Need help with a DLE35

[-Rick-]

Sounds like a fuel issue to me!

Rick.. If you were to shut it down for 5min and restart it, would it behave the same where it runs great and then goes rich or would it go right to a feeling of being rich? Also, have you taken the carb apart at all? I've seen dirt in the screen inside the carb make a motor behave very weird and have seen the tuning appear to change inflight or between runs.

Where are your needles set? You don't by chance have them adjusted where the high speed is screwed right in (lean) and the low screwed way out (rich)?

Just throwing out ideas.

I'll try to shut it down and start it again in the first 5 minutes on Tuesday. Needles set at 1 1/4 low and 1 1/2 high when it runs right. I have taken the carb apart twice, it seems to be clean, nothing on the screen. Diaphragm seems fine as well. Part I don't get is why it gets so much gas when it shuts down, why is it flooded when I try to start it again? And I do mean flooded, fuel dripping from the carb! Could it be the metering value screwed up? And I wouldn't have a clue on how to adjust that. Like I said earlier this motor has always been a PITA! Cost me a plane when I was trying to hover by stalling when I went to bale out.

Maybe I should just try to get a new carb for it...

[Cosmith]

Yes I'm using a Nimh pack, 5 cell, for ignition. Is it save to put a Y on my life pack to power both Rx and ignition? Or am I asking for problems? I do have a extra Life pack but will a DLE ignition take 6.6 volts?

If you want to use one battery for ignition and Rx get yourself a Tech-Aero Ultra IBEC. It will allow you to safely share power, send the correct voltage to your ignition and will also be your kill switch. They are a great little unit, did lots of research before I got mine and nobody seems to have any issues with them. http://www.thunderboltrc.com/index.p...oducts_id=1035 OR http://www.tech-aero.net/ultra-ibec

I only have one gas airplane and I've only been into this hobby for a bit over a year. But, just from a common sense perspective I have to think that something heat related is happening with your engine if it is always fine for the first 5 minutes. I almost wonder if something is happening in your carb or reed block as it warms up and all the pieces expand. It sort of adds up because your engine proper is going to be at full operating temperature well before 5 minutes but your carb and reed block are going to gradually absorb heat from the engine. It doesn't seem uncommon with the cheap chinese carbs to have little problems like this that keep you chasing your tail until you change the carb altogether. One option, just change the carb out for a genuine Walbro...I'm sure the one for the EME 35 would work fine: http://www.pro-rc.ca/walbro-carb-for...ceted_search=0

Good Luck!

PS. Your 5 cell Nimh battery is putting out over 6.6v when it is fully charged anyway. That's just another advantage to Life batteries, you're going to get really close to 6.6v from full charged to nearly dead. I'm using Life batteries with 6v servos in a few applications without a problem.

[JoeT]

If you're good with working on tiny things, there was a problem with some of the early walbro copies, some of which were used on the 35.

Take out the meetering cover on the carb, and gently remove the metering diaphram. Now take a look at the lever that's connected to the needle.

Note: Normally the needle reaches the seat (inside the hole) before the arm touches the carb casing, in some of the early carbs, there was a casting flash that encircled the needle. This butted up against the lever preventing the needle from seating, and would cause funky things to happen, which includes gas dripping from the carb when you're filling up your tank.

To remedy this, you'll have to be gentle with all the tiny parts, but bottom line is, remove the casting flash around the needle. This area needs to be flush, not raised.

Either that or buy the carb that Cosmith posted.

Hope this helps.

[tbrum]

Rick.. We saw this recently on a DA120 where fuel was pouring out. Turns out the cover plate over the diaphragm was pushing on the diaphragm and depressing the little poppet ever so slightly and allowing fuel to leak in. Upon closer inspection we found that when he reinstalled the diaphragm he put the gasket on the wrong side! Made for a super rich Low end that woukd barely run. For kicks unscrew the 4 bolts that hold the cover plate on, you should then be able to pull off the gasket and then the diaphragm. If the gasket is under the diaphragm, then we found the issue.

