O.S. LA starting problem
07-13-2003 | 04:11 AM
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From: LA,TX,MS,AL
O.S. LA starting problem
I got a os .46 LA for my trainer and it's pretty stiff to turn over.
Stiff enough that with a glow plug in you can't turn it over with my sullivan starter. The same starter/battery combo I use to flip a .40 FP over likes it's not even there.
Even with the glowpug out spinning it over with the electric starter has little rough spots that make it hard to turn over when it nears TDC.
Is this common to the tapered piston/sleeve engine or is something else wrong.
I took the glowplug out and with a tough of fuel in the crankcase flipped it over by hand for a few minutes to make sure everything was lubbed up and it's still pretty hard to flip over.
As of now there's no way to start it since even with an electric you really can't get more than 2 revolutions out of it before the starter will jump off from the friction. I bench mounted it and it "might" be possible with a chicken stick but I didnt' want to keep pushing it while it was that tight.
Stiff enough that with a glow plug in you can't turn it over with my sullivan starter. The same starter/battery combo I use to flip a .40 FP over likes it's not even there.
Even with the glowpug out spinning it over with the electric starter has little rough spots that make it hard to turn over when it nears TDC.
Is this common to the tapered piston/sleeve engine or is something else wrong.
I took the glowplug out and with a tough of fuel in the crankcase flipped it over by hand for a few minutes to make sure everything was lubbed up and it's still pretty hard to flip over.
As of now there's no way to start it since even with an electric you really can't get more than 2 revolutions out of it before the starter will jump off from the friction. I bench mounted it and it "might" be possible with a chicken stick but I didnt' want to keep pushing it while it was that tight.
07-13-2003 | 06:19 AM
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From: rayong, THAILAND
O.S. LA starting problem
Hi!
They say tightness is goooood
......Anyways, my LA46 is not that tight how you mentioned 
- maybe you just got the best 46LA on the earth 
. You wanna swap it for mine 
?
don´t crash.
Brgrds, Peter.
They say tightness is goooood
......Anyways, my LA46 is not that tight how you mentioned - maybe you just got the best 46LA on the earth . You wanna swap it for mine ?don´t crash.
Brgrds, Peter.
07-13-2003 | 08:36 AM
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Break-in of tapered bore engines
Borzak,
The engine must be broken-in this way:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...59&forumid=145
When starting it for the first few times, use a heat gun to thoroughly heat the cylinder. This will make it much easier to start.
DON'T YOU EVEN TRY TO BREAK THIS ENGINE IN ON THE PLANE.
THIS, UNLESS YOU WANT TO BREAK YOUR PLANE.
There are engines that are not so tight, but if your engine is very tight, you need an engine test stand for the break-in to be done uneventfully.
You can get this one for a good price:
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXA378&P=7
I believe you can buy it at the LHS..
The engine must be broken-in this way:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...59&forumid=145
When starting it for the first few times, use a heat gun to thoroughly heat the cylinder. This will make it much easier to start.
DON'T YOU EVEN TRY TO BREAK THIS ENGINE IN ON THE PLANE.
THIS, UNLESS YOU WANT TO BREAK YOUR PLANE.
There are engines that are not so tight, but if your engine is very tight, you need an engine test stand for the break-in to be done uneventfully.
You can get this one for a good price:
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXA378&P=7
I believe you can buy it at the LHS..
07-13-2003 | 04:59 PM
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From: LA,TX,MS,AL
O.S. LA starting problem
Even when heating on the bench (I have a test stand) it won't spin fast enough with a starter to get up to "start" speed. Even when heated it has a noticable stick near TDC - enough that the starter bogs down every time it nears TDC.
07-13-2003 | 05:03 PM
#5
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LA.46
Borzak,
Are you sure it is not flooded? It sounds like a hydraulic lock.
Try spinning it with the glow plug removed.
If it is this tight, you may want to exercise your warranty.
Are you sure it is not flooded? It sounds like a hydraulic lock.
Try spinning it with the glow plug removed.
If it is this tight, you may want to exercise your warranty.
07-13-2003 | 06:35 PM
#6
O.S. LA starting problem
Hello!
Are you sure you have enough power in your 12v motorcycle battery?
And y use a Sullivan Pylonbrand starter (or something like it) Avoid Kavan starters as these don't spinn fast enough.
