SailorTurnedPilot

I am new to RC modeling. Bought a used Carl Goldberg Eagle 2 Trainer that has an Enya 45 CX (TN type carb). Had an experienced modeler help me get it running and an instructor get me off the ground.

Now more on my own and having some trouble getting the engine to run reliably. It was never or hardly run when I bought it. Have now run almost 1 gallon of 15% nitro fuel. after reading some posts on breaking in the Enya engines, I ran one tank full run on the ground following a breakin procedure I found on the web. Running for 5 minutes at a time, alternating between full and half throttle.

Here are the problems. Seems to idle OK after starting and a minute or so of warming up. Holds idle speed without the glow plug battery connected. Throttles up OK. However, if I run it at 1/3 thorttle for 30 seconds or more, it almost always stalls when I idle down on final approach. After a brief flight or two, it will also stall on the bench sometimes on a rapid throttle up. Then starts stalling on throttle down to idle from 1/3 throttle or higher. By the way, being new and this being more engine than is really needed at my skill level on the Eagle 2, I have been flying at about 1/2 throttle as a rule.

I'm running with an OS#8 glowplug.

Here are some questions:

- does anyone have a detailed tried and true break in routine that I should consider now (I understand this is an AAC type engine)?
- does anyone have specific suggestions on tuning to correct this problem?
- does anyone have a recommendation on fuel? 5% 10% or 15% nitro?
- any suggestions on whether the OS#8 is the best plug?

Thanks in advance from a newbie.

Red B.

If the engine tends to stall on rapid throttle ups I would suspect that the idle mixture is too lean.
Try to richen the idle mixture a little and see if that helps solve your problem.

- does anyone have a detailed tried and true break in routine that I should consider now (I understand this is an AAC type engine)?
They sure do! Do a search on RCU and you will find an almost infinite number of posts on running an engine in. IMHO it is not rocket science. Run the AAC engine slightly rich and go fly. By slightly rich I mean that the you should aim for the richest setting that will give a reliable two-stroke sound. You do not want to run an AAC engine so rich that it is four-stroking.

- does anyone have specific suggestions on tuning to correct this problem?
see above

- does anyone have a recommendation on fuel? 5% 10% or 15% nitro?
any of the fuels mentioned should work well.

- any suggestions on whether the OS#8 is the best plug?
The OS 8 is about as good as it gets. An equally good alternative would be an Enya #3 glow plug. For higher nitro content say 15% and above I would choose an Enya #4

DarZeelon

Former Sailor,


Try [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_1850473/anchor/tm.htm#1850473]THIS[/link] for a good tapered-bore break-in routine.

It seems like your low-speed needle is somehow out of adjustment, but first make sure the tank center-line and the carburettor nozzle are within 1/4" of the same level.

You can use fuel up to 15% nitro, but this Enya needs no more than 5% to run well. The [link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXE947&P=7]Enya #3[/link] is only for up to 5% nitro.


Enya suggests their own #3, or #4 for this engine. The #4 is no longer offered by Tower, but the OS #8 is the same heat range.

But... the OS is a medium-reach plug and the Enya's head is designed for long reach plugs
It could have gone bad after a period of use. Take a look at the glow element; if it appears to be scaled, replace the plug.

speedster 1919

My Feedback: (3)

That was a used setup so breakin is not needed. That is a high compression engine and 15% nitro is a problem. 5% nitro would be the ticket. Make sure you use syn. and castor oil blend. OS #8 is fine.................After switching fuel and if idle still have issues use the low speed pinch test.............Find your best tuner at field and ask for help. Make sure it is someone who is not afraid of touching LS needle. You'd be surprised how many long time flyers can't and won't touch the LS needle...............

DarZeelon

Of course, Randy. This is totally un-needed for this engine.
But for the next one...

I have written this several times and a few weeks, ago I encountered exactly such a person.

His eyes see and his ears hear that the top end on his OS.46AX is adjusted perfectly... and that the low end setting is too rich. But he nevertheless insists on adjusting the low end's behavior, with the high-speed needle, spoiling the excellent high end adjustment in the process...

I asked him why he thinks changing the high-speed needle's setting will correct the rich low end.
No reply was received... he persistently closed the high-speed needle until a correct idle mixture was achieved... But the engine died after the throttle was raised 2 clicks...

He decided his engine was junk... and almost went home...

I brought two big guys to pin him down, while I adjusted his engine. The low-speed needle needed to be closed 3/4 of a turn...


...After two flights he went home without saying another word...

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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In addition to what Speester has said, the Enya carb on the .45CX is a metered carb, but it uses an air bleed trimmer instead of a second needle valve. Screwing in the trimming (clockwise) will richen the idle mixture. Counter clockwise will lean the idle mixture.

