DL-55 Starting problems
 

Just purchased DL55 with 22*10 prop and fitted to chip hyde 3d, I have tried for 3 days to get the engine running, and burned out a sullivan dynatron starter, the fuel supply and clunk is ok, I am using 32-1 mix on good motor bike oil, I start by putting Choke on and full throttle and turn engine over 5 or so times, and have fuel in feed going to engine, I then put throttle to idle or just above and turn ignition on, as I turn the prop I feel engine kick, I then give the prop a good spin and the engine fires but will not carry on, the engine fires every time from there on but will not run. the prop is set to 3 o'clock and allows me a good spin. the supply voltage is 7.4v lipo through an 8amp regulator supplying 4.9v to ignition system. I have tried cold start and by putting petrol into carb with syringe but I only get a good kick and nothing else, has anybody got any idea's I could try before I buy another starter motor, what a big disapointment as everybody on the forums seem to like there engines.[&o]

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

First, readjust your high end needle to 1.65 and low end needle to 1.5 turns out from fully closed.

dont use a starter on this engine, it will flood it out. once the spark plug is wet, it will never fire and run. there is no need for a starter anyway.

choke on, throttle stick at IDLE, flip 2-3 times, it will cough.
choke off, throttle stick 1 click up, flip 2-3 times and off it goes.. every time..

also check your spark plug for correct gap at ground terminal.

make sure your throttle pushrod is adjusted correctly.

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

Sure sounds like your needles need opening up a bit. Do as Liquid TR suggested and you should be okay.

Karol

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

Thanks for advice, I did try opening the low end needle a bit at a time upto 2.5 and down to 1.25 with no real affect, and then put it back to 1.5. the high end needle is set to 1.75 but I will reduce it to 1.65, I have checked the spark gap and that seems fine, My sullivan dynatron starter did flood the engine and I had to dry the plug off, then the starter motor went up in a puff of smoke so I am only trying to hand start it. could the problem possibly be with the carb as I am unfamilliar with this carb type, the engine fires every time but it will not carry over into idle. all advice is welcome

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

Check the timing as an engine with an out of wack timing behaves just like that.

Karol

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

Is it the stock spark plug? Get an NGK CM-6.

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

I think the timing on the engine is fixed as I cannot see any slots on the sensor which allows me to move it, I intend to purchase a couple of NGK CM-6 spark plugs today as some threads say to throw the one which comes with the engine in the bin, , it seems as though the fuel is getting through to kick the engine but not enough to carry it over into idle, I'm a bit reluctant to start stripping the carb on a new engine just yet until I have exhausted all other options. I will try these first and come back

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

Hi Semc, yes the timing is fixed but you should still have a few degrees movement each way, but STILL CHECK IT with a timing disk its very easy, there are plenty of threads here on how to do it.
Once you have checked it and its ok about 27-28 degrees before top dead center. then you can cross that problem of the list.There have been a few instances where the timing on a new engine was out and my 3W85 was one of them, i was chasing bad starting for 18 months until i checked it.
One thing i do know about DL is there plugs supplied with the engine are junk so dump it, and get the NGK CM6 and then you can cross that problem off the list,Let us know how you go.

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

Hi Semc,
If you don't have any luck give me a call .

PM sent

Paul

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

I will leave the timing for the moment until I can get a new plug, have been unable to source one locally so I will get one this weekend from Cosford and try that first, my friends timing slipped on another make of engine and after weeks of moving it back and forward he cannot get the engine running properly, I have not tried to start engine today as my right arm has given up after three days of trying.

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

Just got engine stated and running perfectly, The problem was the spark plug cap has a small spring in it, and it was not close enough to the top of the spark plug so I pulled it out so that it touches the top of the spark plug, also the spark plug gap was to big and I reduced it to about 12 thou, the engine now starts fine and no need for starter motor.
my starting sequence is.
Choke on, full throttle and ignition off, and flip engine 5 times
Ignition on and throttle to idle and it should kick or partly start.
Choke off and a good flip and it's away

Thanyou for all your advice and I will buy two NGK CM-6 plugs this weekend, does anybody know the correct spark plug gap for the DL55

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

Gap your plug at about .020". It sounds to me like you do not have the plug cap on all the way, you should never need to pull (stretch) the spring in the cap at all to reach the plug. Make sure the plug cap goes on until the spark plugs hex flats are completely inside the cap. They are hard to push on and take off the first few times. If you don't get the cap on all the way you WILL have RFI problems and or dead sticksshortly after take off.

