engine starting trouble!

[superflyer]

I had the heli out in the back yard today for the first start and hover.
I got everything ready and put the starter to it. It did start and run for a second or two and then died. I was never able to start it again. It became flooded. Fuel was dripping out of the exhaust. What Is the procedure I need to take when this happens.. I took out the glow plug and turned it over a few times and replaced. I was still unable to start the heli again. can anyone give me the right way to handle this even after replacing the glow i could not get heli to ever even sound like it was going to start again. By the way the heli is tuned and set up by the local hobby pro. I watched him set it up fly it and trim it etc just three days ago.

thanks,

floyd moore

[bighands3d]

Do you have fuel pinch on the carb inlet line if not it would be wise to install one.

If you don't have one put a pair of hemo''s on the fuel line or just disconect the one to the carb. Remove plug and spin over replace plug and start with fuel line off
once it starts and runs wait for it to shut down by itself. Replace fuel line or un pinch and fire it up. You low speed may be to rich. Or you could have over filled it with fuel and it ran into the pipe and flooded the engine.

Try that this should work :mrgreen:

[superflyer]

You make a good point I didn't realize at the time. When I filled the tank in my garage i noticed that there was some fuel on the floor. If I were a betting man I would say that came out of my exhaust, so it was flooded before I even got out back to turn it over.. Thanks bighand, I will try it again tomorrow. I do not have a fuel pinch, but will come up with one..

regards,
floyd

[bighands3d]

A fuel pinch and T filter would be a good investment. I like the KSJ type pinchs

K&S 763.1 is the part number from K&S of japan website. It's a filter kit with one fuel pinch slide type and line. The other one looks like this by K&S 975. these aren't the K&S ones but you get the idea.

http://ks.jp.org/ks_e/index.htm K&S link

http://www.heli-world.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=CNFS100B&Category_Code=fuel-acc

[DavidH]

Floyd,
A fuel cutoff to pinch the line is a good idea. But if your pulling the line off the carb to fill the tank. Then I would suspect you overfilled the tank and fuel ran thru the vent line into the muffler. This will flood the engine also, because fuel will flow into the exhaust port from the muffler.
You have to keep an eye on the tank when filling the engine and make sure fuel does not go thru the vent line to the muffler.

David

[superflyer]

ok i see, so how much do I fill it without having to worry about overfilling? Do I just fill it near the top, but not all the way? should I tilt the heli in the opposite way?

thanks
floyd

[DavidH]

Well the easiest way to make sure you don't flood the engine thru the vent line. Pull the pressure line off the muffler when fueling the engine. Then you can fill the tank till fuel runs out that line. Reinstall the line and your ready to crank the engine.
Another way without removing the line from the muffler. Is just keep an eye on that line while fueling. When you see fuel start to flow into the line, then stop fueling.
David

[Rcer22]

:D Hi you know you should be able to see the tank and it's clear enough to see the fuel in it. :shock: I would also get a fuel filter, a fuel line pinch and a T fitting. And use a line plug and fill your tank. You shouldn't have to pull off a fuel line to fill the tank. That just makes it easier for a line to come off in flight. If they go on dry the will stay on and not cause any air leaks. :D

[ClayK]

With the T fitting I would suggest two pinches, I'm not a big fan of the line plug. One on the fill tube and one between engine and header tank. Just remember that when you open the fill tube pinch, close the pinch between header tank and engine or have fuel pouring out of your engine when you fill it.... I forgot and learned the hard way.

[Ivan]

I disagree with the double pinch idea. The one between the t-filter and the engine is ok, because it is in the relaxed position during flight. the one on the fill tube is under pressure during flight (closed) and will eventually vibrate loose and cause a terribly lean mixture. I think a fuel plug would be better here, since they don't come loose. The only drawback would be if it had a sharp edge that cut into the line, but the ball shaped ones are great.

Personally, I never use a t-filter. I just unplug the line from the back of my fliter and fill there. no plugs or pinches to worry about. I do this since the t-filter is a hassle, and the pinch has failed on me more than once before. I like the Dynamite or hanger 9 filters, since they are easily cleanable, and have a very fine screen. These are the ones in the anodized aluminum casing, Dynamite is red, hanger 9 is yellow, otherwise they are essentially the same. I figure the simpler a system is the more reliable it is.

Just a few thoughts to ponder.

Ivan

[superflyer]

Thanks for all the comments.

I went with the t filter and put a clamp between the motor and filter and one on the fill line. so far no problems.

thanks again

floyd

[Rcer22]

I don't use a double pinch on mine I use one between the T fitting and carb with a filter before the fuel inlet at the carb and a T fitting between the header and the pincher. The plugs I use have never poped out and I've used both the round and the barbed. :D