stangflyer
I like 'em "BIG"!
I want to share a recent (as of this past two weeks) experience I have had the pleasure of enjoying. I say pleasure because, that is exactly my thoughts at this point. I would not have thought it to be this way in the beginning, however that is the way it ended up. I feel this story can help with those looking to purchase "good used" rc parts, especially engines. I also feel it is well earned and deserving credit that needs to be shouted out. Note: It is kind of a horror story that had a very happy ending. I can't go into "every" sorted detail. However I will do my best to hit the high points. I do consider myself a very upstanding and straight forward guy. These facts are absolutely true. I would not normally go this far, however I have been beyond livid with this whole situation. I feel I have just cause. Here's the story.
Some of you may remember the re-maiden of my Behemoth Yak with the 3w 212QSCS quad up front just a few short weeks ago. I have been nothing short of flabbergasted with the improvement of how the big Yak flies now with that powerful beast up front. Much like turning on a light switch or stepping from the dark into the bright sunlight. The 212 had performed flawlessly and without a single hiccup. But me...being such an anal fool and so meticulous about everything, I could just "sense" something not quite right with the Dub quad. Being an engine guy from GM for many years, I had grown kind of like a sense to engine sounds. On the ground, the 212 sounded really good. In the air, it sounded the same. But there was just something...I couldn't put my finger on it. So one evening before getting ready for bed, it was bugging me so badly I decided to pull the cowl off the Yak and do a little investigating. After removing the Prop, spinner and cowl, the plug wires, the plugs and the exhaust. I noticed the gaskets on the reed cages and blocks were not the same. I removed them and discovered there were gaskets where there was not supposed to be gaskets. You see, the dub engines with the aluminum reed blocks and the rubberized reed cages do not use gaskets. The rubber sided cages do the sealing. However, there was a gasket on one. Not both...just one. Not supposed to be there. This alerted me to this motor having some kind of previous work done on it. I promptly got on the phone with Gerhard at AI the next morning and ordered the updated reed cages and all the gaskets to put it the way it is "supposed" to be. While waiting for the parts to arrive, I looked the motor over really well. I started checking...(because I am just this way) the crank and the throw of the pistons. WTH??? Three of the four pistons were in time according to the timing marks on the engine case. One however...was "NOT". In the first photo, you can see the timing marks for the front pistons. One lines up perfectly. In the second photo you can see where the other front piston arrangement is off by about 5-8 degrees. In this configuration, you will never achieve a perfect carb balance and never have a perfect ignition timing balance. One piston will always be lagging while the other three are in the lead. Or reset your timing and carbs, and one will be fine while the other three are way too advanced.
Before I go into the details, a refresher for some and new information for those that do not know. I originally bought this motor over a year and a half ago specifically for the Yak. I even mounted it prior to the installation of the 210CSTS. I just could not make it work with the exhaust and honestly, the 212 did not run as I thought it should. I sold the 212 to a friend. He never ever used it, let alone mounted it. When the big Yak suffered a mishap due to faulty reeds in the 210 and then the entire front half of the Yak was completely rebuilt...thanks to Tony Tan of Pilot RC, and the 210 really not being what I wanted after all, I decided to get back my 212 and try a different exhaust arrangement. This time, with awesome results. I have been the "ONLY" one to use that motor for four total flights in the year and a half since it was acquired from a guy (who I will not stoop low enough to call out on this-He knows who he is and he is fully aware of this situation). So I know in all certainty the motor was not damaged by my friend or by me prior to putting it on the Yak. Ok, fast forward...another call to Gerhard regarding this and we decided I would send the motor to him. He stated he may be able to fix it. He figured the motor suffered a "serious" prop strike prior to me getting the engine. Of course...Oh of course I was told "no" prop strikes and the motor was perfectly fine. (In a pigs eye) Gerhard received the engine last week and broke the motor open. The 212 had in fact been opened up prior to him working on it. Mind you, I touched nothing other than the reed cages, blocks and carbs. He found umpteen stripped out bolt heads
and even the bottom of the engine case was on backwards from the way it is assembled at the factory. Funny thing about the 3w 212 and 220. The engine halves can be bolted together perfectly in both configurations. However, the carbs and reed blocks face a specific direction. This was not the case with my 212. Anyway, me finding the gaskets on the carbs and reeds was a true indicator of things to come obviously. Gerhard removed the crank and sure enough, it was twisted. He confirmed the engine did in fact without question suffer a serious prop strike before I bought the motor. The first two counter balances were out of time with each other. Which threw the one front piston out of time about 8 degrees. I am surprised the engine ran as well as it did. A true testament of a quality engine. 3W rules, and I will stand behind that till the cows come home. Gerhard stated he possibly could straighten it, however a new crank would be the best move. YIKES...