RE: South Central Basic Bootcamp
 

Steve,
I see that you are frustrated and don't want to mess with it right now, but If and when you do decide to mess with it I would like to offer two suggestions.

1. Call CH ignitions at 307-857-6897. I believe to optimize the flashpoint and Ignition timing for camp fuel vs pump gas might require a slightly different ignition timing. If you have a CH ignition the timing for Gas is set at 28deg BTDC, for a falcon ignition it is set at 2deg BTDC(one advances one retards). I have a timing wheel and Indicator I made for MY BME 50 and If you decide to check the timing I would be happy to ship it to you. CH can give you all the details on how to accomplish this. I also Have a compression guage you can borrow.

2. After 230 flights my BME 50 started acting just like what you yours is. When I do maintenance I clean the Carb with automotive Carb Cleaner. I sound out the hard way that if you use this cleaner and don't run fuel through the carb shortly thereafter the cleaner can harden the carberator diaframs. I got a new set of diaframs from the local lawn mower repair shop and It ran like a new engine. The old Diafram was rubber, the new diafram was a milar type of plastic and I was told that the plastic one works better and lasts longer. If you can get your hands on a new rubber diafram(the one with the metal peace embeded into it) and a new plastic diafram(other side of carb, It has the flapper/valves). It might and should help at the least it won't hirt.

Good Luck and I feel your Pain I lost 5 1/4 scale os-160 glow planes before I went to a gasser. 30% due to lack of skill at the time and 70% due to friek accidents like somebody putting a picnic table where I was planning to land while I was flying, mid-air, wing snap in flight etc...

RE: South Central Basic Bootcamp
 

Thanks; I might take you up on that offer.

I'm not having any problems with the airframe or the "transition" to the larger size mode; all my grief has been power plant related. And when you've been dealing successfully with model airplane engines for almost 20 years, problems like this are damned frustrating.

What's worse is the knowledge that so many folks are NOT having problems... heck, watching my pal fuel & fly his gassers is what prodded me to get one. I LOVE these larger planes, and you just can't do it right with glow power.

Whatever; we'll see what shakes out. I suppose the time I need to get over being pissed would be better spent yanking this thing out of the airplane and sending it back to Keith. I'm just worried that he'll tell me there is nothing wrong with it, and then I'm back to Square One...[&o]