Hey guys, getting close with my hopped up Homelite 30cc. All that's left is to finish my homemade smoke muffler, cut the shaft, tap it for the prop nut, and mount up the motor. It's all ported and tweaked. We'll see how it runs, hopefully soon. Here's a couple of pics below...

Also check out the little smoke pump I made out of an old carburetor. The B & B type pump I use is also in the picture. The one I made myself is physically half the size, and half the weight. (4 oz. versus 2 oz.) I'll let you know how it works too!

Say Terry, how much lower do you think I could get this thing to idle with a Synchro Spark? My motors won't reliably idle below about 2200 rpms, and that makes the landing speed high, especially at this altitude where the true airspeed is higher as well.

Later!
AV8TOR

Eagerly awaiting results. The smoke pump may be a winner!

Avi8tor, Tell us again about where or how you got your 30 and what mods you made to it?

I bought mine as a new "crate" motor from a chainsaw dealer for $65. It said Deere and company all over it.

I've been flying one at a location about 30 mi from fwman1 in Alabama just off US 80.

Enjoy,

Jim

let's hope the smoke oil pump works as you plan!
yes, share the hop-up data, Please!

Well, I have a bit of a conundrum. I flew the UltraLite Stick 120 for the "last time" yesterday with the Homey 25cc, before preparing to install the Homey 30 hot rod. The problem is, it runs so sweet and flies so well that I'm reluctant to tear into it. Why mess up a great combo? Not that I'm all that interested in hovering except as a challenge and indication of power, but now that I've practiced on the sim a bit, the Stick will hover for a while before I fall out, and that's with a decidedly NON hover type prop of 16 x 8, and at a density altitude of around 7000'.

I'm not sure what I'll do. Maybe use this 30 on my Katana 72", maybe go ahead and put it on the Stick. Meanwhile, while I'm thinking, I'll put the 30 on a test stand to get the numbers and see how it does. I'll post the numbers and what I've done to the engine at that time. Suffice to say for now that it has all the tweaks and mods, so we'll see...

I got the engine off e-bay. I found two different blowers for sale, and bought them. I got them for a "song", but the shipping stung a bit so watch out for that. Both engines were useable, so I picked the best one and started modifying. W8ye, I like that term "crate motor". I've been thinking of buying one of the Zenoah clone "crate motors" to play with.

As far as my little custom smoke pump, I feel pretty confident that it will work. The only question in my mind is if it will pump enough, but I believe so as I've read that an engine likes about the same amount of smoke fluid as the gasoline it burns, and this will definitely pump that much. I have my restrictor cranked down to almost nothing with the big B & B type pump, so I'm fairly confident that this little guy will pump enough. It was a fun little project. FYI, Walbro sells a little pump that looks like this but is made out of plastic for around $25.00. Do a search on the Walbro site for "WIP".

More when I can,
Take care,
AV8TOR

A Syncro Spark will reduce the idle speed by about 200 rpm.

It all looks real good to me. What is your plan to turn the smoke pump on and off?
Ron

Let's see it smoke on the test stand. Any problems with continuous pumping and the output turned off?

What I use on my Ultra Lite Stick 120 to turn the smoke system on and off is a little pinch valve that I've had for years. I don't remember if its made by Dubro, or whom. The hose runs through the valve, and it has a little cam inside that pinches the hose to close it off. You also need a way to regulate the amount of smoke oil, and for this I use a large wheel collar on the output line to the muffler. Just screw the set screw in and out until you get the most smoke. (Actually you may have to change the set screw for a short bolt in order for it to pinch off the line enough.)

Varsane makes a really nice on/off valve, and a needle valve regulator too. I'll probably buy those for my next system. As far as where to put the valve, I like to put it on either the smoke oil input line to the pump, or on the pulse line to the pump. There is nothing to wear out in the pump, and there is virtually no effect on the motor, but I prefer not having the system pressurized all the time by putting the on/off valve in the supply line to the muffler. It also pays to secure all the lines with safety wire (like a hose clamp). I once had a line pop off and it pumped all its smoke oil all over the plane in a heart beat.

I came up with a possible idea to my conundrum today... Maybe I'll put the "Hot Rod 30" on my Phoenix. The Phoenix is a touch tail heavy, so if I take off the Kioritz and install the Homey, it would come out about right balance wise and I could save the Kioritz for my Goldberg Ultimate Biplane. Wow, what a rocket that would be. A hopped up 30cc on a 10 lb. airplane!!

Have fun, (I do!)
AV8TOR

I am in the process of installing my hopped-up 30 in a GP Super Stearman. I like your smoke system a lot. I am going to try it in the Stearman...Of course I probably won't have anymore flying weather till spring.
[][][]
Ron

Here's a pic. Sorry I don't have one of the valve I spoke of as its in the plane now. I also used neoprene line to the muffler itself in the actual installation due to the heat.

Idle: Cheap tricks 101
Just scribe the timing sensor bracket so you can return it to "correct" timing, then rotate the bracket about 20 deg CCW. See it the idle is improved enough for you to spend $$ on a Syncro Spark unit.

