Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

Is there a kit to convert a glow engine to gas? I mean how hard could it be? You need a plug the same thread as a glow plug and a magnetic ring to go behind the prop and a pick up and a micro chip that you could program the spark advance acording the the RPM and a small coil and CDI ignition modual.

It seems like high time that there were small gasoline engines again. They could make them no problem in the '30s so you would think that it could be done alot better now. $18 a gallon for fuel is just stupid when you can buy it at the pump for $3 and add oil.

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

Not hard, just pricey...The small engines have bushing rods, so you need to run the same oil ratio as the glow fuel...The spark plugs are about $15....Glow fuel carbs get really touchy when running gasoline...TKG at C&H can tell you all about it, with prices for the various parts...
One of my customers runs an OS 70 Surpass 4 stroke on ignition, but mixes his own fuel with methanol and oil....More trouble than it's worth, IMO ;)

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

Why methonol? What wrong with a plain gasoline and oil mix? Did the gas engines of the '30s and '40s have bushed rods? What did they run for fuel and oil? What ever it was it all should be easier & cheaper now. I must be missing something though because almost everyone buys $18 a gallon glow fuel for smaller engines. I just don't get why there aren't small gassers out there........

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

Chevy,
Three reasons.
1. Less power,
2. More expensive and
3. weighs more.

The added extra cost of the engine & EI (~$150.00) will buy a lot of glow fuel.

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

The old engines ran 3 parts gas and 1 part 70 weight oil...
We run the old time gassers in radio controlled free flight events...Check the Society of Antique Modelers, they have events all the time...
Don't need a fancy ignition system, just a $15 Rimfore spark plug and a Modelectric 3 volt coil...There are transistor circuits to take most of the current from the points...
Why Not ?;)

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

4. Heat; the scanty glow engine cooling ribs hardly provide any cooling, especially with the tricky carb setup.

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

Thanks RCIGNI. I see that people are running the old engines with electronic ignition. How fast do plugs foul on %25 oil?

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

My customer that runs the OS 70 uses Rimfire spark plugs, gets 300 hours on a spark plug...He has his one fuel mix, don't know what the oil ratio is...He has hundreds of hours on the engine...

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

Chevy, let's get it straight. As RCIGN1 states, a person can run a glow engine on gasoline, with the right oil mix and an ignition system. The ignition system adds to the weight of the power package.

But notice what Wings-RCU says above : Less power. True. With alcohol for fuel, you can pack (allow me to round off roughly) about four times as much in that combustion chamber as gasoline, and still have enough air in there to burn all the fuel. Since alcohol has (rounding off a lot, again) about half the energy content of gasoline, the alcohol powered engine will have something like twice the power of the same engine on gasoline. Consider the weight of the ignition system, you get a power to weight ratio roughly twice that of the gasoline powered engine.

So, if you're thinking you can add an ignition system and run gasoline for fuel, and fly your same plane with the same power... sorry, it will have maybe half the power.

Now, if you add a timed spark ignition to your glow engine, and use glow fuel... maybe some power advantage there... maybe not enough to maintain the power to weight ratio, but it would create more power.

Good luck,
Dave Olson

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

Not exactly...Don't know about alcohol, but a G26 gains 600 rpm running glow fuel instead of gas..Same engine, same prop, same ignition, a carb modified for double the fuel flow...
Hardly twice the power...
My 289 racing twin picked up about 500 rpm going from gasoline to methanol...

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

Is there any info on your customers OS 70 conversion? A four stroke spark ignition gas-alcohol powered enging sounds pretty cool.

Thanks Scar, it may be that i'm in fantasy land here about small gassers. Obviously they do work but they might not have good power to weight ratios.

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

This is not correct. Methanol has about 57% the energy content of gasoline, but the stoichiometric ratio (the perfect burn ratio between fuel and air) is almost exactly 1/2 that of gasoline, so you run twice as much methanol for the same airflow. This gives about 14% more power in a perfect world. Methanol is also a great coolant, requiring much more energy to evaporate (I believe, it could just be the extra volume, though - it's a bit hazy now) the charge. This helps cool the engine, allowing more power to be made. Also why glow engines have essentially no cooling fins compared to a gas engine. In total, you might get 20% more out of a glow engine than on gas. Which only translates to about a 6% increase in rpm.

Mark

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

In parts of the world where glow fuel is not to be had, manyfolks run 4c engines on gas. About 15% oil and ignition, lots of diddling with the stock carb to get things right.
On the 120 and up there is a 4c Walbro that will work if you make a new intake to mount it.
It can be done just takes TIME, TALENT and MONEY

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

BME G90 Gas engine, based on Super Tigre 90:

http://www.bmeengine.com/html/point90.htm

Magne

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

Why do it? If you want a gas engine, just buy a gas engine.:eek:

Gibbs

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

HI,I have a quadra motor Q50X http://i11.ebayimg.com/02/i/08/4b/8e/8b_1.JPGglow converted....exists the modification from glow to gasolines for my motor??

thanks thousands.

RE: Spark plug kit to convert a glow engine?
 

Apparently they came both ways, the original Q50 had magneto ignition..It looks like the coil mounts were milled off the cylinder...A C&H or other electronic ignition can easily be made to work..The larger electronic ignition Quadras have a magnet embedded in the bottom of the tapered aluminum hub with a hall sensor on a bracket mounted under the bottom left crankcase bolt..The sensor is about 1/2 mm away from the magnet...The ignition is timed to fire at 28 degrees BTDC...The carb should work with gasoline but might be a little touchy to adjust..The engine will have a little less power running on gasoline....