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INSTALLING THE ENGINE IN A TEST STAND

 



WARNING. ENSURE YOU HAVE SECURELY FASTENED THE 
ENGINE TO YOUR TESTSTAND

 



Ensure that the bench the engine is attached to will not be pulled 
over by the thrust of the engine.  

 



Fit a suitable sized quality propeller for running in. eg. APC type  

 

15 x 8 (2-bladed propeller);

 

STARTING METHOD

 



STARTING MUST ALWAYS BE CARRIED OUT WITH SAFETY IN 
MIND.  Use a conventional electric starter with a correctly sized cup 
for your spinner.

 

TIPS & HINTS FOR STARTING PROCEDURE

 

1.

 

Eye protection should always be worn when starting and running 
your engine.  

 

2.

 

The crankshaft must be rotated anticlockwise (i.e.) the same 
direction as normal propeller rotation

  

3.

 

On a new engine or if very cold, the engine will feel quite stiff to the 
turn and until the engine has had a tank or two of fuel passed 
through it.   For initial starting purposes, we recommend needle 
should be 2 turns open.   This should be pre-set from the factory.  At 
all times ensure that the engine is on a low throttle setting when you 
start it (1/8 -1/4). High throttle will make the engine difficult to turn 
over.

 

4.

 

Operate the choke.

 

5. 

 

When you have set up the starting arrangement as described above 

 

you can now start the engine.  Ensure fuel is getting through to the

 

 

carb, and that the needle is open the correct amount. Turn the glow 

 

on.  Hold the starter very firmly but without pressing hard. Press the 

 

starter button. The engine should immediately turn over rapidly and 

 

fire within a few seconds.

  

5.

 

Release the choke.

 

7.

 

Under No circumstances should you keep turning the engine 
over if it does not fire as this may cause damage to the engine. 

From the earliest prototypes the RCV engine has always been an 
excellent starter. If the engine will not start there is always a logical 
reason for it. In particular check that the glow is adequate, and that 
fuel is getting through.  If fuel doesn’t appear to be getting through, 
unscrew the idle needle by a ½ turn. 

 

8.

 

If the starter will not turn the engine over remove the starter, turn the 
glow off, turn the prop back to top dead centre, close the throttle 
slightly to reduce the compression load on the starter, turn the glow 
on and try again.  If you do experience problems starting your engine 
contact RCV and we will be happy to assist

 

 

Imperial

 

Metric

 

Displacement

 

1.3 cu in

 

21.3 cc

 

Weight 

 

38 oz

 

1080 g

 

Prop Shaft Dia

 

5/16” UNF 

 

Exhaust Thread

 

M14 x 0.75

 

Practical rpm

 

2200 - 9000 rpm

 

2-blade Prop 
sizes 

 

15 x 6

 

15 x 8

 

15 x 10

 

Glow Plug

 

PRO PLUG PP4T

 

Approx. fuel 
consumption

 

0.7 fl oz / min

 

Specifications

 

 SECTION 4

     

STARTING

 

PRIOR TO USE, PLEASE ENSURE YOUR EXHAUST IS 
TIGHTENED

 

Recommended procedure for tightening your exhaust pipe

 

Use  a  17 mm  spanner  which  has a  ring spanner at one end and a 
conventional open spanner at the other.  

 

If  you  need a different  angled exhaust pipe, you can use one that is 
suitable for other 4 -stroke engines.  RCV use standard exhaust thread 
sizes: – 130CD = M14 x 0.75

 

 

GLOW PLUG CONNECTION

 



Use either a conventional clip on or remote glow plug connector.

 

 SECTION 5

     

RUNNING IN

 

The running in period on any engine is critical and will affect the lifetime 
on your engine.

 



The rotary cylinder valve design  on your RCV130CD incorporates 
close fitting components,  therefore  your  engine will benefit from 
extended running in (eg. 1  - 2 hrs).  Power will also increase during 
running in.

 



Do not allow the engine to overheat during running in, therefore run in 
short bursts.

 

 

Once the engine starts for the first time, leave the glow supply connected 
and let the engine warm up at a fast idle speed for 30 seconds. Increase 
the throttle setting to about ¼, and tune the high -speed needle valve for 
slightly rich running i.e. a slightly burbling exhaust note (if you have a 
tachometer aim for around 6000 rpm).   The  glow supply can now be 

Issue  4

  

 28/10/2008 

 

 

   130CD © RCV Engines Ltd 

   

 

 Page 2

 

This engine is subject to Global Patents and Design Copyrights inc. Int. Pat App. WO 03/062615

 

disconnected although some drop in RPM may occur due to the rich 
mixture and comparatively low engine temperature. Leave the engine 
running like this for around 15 minutes. Stop it using the throttle and 
allow it to cool for a further 15 minutes. 

 

 

Now you can obtain the correct carburettor setting using the following 
procedure:

 

a)

 

Restart the engine, open the throttle wide and adjust the main 
needle for just slightly rich (a few rpm short of peak).

 

b)

 

Close the throttle to around 1/3rd and, with the engine at 
around 6000 rpm, screw in the secondary needle until the 
rough (rich) running smoothes out into a nice four

-stroke note.  

The needles are now ROUGHLY set but you will probably 
have to richen the main needle on the throttle up to full power. 
Test and adjust before returning to 6000 rpm.

 

c)

 

Reliable,  slow  running will  not  be achieved until the 
engine has been run in for at least one hour

.     When this 

running time has elapsed you can fine tune the idle needle.  
NB.  Close  attention  to  the  idle  needle settings will pay 
dividends in smoothness. 