This engine is happiest when swinging a 10x6 prop. Larger props bog it down. It is a high performance engine, not a lugger.

Every couple of years of heavy flying, you will need to strip down the engine and follow Enya's published procedure for cleaning up the liner and piston. Doing this restores the engine back to full power. Go to the Enya site and download the owner's manual, or ask Ken Enya for a PDF copy of same. This engine is DIFFERENT than just about any other model engine out there these days.

If you don't want to go to the trouble to maintain it, let me know. I'll trade you a brand new sport engine for yours. I have six of these .45 CX engines now and I wouldn't mind having another six. They are that good.


Ed Cregger

SailorTurnedPilot

Thanks to all....

Couple of corrections/additions:

Ed Cregger - this particular 45CX has the twin needle carb. Not ready to give up yet, but I'll let you know.

Sounds like a swith to 5% is the next step.

What confused me was that the idle speed pinch test gave me only a very slight acceleration before stalling the engine, so assumed the idle mix was not too rich. Should I get no increase in speed on the idle speed pinch?

On a full throttle pinch test I do get about a 1/2 to 1 second increase in speed, so thought that was OK. Everyone says it needs to run a little rich.

Also what seemed contradictory was the stall on throttle up (which I thought indicated too lean on the idle mix). At the same time the stalls when idling down after running for a period at 1/3 throttle would indicate possibly a too rich idle mix.

I don't understand the one comment about getting a reliable two stroke sound and not going so rich on the high speed mix as to have it four stroke. What is the difference in the sound?

Anybody know of a source for Enya plugs in the US that won't kill me on shipping handling?

DarZeelon

Ex-Sailor,


From your remarks on the low end settings, I can conclude you do have some understanding of adjustment...

As to a the sounds... When a two-stroke glow engine is run at full throttle, with the proper mixture setting, it fires on every revolution.
Its sound is clean and high pitched; close to peak RPM.

As you open the needle the engine slows down somewhat, but the sound is still clean. Open the needle further and it begins to mis-fire occasionally, sounding less clean. Open even more and the engine begins to fire on alternate revolutions, i.e. it fires on one revolution and mis-fires on the next. The is not an 'unclean' sound of occasional mis-firing, but a clean, distinct staccato of consecutive yes-no-yes-no... cycles, reminiscent of a four-stroke engine.

The power is not reduced by as much as half, because on the firing cycles, a higher cylinder pressure is attained, compared to regular, full two-cycle running, because there is no un-scavenged exhaust gas in the cylinder, to interfere with combustion.

...This goes for part-throttle operation too...


You can buy a six-pack of TowerPower plugs for less than $15 and 'Parts-Express' shipping on them is just ~$3.

Real Enya plug costs will kill and not only on shipping...

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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You don't have to use an Enya #4 glow plug, although it sure wouldn't hurt a thing. Ditto OS#8. I run McCoy plugs (Tower Hobbies) and they work just fine. Even with a tuned pipe. Granted, the Enya and OS "should" last longer, but I couldn't swear to it to be true.

While I have many Enya .40 - .45 - .50 & .61 CX engines and one or two of those came with the factory pump and uber-carb, I don't claim to know a whole lot about every possible model they ever made. I don't know anything about a "two needle" carb, other than what I have stated previously. And that is that the lowest level of carb that came with the CX mid-sized engines, that I am aware of, was actually a deluxe metered carb (two needle in common parlance), but which used an air bleed trimmer for the low speed. With heli engines being offered, it is possible that they did offer a two-needle carb, at one point.

When the AAC engines become "balky", it is time to perform the maintenance that I mentioned previously.


Ed Cregger

speedster 1919

My Feedback: (3)

Sailor---Two points on the pinch test. On the low speed -if the idle RPM is set to high the pinch test gives you a false reading and if too lean engine will die instantly on throttle up. If you can pinch high speed at WOT and RPM picks up for 1 second that is too long and you have a too rich top end. A fraction of a second is norm. If you have a tach --tune to max RPM and then richen to drop RPM about 300 and should be good to go . Make sure you point the plane straight up for 10 seconds at WOT and not lose RPM or speed up to prevent deadsticks............

SailorTurnedPilot

Success!!

Switched to 10% Nitro fuel (couldn't locate a local source for 5%).

Needed to adjust the high end mix a bit but then it ran like a champ. Six take off and landings, cruising at low throttle, not a single stall.

Thanks everybody!

speedster 1919

My Feedback: (3)

Great-----------The moral of the story is High Nitro is not necessary and not a good thing on higher compression engines.....................