New Engine Break-In

[Notorious B.E.N.]

I got my EME 70 fired up today. I will say it was not easy to get running the first time.

Some manufacturers run their engines before selling them and some don't. This engine was oiled pretty well so I didn't drop any 2 stroke oil in the case before starting.

After I finally got the motor started, I just let it run at a fast idle on the ground for about 10 minutes. I did a few run ups in that time and it definitely idled better than when I first started it. I had to richen the low end to get it to run and it was too rich. Before the first flight, I leaned it just a little and let it run for a few minutes once again at a high idle just to make sure everything was OK. The first two flights were short (I.E. about 5 minutes). The reason was just to make sure I wasn't overheating and damaging the motor and also I was just wanting to listen to it in the air to see where I needed to go with tuning.

The second flight was short just because I was tired thanks to work and just having trouble focusing so I decided to land instead of risking the plane. I had leaned the motor a little bit more before the flight and it sounded even better. I did a few short straight up climbs and some other brief moments at full power.

Question is what do you guys think?

What would you change?

I am just thinking out loud in case anyone else is curious how to treat a motor that is not pre-run by the seller.

 

[Bunky.F.Knuckle]

Tune it from the start for max rpm and power. Stop pussyfooting around the tune. Get it close, then tweek it.

 

[Notorious B.E.N.]

I would say I'm already pretty close to tuned. There are a few minor adjustments to be made and it's making a decent amount of power. I can tell it's still a little tight.

This is a thread about how handling an engine that isn't pre-run. So I'm asking more about putting a little time on it before the first flight and listening to how the motor sounds on the ground before flying it for the first time. And then after you run it on the ground for a little bit, how to treat the motor for the first couple flights.

 

[Bunky.F.Knuckle]

My RCGF was the same way. Minimal oil in the cylinders. If you followed my thread on it, mine locked up in 3 mins, while flying. If I was going to run that engine on the ground, it wouldnt have lasted that long, I feel. It sounded awesome on the ground, and transitioned ultra well! So, I flew it. I think a tolerance was off on mine, which is why it locked up. But I got it back, and it now has 20 trouble free flights on it!

The key is the first 3 flights. Do heat cycles. Heat it up, cool it down. No really long vertical up lines. Then progressively get harder on the flying with it. Listen to the engine, it will tell you what is going on.