Babe Bee Running Issues

Assuming nothing is askew with the fuel, 15% is fine.

If it were me I would pop the backplate and move the pickup to 6 and see if it still behaves poorly.

If it drains the tank then it was pickup placement, if it dies again you have an air leak somewhere at 1/2 tank.

Could be an air leak. Check the venturi gasket and make sure the fuel vent tubes are clear.

For what it's worth, I'd say venturi gasket as well. Sucking fuel in around the gasket when the level is high, but as soon as the level drops below the central tube, it just sucks air and can't draw it up the pick-up pipe.

Rod.

Great, thank you. I never thought of a posible leak halfway through the tank of fuel. I will disassemble it and check the venturi gasket first. FWIW, i will just replace it anyways as they are cheap and easy to make. I will also relocate the pickup tube to 6 o'clock for testing as well. I will report back Sunday evening when this is all done and i try benching it.

Ok. So my Bee underwent surgery today. I took it apart and inspected everything. Venturi gasket was new and still in place. So, I replaced it anyways just because they are cheap and easy to make. Checked the reed valve. Passed the suck and blow test. Put fuel line to each of the filler vents. Both clear. Hooked the fuel line back up to the nipple on the backplate, screwed the needle down snugly. Could not blow through. Unscrewed it 3-4 turns, I was able to blow through. Reassembled and was about to try it out. Then I thought about one more thing. Disassembled once again. removed the needle and shone a light down the hole and just verified that I could see the pin I used inserted in the fuel nipple, check. This is when I saw a small hole just above the air intake inline with the needle. Carefully looked down the needle hole and saw nothing. About a half an hour later, I had it cleaned out and was able to see the light shine right through. It was plugged VERY solid. I do not know with what, but it was. So after that I cleaned the backplate very well with brake cleaner and air making sure nothing was inside. I reassembled it once again and tried it. Got it to fire and run very shortly. Tried priming it again and it ran only off the prime. That is when I saw the backplate leaking. Removed it yet again and took small pieces of a cotton ball and wrapped the screws near the head and reinstalled. It does not appear to leak anymore and it ran the tank. Although it seems like it is a bit underpowered, it is running. I am just looking for it to pull a Manwin Trainer and a Baby Ringmaster up in the air, whichever it is mounted to at the time. I will try removing a head shim tomorrow and retry it again and see how things go. Thanks again for the help and advice.

They're sensitive to different props, so see if you can get it to balance at least side to side, equal blade weights. Cox props won't usually balance all the way around, but that's okay for now. A 5 or 5.25"x3" will make it happiest. So will some extra nitro. Just one shim with a Cox head if you use lower nitro than 20%. That cotton fix is a good one, I recall Ken suggesting that one.
Rusty

Ok. Thanks again. Currently running a 5.5 x 4 or 4.5. I will try switching it up. As for nitro, I have only a bit of the Sig 15% and a bottle of the Sidewinder 15% that I have yet to get castor to add to it. The only higher nitro I can find locally is by the gallon, and it would probably go bad before I used it all. But I guess I could talk around and see if I could buy some higher nitro from someone that flies. And as for shims, I believe I have 3 under the head, so I will remove 2 and try the one suggested. I can always add another back in.

Sorry, my bad. The other bottle of fuel I have is Sidewinder Pro 20% with 20% nitro and 10% blend oil that I have to add my castor to.

Good catch on the spray bar hole being stopped up too , I have wondered if you enlarge that hole and the air intake with hi nitro if you could get a higher RPM run , Looks like you need to add some castor to that 20% . I would check and see were other people in your area are getting there fuel for COX engines , Power Masters V/P fuels seem to be the only thing around there , they maybe ordering there fuel in ? Eric  http://www.walmart.com/ip/Redcat-Racing-Nitrofuel-Nitro-Fuel/24901790  http://powermasterfuels.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=8

I just tried looking for oil content on the above fuel .... only found that its just 20% nitro.

Anyone know anything more about it?

Regarding 1/2A fuel:

Sig Champion
Cox Super Power(with the new blend)
GlowplugBoy

Good fuel, easy to find, no worries.
Rusty

The current Sig fuel I have took over 2 weeks to get ... too slow in todays internet world.

You got links on where to buy the other two? I searched for glowplugboy fuel and came up with discussions but not where to buy.

larrys4227 wrote:The current Sig fuel I have took over 2 weeks to get ... too slow in todays internet world.

You got links on where to buy the other two? I searched for glowplugboy fuel and came up with discussions but not where to buy.

been there with sig more than once but very happy with their fuel.

glowplugboy is only listing 15% and 35% nitro. don't know if they have plans to make 25% or you could mix some 15 and 35 to get 25.... http://fitzfuels.com

cox brand seems to bee available from a few places
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXDBNH&P=FR&gclid=CMv45eqT_sYCFQsRHwodih8MLQ

Oh yeah... no issue with Sig fuel ... but over 2 weeks for delivery is unacceptable. I did find the SuperFuel @ Tower. Looks like the ticket I want ... and all the percentages seems spot on too.

Dealing with places that only accept paypal is an inconvenience for me ... so no Glowplugboy fuel for me.

Thanks Roger

larrys4227 wrote:Oh yeah... no issue with Sig fuel ... but over 2 weeks for delivery is unacceptable.

Thanks Roger

Should not be a problem, just make sure you order it at least two weeks before you need it.

George

larrys4227 wrote:I just tried looking for oil content on the above fuel .... only found that its just 20% nitro.

Anyone know anything more about it?

10% oil content, blended. 5% synthetic 5% castor.

NEW222 wrote:

larrys4227 wrote:I just tried looking for oil content on the above fuel .... only found that its just 20% nitro.

Anyone know anything more about it?

10% oil content, blended. 5% synthetic 5% castor.

Thanks .... tis what I was looking for. Not really for us, eh? By the time you add in the castor needed, the nitro content is going to drop too much.

I like the Cox Super Fuel option ....