RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Both at 1-1/2 to 2 open for factory. Depends if was an American or Mexican manufactured carb. That gets them started but the rest of the tuning work starts from there.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

That sounds about right. I think the BME manual said 1 1/4 for low and 1 1/2 for high. It didn't want to idle at anything less than about 2000 rpm and never got warm enough to open the choke all the way up. I'll blame both on the cold?

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Both are symptoms of a cold engine. They don't start running right until after a cht of 80c (176f). Don't even try to tune one or set the idle until it reaches that point. It will all be for nothing when it finally warms up.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

I got tired of waiting on the temps to improve here and just tuned it in the garage. It's amazing how much better it runs at 70F vs 20F.

I do have a question about the high speed needle. The BME manual say to richen it past the inital setting until the engine runs rough at full throttle and then lean it with the tach from there. I have mine about 2-3 full turns out and it still runs fine at full throttle. Should I keep going? It looks strange to have the high speed needle out that far.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

At 2-3 turns out you should be rich. I would start leaning and tach'ing until you hit a peak rpm, then richen just a tad off peak. BUT since it is so cold and you will be flying when it is warmer, I would wait until then to do the final adjusting.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Agreed. At 3 turns open that engine should be very rich on the top side.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Sounds good. I'll tach it tonight and post some numbers. I also think I read somewhere to drain the tank and store the plane inverted (to keep fuel off the plug). Is that true, or just overkill?
Thanks gents!

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Probably would not hurt, but I have never done that and so far haven't had any problems

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Depends on how long it will sit. If it sits for several months the oil in the fuel can congeal around the plug electrode with an inverted installation. Better to replace the plug when that happens unless you have a good plug cleaner. If it's only sitting for a few weeks no biggie.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

I have a Zenoah mounter inverted that flew about once a year if that. Has the original 16 year old plug in it and starts on demand to this day, or it did until I planted it the other day. RCignitions straightening the crank and out fitting it with a new RCexell ignition.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Crap! My new tach died, so I'm going to have to do this by ear. Can someone explain what "four cycling" sounds like?

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Like a DA

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

:)


The easiest way to hear/understand it is to take a weedie or blower from your shed (2 cycle of course) run it wide open and screw the high needle in and out. You'll know when it is four cycling and when its not. You will also hear it about mid throttle on any 2 cycle equipment.

Unless you do it while your engine is running (not recommended) using a tach on the ground "then" listening to how it flys in the air are the best ways.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Got it. I think I am familiar with that sound. Getting an RC tach (or anything useful) up here is a week long ordeal at the the least. I was hoping to do it by ear, like I always did on glows. Right now, I would be happy with a flameout-free maiden. I could care less about max performance. From what I've read, should I just go a little rich on both and not worry about the low end four cycle to attain a "safe" setting for maiden?

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Just ritch enough for a event free maiden is the goal. Typicaly some taxi runs will alert you to tunning settings. Sputtering indicates ritch and imediate 2 cycle indicates optimal or close to lean. As important is listening to changes in two cycle for lean conditions, as with glow thats where the harm comes from. Your engine should 2 cycle clean from about mid throttle up. And mildly 4 cycle in shallow dives.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Maiden baby! Yea!:D

Thanks guys for all the advice. She flew great! I was suprised at how little throttle is needed and how much torque/p-factor you get on a plane this size. It sure sounded "four-strokey" as it was buzzing around the pattern. A few small adjustments, some time on the sticks and I think the nerves will calm down. The best I can get it to idle is 1300-1400. Should I be shooting for lower (it floats like a balloon)????

Unfortunately, my flying buddy wasn't as lucky with his 33% Yak. He's in for a new main gear and some firewall re-gluing. [:@]

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

You will get the hang of setting up the approach farther out to let the engine get a bit of "prop load" to slow down before you need to land.
1400 is very low idle for a 50cc. But that same idle is probably closer to 2200 if the plane is moving. Maybe evan more with a lean low needle.
Generaly a slightly ritch low needle will help slow the engine down quicker.
After a few flights adjust the high needle to not sag when pulling a long vert. climb. Thats where the most heat will build up and it needs all the fuel it can get to stay as cool as possible.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Your flying bud should of gotten Pats blessing and all would be well:D
What exactly happened to him? Stall on landing?

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Move the c/g back to 5-3/8" behind the leading edge. 5-1/2" works pretty good too. She'll slow down nicely with that c/g. If you are using equal up and down on the ailerons use a mix or offset linkage to have 10% less down aileron. I've had three of the W/H Edges...

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Lip is ZIPPED:D

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Yup. He was on flight 3 or 4 and has a 3W twin. He said they have a weird querk and they try to die in the knife edge part of any kind of roll. His did and just got it too far out (big planes look closer[:-]) and planted it hard short of the runway.

I also learned that if you are not used to flying with a lot of expo (and I'm not) then a lot of expo feels weird. I set mine up according to some numbers I saw someone else using on here (25-35%), but backed off a bit to get more feel back. I'm sure I can slow my approaches down once I get some confidence in how slow this thing will actually fly and turn.

I'll try to get that high-idle four stroke'dness tuned out tomorrow and then hit the highend with the tach.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

If thats a 100-106cc twin there is a fix for that from AI. He is probably running too ritch also.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

You will get used to the expo and will probably want more on high rates. Pats edge is wicked quick on elevator. I would probably want 60+% but I haven't flown his plane.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

What's the fix? Is is a carb plate? I'm running the BME one on mine. Let me know and I'll pass it on to him>

MY 5645s (ele/ail) are a little slow, but I'll play around with the expo as well as Pat's suggestion on CG and aileron throws.

RE: BME 50 owners advice needed
 

Its changes to the carb mount and reed block.