 

Factory Needle Settings

 

If you need to get back to the original factory needles settings, 
please use the info below.  This is only a starting point as there 
is no hard fast rule.

 

Main Needle:  

Screw the needle in fully and then unscrew 1 3/4 

turns

 

Idle Needle:  

Screw the needle in fully with the throttle barrel 

fully open and then unscrew  2 1/4 turns

 

Main  needle (high speed) adjustment:

  The  main  needle should  be  

adjusted  with  the engine operating at full throttle. The engine should be 
leaned out until the RPM peaks, then enriched a small amount.  This will 
allow for the leaning out that normally occurs in flight. 

 

If the engine is installed in a model, the nose of the model should be 
raised to the vertical to check that the engine will run without leaning out 
in this attitude. Note that to lean the engine out the needle is screwed in.

 

Idle needle (low speed) adjustment:

 If the engine does not run cleanly 

at low  or  mid  throttles the usual  problem  is  that  the  idle  needle is 
incorrectly set.  This can be adjusted with the small brass screw. 

 

Please follow the guidelines below to decide how the idle needle should 
be adjusted.

 

Idle Needle Adjustment Fault Finder

 

Idle mixture too lean:

 There will be a tendency for the engine 

not to start at low throttle settings. Once it does start it will run 
cleanly at mid throttle but will tend to die at low throttle. It will 
also tend to die when the throttle is opened rapidly. In general 
there will be little or no increase in engine speed when the glow 
plug is energised. 

 

Idle mixture too rich:

 The engine will start readily. It will run 

roughly at mid throttle settings, and at idle will splutter and pop. 
When glow is energised the engine will run more cleanly and the 
idle will speed up considerably.

 

Idle mixture correctly set:

 The engine will start readily and run 

cleanly from idle to max RPM. The idle will sound slightly rich 
and “poppy”. Idle speed will increase slightly when the glow is 
energised. The throttle can be opened rapidly without the engine 
stalling.

 

NB.

  The  idle  mixture  is  sensitive,  therefore increments of 

1/8th of a turn or less are all that is normally required.  After 
each adjustment allow a few seconds to elapse to ensure stabil-
ity.

 

 SECTION 6

   

 CARBURETTOR ADJUSTMENT

 

The  RCV  CD  series  produces  a  similar  amount  of  power to a 
conventional 4 stroke,  therefore  use the  4 -stroke engine  size as 
recommended by your model kit manufacturer.

 

An   RCV  CD   engine  is   designed   to   be   mounted   between 
conventional beam mount engine bearer.  

 

 



Provide  adequate  cooling for  the  engine    -   a good guideline 
to  follow  when  deciding  on  the  necessary  air  outlet / inlet 
requirements is 2:1 or if possible 3:1.    This enables hot air to 
escape  from  the cowl  which  is one  of the  main causes of 
overheating.

 



The Carburetor may be rotated 180º  to aid mounting

 



The engine can be mounted in any configuration including in an 
inverted position.

   



The fuel tank should be installed with its centre line as near as 
possible to the centre line of the carburettor. 

 



We  recommend using the fitting provided on the silencer to 
pressurise the fuel tank

 



The crankcase breather is the same as on a conventional four 
stroke.  It cannot be used for fuel pressurisation and should sim-
ply be vented to the atmosphere at a convenient location via a 
piece of fuel tubing upto 9" in length.

 

 

 SECTION 7

   

 INSTALLING IN A MODEL

 

Issue  4

 

    28/102008 

   

 130CD   © RCV Engines Ltd 

   

 

 Page 3

 

This engine is subject to Global Patents and Design Copyrights inc. Int. Pat App. WO 03/062615

 

 SECTION 8

   

 CARE OF YOUR RCV ENGINE

 

NORMAL MAINTENANCE

 

At the end of each days flying it is recommended that a few squirts of 
clean machine oil “after run oil” are introduced into the crankcase via the 
crank breather.

 

If  the  engine  is  to  be removed  from the model and laid up for any 
significant period, we recommend the following:

-

 



Ensure there is no fuel left in the engine

 



Remove the glow plugs

 



Flush out the engine with good quality after

-run oil

 



Store the engine on the plane with the nose down to keep oil in the 
bearings

 

 

DISSASSEMBLING AND RE -ASSEMBLING YOUR 

 

ENGINE

 

RCV do not recommend disassembling your engine unless absolutely 
necessary.  However if you do have to dismantle your engine, upon re -
assembly please carry out the following procedure to ensure that the 
engine is correctly timed. 

 

 

1.

 

Take the cylinder jacket and rotate the cylinder until the cylinder 
port is equally visible in the exhaust and inlet ports. 

 

2.

 

Insert two cocktail sticks (or tie-wraps or similar suitable soft mate-
rials) into the exposed segments of the port to lock the cylinder in 
the correct position.

 

3.

 

Turn the crankshaft so that the keyway in the prop driver is facing 
vertically downwards (i.e. lined up with the centre of the lower 
crankcase web). This sets the piston at top dead centre.

 

4.

 

Lubricate the inside of the cylinder. Then carefully feed the piston 
into the cylinder bore ensuring that the small plastic pad in the 
piston pin bore is in place.

 

5.

 

Drop the cylinder down into position on the crankcase ensuring the 
crankshaft remains in its TDC position. Assemble the four screws 
and tighten the cylinder jacket down into position.

 

6.

 

As a final check, remove the cocktail sticks and rotate the engine 
two turns until the keyway is again facing vertically downwards. 
Check that the cylinder port is equally visible in the exhaust and 
inlet ports.

 

RCV130 -CD Dimensions

 

Measurements in mm

 

Not to Scale

 

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