I hate it! here's my story. i put it in my trainer about 6 months ago. It took about 4 days(2-4hrs per day of flipping and fine tuning) to get the thing to start and run properly. After a radio failure I put it in my twist, going from 10% to 15% nitro content it took another 4 days to get this thing to start. I just put an evolution .60 in the twist which started on the first flick btw. And put the OS in my new greatplanes extra 300. I spent last weekend, and now all of this weekend to get this thing started. After about 50 flicks of the prop it'll turn over and run for about 10 seconds then die. Thats the most I can get it to run. All variables have been checked. Fresh fuel, plug, igniter, fuel line, pressure tested the tank blah blah blah. I just hate this piece of er ing t engine. Does anyone else have that trouble with the .46 la?

I'm investing in a Saito tomorrow, and never buying another OS again, never recommending them to anyone. I know that its probably just a bum engine that I have but still....This engine does run strong when it actually works though. !

I'll give You $10.00 for it...........LOL!
Jeff

Put some orange RTV on the plastic back plate that covers the rear crank case. You must have an air leak somewhere. Check to see if the O-ring is on the carb body. Some orange RTV there wouldn't hurt either.

Jason

The 40LA and 46LA are not the easiest engines to flip start. I recommend that you invest in an electric starter. No matter what brand of engine you have, it will be easier and safer if you use an electric starter.

Originally Posted by So*Cal AFDude

I hate it! here's my story. i put it in my trainer about 6 months ago. It took about 4 days(2-4hrs per day of flipping and fine tuning) to get the thing to start and run properly. After a radio failure I put it in my twist, going from 10% to 15% nitro content it took another 4 days to get this thing to start. I just put an evolution .60 in the twist which started on the first flick btw. And put the OS in my new greatplanes extra 300. I spent last weekend, and now all of this weekend to get this thing started. After about 50 flicks of the prop it'll turn over and run for about 10 seconds then die. Thats the most I can get it to run. All variables have been checked. Fresh fuel, plug, igniter, fuel line, pressure tested the tank blah blah blah. I just hate this piece of er ing t engine. Does anyone else have that trouble with the .46 la?

I'm investing in a Saito tomorrow, and never buying another OS again, never recommending them to anyone. I know that its probably just a bum engine that I have but still....This engine does run strong when it actually works though. !

I have come to the same conclusion years ago but for different reasons. I agree that an electric starter would make life much easier. Now as for safety I will say that the only time I have seen a severed finger was when the starter hopped of the spinner allowing the prop to come around a sever the finger between the starter and prop. The mass of the starter acted like an anvil. While finger starting can be a bit bloody it done improperly I still think it is safer than a starter. Now to be honest I use a starter at the field as most of my students ship are not well tuned or broken in, and are OS equipped (against my recommendation I might add). May the gods have mercy on you if you ask for help from "Great Pains" customer support!

Friends don't let friends fly nickel,
Konrad

Originally Posted by Konrad

. . .
May the gods have mercy on you if you ask for help from "Great Pains" customer support!

Friends don't let friends fly nickel,
Konrad

I've got mercy as I always received excellent service from GP/Hobbico customer support.

Friends don't let friends bash their hobby suppliers,
Ivan

Unless justified!
15 years dealing with Great Pains and the best I can say it that the customer support was spotty. Other than the OS issue I will say they did refund the sale price.

But if you needed any technical support it was often in error. And if you wanted some performance spec like for a radio forget it. Now if you went directly to the OEM you got accurate information. I'm thinking of Futaba before they went to bed with Great Pains and I went to Multiplex!

All the best,
Konrad

P.S.
I haven't dealt with them in 10 to 15 years. Now I may be a slow learner but once I learn something it tends to stick! Avoid dealing with Great Pains like the plague!

Is this the same fine engine you have been dealing with?
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1225526

Guys, I'm just trying to offer moral support to the OP.

My condolences,
Konrad

P.S.
You are now a wiser man!

I'll give you $15 for it. I have one and it's one of the best engines I own. You are doing something wrong. There's only three reasons a glow engine won't start. Bad fuel (no fuel), bad plug, or it's broken.

What I find amazing is the number of companies that actually PAY/SPONSOR RC Groups to advertise their products only to have "Konrad" queer any sales that they might be hoping to receive.

Ohio Model Planes O.S. Engines
Esprit Model O.S. Engines
Century RC O.S. Engines
Abell Hobby O.S. Engines
I just checked a few on the RCG Sponsor list, who knows how many more there are.

Then there are the poor suckers that sell "Nickel" engines that support RC Groups like Thundertiger4U because we all know...

"Friends don't let friends fly nickel!!!

What a bunch of poor suckers they are. They should have just reached in their wallets and set fire to the hundreds of dollars that they have spent on
"AD COPY"

I'm so happy the KONRAD!!! has shown us all the light and has pointed out that all the products that they pay RC Groups to advertise are JUNK!!!

Now where is that Rossi Sponsor advertisement?...

OH, and don't forget to read Konrads Blog!!!!!

Originally Posted by Broken Wings

What I find amazing is the number of companies that actually PAY/SPONSOR RC Groups to advertise their products only to have "Konrad" queer any sales that they might be hoping to receive.

Ohio Model Planes O.S. Engines
Esprit Model O.S. Engines
Century RC O.S. Engines
Abell Hobby O.S. Engines
I just checked a few on the RCG Sponsor list, who knows how many more there are.

Then there are the poor suckers that sell "Nickel" engines that support RC Groups like Thundertiger4U because we all know...

"Friends don't let friends fly nickel!!!

What a bunch of poor suckers they are. They should have just reached in their wallets and set fire to the hundreds of dollars that they have spent on
"AD COPY"

I'm so happy the KONRAD!!! has shown us all the light and has pointed out that all the products that they pay RC Groups to advertise are JUNK!!!

Now where is that Rossi Sponsor advertisement?...

OH, and don't forget to read Konrads Blog!!!!!

Thanks for directing folks to my blog.

Friends don't let friends fly nickel,
Konrad

No Problem.........

A $30 eletric starter and battery is the best thing I ever brought. It saves plenty of frustration for that new engine or poorly tuned one. So far I have used it Super Tigres, OS, Saito nitro and gas, ASP 120 size 4 stroke, RCGF 26cc etc. It makes is much easy for tuning as you can test all sorts of hard starting configurations.

There's no doubt that a well tuned engine will start with just a few flicks, but it is worth it to avoid an hour of so of frustration on a hard to start engine or even when you haven't used an engine for a while and have forgotten the starting procedure. Few engines can resist a sustained whirl. If they can, it's either no fuel or faulty glow/spark plug

If an engine has the right mixture of fuel and air, good compression and an ignition source, it WILL run. If any of the above are missing it WILL NOT run. This is assuming the engine were designed properly and there is no mechanical defect. Countless LA series of engines have been produced and run successfully so the design must be within reason. If there is a mechanical defect, flipping forever will not start it. That being said the two LA series engines that I have had the pleasure to own have both been 2 flip starters once the engines were broken in and adjusted properly. Proper priming before connecting the glow battery is the key to easy starts..