EN
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Until the engine is broken in use an electric
starter to start the engine. Once it is fully
broken in it can be started by hand but it is
easier and safer to start the engine with an
electric starter.
1. Turn on the ignition.
2. Rotate the propeller in a backwards direc-
tion against compression.
3. Push the starter firmly against the nose
cone and engage. The engine should start
relatively quickly, within 1-2 seconds. Once
the engine starts disengage the starter.
4. Let the engine run at mid-throttle for 45
seconds to stabilize the temperatures.
a. If the engine doesn’t start quickly disen-
gage the starter. Continuously running
the starter can flood the engine.
b. Check to make that fuel is moving
through the carburetor system.
c. If the engine appears not to have any
fuel, repeat the priming procedure
above.
d. Repeat 1–4 of Starting and Running the
Engine.
Because of the small amount of fuel actually
needed for this engine, needle adjustments
need to be made in small increments. It may
take 5 seconds or more before you will notice
a running change in your engine after making
it. Be patient.
Use a tachometer, this is a very
important part of properly setting your high-
speed needle valve.
The procedure below is for ground setting the
needles prior to flight. The final adjustments
need to be made after noting the performance
in the air.
1. With engine started and warmed up, open
the throttle fully and note the rpm. Listen to
the engine.
a. If the engine occasionally mis-fires but
maintains a fairly constant rpm after 5
seconds, your engine is rich. Reduce the
throttle to idle and turn in (clockwise)
the high-speed needle 2 clicks. Repeat
this until the engine stops mis-firing.
b. If the engine does not mis-fire and the
rpm steadily decreases from the highest
rpm achieved when you opened the
throttle, it is lean. Reduce the throttle
to idle and open (counterclockwise)
the high-speed needle 2 clicks. Repeat
this until the engine maintains the rpm
achieved when the throttle is wide open
Your goal here is to achieve a good
transition between high and low speed,
and that the high-speed rpm will be
steady on the ground.
2. Fly your aircraft for the in-air testing.
a. During flight, if the engine seems to slow
down or sag when climbing, your engine
is running slightly lean. Land the
airplane and open the high-speed
needle valve 2 clicks and take-off again.
b. During flight, if you hear the engine mis-
firing occasionally in level flight, this is
an indication it is running too rich. Land
the airplane and close the high-speed
needle valve 2 clicks and take-off again.
c. Repeat the above process until your
engine performance is steady and
repeatable. This high-speed needle
setting should not change more than
+/– 1–2 clicks in the future when using
the same propeller. If it does, something
is wrong in the fuel delivery system and
should be investigated.
If you are using onboard telemetry and have a
temperature monitor on the head of your en-
gine, your readings should be between 300°F
(150°C) and 330°F (165°C). See the section on
adding a temperature monitor to your engine
for the proper positioning of your sensor.
High-Speed Needle Adjustment
Starting and Running the Engine