Martin McIntosh Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 Anyone tried plugs other than OSF, such as Model Technics, on Laser engines? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 Enya in laser 150, goes fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted July 6, 2023 Author Share Posted July 6, 2023 Enya what. 8`s maybe ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 the MT 4 stroke plug really dose not work in lasers. Customers tell me the saito plug works ok but i havent tested it. Until they discontinue them i would just use the F and forget about alternatives 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 (edited) I have an old Saito .45s with it"s original saito four stroke plug, still gong strong. But only use OS ' F' plugs when they burn out. Edited July 6, 2023 by Paul De Tourtoulon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solly Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 Weston UK do a range of 4 stroke plugs, I’ve used them for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted July 7, 2023 Author Share Posted July 7, 2023 I meant Enya 3 of course, not 8. Confusing them with the similar OS 8. The reason I ask about alternatives is because although my inverted Lasers run fine, they are a devil to start at first. This was due to the plugs not fully heating to burn off the oil so I used up my last three OS f`s which cured the problem. £14.99 a pop is now getting ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 Hi Martin, It was Enya 3 I should have said. My Enya 90's both run on Enya 4c plugs but these are getting hard to find. John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 3 hours ago, Martin McIntosh said: they are a devil to start at first Not sure why that should be. i never have any trouble with mine and am still using F plugs that as as much as 9 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 My Laser .90 won't run on an Enya 3 ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted July 7, 2023 Author Share Posted July 7, 2023 My home spun plug voltage regulators run at either 1.25 or 1.4V, switchable, so on 1.4V the plugs should have been brighter. Past experience taught me that some motors (OS 2 strokes) get through plugs like a house on fire when inverted. May change the higher setting to 1.5V and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Walby Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 11 hours ago, Martin McIntosh said: I meant Enya 3 of course, not 8. Confusing them with the similar OS 8. The reason I ask about alternatives is because although my inverted Lasers run fine, they are a devil to start at first. This was due to the plugs not fully heating to burn off the oil so I used up my last three OS f`s which cured the problem. £14.99 a pop is now getting ridiculous. I thought the advice for Laser engines was to get it really nice and hot. Pinch the fuel line and drain tank, the attempt to start until it no longer will run and job done. Not quite sure where the oil is coming from to wet the plug. Only problem I have is priming engines I can't get to the carb, then it takes a few more spins to pull the fuel through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 15 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said: My Laser .90 won't run on an Enya 3 ! Which is why i dont recommend them 10 hours ago, Martin McIntosh said: My home spun plug voltage regulators run at either 1.25 or 1.4V, I only use they standard 1.2v battery on a stick glow drivers or a 2.4v pack for plugs wired in series. If you are struggling for glow you might not have sufficient current available rathe than insufficient volts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 34 minutes ago, Jon - Laser Engines said: I only use they standard 1.2v battery on a stick glow drivers or a 2.4v pack for plugs wired in series. If you are struggling for glow you might not have sufficient current available rathe than insufficient volts Yep, my inverted 200V starts off a 2v cyclone cell driving the plugs in series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 (edited) 20 hours ago, Jon - Laser Engines said: Not sure why that should be. i never have any trouble with mine and am still using F plugs that as as much as 9 years old. They do have an amazing life span - I must have several that are still giving perfect service going back over a decade , so I can well believe your experience, Jon. As galling as it is to be charged the crazy price that's being asked now, as far as I know, there is no alternative plug that works as well in fourstroke glow engines. As has been mentioned, other brands of fourstroke plugs from the likes of Saito and Enya are no longer available......didn't Taylor do a fourstroke plug as well? Presumably OS in Japan are still the manufacturer, so if they decide to stop what must now be a fairly small production for whatever reason, we're going to be stuffed. Edited July 8, 2023 by Cuban8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 13 hours ago, Martin McIntosh said: My home spun plug voltage regulators run at either 1.25 or 1.4V, switchable, so on 1.4V the plugs should have been brighter. Past experience taught me that some motors (OS 2 strokes) get through plugs like a house on fire when inverted. May change the higher setting to 1.5V and see what happens. If a engine conyinually nlows plugs and your not using too high a voltage then it just possible that some dirt has entered the engine or some mechanical failure is occuring . Remove heads of affected engine and see if its peppered with small marks. Often if a plug fails its coil can drop into the cylinder and is bounced around causing damage. Putting in a new plug and restarting simply repeats the process. If a dud plug still has its coil intact then its usually fine to simply replace . If coil is visibly damaged or missing then engine needs a strip , clean and an inspe tion. It not unheard of for fragments of bearing , cylinder lining or other components to cause these problems . A two stroke plug should ladt for ages if the engine is in good nick, the plug is the correct grade and plug is not overheated when starting. A dull orange is fine. No need for plug to glow like an old fashioned electric fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 I never run a glow plug with its current on over 1/3 throttle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 I just found this Gem, is it ok to post here or should it also be on the Laser forum ?. Laser operating instructions - 2010.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 I think that I was getting Taylor Glowplugs and Model Technics mixed up. MT did their Supercat 4Stroke plug but I understand they're no longer made because of the recent demise of Model Technics. Certainly a gap in the market now but with glow engines becoming more and more of a niche product in our hobby, I don't suppose there's much incentive to do the development and tool up to put a new product into production - even to a world wide market. I doubt if the new suppliers of Model Technics fuels would be interested and the Chinese have given up on producing fourstroke glows by all accounts. Always used MT two stroke plugs back in the day and found them to be excellent at a reasonable price - never used their Supercat 4S offering as the OS Fs were always available and only slightly dearer. A fiver or so at the time. Not sure how £15 can be justified now - thirteen quid if you shop around, I notice, but we are were we are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 Obviously you had more luck than me with MT plugs, I bought around 50 2 stroke plugs from them when I had my model shop, and they didn't last as long as Rossi plugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 2 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said: I just found this Gem, is it ok to post here or should it also be on the Laser forum ?. Laser operating instructions - 2010.pdf 4.18 MB · 4 downloads Over a decade out of date and no longer relevant as i have changed most of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 No good for pre-2010 engines, then ?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted July 9, 2023 Share Posted July 9, 2023 13 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said: No good for pre-2010 engines, then ?. updated instruction sheets supersede older versions and these should be ignored in favour of the new ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted July 9, 2023 Author Share Posted July 9, 2023 E.Doc, I cannot recollect an OSF blowing, they just lose their brightness due to the material deteriorating. Happens to any plug. YS advised replacement every 20 flights for this reason. I know that we are supposed to store models with the head facing up to prevent fuel (oil) from attacking the plugs but this is rarely practical. The plugs in my case had all seen a lot of use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted July 9, 2023 Share Posted July 9, 2023 2 minutes ago, Martin McIntosh said: YS advised replacement every 20 flights for this reason. Yes, I bet they did/still do..................😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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