Hey AV8tor,,,,

My stick weighs 17 pounds with the McCulloch 32cc on it,,,,do you think it will be worth putting on a Homie 25cc, or will I be disappointed in the power???

b717doc, didn't I answer this with a couple of posts in another thread? Did you not see those or did they not post?

Anyway, what I had said was that if you are happy with the performance of your 32cc on a 17 lb. plane, you might be ok with a Homey 25cc, though I think your plane is a touch heavy for that size motor. It all depends on what you want.

I think that if you would have your flywheel professionally balanced, you would like your Mac 32 a lot better. Why not give it a try? It's a lot simpler than doing a new motor!

Take care and good luck,
AV8TOR

As a matter of reference....

My (stock) MAC 32 turns a 18-8 at the same speed that my (stock) Homelite 25 turns a 16-10.

Enjoy,

Jim

Hey guys,

Ran the new setup tonight just before dark. The new little baby smoke pump works absolutely perfectly! Unfortunately, it was too dark to get any pictures; maybe tomorrow if I have time. I'll go ahead and post some pics of my homemade smoke muffler now.

Couldn't get any real numbers on the engine yet as it was getting dark and I didn't have enough time to really tune and play with it, forget put some running time on it to let it settle in a bit. (I'm trying not to be disappointed because the only number I was able to get was a quick 8300 rpms on an APC 17 x 8. I expected to see something like 9000 with that prop, but maybe I'm not being realistic, especially at this altitude, and with no tuning efforts.)

Here's some muffler pics, it works super...

AV8TOR, That Walboro smoke pump is a great idea you've come up with, very impressive! Can you post pictures of the other side of the engine showing how you got the drive pulse to the "smoke carb"?

Here's a couple. Please note that they don't show the supply side, which includes a pinch valve to turn the flow on and off. They also don't show the wheel collar restrictor on the line to the muffler to adjust the flow. I also use a one way valve, (available from hobby sources) in the line to the muffler to keep muffler gases/pressure from getting to the pump. This is the large B & B pump in these pictues. If anything, my little pump works better, besides being half the size and weight. You might note that I modified the B & B style pump by cutting off the big mounting lugs, and closing off their huge outlets and installing little brass hose fittings. The "B & B" pumps are just impulse fuel pumps intended for very large two strokes such as are on ultralights, etc. Even with these mods my little pump weighs half as much. This system smokes like crazy!

AV8TOR

AV8tor,

I converted a couple of the inexpensive ($14) Homelite "box" style mufflers just like yours. I had some hydraulic steel tubing for the exhausts so my tubing, the same size as yours is steel. I braized the tubing in place. I made no smoke provisions.

Sometimes these box mufflers come with a black finish and sometimes they have a (silver) cadium finish. The black one will braze ok but on the silver ones, the silver finish will need to be completely removed from the welding areas (I used a rotary wire brush) to get your brass to stick to it. If you are good at it, very little brazing metal can be used and be almost unnoticeable. It'll all turn black with use anyway.

Enjoy,

Jim

After thought...

You can install the pressure tap anywhere on the crankcase or transfer ports that is convenient. I installed mine on the back cover as the airplane I was working on already had a hole in the fuselage at this point for the line to pass through. Just make sure the crankshaft and/or piston don't pass close enough to where you install the tap to hit something in your installation.

AV8TOR

I modify and use all the steel mufflers that come with my motors. I think they probably weigh about the same or less than the aluminum ones you buy, and cost me nothing. I use brass tube outlets, brazed in. For this, my second smoke muffler, I added a little baffle inside that you can probably see in the pictures. I had a feeling that some of the smoke fluid was being blown straight out without having a chance to vaporize in my first muffler without the baffle. The little pump shoots smoke fluid through the tiny holes in my injector tube in the muffler so hard that you can hear it hitting the baffle even over the motor noise!!

AV8TOR

Hi:
To improve the vaporization of the smoke oil, just add some coil inside to pre heat, that´s the secret.

Bya.

I want to know how you made the little pump from a carb.
O PLEASE O PLEASE O PLEASE O PLEASE
Ron

Hmmm.... I've been waiting for this question to pop up. The truth is I really can't explain it properly here. I band sawed the pump part off the carb. I then traced out the passages. I ended up drilling and blocking off several passages with tiny set screws, and drilled a couple of new passages. I threw away the cover that had the primer bulb in it, and soldered the hole shut on a regulator cover and used that. Each carb is different; this one was a little rotating throttle carb I wasn't going to use on anything. You just have to trace out the passages and modify it to have an in, an out, and a pressure fitting. It would take a long, long post, and pictures I don't have to properly explain how I made this one.

Sorry [&o]

AV8TOR

Hi AV8TOR! this is AERO NUT. you are going to have to start making these little gadgets and sell them to us, because everybody is going to want one! so you've better otta figure out how to mass produce them amigo!!!!!