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Cox Babe Bee 049 fuel tank?


Edgeflyer
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Edgeflyer,  If your Babe Bee has been assembled from random Cox parts that someone had laying around, it is possible that they used a Golden Bee or Black Widow backplate, which doesn't have the filling pipe on it.  In this case the filler projected from the top of the tank itself, whilst the vent projected from the bottom, as in this picture.

IMG_4982.thumb.JPG.552ade0d86b50959161c03cf4f0efdab.JPG

You may need to either get a Babe Bee backplate or a Golden Bee/Black Widow tank, carburettor pipe and mounting screws (the latter being longer than yours).  Otherwise, if you're prepared to butcher the engine, then just drill a small hole in the top of the tank to fill it (dismantle the engine first so you can clean away all the swarf).

A Babe Bee back plate should have either a filler pipe to the left of the needle valve or a pipe each side like this:
1972812404_CoxBabeBeerearview.jpg.8803a987571ebd1cbd7421b660260b1e.jpg

Given how many Cox engines were produced, the price they sell for these days is insane.

A look through the various Cox engines for sale here gives some idea how many variants there are, even this small selection shows three different varieties of extended tanks.

Den's Model Supplies on the Isle of Wight is the 'go to' place for Cox spares in the UK these days.

Edited by Robin Colbourne
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Yes, goto dens model supplies....

 

Fuel pick up pipe and spring, for full tank run not control line.

 

Even RC back plates are available, check on Cox engine forum for suitability....

 

Larger Cox tanks available, or, sacrifice the small tank with suitable hole and run fuel pipe to "external tank" of larger capacity.....

 

Cox engine forum.....

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For best performance you will need a fuel with 16% nitromethane . Odd sort of number but makes a world of difference. Dave watts when he owned SMC  fuels made a cox mix . From memory it was castor based . The new owner still makes 15% nitro castor based .

I ran a littl 2 chanel model back in the 1980's with a Cox Black widow. Ran it on my normal fuel 10% and although it ran it wasnt t

As good as i remdbered them as a boy. I tried some SMC cox mix and wow .night and day difference, plus it ran for two or three times as long on same ammount of fuel.

As RC says your engine could be a  bitsa. The mounting plate does look like its plastic from a later model with no filler pipes. Loads about so a new backplate shouldnt be a problem . Two other options is drill two filler holes either side of the NV or dril tank an run pipe to an external tank. Beware, if taking second option dont make tank too big !! As they run for ages on a sniff of fuel.

You can also find backplates / NV assemblies desiigned for using with external tanks as used in the RTF  CL models from years ago. Ill have a look in my box of cox odds and ends later to see if i have any bits.

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Thanks ed ....

 

Nice one....td049 or larger in the viper...?

 

Pm me so we don't get "told off" for poluting/thread drift, or start a new thread even.

 

I am sure others will be interested.

 

Good article on TV this morning about lipo's.....but that's a whole other bag of bitter lemons and we'll worth a new thread all if it's own....lest we forget...

 

Shark face is only one of the RC models a cox 049 with drag around the sky....remember kk nitrex 15 ?

Edited by Rich Griff
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Many had a simple  modification where the short internal pick-up tube was replaced with a length of fuel tube run through a hole drilled on the tank wall to an external tank  This was usually done to give a longer run but sometimes for tree-flight to give a short. controlled run.

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30 minutes ago, Edgeflyer said:

Closer examination shows a single tiny pipe more if a capillary tube! Next to the needle valve. So is that for filling or sucking from a small external tank?

That will be for filling.  These Cox 049 instructions infer that there is a small hole near the needle valve for venting.  I've not studied one of these later ones though.

This backplate on the Cox international site makes it clearer.  The vent hole is right next to the base of the filler tube (see red circle in the picture).  Hover your mouse over the picture so it zooms in and you will see the vent hole at about 10'o clock if you use the base of the filler tube as the centre of the clock.
2084448951_CoxBabeBeetankvent.jpg.f0c34c60cf2031ceaf6ba64d4da9219e.jpg

Edited by Robin Colbourne
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2 minutes ago, Edgeflyer said:

Aha! Thanks for that. I will try filling and starting. I seem to remember something about British 049s like the DC Wasp needed 1.5 volt on the plug but Cox needed 2 volt. (Or t'other way round??)

DC Wasp & Bantam, Testors/McCoy and Cox are all 1.5V.  It is best to use a nicad or Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) cell as anything over 1.5V runs the risk of burning the plug/head out.

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Hi Edgeflyer Just for info . Most Glow plugs have been 1,5 volt over the years . Some  2 volt plugs became available back when 2 V sealed lead acid types became available. Always use a single Nimh or a few in parallel to give 1.2 volts and plugs will last a long time especially the glow heads that cox use as they are harder to come by now and expensive . 

Plug doesnt have to glow bright red like some think . A dull red glow is quite sufficient 

Edited by Engine Doctor
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The USA always used 1.5V plugs, probably because they had decent dry cell batteries to power them. Bare in mind that the USA was the home of glow motors originally.

Not sure where 2V plugs originated. probably Europe where 2V SLA were freely available.  I always used a 2V lead acid with very long, thin leads until I came into the 20th Century & used a glowstick.

2V plugs are like hens teeth these days but I remember were OK with a 1.5V source. In those days lots had power panels with a 12V SLA and a voltage reducer which you adjusted for a dullish red on the plug. 

 

Oh happy days & how time moves on.

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The Keil Kraft ready to fly (ready to crash) control line Hurricane of the 1970s came with a Testors / McCoy .049 with a similar glow head to the Cox.

 

The glow clip that came with the model had a plug on the lead that was ready to use with an Ever Ready AD4 battery (not included, of course, and not cheap then). This was a dry cell 1.5V battery that originated in the days of valved portable radios, where it was used as the LT power source.

 

2046207149_AD4battery.jpg.08ab1dd990dbdbfcf03c1f1a44a16dc7.jpg

 

Brian.

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