I'd say take that refund and get yourself another to be sure
Worst case scenario they would probably do the same thing again if it winds up being a fluke, but with how many positive reviews there are out there with that engine right now I'd say chances are that one particular was just a fluke. I'm the same way, if I have a bad experience with something then I'll swear it off unless the user-base is large enough and manufacturer support is exceptional. Joe is a class A kind of guy, plus you two have so much in common with the whole same name thing...................
I couldn't agree more. I was going to just buy another one to see if it happened again because the motor was honestly like no other I've ever experienced... as I said, reminded me of the quality and linearity of my old team 3W 150QS motors, but with just startling power. But, I've been slow to buy another one for a several reasons. One is that I just bought a DLE-170 and thought what a great time to compare it scientifically to a ZDZ-180 and DA-170... since I had both of those engines on the same plane.
@Tavis had been telling me his experiences with the DA-170, 3W-170CS, DLE-170, and ZDZ-180... all on stock mufflers (which is all he will fly for the best hovering). He had been telling me that the DLE-170 on stock mufflers destroys the DA and 3W on stock mufflers. And, that with the
www.fastcarbs.com reeds (dual stage boyesen reeds) and a walbro carb that the DLE-170 was almost as good as the ZDZ-180 that he loves so much. Said he wouldn't' get rid of his DLE-170, it was that good. So, I thought I really need to have this scientific comparison... same exact plane, swap the motor, and really see the exact difference. Then there's the size thing that I considered... I am really seeing myself going mostly 120cc size in the future. I like to fly too fast and too violently for these 170cc plane and engines. I'm just abusing this 122" Extra doing full throttle rifle rolling loops... the downloads are so fast. Even the horizontal full throttle rifle rolls look painful for the ol' girl. haha To say nothing of Torkanos... which I've really stopped doing because they are just too violent.... full throttle into a dead stop cartwheel. :O So, yeah, the DLE-170 is really honking hard and getting the job done totally (ballistic out of site uplines, etc.)... I'm thinking to move away from 170cc class planes... had a REALLY bad experience with a ZDZ-180... so just not hugely motivated to buy a new ZDZ-180 right at the moment.
>>>I'd say chances are that one particular was just a fluke.<<<
I've thought 90% that "a fluke" was most likely it. 10% if you push them you'll tweak the crank (as big pylon racers will tell you, there is no crank that you can't knock out of alignment in the air, which is why they weld their cranks together). There was also the delivery, the box was open and the engine had fallen out. The driver asked me if I wanted to accept or reject the package... the engine looked fine and I didn't think anything of it... until 44 flights later. haha You know, I only put a few gallons through it in just a few days... it was still a new motor when I sent it in. Could have been from being dropped, but it's so hard to prove anything now. I'll go with fluke, but it's bad when the fluke is the first one. Like our field inspectors say "one bad, all bad... or one good, all good." I've got to psychologically overcome that my first one being bad was a fluke. Whilst my OCD (CDO alphabetized) worries that there just might be a crank problem if the engine is really flown violently. Then take my DLE-170... I've put almost three times as many flights on it... and a lot of that violent... and no problems at all... no drag on the prop. So, then I get to thinking maybe that's because the DLE-170 is less prone to have the crank thrown out of alignment. Or? Basically, you don't want to get me thinking. haha Just give me something that good that works, so I think about that. haha Like the Hitec 9380s, Hitec 9360s, the AeroTech IBEC, et al. Anyway, yes, hopefully just a fluke... and maybe someday I'll get a second one to see. If I'm even still flying planes that big. haha here we go again with the circular reasoning. lol