ORIGINAL: ghoffman

I am getting ready to maiden mine and am working on the throttle curve. My throttle setup is a little non-linear mechanically, so I am compensating for it in the radio (suggestions welcome). I ran it yesterday, and it is so smooth, really quiet, and is scary powerful on the pipe. People forget that the carb on the Syssa is unique (on 30cc R/C engines at least) in that it has an accelerator pump. Once the carb has gas in it, just work the throttle a couple of times and it will start without the choke, and the throttle response is immediate.

ORIGINAL: ghoffman

I have a JR 9303, so I am trying to input specific points. BTW, I have not had the pipe slip off yet, I used some stainless steel zip ties for clamps, but I do have some SS button head 2-56's in case it does move.

ORIGINAL: ghoffman

I got them at Lowe's, right next to the plastic ones in the electrical department! You can only tighten them so much, nowhere near like a worm gear hose clamp.

ORIGINAL: cmoulder


I think you will eventually need the buttonhead screws. Mine seemed to hold well at first, but eventually there was some slippage. Another annoying little job, but once done the problem is well and truly resolved.

You don't need many screws. I used 6 on the pipe originally which is way too many. On the second set-up I used 3 and it's holding fine. 2 screws is all you need, each, on the pipe and header, about 180 degrees apart.

ORIGINAL: MTK

BTW guys, is anyone else following some of the other threads on gasoline engines? I just browsed through the MT thread and wasn't surprised to see all the crap these guys are going through. Cheap crap all over the modeling unsuspecting public.

In the end, what one pays for the SAP is well worth it just to get the quality and service. Peace of mind.....

Has anyone tried the aircraft permatex high temp form-a-gasket on the exhaust flange?

The great irony is the Syssa engine is NOT all that much more expensive than the MT engine. The DLE engine seems to run well, and now has a factory rear-carb mod available.

I had to chuckle at guys who bought the side carb engine, then paid $120 more for the home-made, aftermarket "conversion" system. Why not just pay an extra $15 or so and get it right the first time?

Many times I have been similarly pennywise and pound foolish. Never again will I compromise on quality when it comes to engines, servos, airframes, and receivers. The savings simply isn't worth the investment of my time required to make everything work right.

Also I have used the Permatex Ultra Copper for gaskets on other engines (I don't have a Syssa yet). It works very well. Much better than gaskets IMO as it won't expand and contract with heat cycling, which is the real reason we have loose mufflers.

ORIGINAL: BTerry


Also I have used the Permatex Ultra Copper for gaskets on other engines (I don't have a Syssa yet). It works very well. Much better than gaskets IMO as it won't expand and contract with heat cycling, which is the real reason we have loose mufflers.

ORIGINAL: tele1974
Back up to 9350 on RPM's. It was the coupler.

ORIGINAL: MTK

BTerry,

Have you used the Permatex on the bolts? How tough are they to remove after some running? Do you toss the gasket and just have the Permatex form it's own?

Thanks

ORIGINAL: ghoffman

So what do you think it does when the engine is hot? The Nordlocks work without the goo on the threads.

ORIGINAL: cmoulder


I was doing some maintenance on the Focus today because it was leaking some exhaust around the header flange. Cleaned everything and reinstalled the header with the Nordlocks, using no gasket or liquid sealer. I have heard that if the exhaust port and header flange faces are perfectly flat that there is no need for a gasket or sealer. I cleaned them both very thoroughly and they seem to mate very well. It will be interesting to see what happens. The gasket material (''Perfect Gasket'') had held up fairly well for quite a while, but lately there had been an increase in exhaust residue and it was getting a little grimy under the cowl.

While I was at it, I removed the coupler to inspect it. After 73 flights, it was holding up very well. When I split the casing and spread it open to look at it, there were some cracks that opened up as the silicone turbo hose was flexed open, but aside from some glazed charring on the inner layer adjacent to the aluminum spacer, the actual degradation of the hose itself was surprisingly shallow. I have zero doubts that it would have lasted 100 flights and quite possibly 150. The only problem noted was the JB Weld lip on the ES pipe which had cracked (the JB Weld, not the pipe!) and partially separated as I pulled off the silicone hose. I Dremel-ed off the JB Weld remnants and installed some buttonhead screws before installing a fresh piece of silicone turbo hose and zip tying it all back together. I don't expect it will need any more attention for at least 100 flights, and probably a lot more.

Overall, the combination of the Focus II and the SAP-180HP has been working out quite well for someone like me who needs to fly a lot and not have it cost an arm an a leg. I have a total of about 130 flights on the model (long flights, with the 16 oz tank!), and am very happy with the low maintenance and the low cost of fuel, and no hassles with the engine. Just fly the crap out of it (6 flights on one Rx batt charge, easy), recharge and go fly again.

130 flights is a bunch of flying...wow!! I have probably half that many on mine. I use a 14 oz tank which is enough fuel for nearly 3 Masters flights; except my flying buds start to bi....complain when I start the third sequence, so I cut it "short". I've timed myself during the typical flight of two masters sequences...16 minutes and I have about 3-4 ozs remaining when I land.

I will change back to the original 11 ounce tank I started this journey with to be a good neighbor to my buds.