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

Is the tiny spring suppose to go through the tiny hole in the top of the silicone/rubber part of the plug cap?
I can see the small spring through the hole, and it is across the hole, and not through it.

Greg

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

Hereis the top secret inner workings of the DL/RcExl plug cap revealed. In the first picture you can see the broken off post of the resistor right below the cap, this is all that was wrong with this dead ignition, the second picture shows a new resistor and how it contacts the small spring that hits the spark plug if it's pushed on all the way. The resistor is there because the CM-6 type spark plug is to small to fit one in the spark plug to suppress RFI.

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

The big spring in picture 2 doesn't actually sit there does it?
My cap has a hole that is about 1/8" diameter in the silicone/rubber boot above the resistor and a small coiled spring about 1/8" diameter maximum. Does the tip of the plug protrude through the hole when the spark plug cap is on all the way?

Greg

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

The spring in the pictures is the small spring you describe and yes, the plug does go through the small hole just above it to make contact with the spring, one of the reasons the are so hard to push on and pull off, also the main reason they never fall off in flight if on all the way. Here's a picture with the rest of the components for clarification, please pardon the fat thumb.

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

This morning I have had same problem with DLE 55. Firing and stopping.

Thank you for your clue. The small spring inside the cap was a little bit short. I made it longer by pulling out.:D. Now it starts and runs just fine.

Regards.

Zafer

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

I found if you insert the tip of a flat head screw driver into one side of the DL cap and twist the driver a little bit against the cylinder head, the cap will pop out easily. No need to pull the cap at all.

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

Intersting to see the design. Is the connection between the cap and the shield not better than that? It scars me a bit.

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

Of course, ituses a crimped on clamp, very secure.

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

<![if gte mso 9]><xml><w:WordDocument><w:View>Normal</w:View><w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom><w:PunctuationKerning /><w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /><w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid><w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent><w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText><w:Compatibility><w:Br eakWrappedTables /><w:SnapToGridInCell /><w:WrapTextWithPunct /><w:UseAsianBreakRules /><w:DontGrowAutofit /></w:Compatibility><w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetE xplorer4</w:BrowserLevel></w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]><![if gte mso 9]><xml><w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"></w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]><![if gte mso 10]><style> Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:#0400;mso-fareast-language:#0400;mso-bidi-language:#0400;}</style><![endif]><p align="right" style="text-align: left;" dir="RTL" class="MsoNormal"><span style="" dir="LTR">Sorry for my bad english!</span></p><p align="right" style="text-align: left;" dir="RTL" class="MsoNormal"><span style="" dir="LTR">Can I solder </span><span dir="LTR">post of the resistor to botton of the spring?</span></p><p align="right" style="text-align: left;" dir="RTL" class="MsoNormal"><span dir="LTR">I had many problems with my DLE-55 spark plug cap and finally I noticed that botton spring of boot and resistor post have some disconnection sometimes.</span></p>

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

This stretching the spring sounds strange to me. It sounds like they are not pushing the cap on all the way. It is most beginners number one mistake. It will hurt your hand pushing the cap on all the way. You should not be able to see any of the hex at the base of the sparkplug it it is on correctly and it is even harder to get off like Jody has shown above.

RE: DL-55 Starting problems
 

You are right about this being a novices #1 mistake... I recently got a DLE55, my first big gas engine, and when I first started it in my yard.... it started easily, however. the cap fell off! After the second time I assumed I was doing something wrong... and I pushed the cap on with much more force than before... and pop... it snapped all the way on where it has remained ever since!

I am really impressed with the power this engine has (Vess 22B)... on my third gallon and this thing starts easier than any engine I have ever owned! After the choke and pop... one flip every time... thirty seconds of warm up and it is ready to do anything... and I mean anything... my 3D flying son can think up! Good luck getting that plug worked out.


DAn