$1400.00 for a new crank? I just can not afford that. Here is the plug. Gerhard talked to 3w in Germany and they came up with a resolution. An amazing and unheard of solution for me. Gerhard will keep my twisted crank, send it to 3w to have them straighten it (reset the crank timing) then send it back to him to use for the next individual that needs help. In turn, Gerhard will install a brand new crank in my 212, replace all the gaskets, (cylinder, exhaust etc.) replace the front bearing, go through the carbs and replace "ALL"(not just the damaged) bolts in the engine. And in essence, put the motor back together the way it came from the factory in Germany. Basically it will be a brand new engine short of the combustion chamber components. The price tag? Lets just say, I could afford it and I am beyond grateful. Normally, I highly suspect this would have been a $1900.00 dollar repair, at the least. Gerhard test ran the engine once it was "correctly" and professionally reassembled. When he called me with the results, I could almost..."almost" sense the fear in his voice. He told me, and I quote, "It pulls like an Ox and is spooky strong". He said the power and performance was almost scary. (Giggling my butt off by now) Oh joy....YAY. At present, my 212 is due to be delivered back from AI tomorrow. I am really excited to see how it runs now. I was impressed and pleased before, I am not sure I am ready to see the difference. LOL...Yes I am.
So with all that is detailed in this information, I realize this is a lot of typing and a lot of reading for you fellas. But I truly feel in my heart that this information needed to be told. I could never have afforded another new engine for the Yak. I could never have afforded to have my 212 fixed properly. With the exception that Gerhard Stejskal and Aircraft International not only stepped up to the base to swing the bat, they hit a "Grand Slam" in helping me out the way he did. Basically a complete overhaul and rebuild, time, phone calls to Germany, dealing with me, (which is not the easiest thing to do sometimes) and insuring I received the utmost personal assistance in customer service. Besides the fact I love my dubs...especially of the red head persuasion, This is reason number one why I will stay with 3w no matter what it takes. Call me a fan boy or what ever fits. But a "DUB" will run even when things are so messed up that any other engine would self destruct. Sure they cost a bit more, but well worth it as far as I am concerned. And I know for all certainty, if I ever..."EVER" need anything, I have the most upstanding and most leading support on the planet to fall back on. Thank you Gerhard. I won't soon forget how you made this a personal goal to help me out.
Now for the slam. BEWARE!! If buying a used engine, "KNOW" who you are buying it from. Get proof and documentation. Get in touch with people that can verify the facts. I didn't get so lucky with the purchase of the 212. But I sure had an angel (Gerhard) in my pocket when it came to getting it repaired.
Last side note. Because I feel it needs to be said, If anyone would like to know who I purchased the 212 from originally, Contact me personally. I will "GLADLY" tell you who it was. It's the least I can do to help fellow modelers...and the creep the straight up "LIED" to me.
Some of you may remember the re-maiden of my Behemoth Yak with the 3w 212QSCS quad up front just a few short weeks ago. I have been nothing short of flabbergasted with the improvement of how the big Yak flies now with that powerful beast up front. Much like turning on a light switch or stepping from the dark into the bright sunlight. The 212 had performed flawlessly and without a single hiccup. But me...being such an anal fool and so meticulous about everything, I could just "sense" something not quite right with the Dub quad. Being an engine guy from GM for many years, I had grown kind of like a sense to engine sounds. On the ground, the 212 sounded really good. In the air, it sounded the same. But there was just something...I couldn't put my finger on it. So one evening before getting ready for bed, it was bugging me so badly I decided to pull the cowl off the Yak and do a little investigating. After removing the Prop, spinner and cowl, the plug wires, the plugs and the exhaust. I noticed the gaskets on the reed cages and blocks were not the same. I removed them and discovered there were gaskets where there was not supposed to be gaskets. You see, the dub engines with the aluminum reed blocks and the rubberized reed cages do not use gaskets. The rubber sided cages do the sealing. However, there was a gasket on one. Not both...just one. Not supposed to be there. This alerted me to this motor having some kind of previous work done on it. I promptly got on the phone with Gerhard at AI the next morning and ordered the updated reed cages and all the gaskets to put it the way it is "supposed" to be. While waiting for the parts to arrive, I looked the motor over really well. I started checking...(because I am just this way) the crank and the throw of the pistons. WTH??? Three of the four pistons were in time according to the timing marks on the engine case. One however...was "NOT". In the first photo, you can see the timing marks for the front pistons. One lines up perfectly. In the second photo you can see where the other front piston arrangement is off by about 5-8 degrees. In this configuration, you will never achieve a perfect carb balance and never have a perfect ignition timing balance. One piston will always be lagging while the other three are in the lead. Or reset your timing and carbs, and one will be fine while the other three are way too advanced.