You should use at least 7Ah or preferably a 10-12Ah 12V lead acid motorcycle battery.
The LA engines are a bit stiff at first due to their ABN construction but as soon you have got it running everything will loosen up.
Just reverse the rubber cone starter on the Sullivan starter and it will be easy to start the engine (but a aluminum prop nut will make starting even easier)
Put on a 10x6 APC or a 11x6 if it is intended for a slowflying trainer aircraft and just run the engine.....let it rew...not go slobbering rich!.
Regards!
Jan K
Are you sure you have enough power in your 12v motorcycle battery?
And y use a Sullivan Pylonbrand starter (or something like it) Avoid Kavan starters as these don't spinn fast enough.
You should use at least 7Ah or preferably a 10-12Ah 12V lead acid motorcycle battery.
The LA engines are a bit stiff at first due to their ABN construction but as soon you have got it running everything will loosen up.
Just reverse the rubber cone starter on the Sullivan starter and it will be easy to start the engine (but a aluminum prop nut will make starting even easier)
Put on a 10x6 APC or a 11x6 if it is intended for a slowflying trainer aircraft and just run the engine.....let it rew...not go slobbering rich!.
Regards!
Jan K
07-13-2003 | 07:21 PM
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From: LA,TX,MS,AL
O.S. LA starting problem
Yes battery was off a fresh charge and it was plenty of powerful to start a o.s. 91 Four Stroke this morning. Yes it's a sullivan starter - the same one I've had for a long time. Even tried turning the cone around and starting on the nut and not the spinner - same result.
It wasn't flooded because I took the glow plug out and turned it over and "tried" to turn the prop by hand and finally spun it over about a dozen times and never had the first drop come out of the carb or the head.
Even when heated and no glow plug it was very difficult to turn over by hand by turning the prop while it was on a test stand.
BUT I finally fixed it. I took it off the stand, boxed it up and promptly threw it in the trash can. Forget sending it back for a warranty coverage on a $60 engine. Sure, maybe I got one that was out of spec - but O.S. just lost a customer. I'll find another engine for this and future planes. It was soo tight at the field this morning where I took it for some outside advice - the comments were that is tight to what a piece of crap that when I chunked it into the tash no one even wanted it.
It wasn't flooded because I took the glow plug out and turned it over and "tried" to turn the prop by hand and finally spun it over about a dozen times and never had the first drop come out of the carb or the head.
Even when heated and no glow plug it was very difficult to turn over by hand by turning the prop while it was on a test stand.
BUT I finally fixed it. I took it off the stand, boxed it up and promptly threw it in the trash can. Forget sending it back for a warranty coverage on a $60 engine. Sure, maybe I got one that was out of spec - but O.S. just lost a customer. I'll find another engine for this and future planes. It was soo tight at the field this morning where I took it for some outside advice - the comments were that is tight to what a piece of crap that when I chunked it into the tash no one even wanted it.
07-13-2003 | 11:40 PM
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O.S. LA starting problem
Why for the life of me do you people put up with all this crap! You should never need to go through such a extended procedure to run a little engine . Either send it back to Great Planes or throw it away ! Maybe they will get the idea they can't sell such junk !MAX H.
Wrote this before I read all your thread Borzak, but they need a lot of them returned!!!!!
Wrote this before I read all your thread Borzak, but they need a lot of them returned!!!!!
07-14-2003 | 12:40 AM
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From: LA,TX,MS,AL
O.S. LA starting problem
The time I spend finding out who to return it to, the time to box it up properly, the time to drive to a shipping place, the time it takes for either the vendor or the manafacture to return a usuable one.
I could have just bought another brand and be done with it.
I know returning it is the "right" thing to do. But that's a lot of hassle for an out of pocket expense of $60 and time is money. I'm not rich but my time is worth money to me - even if just a little.
One would think a company that has a model of a product geared towards beginers would have one that is very hassle free to get them to return when it's time to move up on the performance scale.
I could have just bought another brand and be done with it.
I know returning it is the "right" thing to do. But that's a lot of hassle for an out of pocket expense of $60 and time is money. I'm not rich but my time is worth money to me - even if just a little.
One would think a company that has a model of a product geared towards beginers would have one that is very hassle free to get them to return when it's time to move up on the performance scale.
