BTW for the record..I have 18 gallons thru mine and it has never quit in the air and always starts easily...

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

What's your point? I have actually witnessed ZDZ's and 3W's fail and give their owners fits at our field, just like the Zenoah's I was referring too earlier. More reliable? Not in my experience...

ALL products have a certain percentage of sub-standard performers, that's a given fact of life. As for the DA being better, well I never once said it was better. I did say on more than one accasion that I was extremely pleased with the way DA handled the situation with MY engine.

I still don't understand how you determine the DA to be unreliable. If I have an engine that quits on me and I can't seem to correct the problem and it results in me having to repair or replace models then I would deem that engine to be unreliable. If your DA 50 is causing you grief like I just described then by all means it's unreliable. If OTOH your just annoyed that you MIGHT have to send it in to be serviced, (I) wouldn't consider your engine to be unreliable.

Like they say...perception IS reality. Where the internet is involved this more often than not IS the case.

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Scoubidou

Were still waiting for your reply on how you broke prop bolts

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Is there any advantage to buying from DA direct vs buying from Chief Aircraft etc? My thinking is that I would get the most up to date one from DA whereas the Chief Aircraft one might have been sitting on his shelf for a few weeks/months? I know Chief is $25 less when you factor in free shipping and a lower cost for the Slimline pitts.

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

I would think that if they are $25 less than those engines were purchased before the price increase that happened the week of the Toledo show earlier this year. It's no big deak though as you could just send it back to DA, add an extra week before you can hang it off the front of your plane. More than likely they are up to current standards though.

Sometimes DA doesn't have any on the shelf ready and Chief might have them in stock so....

The only reason prop bolts break is because they were not torqued down properly and loosened up.

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

The turnover of DA's is so fast that any units on chiefs shelfs will be new stock with all the upgrades.

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

I haven't been able to check recently since my plane is at a friend's house (yeah I got a plane that's too big for me to transport [sm=bananahead.gif] ). I do have a pic I could post. Maybe you can tell if it is the same carb that's on yours.

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Really can't tell by the picture. Next time you have the cowl off and you think about it, take a look and see what the number is.

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Just a thought for what its worth. I live close to the AMA field at Muncie. I attended the IMAC nationals this year and got to see a ton of planes from 28% to 40+%. As a buddy and I walked up and down the flight line we noticed that at least 80% of these planes had DA engines on them. That would say alot about their dependability. These consisted of all 3 sizes with most being the DA150 twin. Not trying to fuel a fire, but just state a fact.

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Ya know.. I'm pretty disgusted with the DA engines too. I have started a burial ground for all those junky motors. For those of you who just don't want their crappy DA's, just e-mail me for my address. Send just $59.95 for those crappy 50's, $69.95 for those crappy 100's and only $74.95 for those disgusting 150's (cost is related to coffin box size) along with the motors, and I'll make sure they get a proper burial complete with service and flowers. Kind words from engine clergy will be said. Not to mention the wake. Each engine will get their very own evening of drinking and partaking of good food, remembering how your engine "should have" run. Only during the month of September, I'm offering a two-for-one special. Send two engines and I'll only charge for one service and box of equal or lesser size.

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Johnny i like your sence of humor buddy.

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

That would be a seance of humor

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Good Dick... Very good!! LMAO

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Yes it does!

Its a long thread but I got through it. Yes I had the same problem....called DA and said there was a fix (as the thread pointed out to me) and they would also do the crank and bearing mod also. Thanks to all for posting about this for I would not have known otherwise to call and send my engine in. FYI ....they said about a week turn around, we'll see, but I'm in no big hurry anyway.......glad to see that DA found a fix for the quitting, it was very.very,very anoying [:@] to say the least. Thanks to all for the info. :D

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

Hi Guys,
After several months of trying to decide DA 50 vs ZDZ 50 vs 3W, I picked up my DA from Gene Payson (TBM Models) yesterday. Besides being a great guy to do business with it is only an hours drive away. Gene was even nice enough to drill a 22 X 8 NX prop and cut a CF spinner for me while his associate was preparing the invoice. My engine serial # is LA 4046 and the ignition is #12810 and according to Gene has all of the updates. Even after reading quite a bit of this thread and those concerning ZDZ and 3W engines, I was still convinced that the was the best choice for me. I did run across the following comments researching other threads here and contacting owners of different brands of engines through e-mails and PM's. Nothing really negative to be said about the 3Ws owners other than they are heavier and part of that is contributed to three main crankshaft bearings vs two. In some cases the ZDZ's advised that these engines seemed to start harder and there were reports of at least two explode in mid air, one of those two belonged to Sal98. The service from RC Showcase has been very good IF the engine was purchased directly from them. I also could have purchased the ZDZ 50/Supersonic Pitts combo for about $50.00 less than my DA 50/Slimline Pitts combo.

Even with the problems mentioned in this thread DA has stood behind the product and the customer service is first class. I have to believe by now that the difficulties have been sorted out and expect to have a long trouble free service life. After running weedie conversions this is my first purpose built gas engine. Can you more experienced guys help with some initial set up tips, such as where to mount the ignition module, should I use some flat washers on the prop bolts and so forth? The airframe is a 28% Precision Aerobatics Edge 540T also purchased from TBM. Any advice will be most appreciated:)

RE: Does your DA50 do this?
 

good choice...