DLE-30 Dies When Inverted

[SnowDog]

Marc,
That is a bummer for sure...many of us have been in a situation like that and can feel your pain. You are right to step back for a minute, take a break, and fly something that you know works.
Instead of buying the GT33, might I suggest you look at the DLE-35RA? Although you may not feel good about the DLE brand right now, I've not heard anyone with any issues with that motor.
If you do buy the GT33 you will not regret it...although I will tell you mine starts backwards sometimes unless I get the right throttle setting for startup.
Hang in there.
-Mike

 

[keith.ille1]

Marc,
That is a bummer for sure...many of us have been in a situation like that and can feel your pain. You are right to step back for a minute, take a break, and fly something that you know works.
Instead of buying the GT33, might I suggest you look at the DLE-35RA? Although you may not feel good about the DLE brand right now, I've not heard anyone with any issues with that motor.
If you do buy the GT33 you will not regret it...although I will tell you mine starts backwards sometimes unless I get the right throttle setting for startup.
Hang in there.
-Mike

Os starts backwards but to this day I have not found a engine with better throttle response! I don't have the o's because i fly bigger planes now but the backwards start is not a big deal. I do hear the dle 35 motor run great but i was so pist at the 30 i swore i would never own another but time heals everything lol i don't own a dle but would get one again just never a 30!

 

[m0dest]

Gyro

Mine only died under one circumstance, inverted at idle, immediately into rolling harrier and really only died once, the other times it would sputter like it wanted to but never really failed.


Other than that it was fine, not even a bobble. Just had to be on the throttle. Unfortunately I like bringing the tail in low and start rolling down the field which my 60 does beautifully.

 

[AtomicFlyer]

Marc,
That is a bummer for sure...many of us have been in a situation like that and can feel your pain. You are right to step back for a minute, take a break, and fly something that you know works.
Instead of buying the GT33, might I suggest you look at the DLE-35RA? Although you may not feel good about the DLE brand right now, I've not heard anyone with any issues with that motor.
If you do buy the GT33 you will not regret it...although I will tell you mine starts backwards sometimes unless I get the right throttle setting for startup.
Hang in there.
-Mike

Mike,
I appreciate your perspective. For the last month I was working on the assumption that I just need to find the correct tuning or do the right modification and I'd fix the problem. On another more highly trafficked but less enlightened forum, a few guys are saying I just need to properly "tune" the engine. It's pretty hard to argue that point over the internet, though the more "seasoned" members of my club think my engine is tuned properly. But if it's true that my engine needs more tuning, then this engine is too sensitive for me to enjoy. So I think I need to move on.

Some of my club mates have offered to let me borrow one of their 30cc engines. I resisted previously because I wanted to get mine running but I may take them up on their offer. Or I may pull the trigger on the OS 33. You are correct about my thoughts towards the DLE brand right now.

Marc

 

[gyro]

Mike,
I appreciate your perspective. For the last month I was working on the assumption that I just need to find the correct tuning or do the right modification and I'd fix the problem. On another more highly trafficked but less enlightened forum, a few guys are saying I just need to properly "tune" the engine. It's pretty hard to argue that point over the internet, though the more "seasoned" members of my club think my engine is tuned properly. But if it's true that my engine needs more tuning, then this engine is too sensitive for me to enjoy. So I think I need to move on.

Some of my club mates have offered to let me borrow one of their 30cc engines. I resisted previously because I wanted to get mine running but I may take them up on their offer. Or I may pull the trigger on the OS 33. You are correct about my thoughts towards the DLE brand right now.

Marc

Marc, will TBM replace the engine with a brand new one if you send it back to them?

 

[AtomicFlyer]

Marc, will TBM replace the engine with a brand new one if you send it back to them?

The guy at TBM told me if it will run upright and inverted on the bench then the problem is with the setup and that's not covered under warranty. Other than sending it in for a warranty checkup (which he thought was not worth the shipping I'd have to pay) he suggested removing the cowl, which I tried. It also runs fine when I invert the plane while holding it on the ground so I assume it would run fine on the bench inverted (actually, to simulate my issue, you would run the motor upright on the bench).