Trev

[-Rick-]

If you want to use one battery for ignition and Rx get yourself a Tech-Aero Ultra IBEC. It will allow you to safely share power, send the correct voltage to your ignition and will also be your kill switch. They are a great little unit, did lots of research before I got mine and nobody seems to have any issues with them. http://www.thunderboltrc.com/index.p...oducts_id=1035 OR http://www.tech-aero.net/ultra-ibec

I only have one gas airplane and I've only been into this hobby for a bit over a year. But, just from a common sense perspective I have to think that something heat related is happening with your engine if it is always fine for the first 5 minutes. I almost wonder if something is happening in your carb or reed block as it warms up and all the pieces expand. It sort of adds up because your engine proper is going to be at full operating temperature well before 5 minutes but your carb and reed block are going to gradually absorb heat from the engine. It doesn't seem uncommon with the cheap chinese carbs to have little problems like this that keep you chasing your tail until you change the carb altogether. One option, just change the carb out for a genuine Walbro...I'm sure the one for the EME 35 would work fine: http://www.pro-rc.ca/walbro-carb-for...ceted_search=0

Good Luck!

PS. Your 5 cell Nimh battery is putting out over 6.6v when it is fully charged anyway. That's just another advantage to Life batteries, you're going to get really close to 6.6v from full charged to nearly dead. I'm using Life batteries with 6v servos in a few applications without a problem.

Totally agree with you about the heat, but the big pain in the butt is just what part is it affecting? The reed block is in good shape. I do have a spare Life battery so I will make up a lead and try that as well.

[-Rick-]

If you're good with working on tiny things, there was a problem with some of the early walbro copies, some of which were used on the 35.

Take out the meetering cover on the carb, and gently remove the metering diaphram. Now take a look at the lever that's connected to the needle.

Note: Normally the needle reaches the seat (inside the hole) before the arm touches the carb casing, in some of the early carbs, there was a casting flash that encircled the needle. This butted up against the lever preventing the needle from seating, and would cause funky things to happen, which includes gas dripping from the carb when you're filling up your tank.

To remedy this, you'll have to be gentle with all the tiny parts, but bottom line is, remove the casting flash around the needle. This area needs to be flush, not raised.

Either that or buy the carb that Cosmith posted.

Hope this helps.

It is one of Earlier 35's. I will check the lever out, small parts don't bother me. Some how I think the problem is in that mechanism. maybe as Cory said the heat is changing something in there.

[-Rick-]

Rick.. We saw this recently on a DA120 where fuel was pouring out. Turns out the cover plate over the diaphragm was pushing on the diaphragm and depressing the little poppet ever so slightly and allowing fuel to leak in. Upon closer inspection we found that when he reinstalled the diaphragm he put the gasket on the wrong side! Made for a super rich Low end that woukd barely run. For kicks unscrew the 4 bolts that hold the cover plate on, you should then be able to pull off the gasket and then the diaphragm. If the gasket is under the diaphragm, then we found the issue.

Trev

I will check that as well, but usually I am very careful taking these things apart. I make sure I put it together the way it came apart. But... maybe it was put together wrong from the get-go.

[-Rick-]

Thanks for all the help guys!! Usually I like to do ONE thing at a time to help figure out the problem. Just this time I NEED this plane and motor for next weekend so all ideas will be looked into.

If none of these fixes work I will get a new carb for it and the Tech-Aero IBEC. Can't do it just yet because I would not have the time to get it together for next weekend.

Bad timing for this frigging motor to screw up, can't even get ONE practice in for IMAC basic next weekend!! Good thing I have a good crop of hair cause some of it is gone now!!

I will get to try it on Tuesday evening so I'll let you know if anything helped...

(also gotta add, we have to get this thing running right!!! All the electric dudes in the club are going "TOLD YA SO"!!!) sorry Doug!!

[-Rick-]

Rick.. We saw this recently on a DA120 where fuel was pouring out. Turns out the cover plate over the diaphragm was pushing on the diaphragm and depressing the little poppet ever so slightly and allowing fuel to leak in. Upon closer inspection we found that when he reinstalled the diaphragm he put the gasket on the wrong side! Made for a super rich Low end that woukd barely run. For kicks unscrew the 4 bolts that hold the cover plate on, you should then be able to pull off the gasket and then the diaphragm. If the gasket is under the diaphragm, then we found the issue.

Trev

Yes, the gasket was under the diaphragm!! I do remember at one point we had the low needle at 1/4 turn out. I couldn't believe that that could be right so I took it out again... I really, really hope we found the cause of my grief!!!

[Machzx]

pretty sure pro rc has carbs in stock the real walbros like 35$ you should get by tuesday if you order now