Hey All,

I finished building my first nitro powered plane about a month ago. I tried to start it then but discovered the glow starter was dead and the charger had gone missing, school work stopped me from continuing. Today I tried starting it with a fully charged glow starter. After fiddling for 15 minutes I couldnt get it to start. The enging is an OS LA . 40, Im using a 15% mixture fuel with the proper OS A3 glow plug. I start by putting gas in it, priming it by holding my finger over the air intake and turning the propeller two turns counterclockwise, then turning it two more revolutions to draw fuel into the engine (doing this with throttle open) then the engine is cold and new so the instructions tell me to spin the propellor abut 8-10 more times with my finger OFF the air intake. I then throttle down to 1/3 open and apply the glow starter, and proceed trying to start the engine with my chicken stick. I feel the compression and just hear a little put when spinning the prop. I have a gas rc car and know what to listen for when starting and I dont hear anything, it wont even kick for me. I tried resetting the mixture knob to the proper setting all was in check. I retested the glow plug starter and saw the plug glow so i know that works. The engine has never been started before, except the other time i tried to start it with a dead starter. The instructions say to use an electric starter, do I need to use one in order to start the engine, or should i be able to do it with the stick? I have no idea why this engine wont start. Anyone have any ideas? THanks so much!

Brad Goldberg

Brad,

In this cold weather, it is hard to start one by hand. It would be better if you had an electric starter being as you are new.

Good luck,

Jim

Brad, when your priming it, do you see fuel in the fuel line at the carb? I sounds like it's not getting any fuel to me. It should at least bump when turned over by hand. (make real sure that you have a good grip on the prop blade, you don't want to get bit by this thing) If you feel the bump, it should crank up. If you don't feel the bump, it's not getting the fuel it needs to start. Most engines need a good supply of fuel to crank even in warm weather, much less cold. Your finger should be wet after priming the carb.
Suptter

Yes, I can see fuel moving through the line into the carb. Once it reaches the carb the instructions say to turn the blade two more times, I do that and it doesnt seem to start. The only thing I hear or feel when trying to start the engine is the compression which tells me the seals and glowplug are in good. I dont want to go out and spend 30$ on a electric starter and find out that wasnt the problem either. Thanks

Brad

Just give the carb a little gas from the can and turn it over 2-3 time without the glow starter then try to start it.....

If the Carb. is really 1/3 open you might not be getting enough RPM's with the chicken stick to start it. It should at least pop though as mentioned above-

A Starter is a must! My engines will hand-start first try, but a new motor not broken in? You will get tired doing that...

Is there a club or hobby shop in your area? Find someone with a starter and use them!! (saves $30 bucks)

Hope all ends well,
james