Couple of Spectra build questions.

[hercdriver7777]

I got my kit today and started putting it together. Got through the head and left side. Here's my questions:

First. The rear canopy mount (for rear facing engine) the manual says to put the long set screw through it and red locktite it. Then it is supposed to be mounted through the frame and into the rear vertical. In my kit the upper hole of the rear vertical is not threaded and the only nut in the package was for the bell crank mount. What gives? am I missing something? How is it supposed to be mounted? I have plenty of spare nuts to make it work but I was just wondering if I missed something.

Second. I haven't had an MA heli in a long time but how tight should the auto hub be? I used oil and grease where specified in the instructions and played with the different shims but that thing feels really tight to me. Is there just a break in period with these or what? It's tight (meaning hard to turn) even when I just put the sprag gear through to the bottom of the one way and don't seat it all the way in. Is it just that the "oilite" bushings need to be broken in? It's not horrible but please enlighten me.

The kit seems top quality and has been a pleasure to build so far, I'm just a perfectionist at heart. Thanks for the help.

[carey shurley]

In some of the early kits, the vertical channel that the rear canopy mount bolts into is missing two pem nuts. You can install it with a washer and locknut, use pem nuts out of other fury parts that you may have, or contact your dealer or miniature aircraft for pem nuts or a replacement part. Pem nuts are really easy to press in with a pair of pliers.

Also check the main gear. Some of the early kits have 90 tooth gears instead of the 93 tooth required. Your dealer can replace this for you.

The tightness of the auto hub depends on the tolerances of each part but the the teflon spacers are what makes it tight. It WILL loosen up in the first flight or you can lightly sand the teflon spacers on one flat side if you want which will loosen it up.

[Festus1567]

My kit came from Ricks and they had exchanged out the gearing and added a canopy support.

Carey,

What blade length can I get away with running on the G with the Extreme head. Would 720's work with the proper tail blades?

I'm setting mine up as a camera ship and am at a loss for which blades to install.

Anyone heard much about the SAB High Lifts? I've been trying to get ahold of M/A to see if they have any in stock...

[carey shurley]

you can run 720's without a problem.

If you're not interested in inverted flying, take a look at some blades made by Hi-Products, they are 725mm semi-symmetrical blades. Tim had some at MA but I dunno if he still does or not. Century sells them though. I flew with them for quite a while, they are nice blades. You'll have to limit the size of the T/R blades though.

The spectra was setup with gear ratios for extreme 3D so you might consider lowering the gear ratio. You can check with the shop about that.

[DavidH]

I would think 725 mm mains on the Spectra with Extreme head would be no problem even with up to 110mm tail blades.

I run 720 mm main blades on the Tempest with Tempest head and 106 mm tail blades and still have about 1/4 inch of clearance. The Tempest head ( 196mm ) is 36 mm wider than the Extreme head ( 160mm). That is about 18 mm more that wil gain in length with the Tempest head over the Extreme.

I would think the 725MM main blades that Carey mentioned and up to 110 mm tail blades would be no problem with Spectra with Extreme head.

David

[carey shurley]

doesn't look like my memory is as good as I thought. The blades I was thinking about are 720mm and are known as GS-25's made by Hi-products. A quick search found that nobody seems to sell them. If you CAN find them, you'll like them, they work good in this application.

David has good advice about sizes and clearances though, so maybe that will help you.

[hercdriver7777]

Thanks for the replies to the previous questions. I have another question. For break in the only two cycle oil that i can find or identify is this penzoil Premium OutBoard (I'm stationed in Tokyo). It's label says that you can use it on two cycle air cooled engines (like chainsaws or lawnmowers). I read in another post about TRM engines (this is a Hanson 3d max) that you can't use outboard oil for break in. Anyone have experience with this oil. If

[carey shurley]

find a motorcycle shop and get a quart of Yamalube 2R premix. It will work just fine for breakin

[bigrcr]

DO not use outboard oil of any kind, even if it is dual purpose synthetic. The outboard oils are formulated for cooler running motors and the thermal properties are different. An outboard oil can "ash" and burn causing deposits as well as give improper lubrication.

[hercdriver7777]

Roger!! Thanks

[WillJames]

Do you have an APO address herc? If so I will go buy you some Lawnboy Ashless to break in with and send it to you if you can wait that long to fly it. :)

[hercdriver7777]

I think I am just going to break it in on synthetic. I went to another motorcycle store here and couldn't find one non synthetic oil and none that I could tell were mineral oil based. I have some blue marble synthetic that Bruce sent me so I think I am just going to go with that and live with a longer break in period. Thanks for the offer though.

[carey shurley]

it won't hurt anything. As the engine breaks in, you'll find that it starts easier, idles smoother, transitions better and makes more power. Using the recommended method, this will happen over about 5 gallons of fuel.

[hercdriver7777]

Got it to the field for the first time today. Got the motor running and did all my range checks and the like but a few pesky problems kept me from getting into the air.

The shielding on the plug wire was arcing with the cap. I think 1/4 inch is too close, even with a really clean installation (I think Dale W had the same problem). It's fine at 1/2 inch.

I was using the pull starter today and managed to strip the pull starter dog off the engine. With the nut that the kit came with for a spacer I was only getting about 1.5 threads onto the shaft. Happened to come by another dog and thought I would give it another try and the same thing happened. I replaced the nut with a thick washer that now allowes me to get 2.5 threads onto the shaft and seems to work fine. I would recommend to MA that they get rid of the nut and machine a new puller dog that threads all the way onto the shaft.

And now for the unsolved problem. With the Stator Gator pluged in and the motor running I have no control over my throttle. Motor off, SG connected it works fine. Motor running, SG disconnected and it works fine. I'm new to gassers so I'm probably missing something simple. Thanks for the help.

[carey shurley]

The installation for the starter dog was changed on Thursday, here's the latest drawing. Sorry for any problems. If you are not using the pull starter, then install the nut as normal.

[WillJames]

Hi Herc,

Just got off the phone with Tom Fiddler. He said the things to check are make sure you have the Stator Gator plugged in with the brown wire down and not up next to the display. In other words, the brown wire is away from the display on the GV-1. Also make sure your throttle servo is in the right socket, not the mixture socket. (Sounds like you have throttle servo in the right place already, but the Stator Gator plug could be backwards with the brown wire toward the GV-1 display) Please let us know what you find.

[hercdriver7777]

Thanks Baja!

I had the plug in backwards. I'll see if that fixes it next weekend. I got my first flights today and all I can say is "damn that thing sounds good!". Just flying around and breaking in the motor but I had a good time.

[WillJames]

Glad I could help. Tom's Direc-Way Internet should be working again soon.

The Stator Gator is awesome. I always wondered why a GV-1 has the sockets reversed from the wires coming out of it. Odd... and a little tricky.

[r/c_outlaw]

question on the hatori pipe......should i or does it matter if i put one of the gaskets between the exhast port and the header pipe of the hatori pipe??...i also see that the build instructions say to use red lock tight??yea or na on the gasket and red lock tight...just didnt want to get it all tother with perm. locktight and no supose to use the gasket...thanks for any help or advise...you guys have been a great help for me .. :noteworthy

[ddavison]

I used the gasket with no problems. Make sure yours has the locking set screws in the side. Also put a thin coat of copper or red silicon between the pipe and header allow to dry and tighten all bolts securely. Dave