and even the bottom of the engine case was on backwards from the way it is assembled at the factory. Funny thing about the 3w 212 and 220. The engine halves can be bolted together perfectly in both configurations. However, the carbs and reed blocks face a specific direction. This was not the case with my 212. Anyway, me finding the gaskets on the carbs and reeds was a true indicator of things to come obviously. Gerhard removed the crank and sure enough, it was twisted. He confirmed the engine did in fact without question suffer a serious prop strike before I bought the motor. The first two counter balances were out of time with each other. Which threw the one front piston out of time about 8 degrees. I am surprised the engine ran as well as it did. A true testament of a quality engine. 3W rules, and I will stand behind that till the cows come home. Gerhard stated he possibly could straighten it, however a new crank would be the best move. YIKES...$1400.00 for a new crank? I just can not afford that. Here is the plug. Gerhard talked to 3w in Germany and they came up with a resolution. An amazing and unheard of solution for me. Gerhard will keep my twisted crank, send it to 3w to have them straighten it (reset the crank timing) then send it back to him to use for the next individual that needs help. In turn, Gerhard will install a brand new crank in my 212, replace all the gaskets, (cylinder, exhaust etc.) replace the front bearing, go through the carbs and replace "ALL"(not just the damaged) bolts in the engine. And in essence, put the motor back together the way it came from the factory in Germany. Basically it will be a brand new engine short of the combustion chamber components. The price tag? Lets just say, I could afford it and I am beyond grateful. Normally, I highly suspect this would have been a $1900.00 dollar repair, at the least. Gerhard test ran the engine once it was "correctly" and professionally reassembled. When he called me with the results, I could almost..."almost" sense the fear in his voice. He told me, and I quote, "It pulls like an Ox and is spooky strong". He said the power and performance was almost scary. (Giggling my butt off by now) Oh joy....YAY. At present, my 212 is due to be delivered back from AI tomorrow. I am really excited to see how it runs now. I was impressed and pleased before, I am not sure I am ready to see the difference. LOL...Yes I am.
So with all that is detailed in this information, I realize this is a lot of typing and a lot of reading for you fellas. But I truly feel in my heart that this information needed to be told. I could never have afforded another new engine for the Yak. I could never have afforded to have my 212 fixed properly. With the exception that Gerhard Stejskal and Aircraft International not only stepped up to the base to swing the bat, they hit a "Grand Slam" in helping me out the way he did. Basically a complete overhaul and rebuild, time, phone calls to Germany, dealing with me, (which is not the easiest thing to do sometimes) and insuring I received the utmost personal assistance in customer service. Besides the fact I love my dubs...especially of the red head persuasion, This is reason number one why I will stay with 3w no matter what it takes. Call me a fan boy or what ever fits. But a "DUB" will run even when things are so messed up that any other engine would self destruct. Sure they cost a bit more, but well worth it as far as I am concerned. And I know for all certainty, if I ever..."EVER" need anything, I have the most upstanding and most leading support on the planet to fall back on. Thank you Gerhard. I won't soon forget how you made this a personal goal to help me out.
Now for the slam. BEWARE!! If buying a used engine, "KNOW" who you are buying it from. Get proof and documentation. Get in touch with people that can verify the facts. I didn't get so lucky with the purchase of the 212. But I sure had an angel (Gerhard) in my pocket when it came to getting it repaired.
Last side note. Because I feel it needs to be said, If anyone would like to know who I purchased the 212 from originally, Contact me personally. I will "GLADLY" tell you who it was. It's the least I can do to help fellow modelers...and the creep the straight up "LIED" to me.
Last edited:
