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Laser Engines - Technical questions


Jon H

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11 minutes ago, Jon - Laser Engines said:

 

The fuel will be ok. It wont cause damage, but its more oil and more nitro than you need. As a result its more expensive to run the engine for no performance advantage. Opti are bring out their laser specific fuels soon following the model technics hand over.  

 

On the engine choice, pick the model first. That way you can pick the right engine for the job and i will also do my best to make sure it will fit. Some models need mods to make it all happen and i will look up the blurb on the intended model to make sure its going to work. 

Thanks Jon, I will be in touch with you soon and whatever Laser engine I go for, I will use the proper fuel for it,  Laser mix 5 etc.  

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7 hours ago, Jon - Laser Engines said:

 

 

On the engine choice, pick the model first. That way you can pick the right engine for the job and i will also do my best to make sure it will fit. Some models need mods to make it all happen and i will look up the blurb on the intended model to make sure its going to work. 

This is another very good reason why a Laser is an excellent choice, what other engine manufacturer will do this?

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  • 1 month later...

Hi Jon.

I have just bought a "job lot" of stuff from a deceased's estate.

One of the models is an old DB Tiger Moth.

When I took the cowl off I was surprised to find a Laser inside.

Can you possibly help with its identification ?

Here are some photos.

It looks in good condition apart from the marks on the front housing and the goo all over it.

Thanks.

IMGP0157.JPG

IMGP0158.JPG

IMGP0159.JPG

IMGP0163.JPG

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Its a 61 Kevin and was made in the 1984-88 sort of time frame by the look of it. Its had a carb replacement sometime in the 2002-2005 period as well. 

 

The 61 was discontinued in 1992 and i no longer have any spares at all for it. Loose or damage any part and im afraid its a bin job. 

 

If you want to have a go at fixing it then ok, but do not spend loads of money on it. £15 for new bearings is the limit i would say. It will need new bearings as that castor has probably polymerised by now and you will never get it out. All the screws are 4ba so you need a 3/32 allen key for the big ones ad 1/16 for the grub screws. 

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Thanks Jon.

It has to come out as the mounting is loose on the firewall.

I might just replace it with a 46 2 stroke as I have a few. The Tiggy isn't the nicest of models.

As far as I know the engine was bought new for this model and although it was flown often it has been stored inside, rather than in a shed or garage.

Will probably give it a wipe over with an oily rag and put it in a plastic bag alongside my 75 for later consideration.

The bearings seem to be quite free and the goo is very sticky, rather than baked on.

Unless someone desperately is in need of it (it really does need to go in a WWI biplane, or similar).

 

 

 

Edited by kevin b
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IMO its not the castor that's the issue, more the trapped nitro and moisture that will be the problem.

 

I obtained a FOC (no one else wanted it!) Laser 62/65 ish size with a spare bent crank in the box and followed Jon's advice at the time. Quick clean of the carb, pop it on the test bench and give it a run. As no spares are available if I break anything I am are stuffed so just treat every flight is a bonus.

 

In the true style of Laser reliability and quality manufacturing it has performed many enjoyable flights pulling a Nova 40 trainer around the sky and sounding lovely. When training its great at lower throttle and then if I want to give it a good thrashing it does everything I can throw at it. 

 

You could strip the front off and change the crank bearing, but if there is no play and its not in you 1000 hours concourse model I would not bother.

 

PS - Mine took about 10 flights to reduce the smell of castor (it runs on standard Laser synthetic fuel) and occasionally produces an odd puff of castor smell, but is very reliable. It will be heading into a Tiger Moth at some point.

 

 

 

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If its free to turn then i would probably whip the front off and see if the bearings are turning or if they are locked up and the crank is spinning in the bearing. If the bearings are free then i would just fire it up and give it some. Use 15% oil on these older engines as they were not built with the same materials as the current ones. You can ditch the castor though. I suspect there is enough inside it to last it a month of running on pure methanol! 

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27 minutes ago, Jon - Laser Engines said:

yep, in the same way that kevins 61 is .61 cui. All glow engines are measured in cui so a 90 is .9, 120 is 1.2 etc

Of course you always get the exception. In this case Webra, who marked the side of their engines in cc.

The reason for cui was down to the Americans, who along with the Japanese produced most of the glow engines and still don't like using metric. :classic_wacko:

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23 hours ago, Chris Walby said:

IMO its not the castor that's the issue

 

PS - Mine took about 10 flights to reduce the smell of castor (it runs on standard Laser synthetic fuel) and occasionally produces an odd puff of castor smell, but is very reliable. It will be heading into a Tiger Moth at some point.

 

 

 

I can pass you some castor oil if you are missing that great smell,,,

 

 

 Ok just being my silly obnoxious self,,,,?

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2 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

I can pass you some castor oil if you are missing that great smell,,,

 Ok just being my silly obnoxious self,,,,?

 

Thanks for the offer, but following the end of my motorcycle racing days I seem to have found myself with a spate 5 gallons of Castrol R40 as the engines ran a total loss system. I was thinking of mixing a bit in for the smell, but if I dumped a model just for that it would not be worth it.

 

They run really clean and its only when I roll that I get a little puff of exhaust smoke which is a nice reminder that they are both running!

 

Not sure about the feasibility of injecting the castor post exhaust valve to produce the smell/smoke, but then I would end up caking up exhausts so is it worth it when they sound as good as this (Laser 100's) ?

 

 

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  If you want a reminder of those racing days do as I have done and put a drop in the lawnmower ? .   Lovely sound with the Tigercat almost as good as the full size I saw doing its stuff years ago. Cheers, John.

Edited by J D 8
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37 minutes ago, Chris Walby said:

 

Thanks for the offer, but following the end of my motorcycle racing days I seem to have found myself with a spate 5 gallons of Castrol R40 as the engines ran a total loss system. I was thinking of mixing a bit in for the smell, but if I dumped a model just for that it would not be worth it.

 

They run really clean and its only when I roll that I get a little puff of exhaust smoke which is a nice reminder that they are both running!

 

Not sure about the feasibility of injecting the castor post exhaust valve to produce the smell/smoke, but then I would end up caking up exhausts so is it worth it when they sound as good as this (Laser 100's) ?

 

 

Lovely sound and great looking plane flown expertly by the pilot.  

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  • 2 weeks later...
2 hours ago, Manish Chandrayan said:

Hello Jon, have sent you a message regarding identity of a Laser twin that has been offered for sale to me. Request if you could take a look at the message please? 

Thank you?

 

I will keep an eye out for it ?

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