Minimaxed

I just finished my Spadet LC-40 and have my engine coming in a couple of days...(TT .46 Pro)... just wondering if the throttle pushrod and the fuel lines go through the firewall...any tips and suggestions would be appreciated...

Thanks,

C. Grant

RhyanO

Good question Grant.
Yes the throttle pushrod goes through the firewall, as well as the fuel line.
I built the same plane, and learned howto fly with it... Great flying airplane, makes an excellent trainer.
Also VERY durable.

I made my second plane a low wing LC40 that I scaled up to be a 60 size plane.

Good luck.

cdale03

You can also run the throttle cable through the flutes of the coro, just cut a exit hole right after the firewall.

Minimaxed

OK thanks alot guys. I think im going to do what Rhyan0 said and run the pushrod through the firewall. BTW Ryan0, this will be my trainer hope to learn as soon as the snow clears.....or I could even put 'er on skis and start training in a week or so...LOL[sm=thumbup.gif] anyways my engine should be in tomorrow.....

Thanks again, C. Grant

O I almost forgot!! Im not sure if I ordered the right glow plug....its a Fox RC Long 1.5V Bar.... will this be good??

Minimaxed

the engine came in today!! looks nice. [sm=thumbup.gif] anyways...now i need to know about what type of fuel to use and how to break it in...i read the instructions but it doesn't specify things that much...

RhyanO

Good to hear you got your engine.
As for a glow plug I use OS plugs A3 and #8. I dont have any experience with Fox plugs.

If you want more specific information on proper breaking specifically for your engine; I would search around these forums or post a seperate post asking specifically about your engine and how to break it in. You should get plenty of feedback on the proper way to do this. For fuel I would say that a good 10% or 15% fuel would work well.

Good luck,
Ryan

Minimaxed

ok thanks alot. ill do that. rite now im mounting the firewall...hope to get the engine mounted by the end of this weekend....

Thanks again,
Colin

RhyanO

Just a reminder to get the firewall on square and straight. Fuel proof it too. I put some padding between the firewall and tank.
Take some pictures of your plane.

Ryan

Twizter68

Has anyone done this bird as a taildragger? I've got my aft Fuse boxed, getting ready to skin the wing...

Minimaxed

i was thinking of doing the same thing and searched it....turns out you can make it a tailgragger but the main gear will have to be moved more forward than the plans say to, and you're going to have to figure ort how to make the tailwheel steerable.

Hope this helps some....
C. Grant

MrGreenSpeed

MrClean's simple and easy break-in instructions.
http://spadworld.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11555
Jeff

Minimaxed

im getting a lot of different opinions on this break-in thing. i really dont know what i should use [sm=confused.gif]

RhyanO

I built my LC40 as a tail-dragger.
I bought a tail wheel assembly and installed it in the tail.
I located the landing gear so the front of the gear is under the leading edge of the wing. I mounted the aluminum landing gear to a piece of 1/4" ply with blind nuts on the back side. I then cut out an area of coroplast leaving the skin on the inside, and mounted the landing gear block in there. I mounted it in there with epoxy and it has held up over 2 years of flying.

Ryan

smokingwreckage

The key to breaking in any engine is to not allow the engine to remain at a set rpm and load for any length of time. Vary the load and rpm with throttle and/or mixture, but try to not allow the mixture to lean out to peak rpm setting and try to keep the rpm around 3/4 of max at the beginning. Here's how I break in a new engine:

I usually use a prop with an inch or two more pitch than recomended for the engine. This keeps the rpm down a bit. I start the engine and tune it to the rich side to the point it will transistion, but not smoothly. This is usually just a bit lean of 4-stroking. Run the first 15 minutes alternating between full and half throttle every 15-20 seconds. Allow the engine to cool completely.

Second 15 minutes of run time I lean the mixture to about 1000 rpm shy of peak and alternate between full and half throttle every 15-20 seconds. Allow the engine to cool completely.

Third 15 minutes I tune the mixture about 1000 rpm below peak, leave the throttle full open, and turn the needle every 15 seconds to vary mixture between 1000 and 5000 rpm below peak. Allow the engine to cool completely.

Fourth 15 minutes I tune the mixture as if I was going to fly it, about 200 rpm below peak, leave the throttle full open, and turn the needle every 15 seconds to vary mixture between 200 and 2000 rpm below peak. Allow the engine to cool completely.

Fifth 15 minutes I install the prop I plan to use and tune the mixture as if I was going to fly it, about 200 rpm below peak, leave the throttle full open, and turn the needle every 15 seconds to vary mixture between 200 and 2000 rpm below peak. Allow the engine to cool completely.

First flight I tune a bit rich, but with good transition. I avoid full throttle and vary the throttle setting every 30 seconds or so. I gradually add more throttle and more time at each setting for 3-4 flights. Finally, about the 5th flight, I lean the needle for maximum in-flight rpm and adjust low speed for idle and transition.

Minimaxed

that makes sense. that is close to how i break in my outboard boat motors (full size)

thanks for the help

smokingwreckage

Well, I noticed longer life and better performance from my dirt bikes when broken in in the mountains than when broken in on the flatlands. I applied the variable load concept with high throttle at low, then increasing rpm gradually when I started racing modified outboards, and had some very fast and durable engines. I ran a different exhaust than everyone else (chambers instead of megaphones) but I think my edge in power was as much from the break-in procedure as anything else.

ChrisSpad

i hate to bring this up - but, outboard engines are ringed engines - a tt 46 pro is not - its a taper fit. Running it too rich will significantly reduce its power output - as the liner doesn't get up to temp, and it wears the piston to a looser fit than it should have. The link posted above - http://spadworld.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11555 is considered the standard way to break in abc or abn engines - and works well. It will have considerably more power than one broke in way rich.

Clean

It is good to note that you still will probably still have a good working engine broken in rich, you will have a much better engine broken in the way linked by Chris. Hey, the operating manuals usually have it a little wrong, they just want you to have a working engine. For top performance though, use the link.

demonfrog

easiest way to make the tailwheel steerable is to use the same rod that the wheel is attached to and bend it into the rudder, so that the rudder drives the tailwheel.
i'm building a spadet for my father to train on and i'm gonna run the pushrods through the flutes, gonna hide most of the stuff that people seem to disagree with about spads. (looks.....for some)

flybug

Can someone please point me in the right direction for a set of plans for the spadet, the ones at http://www.spadtothebone.com/freeplans.htm appears to have a broken link.

Thanks

ctsieber

they work fine for me

flybug

I don't mean the instructions I need the wing and fuse plans. the pdf plans offered at http://www.spadtothebone.com/freeplans.htm are broken links, not working

ChrisSpad

the pdf's aren't available anymore - however, they're exactly whats posted on the website.

Minimaxed

tell me what page numbers you need....i saved them on my computer so i can send any of them to you.

flybug

PM sent, thanks