anyone have anything good or bad to say about glow head adapters?

Agree with Chancey on the adapters, though you might want to do some test runs to see for yourself. Like you, I bought several for my .049's back in the 1990's, when I was sure that the writing was on the wall for future supplies of glowheads.

I used several in power-pods on different 2 meter gliders and they worked just fine...allowing me to preserve my stash of glowheads back 'till Bernie and Matt came along.

A notable example is the tanked Black Widow I use with my 2-meter Bird of Time. This pod-mounted .049 uses an adapter I got in the late 1990's, and is a true example of an "Everyday Flyer", logging untold numbers of thermal-hunting trips from my front yard. I'm sure the BW would have more punch with a high-comp head, but the adapter does a good job, and I've gotten used to seeing it on the engine.

Just my thoughts!
Kim

Personally I’d be more worried about fuel availability, but new heads are available from the usual sources, I pick up heads from swap meets quite regularly.

It may have been mentioned already, depending on the adapter it can lower compression and make the engine perform not so great. Balogh’s suggestions are some of the better ones available.

I use the Kamtechniks heads extensively on my 049 engines and am very very pleased with them. I just use a few extra gaskets under them and I am convinced my engines run and start better for it!

The one thing to check, is if you use a Nelson head I dont think you can put turbo plugs in them and vice-a-versa with the Kamtechniks heads and Nelson plugs. I have read, but do not know for sure that the very end taper on the Nelson and Turbo plugs are slightly different and trying to use the other plug in the incorrect head doesnt work and also mucks up the head such that the correct plug will not seal.

It would be good if Greg Gkamysz could post a response and confirm if this is true or not, just out of interest. I dont have any Nelson heads or Plugs and am very happy with the Kamtechniks heads and turo plugs and dont envisage my changing. But out of interests sake................ :-)

Yabby

I forgot to mention, I have used the standard Cox glow head adapters with the normal external glow plug in them and they work ok, but only such that I would use them if I had no choice. They do take some revs off the engine, but if just weekend flying they are probably quite fine. I found my engines started easy and were reliable with them and plugs lasted well in them, but reckon they took the top 750/1000 rpm. which may not matter to everyone. As with Balogh above, I did also find I needed to seal the the plug that threaded into the head adapter. I had considered plumbers tape, but ended up using permatex anaerobic gasket sealant and it worked very well and the plug still could be removed from the head with no hassles. If you do this, it is very important you use the anaerobic version of the goo/sealant as it only sets/hardens when there is no air which is in the threads and is easy to clean up after.  

Dont think fuel will be a problem, well not in Australia if you live in one of the major citys. You can easily buy methanol direct from a bowser/pump at xyz per Litre, and you can buy Nitro from the same places per 1 litre, 5 litre, or 200 litre containers. Castor oil for Methanol, Castor M in 5 litre lots is also readily available. I suspect a lot of motorsport keeps it alive here. Drag Racing and Dirt speedway racing use heaps of methanol and Nitro and Castor M. Dirt speedway is done allover Australia from the major citys to small and remote country towns. The most likely problem I see is if it became that they were regulated substances (higher level than now).

Getting proper Ether for diesel fuel in Australia is near impossible I believe. I dont think you can go anywhere and just buy a "quart of Ether" Hunter S Thompson style Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. "There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge " , I have read many of his other books too, not just the pop culture trendy one in its day. Lol.

Yabby

Thanks Yabby for sharing your experience.
The Nelson and regular turbo plugs are not interchangeable because not just their tip taper angle but their thread pitch and diameters are also different..Greg aka Kamtechnik actually manufactures the different heads for both..

Off: I realize you are also a motorcycle lover like I am and assume you refer to the documentary novel by Hunter S Thomson titled  Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga...that he wrote about times he was riding with the Hells Angels? I have also read that and quite a few similar books about 1%-er motorcycle gangs,  including some written by Ralph "Sonny" Barger the president and founder of Hells Angels...I once  went to see their "church" in Oakland California when roaming with my wife in the beautiful San Francisco area back in 2018.

Ah, ok, thought their was a difference. Not saying one or the other is better. Just that I read they dont mix and match which is good to have confirmed! I am more than happy with the heads Greg makes!

Off Topic:
Lol, yes, I have read that also! :-) The quote came from fear and loathing in Las vegas, but I recall others I read such as "hells angels" which was quite an insight to say the least! I also read others such as "on the campaign trail" where he covers nixons campaign, and "the curse of Lono" which is just pure Gonzo. Lol. Amongst others. a rather unique individual with a unique style and outlook.

Interesting Church. HaHaHaHa.

due to the location in Adelaide I grew up in as a young man and the period, I saw a LOT of different things and people in the pubs near me, related to motorcycles, but I genuinely was never involved with such people as I believed with that sort of thing your in all the way or not at all. I was a racer. I raced Grand Prix Yamaha piston ported TZs all around Australia. I even got to race against Wayne Gardner, and Mick Doohan, before they went to Europe and won many World Titles in the 500CC World Grand Prix Title. Racing was my thing, I wasnt even into touring and stuff. Ive never ridden a road bike to somewhere and back that was further than 400 kilometers and even that I complained about. HaHaHaHa. I did spend far too many Sundays in the Adelaide hills illegal racing on the public Lobethal road. I had a two stroke yamaha street bike the LC/RD watercooled bike that I was able to fit the barrells, pistons, head, carbies, and pipes from a Grand Prix bike onto. Very illegal but ti went like crazy for a street bike. Lol. Oooh my poor Mum.



