carmerxr400

My Feedback: (25)

How cold is too cold to run a glow motor. I have an OS. 25 on a swamp buggy that goes on the ice or snow great. I set the needle very rich 4 stroking a LITTLE. Will I damage this motor or is it ok to run it at 15 to 20deg f. The motor has a lot of time on it. I have had it in several planes. Thanks.

RaceCity

How cold are you willing to tolerate? Your motor will run at temps far below anything you
care to stand outside and play in! <GGGG>

I grew up WAY far north of you (Alpena) and we hand propped engines to life on the ice in the
middle of January.

I Couldn't do that now, but....they worked just fine....even if our fingers didn't.

Have fun!

'Race

BaronSchwab

We just hand start to keep warm. They run great at -10. [X(]

Homebrewer

My Feedback: (8)

Regardless of the temperature, you'll increase engine wear by running an ABC/ABN type engine in a rich 4 stroke setting-don't do it!

JohnW

My Feedback: (6)

Ditto... be sure your engine is running at temp. Running too cold can damage some engines. As for how cold you can run engines... I believe the freezing point of methanol is about -95C.

gcb

We used to fly when it was cold enough we had to heat the engine with a propane torch to get it loose enough to flip. These were iron/steel engines, all castor lube. Had to watch out for alcohol fires, they are invisible until you see the paint bubbling. I was young and foolish then (as opposed to old and foolish?).
I was wondering how cold an ABC would take. Seems to me that the brass would cause even more wear until it heats up.
My guess is that ringed engines would be the most tolerant of temperature extremes, with iron/steel next. Since some of you guys have good luck with ABC engines in the cold, I guess that works too.
Is there a big difference between how a sport ABC (such as OS) can handle the cold vs a high-performance ABC with an extremely tight "pinch"?

George

TerrellFlyer

depends on the pilot but you need to readjust you carb to normal running instead of four stroking.

jessiej

[Had to watch out for alcohol fires, they are invisible until you see the paint bubbling. I was young and foolish then (as opposed to old and foolish?). ]

I had a fire start in a CL stunt ship once while starting. I first realised the dang thing was on fire when the hair burned off my arm.

RLDIII

My Feedback: (1)

If my feeble memory serves correct, back in the early 1980's we flew off a frozen lake outside of Evanston, Wyoming at about -10 degrees F once or twice. These were rined engines (ST and K&B) and once started, they ran great (getting the first start if they got cold soaked was "enteresting"). From what I learned, the limiting factor on the cold was not really the engines ability to run in the cold, but rather the greatly reduced battery capacities in both the transmitters and the receivers. We were also very cautious about nylon control horns and clevisies, as many materials get VERY brittle at those kind of temps.

Oh yeah, generally we also found that the pilots desire to fly in that kind of cold generally dissapated almost as quickly as the battery charge!

Lee

Oldie

RLD III is right about things getting brittle below freezing. I had a wing give way on a Miss Texas because the sheeting and foam core broke along the chord. I only had that happen in cold weather.

I used to keep the engines warm for starting in the back of the station wagon. We even made some "nose hangers" for them by pulling a wool sock over the cylinder to help keep them warm for starting. Don't know how much that actually helped.

The two big problems in winter are teary eyes from the wind and frozen fingers. I can't fly with gloves on. Some skiers mittens have slits to let fingers out enough to run the sticks.

If you even get near a tree with skies on your plane you will be surprised how the skies fasten the plane in the tree.

But when those two little skis shoot roostertails in the snow, its worth the chill.

bry_be

I have an avistar w/ 40LA, right before I try to start for the first time in cold weather I hold it under my pickup exhaust for 30 seconds or so. It then fires right up.

xlr82v2

My Feedback: (1)

A good shot of lighter fluid (naptha) down the carb goes a long way in getting a cold engine started as well.

smokingcrater

ether (starting fluid) would also work great! I've never had a problem starting engines in cold weather, I've flow in -10F weather before also. I generally fuel them up before leaving, fly the tank out, and hopefully I can still feel my fingers after the flight. refueling isn't a problem, i don't do it! nothing burns quite like glow fuel at -10F!!

martyg

My Feedback: (42)

Thumbs up on the lighter fluid trick for cold weather starting.

Pilotsmoe

-10, thats crazy! [X(] I won't fly when it's below 40*.