Robert Welford Posted September 4, 2024 Share Posted September 4, 2024 I have run Laser engines and YS engines for years using OS Type F glow plugs and find the plugs last for ever. However, I've been running a new YS 63S and it's been blowing Type F plugs on a regular basis. I thought it might be related to starting the engine inverted so I inverted the model for starting so the engine was upright. It appears to have made no difference. The engine is running perfectly with normal revs/power/throttle response. I don't believe it's running lean. I'm out of ideas, so wondered whether any of you might be able to help. Regards, Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Stephenson Posted September 4, 2024 Share Posted September 4, 2024 There are bogus OS glow plugs out there but I haven't come across F plugs being copied. If indeed you have fake plugs they will probably be laser etched with the type rather than stamped like the genuine article. Alternatively, it could be there is some manufacturing debris remaining in the engine which is destroying plugs. This is not an unknown phenomenon in a new engine. It may be worth stripping it down to investigate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted September 5, 2024 Share Posted September 5, 2024 Yes maybe counterfeit plugs, but I think that it's a question of quality, like you mine used to last more than 5 years, but last year I changed at least 3 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 - Moderator Posted September 5, 2024 Share Posted September 5, 2024 As it keeps blowing plugs it could be there is micro debris left in the engine either from when it was made or from the first plug that blew. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted September 5, 2024 Share Posted September 5, 2024 JD8 make a very valid point. Either wash out the combustion chambre or take cylinder off and check and clean. If its debris then the glowplug coil will be damaged / distorted or missing. Always worth checking after / if a GP blows . If coil is not present strip and clean engine before debris can damage head or cylinder walls. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted September 5, 2024 Share Posted September 5, 2024 I give it a spin with the starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted September 5, 2024 Share Posted September 5, 2024 With the crazy cost of OS F plugs these days, having an engine that regularly blows them will have you in the poor house before you know it. They are extremely robust plugs and I've never had one blow except for when I've put 12V across one years ago when I got my power panel leads mixed up. As has been mentioned there are fakes for sale so avoid unknown Ebay sellers etc unless they are the Ebay outlets of recognised model shops. My venerable old Goldberg Chippy suffered a dead stick completely out of the blue a few weeks ago and given that model's complete reliability for very many years I thought that the ancient F plug in it must surely have finally given in - it hadn't when I checked things over. Tank and plumbing all removed and checked - tubing all changed as a matter of course - carb cleaned through - fuel checked for contamination - engine mechanicals checked and brand new F plug.....£12.99!! fitted. No obvious cause of the engine stoppage so I'll have to keep an eye on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Stephenson Posted September 6, 2024 Share Posted September 6, 2024 (edited) At the current exchange rate OS F plugs are £5.78 from RC Japan. As we have a free trade relationship with them, all you pay on top if you order from them is shipping which works out to not a lot if you buy a few at a time. https://www.rcjapan.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=80_115&zenid=09o04gm5flurpb37le76e19jn4 I should also add, if you are concerned they aren't kosher, you can buy a certificate of origin for around another fiver. Edited September 6, 2024 by Andy Stephenson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 - Moderator Posted September 6, 2024 Share Posted September 6, 2024 I have purchased Enya spares from RC Japan no issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RottenRow Posted September 6, 2024 Share Posted September 6, 2024 Do RC Japan pay the VAT on items that they send to the UK then? Or did you have to pay the VAT to the courier before the items were delivered? Just curious. Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted September 6, 2024 Share Posted September 6, 2024 I bought 10 in March and didn't have to pay anything on top! Maybe I was lucky? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Stephenson Posted September 6, 2024 Share Posted September 6, 2024 Only shipping as I said earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Welford Posted September 6, 2024 Author Share Posted September 6, 2024 Yes I also bought OS parts including Type F glow plugs from RC Japan a few months ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Welford Posted September 6, 2024 Author Share Posted September 6, 2024 Thank you for the advice about the YS 63S plug issue. I will inspect for debris inside engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted September 7, 2024 Share Posted September 7, 2024 Are they actually a Japanese based company? Why would they give language options as English and Traditional/Simplified Chinese? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hearnden 1 Posted September 7, 2024 Share Posted September 7, 2024 I used RC Japan for some YS & Saito spares a while ago. They were excellent, good comms & once in stock (the Saito bits weren't) they shipped quickly, no VAT or anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Lew Posted September 7, 2024 Share Posted September 7, 2024 I have also ordered from RC Japan for some YS and OS 8 and F plugs. I compared the OS 8 plugs to the information on the OS site about counterfeits and found they were the genuine items. Very good shipping times to Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted September 9, 2024 Share Posted September 9, 2024 Followed the above link and now have an a/c set up with RC Japan. Managed to order a couple of YS throttle arms and a check valve which I was unable to obtain elsewhere, plus 3x OSF plugs. Total cost inc. shipping £34.46. Thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted September 9, 2024 Share Posted September 9, 2024 Another happy customer of RC Japan here. Bought some OS spare carb parts a while back. On 07/09/2024 at 12:00, Cuban8 said: Are they actually a Japanese based company? Why would they give language options as English and Traditional/Simplified Chinese? Yes, definitely Japan based! Speculation... If you're inside Japan you probably get a website in Japanese... If you're outside you get English or Chinese options...? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 - Moderator Posted September 9, 2024 Share Posted September 9, 2024 On 06/09/2024 at 21:28, Robert Welford said: Thank you for the advice about the YS 63S plug issue. I will inspect for debris inside engine. Be aware that the particles in the engine are likely very small and not visible to the naked eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan M Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 On 06/09/2024 at 21:28, Robert Welford said: Thank you for the advice about the YS 63S plug issue. I will inspect for debris inside engine. Did you ever resolve this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Welford Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 I flushed out the cylinder thoroughly and turned over engine without the plug in place to extricate any debris if present. So far so good, but the weather has been against flying, so testing has been limited. Thank you Jonathan for asking 🙂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 On my last flight at the 1977 F3A W/C the motor went very quiet just after take off. On inspection the plug element was completely missing. The OPS rear bearing picked that time for its cage to start to break up. Well worth the effort to strip down your motor and consider fitting new bearings, even if they look fine. I used to replace the bearings on HP/Webra/OPS every six weeks of intensive practice. (Four flights a day, four days a week) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 1 hour ago, Martin McIntosh said: Well worth the effort to strip down your motor and consider fitting new bearings, even if they look fine. I used to replace the bearings on HP/Webra/OPS every six weeks of intensive practice. (Four flights a day, four days a week) Gosh - they must have been pretty poor quality to needed replacing every 100 flights or so.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 No they were not, but saved doing expensive damage to the motors which were tuned to perform way over the revs which the manufacturers intended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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