Yabby

double post

Yabby

I am sure most here have seen this but i just did the other day , From Mecoa http://www.mecoa.com/acc/glowplug/glowplug.htm    not that this >>

thanks Getback Never seen before. Amazing machine that can be programmed to do things like that!

Yabby

Kim wrote:Agree with Chancey on the adapters, though you might want to do some test runs to see for yourself.  Like you, I bought several for my .049's back in the 1990's, when I was sure that the writing was on the wall for future supplies of glowheads.

I used several in power-pods on different 2 meter gliders and they worked just fine...allowing me to preserve my stash of glowheads back 'till Bernie and Matt came along.

A notable example is the tanked Black Widow I use with my 2-meter Bird of Time.  This pod-mounted .049 uses an adapter I got in the late 1990's, and is a true example of an "Everyday Flyer", logging untold numbers of thermal-hunting trips from my front yard.  I'm sure the BW would have more punch with a high-comp head, but the adapter does a good job, and I've gotten used to seeing it on the engine.

Just my thoughts!
Kim

black widow on a bird of time, gotta be better than my surestart from my pt 19 that pushed a severely overweight gentle lady up, up and away into the tallest tree in the whole field. thanks Kim happy landings man

eads are still available at e.g., http://kittingittogethe engine with a stock head.[/quote]thanks man got one on my watchlist but for a tee dee, high comp on a surestart?

Thank you Chase!

Yeah the B.W. had the chops to boost the B.o.T. to a pretty good altitude, even with a "One Flight...One Photo" Walmart film camera taped to its snout!!  

The B.o.T. is awaiting some tail feather work, but is otherwise still airworthy.

Cribbs74 wrote:Personally I’d be more worried about fuel availability, but new heads are available from the usual sources, I pick up heads from swap meets quite regularly.

It may have been mentioned already, depending on the adapter it can lower compression and make the engine perform not so great. Balogh’s suggestions are some of the better ones available.

never knew there were so many adapters on the market and im sure ur right. i hope the original style always available cause a cox engine just doesnt look right with a glow head adapter, thanks for the input man

Yabby wrote:I use the Kamtechniks heads extensively on my 049 engines and am very very pleased with them. I just use a few extra gaskets under them and I am convinced my engines run and start better for it!

The one thing to check, is if you use a Nelson head I dont think you can put turbo plugs in them and vice-a-versa with the Kamtechniks heads and Nelson plugs. I have read, but do not know for sure that the very end taper on the Nelson and Turbo plugs are slightly different and trying to use the other plug in the incorrect head doesnt work and also mucks up the head such that the correct plug will not seal.

It would be good if Greg Gkamysz could post a response and confirm if this is true or not, just out of interest. I dont have any Nelson heads or Plugs and am very happy with the Kamtechniks heads and turo plugs and dont envisage my changing. But out of interests sake................ :-)

Yabby

yes got a kamtech on order and just cause might as well get a few more types of adapters. these dont break the bank so might as well

killer!, thanks man. always wanted to set up and operate machines such as these. i could watch em run for hours

Interesting thread...

Years ago, 1980's, a Cox 049 head died on me. I "adapted" the head for a normal glow plug and tried it. From memory it worked fine with the little gem screaming. I still have that head unit.

I tried the suggested "kitittigethe" as written in an above post but it didn't work.

Can the poster repost that address please. Is there an "r" missing ?

batjac wrote:

ChaseBanner wrote:anyone that has used these or know someone who has have anything good or bad to say about these?

They're a bad dancer and they dress funny...

The Smart-Donkey Mark

The regular glow plug adapters can be made to work decently. You need a lathe to correct the machining and an sealant to seal the threads of the plug. Here is a guide on how to do it: https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/1-2-1-8-airplanes-70/7973256-great-glow-plug-run-off.html

Coxfledgling wrote:Interesting thread...

Years ago, 1980's, a Cox 049 head died on me. I "adapted" the head for a normal glow plug and tried it. From memory it worked fine with the little gem screaming. I still have that head unit.

I tried the suggested "kitittigethe" as written in an above post but it didn't work.

Can the poster repost that address please. Is there an "r" missing ?

https://www.kittingittogether.com

Thanks for that, there was an "r" missing. I visited the site yesterday searching for td09 bits. The site is a bit bare, but will have another look.
Thanks.

I have some of the 049 adapter heads that I have not tried yet, so will have a look-see at the site me tioned for sealing techniques.

Surfer_kris wrote:The regular glow plug adapters can be made to work decently. You need a lathe to correct the machining and an sealant to seal the threads of the plug. Here is a guide on how to do it: https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/1-2-1-8-airplanes-70/7973256-great-glow-plug-run-off.html

thanks ill check it out

Kim wrote:

batjac wrote:

ChaseBanner wrote:anyone that has used these or know someone who has have anything good or bad to say about these?

They're a bad dancer and they dress funny...

The Smart-Donkey Mark

the photos of ur bird of time with the power pod and the old 72mhz radio really takes me back to my early days of flight. i so love sailplanes, a lawn chair, iced tea and not a care in the world