beatsal

"If you put your finger over the venturi hole and turn the engine over a few times, does it draw fuel into the line? "
Yes, it does draw fuel into the line.

Coxfledgling

So at least it's drawing in fuel then...

Set needle valve to 3 turns out from lightly nipped and retry to start engine.

3 turns out may be a bit rich so be prepared to turn it in maybe one turn. Half turns after this but 2 turns out may be toooo lean. It's a paw needle valve.

Good intentional strong flicks of the prop.....

If compression screw is backed out say half a turn, when the engine fires you may hear a click, the contra piston moving up to make contact with the compression screw....

Feedback feedback feedback.

beatsal

Tried as advised, no luck. Wonder if advisable to add more ether to the mix to make it easier to start - ether is more volatile than castor and kerosene

Coxfledgling

Do you have a hot air gun ?

Perhaps with all fuel removed from the engine, warm the engine enough so it not toooo hot to handle, not tooo hot but as long as it turns over, prime and try again....perhaps ?

A hot warm rather than a hot hot temperature if you get me....be carefull about the prop....

beatsal

Thanks, will try this. Is it likely that the passages in the cylinder that take the mixture from the crankcase to the cylinder head get blocked, thereby causing a non-start. Wonder how many passages there are?

Coxfledgling

Check on sceptreflight...

Remind me what this engine is please ?

beatsal

ED Hunter 3.46

beatsal

Still no luck starting my ED 3.46 - Trying to determine whether it is my fuel mix or my engine that is the culprit?

qazimoto

My Feedback: (1)

Why don't you find an experienced diesel user on here who lives relatively close to you, and post/mail the engine to him for an evaluation.

beatsal

How many fluid ounces of each of the 3 do you use when you make your fuel mix?

qazimoto

My Feedback: (1)

I only work in Metric, so I use Milli-Litres via a Graduated Cylinder from Ebay. Shouldn't matter though if you're only mixing 1/3 of each.

atesus

My Feedback: (1)

Can you take a short video of your efforts and post on Youtube or similar? Where are you located?

1QwkSport2.5r

I use a scale. Measure an exact volume and weigh it. Do the same for each component you’re mixing in. Do a little math, and you have a target weight for each component. Zero the scale with empty vessel. Add component 1 to the needed weight, and zero the scale. Add component 2, zero the scale, and so on until you have everything added. Put the cap on, shake, go fly.

beatsal

Will take a video. I am located in Toronto Canada. Yesterday I removed the top screw and when I flicked it did fire but just once. I mix the 3 ingredients in equal volumes - first kerosene then castor oil. I then use a tube on the John Deere can to bubble the ether thru the mixture. Noticed that it takes quite a while for the ether to bubble thru to show any volume.

beatsal

Tried with a hair dryer seems to improve i.e. turns more revs with a flick, but no start.

atesus

My Feedback: (1)

Do you mean it fires but it doesn't keep running? Or does the propeller turn a few revs with a flick, but without popping at all?

beatsal

As strange as it may sound - after heating with a hair dryer it rotates for more turns on a single flick. Still does not pop. It popped yesterday just once when I removed the compr. screw and put some fuel into the top but not since. I wonder if the method of adding ether to the mix is not correct as I bubble it through the kerosene/castor and it hardly registers on the markings showing the volume.

atesus

My Feedback: (1)

I see a couple potential issues here.

• Fuel first: I'm assuming you are going by volume when you mix fuel since you are talking about fluid ounces. The basic mixture is 1/3 by volume each of ether, kerosene and castor oil. First I recommend that you put aside the fuel you already mixed since you can not be sure of what's in it. Start with an empty container. A graduated cylinder is very good, but anything that will let you see the fluid levels is acceptable at this point. Go outdoors, away from any sources of flames, sparks, etc as ether and propane are highly flammable. Squirt the JD starter fluid into the container first. That way you'll know exactly how much ether you have. The nice thing about JD Starting Fluid is that you end up with pure ether (plus trace amounts of lubricants) once you spray it out of the can. The 20% in the can is LPG which is used as propellant, and it readily evaporates as the liquid comes out of the can. Then, add the castor oil. Then, add the kerosene. All in 1/3 ratio per volume. Stir with a mixing stick. The fuel should be ready.
• Compression: From your description on the thread, it sounds like the compression is set too low. The propeller should not spin for a few turns with a flick, without a pop. I suspect the compression was borderline on the low side before you removed the comp screw, and when the engine popped once with no comp screw in place, the contrapiston moved further up, which resulted in even lower compression.

I recommend that you restart with the new batch of fuel with known ether content. Close the needle valve all the way, and put a drop of fuel, max two drops on top of the piston, and flick a 8-10 times. If the engine doesn't pop, increase compression by 1/8 turn, repeat the prime, and flick again. Once the engine starts to pop more or less regularly, open the needle valve by two turns, put your finger on the venturi and rotate the prop. Fill the fuel line and then plus two more rotations on the prop to prime the engine. Resume flicking. If the engine attempts to start but dies quickly, open the NV by a 1/4 turn and repeat. If the engine doesn't pop at all, increase compression by 1/8 turns, re-prime and flick again.

If you could make a video of your efforts, we may be more helpful.

Best of luck,
--Ates

Coxfledgling

Hurrrrrah !

Signs of life with this engine at long last as it "popped", just the once but it popped !

Had you just unscrewed the compression screw one turn and it popped, you would have probably heard a "crack" sort of noise as the contra piston moved due to the engine popping with the contra piston rising and contacting the compression screw, thus limiting the amount of contra piston rise.

Sounds as if the contra piston has moved up, probably toooo much. I doubt if the contra piston has "popped out" but check just in case. Just remove the cylinder head to check.


So, next attempt, carefully screw the compression screw back in until it makes contact with the contra piston. Screw in compression screw quarter of a turn. Did it push the contra piston down any ?

I hope the thread in the cylinder head is in good condition and does not "shear"...

Try and start the engine again increasing compression a quarter of a turn at a time.

Do not over compress.

With some luck I expect the engine to burst into life.....on primes only for now.....feedback.

beatsal

Thanks made the video but error - file too large to send. Not sure how to send but trying.

atesus

My Feedback: (1)

Do you have a Youtube account? Or any online storage account such as Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox etc?

beatsal

Not sure if this works: VID_20221222_122510082.mp4 - Google Drive

1QwkSport2.5r

You will have a request for access to your video. Perhaps change the permissions for access to that video if you don’t want to have everyone having to request access.

1QwkSport2.5r

You are “lazy flipping” it. You need to really snap it when you’re flipping it. Give it a few ‘smart’ flips with a good prime and it should fire provided the compression setting is close.

beatsal

If I squirt the JD ether directly, won't it evaporate immediately? Presently I bubble it through the mix of kerosene and castor.
I there a way to get stronger flicks - someone mentioned chicken finger?