OS LA .15 Set up and Reliability

Tell us what you do to get the best performance from your engines.

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Dane McGee
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Post by Dane McGee »

Don the best sealant I've found for backplates and mufflers , etc, is Versa Chem Mega grey #999 available at O'reillys auto parts.It is made for auto water pump sealer......best of all its' gray and matches the engine[;)]


After I sealed my la's and and cutoff the rnv and tie wrapped it to my engine pods, I have had zero bad runs....in fact I have not had a bad run in over 50 heats and countless practice heats as well. One thing though, I have worked out a system for working with bladders and I do it exactly the same everytime and I can now do it with my eyes closed almost.
I insure a good needle and with a properly sealed engine, runs are rock solid.
Also I am very anal about the care of my engines.....I have no leaks anywhere, they are kept immaculate and start immediately everytime.
...........And no they are not hanger queens either[:D]



Dane "MadMax" McGee
Greenville, Texas
danpow1973
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Post by danpow1973 »

Lou

Great article

Scott Do you have the Glow plug data you promiced in an earlier post?

Big Question?

<font size="5"><b>On The OS 15 LA Is It better to drill the Baffle or to remove it all together I have seen both!</b></font id="size5">

Does anybody have a arguement on which glow plug is better and why right now I use the A3 That OS recomends?

Also is there a benifit of drilling out the muffler exaust hole a little Is this legal?
EK
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Post by EK »

I've drilled the baffle out on mine just a little bit. Just be very careful when drilling because the muffler material is brittle and tends to chip making it easy to destroy whatever part you're working on. Some remove the baffle instead, it's just whatever makes your bell ring. Mods are OK as long as you can stay under the 17.5 limit. I'm on a tank and am close to the limit with 15% so I don't go any further.

A3 plugs are fine but some days here in Texas a hotter plug is needed. Different plugs of the same type will also sometimes yield different performance. Probably a quality control thing or how many times it got dropped before you got it in the engine. (Props too)
danpow1973
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Post by danpow1973 »

On my newest LA .15 I replaced the head/Backplate/ and Muffler bolts with Hex head and loctite. I then used Lou's method for breaking the engine in. I am using a bladder system. The break in plug was a A3 and I used a MC9 after break-in. Fuel is 15% Wildcat........I must say this setup and breakin procedure works. After completing the break-in I switched to a 8x3 prop and MC9 Plug and the peak RPM of the LA 15 was 19,000... I had to tune it down to 17500...

A 3lb 5oz cobra at 16500 rpm vs a 40oz cobra at 17,500 rpm.......All I can say is Holy "(*^_(%)^" I can't wait for the next contest...I had better get busy finishing Cobra #4 and #5(#1 and #2 have been decomisioned.

Now I just have to get more RPM's out of my older LA 15's that were not broken in in this matter.
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boiler
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Post by boiler »

When broken in properly like I did today, the LA 15 will crank 17400 on 5% Wildcat. The lower nitro also gives a longer run time on the same amount of fuel with less damage to the bladder.
thojo
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Post by thojo »

I envy the Georgia boys. My LA's were cookin in Dixie this weekend. Even my bad engine was revving up to 17,800 on 15%. Had to use EPA all day long to get below 17,500.
Lou Melancon
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Post by Lou Melancon »

Thojo,
I always had to run 5% here to keep from busting out. On really hot humid days I would go to 7.5% nitro and still have to cut back the ATV.
Alex Treneff
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Post by Alex Treneff »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by danpow1973</i>
<br />Lou
is there a benifit of drilling out the muffler exaust hole a little Is this legal?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Dan and Evan,

Why would you drill out the muffler? In the end it will lower your RPM limits. Less back pressure on the tank means less fuel. Just use a 100% stock (except RTV on the backplate) .15LA with a standard tank and it will do just fine.
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Which_way_is_up
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Post by Which_way_is_up »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Spadhunter</i>
<br /><blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by danpow1973</i>
<br />Lou
is there a benifit of drilling out the muffler exaust hole a little Is this legal?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Dan and Evan,

Why would you drill out the muffler? In the end it will lower your RPM limits. Less back pressure on the tank means less fuel. Just use a 100% stock (except RTV on the backplate) .15LA with a standard tank and it will do just fine.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Not if your using a constant flow fuel system like a pressure bladder.
thojo
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Post by thojo »

I wouldn't run them at 100% stock, I'd at least remove the baffle from the muffler
RH
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Post by RH »

I remove every trace of baffle and drill out the stinger and get plenty of fuel from a standard pressurized tank. I use 25% nitro and still struggle to consistently hit 17500 at our mile high events. These engines at Paris are way over so lower elevation probably doesn't demand as much material removal for exhaust flow increase.

rh
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dirko
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Post by dirko »

Big thank you, to all our you for your information. As a new guy, it's not to hard to read through the banter to get the good stuff that's needed. It is, I think very typical of RC flying in general, that those in the hobby are always willing to help the new guys.

Hope to see you all.

Watch your sixes.
Lou Melancon
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Post by Lou Melancon »

You are more than welcome Dirk. This year we have been flying a pretty simple design for SSC called the "Gorilla" you can see it at www.georgiacombat.com

Best regards, Lou.
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dirko
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Post by dirko »

I bought some sscAvengers from AJ Seaholm. I thought they would be fun to do sport flying also. Maybe some handicapped pylon racing, too.

I though I'd learn to fly combat first, then maybe experiment with building later.
Alex Treneff
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Post by Alex Treneff »

Dirk,

Check out www.TreneffRC.com

We have an article that explains how to set up an LA-15.

Check out the Battle Axes. They're durable, competative, and affordable.
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