I'll probably pop $35 for a new carb. If that doesn't solve the problem, I'll pick out a replacement gasoline engine. I'd like to go electric. But unfortunately my hobby budget doesn't have the funds right now to allow me to buy an electric motor, ESC, batteries and a generator for this plane. With my smaller planes I just buy 6 batteries and charge them at home before I go to the field.

I was talking to another of our older club members today and he told that he woke up in the middle of the night thinking about what might be causing my engine trouble (he thinks it's caused by vibration). I hope nobody else is losing sleep over this!

Marc

 

[gyro]

I'm not losing sleep, but I want to help you!

I still think it may be worthwhile to try a different gas tank, and install a walbro carb kit (all new gaskets and diaphragms)

But at the end of the day, I'd be assertive with TBM. If you've tried all their suggestions, and the problem still exists, it's their engine. They should at least send you a new carb at their cost.

If after all your efforts the problem still exists, and they won't provide a new engine, call your CC company or Paypal, and file a dispute.

 

[AtomicFlyer]

...
But at the end of the day, I'd be assertive with TBM. If you've tried all their suggestions, and the problem still exists, it's their engine. They should at least send you a new carb at their cost....

Gary,
I appreciate your interest in finding a solution. I agree that I could get more movement on this issue with TBM if I was more assertive. But even though $300 is a substantial amount of money in my hobby budget, it doesn't seem worth the hassle involved. I've seen other guys online trying to fight these kinds of things (there was a long running thread on another forum about a 3DHS airframe) and it sometimes just results in increased blood pressure and still no satisfaction. I can get assertive when it's worth while, but sometimes you just have to lick your wounds and move on.

I will take your advice about the carb. A couple guys in my club offered me a carb to try or I may just purchase one. Otherwise I'm thinking I'll save my money towards a new (and different) gas engine. My enthusiasm for gas is not very high right now so I'll probably just fly my smaller electrics for a while. The damaged airframe is like that first door ding on a new car. I knew it would happen, but it still has an emotional toll.

Marc

 

[SnowDog]

Marc,

I can't tell you how similar our "first gasser" stories are, LOL! I had so many problems with my Su-26 and my DLE-30 when I first bought it...and I even knew this GoldWing Su-26 was gonna be a "learning" airframe...I just didn't realize at the time how painful that would be. I had some deadsticks with my DLE-30 because of improper tuning on my part (gasser newbie learning curve, in spite of how much I read online). I replaced the gear a few times, rebuilt the motor box, fix holes in the bottom of the wings from the wheelpants poking through when the gear folded up. Eventually found out that part of the problem was the huge front opening in the cowl of the SU-26 and I had to do some baffling to create a more balanced airflow. After that, things started working much better and the deadsticks stopped. About that time I bought a 71" Slick with an OS GT33 and had the sweetest flying plane/motor combo ever. Now flying a gasser is a real joy to me, and I can't believe the long flight times (I get tired before I run out of fuel). I moved the OS GT 33 to my 3DHS Bigfoot and I've got the DLE-30 in my 71" Slick and it works great. So I guess I want to encourage you to follow through however/whatever it takes to get your first gasser flying right, and then all the pain of the learning curve will vanish.

-Mike

 

[AtomicFlyer]

...
I can't tell you how similar our "first gasser" stories are, LOL! ...

Thanks for relating your experiences Mike. I certainly see (and have somewhat experienced) the advantages of gas over electric, especially for this size plane and larger. I just need a short break from banging my head against a wall.

I actually went out to the field today (after saying I wasn't going to!) but I took my little 41" Edge and a bunch of 3S 1800 packs. I had a great time. I like this hobby. While I was there, one club member maidened his new foam P-51 Mustang and had the ailerons reversed. His flight was short. Another very experienced pilot drilled in his very trusty big Aeroworks Yak powered with a DLE-55 (dumb thumbs) and walked away with a box of balsa bits after digging the motor out of the crater. I felt bad for both of these guys. But it again made me realize setbacks are just part of the hobby.

I will get a gasser running to my satisfaction. It just might not be the one I currently have. The standard joke at my field today was "Hey Marc, I've got a solution for you. Just don't fly inverted!".

Marc