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Step 2. Low-Speed Needle Adjustment, cont.

   

4.

 The fuel mixture may be too lean if the engine 

stops at the lowest idle position or it stops when 
the throttle is rapidly opened from the idle position. 
Correct this by rotating the SetRight adjustment 
bar counterclockwise in small increments until the 
engine transitions smoothly without hesitation upon 
opening the throttle rapidly from idle.

SetRight Needle Valves

The design of the SetRight needle valve system is such 
that, during normal operating conditions, the typical 
user will find that the range of adjustment allowed by 
the system is more than adequate for most situations. 
As a matter of fact, we intended this to be used as a 
tool to identify operating problems. If you find that the 
range of adjustment allowed by the SetRight needle is 
inadequate after your initial period of running, then a 
problem in your engine system has occurred. This might 
be a bad glow plug, dirty or old fuel, an air leak in the 
fuel system somewhere or any number of other reasons. 
Do not make any permanent adjustment range changes 
to the SetRight needle system if it was once working 
correctly for you and now does not. Investigate other 
problems first.

However, occasionally due to atmospheric, altitudinal 
or fuel conditions, you may find that the range of 
adjustment built into the SetRight needle valve system 
is inadequate for your needs. These conditions are rare 
and easy to fix.

High-Speed SetRight Needle Valve Correction

   

 Should the high-speed SetRight needle valve  
need to be adjusted outside of the factory- 
established parameters, simply pull out the  
detent spring on the high-speed needle  
assembly and move the needle valve in the  
desired direction so the SetRight pin passes  
the spring detent. You now have re-established  
a new range for your purposes.  You can also 
loosen the setscrew on the collar holding the 
detent spring and rotate this in the  
desired direction.

Low-Speed SetRight Needle Valve Correction

   

 Should the low-speed SetRight needle valve  
need to be adjusted outside the factory-  
established parameters, follow these steps:

   

   

A.

 Loosen the setscrew found on the ring of 

the SetRight assembly to which the  
adjustment bar is attached.

   

   

B.

 Rotate the needle valve itself (small  

slot-headed screw inside the blue ring of  
the SetRight assembly) clockwise to lean  
the mixture or counterclockwise to richen 
the mixture as desired.

   

   

C. 

Retighten the setscrew on the ring of  

the SetRight assembly and you have  
re-established a new range of motion.

Why would fuel go “bad”?

The largest portion of the fuel is methanol (alcohol). 
Methanol is hygroscopic; it attracts moisture. This can 
cause your fuel to be contaminated with water, which will 
cause poor engine performance. Additionally, the UV rays 
in sunlight will eventually break down the nitromethane if 
the fuel jug is stored in sunlight for long periods of time.

How can you tell when your fuel has gone “bad”?

The first indication will generally be the inability to start 
the engine at previously run needle-valve settings. 
Another clue might be that the engine has very poor idle, 
runs but bogs down tremendously during run up and/or 
will not attain the same rpms that you are used to.

How do I keep my fuel fresh?

If you have the opportunity, look for someone at a flying 
field on a sunny day who has a jug of fuel that is only 
1/4 full. What you may notice is that there are droplets 
attached to the top and sides of the container. This is 
the moisture in the air that is condensing inside the jug 
because of the greenhouse effect of the semi-translucent 
plastic jug. This will also occur within a metal fuel can as 
the sun warms the contents.

You can combat the effects of the moisture in the air by 
squeezing all the extra air from your fuel container at 
the end of the day or transferring your fuel into smaller 
containers as the level of the fuel is reduced in your 

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Step 5.

  Attach the glow driver.

Step 6.

   Turn the engine over using an electric starter.  

The engine should fire within seconds of applying 
the starter.

Step 7.

   Allow the engine to idle for 30 seconds. Adjust the 

throttle trim if necessary to achieve a constant 
slow idle.

Step 8.

   With the glow driver still attached and a helper 

securely holding the airplane, advance the 
throttle smoothly to full throttle. The engine will 
transition to full rpm.

Step 9.

   Reduce the throttle to idle and remove the  

glow driver.

Needle Limiters

The high- and low-speed needles have limiters that 
prevent over-adjustment. If your engine starts from the 
above procedure, but won’t reliably continue to run with 
the glow driver removed, follow the steps below.
 

Step 1.   High-Speed Needle Adjustment

   

 With the engine running, advance the throttle 
to full throttle while a helper securely holds your 

airplane. Carefully pinch and release the fuel line 
to temporarily restrict the fuel flow.

   

  

Caution:

 Do not reach over the propeller while 

the engine is running.

   

  

Correct:

 If the high-speed needle adjustment 

is correct, the engine will increase rpm slightly 
(about 300 rpm) and then die.

   

 Too Rich: 

If the engine increases a lot (1,000 

rpm or greater), the high-speed needle is too rich 
and must be leaned or turned clockwise.

   

 Too Lean:

 If the engine doesn’t increase rpm and 

simply dies, the high-speed needle is lean and 
must be richened or turned counterclockwise.

Step 2. Low-Speed Needle Adjustment

   

 The low-speed or idle needle valve, included 
with the SetRight assembly, is preadjusted at 
the factory for best performance at close to sea 
level conditions. It may be necessary to fine-tune 
the low-speed adjustment using the following 
procedure:

   

 1.

 Start the engine and let it warm up, prior  

to attempting any adjustments. Make sure 
that the high-speed adjustment process is  
complete before attempting to adjust the  
low-speed needle valve.

   

 2.

 Close the throttle slowly. You will adjust the  

low-speed needle setting by rotating the  
SetRight adjustment bar clockwise to lean 
the engine and counterclockwise to richen the 
engine.

  

 

 Caution:

 Do not attempt to adjust the low-speed 

needle valve while the engine is running.

  

 3.

 The fuel mixture should be adjusted as 

follows: The fuel mixture is too rich if, when 
opening the throttle rapidly, the engine emits 
smoke and "stutters" or "stumbles." Correct 
this by rotating the SetRight adjustment bar 
clockwise in small increments. Continue this 
process until the engine transitions smoothly 
from low rpm idle to high rpm without hesitation 
upon opening the throttle rapidly.

Note that the needle adjustment range is limited, preventing adjust- 

ment beyond the practical range.

Low-Speed Needle Adjustment

High-Speed Needle Adjustment

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