DLA Engines

[stangflyer]

Hey Rob,

Your 128 seems to run very well.

Please don't take what you're about to read the wrong way, but I'm compiled to type this. I wish you would refrain from standing in the prop arc while the engine is running. I have been in this hobby quite a few years and I've read more than one thread about motors throwing their prop. I've even read about a man that was ground running his Waco and the 3W157 sheered all six prop bolts and threw the prop. Luckily the guy was standing behind the prop when it happened. OK, I'll get off my soap box now.

My sincerest hope is that I have not offended you or anyone else who reads this. I would just hate to have anything happen to any of the friends I've met on this AWESOME site.

No offense taken... I am probably more self conscience about that very thing than some. I am usually proactive in reminding people, (including those doing the video) to also remain behind the prop. Truth is? The night my son and I started this motor, I think we were both really so impressed that we kind of forgot ourselves momentarily. Thank you so much for reminding me. It's at the most un-thought of moments when you least expect it, that something dreadful can happen. Seriously, didn't take it wrong. I do appreciate your watchful eyes and kind reminders.

That is the first thing I tell people when they come up to look at a plane when I am starting or running it up, don't stand in front of or straight out to the side of the prop. Love when the glow guys lift their planes off the table and swing 'em around over their heads to test the tune and in the process point it at every one in the pits. Glad I never did that when I was glowtarded.

I've also seen the same thing. Heck, just this last weekend there were about 10 older...(huhum) guys flying glow planes at the field. I watched one of them pick up a glow powered trainer from the start table by the right wing...as he held it, the pilot was bringing up the throttle to keep it from dying...(three previous attempts to the runway at idle produced a stalled motor)... Anyway, as the gent was carrying the plane, the spinning prop was no more than six inches from his arm....prop facing everyone else in the pits and back towards the observation area. That was spooky to me. I always did my best to always keep my props facing away from people and when I would carry mine or someone elses plane, I would face the nose out away from everyone and lift the plane by a wing and the belly...staying well behind the spinning prop.

 

[stangflyer]

Yay!!! Bowman rings x4 for the 128. Will get them slammed in and do another test run. Anxious to see the difference.

 

[Judge]

Have the stock rings in the recent DLA's proven to be an issue??

 

[Matt]

I am interested to see what difference the rings make... Flew my beast again this weekend with the 116 and it keeps impressing me... It's still very very rich but it is running so well!!

 

[stangflyer]

Have the stock rings in the recent DLA's proven to be an issue??

Not to my knowledge. But the Bowman rings have proven themselves to me personally time and again enough to warrant putting them in.

 

[bob_nj]

I agree that the Bowman's make a noticeable difference, and are worth their weight in gold.
It just burns a little that we even have to do something like that to a spank brand new engine these days.
Sure, the low cost engines keep lots of guys in the game, but it's a pain in the hind end to do all of that right out of the box.

Add to that the reed block mods and it becomes a "Chinese" fire drill sometimes.

For the record, I use Bowmans in my DLE 30's and 55's

 

[jamesrxx951]

I thought the bowman rings just seat in faster than the stock Chinese rings. Or is there something else. If I remember correctly it takes a long time for 3dub ring to seat in also.

 

[thurmma]

The end gaps on the stock Chinese rings is very large and allows compression to sneak by, therefore give you a lower performing and sometimes unpredictable engine. The Frank Bowman rings are low tension rings with very tight end gaps. this will provide you with higher compression and potentially higher rpm from the engine. The best time to install them is as soon as you get the engine so they will have enough honing on the cylinder wall for a quick break-in. If you wait until you have ran the engine for a while, you will have to scuff the cylinder walls with 600 grit in order for the rings to seat. It will also take longer for them to seat, but once they do it will be heaven on earth

An example of the end gaps on a DLE-55 that I just recently put rings in and did the carb and reed block mods to, is the stock ring end gap was .014, 14 thousandth's, the Bowman ring was .004, four thousandth's. Because we did the carb and reed block mods at the same time, I can't give a direct comparison of performance for just the rings. I will say this though, the engine idles smoother and we have went from a 22x8 to a 23x8 with the same performance! We tried the 23x8 before the changes, and it would not pull it at all.

 

[Bunky.F.Knuckle]

I thought the bowman rings just seat in faster than the stock Chinese rings. Or is there something else. If I remember correctly it takes a long time for 3dub ring to seat in also.

You are 100% right on 3W break in, James. Minimum of 5 gallons of fuel, and they keep getting stronger til about the 20th gallon.

 

[stangflyer]

So I braved the heat and got another tank and a half run through the 128 this afternoon. It's been Sahara desert hot here and just not feeling the love for being outside. 111 degrees yesterday and it's been that way for a week. I'm told we've got about two more weeks of this heat. Which is hotter than normal and to that, 6 weeks early. Ugh!! At any rate, Bowman rings were installed and though I've been impressed with the difference on my DLE's, I've noticed little to no improvement of the DLA. Perhaps they're a little closer tolerance's and thus maybe no need for Bowman's. But I'll find out more once I get some laps on her and the motor breaks in more. I will say this though, I am very impressed on how "Snappy" and how well this motor runs. Alas, I do have to eat my words on one thing. Now that the Bowman's are in and the needles set...64 ounces of fuel through it, I wanted to see what (if any) difference there would be by popping in the Iridium plugs. I truly expected it to not even start, let alone run very well. Much to my amazement, there was an immediate 300 rpm increase. I then let the plane sit for about 45 minutes as if to simulate a rest period before flying again. Again much to my astonishment I powered up my tx. and plane, flipped the switch for on ignition, one flip of the prop and purring like a kitten. I wanted to stay under 6500 rpm static and as it stands I am at 6440 with the Falcon 28x10. It's kind of cool having such an easy starting Ferrari crammed under the hood of this Pilot Edge. From the way the motor runs, I expect this thing to be an absolute animal.