BME Service

[SteveC]

Can someone post Keith's phone # ? My ignition has taken a dump & for the last couple of days I have been unable to get the BME engine web page to load.

[Modified]

I think Don's Hobbies is fielding all calls for BME.

Don's Hobbies
1819 S. Broadway
Salinas, KS 67401
Toll Free: (800) 972-6273
Ph (785) 827-3222
Fax (785) 827-0472

[SteveC]

K,,, Thanks, I wondered if it might be something like that. I'll give Don's a call

[bodywerks]

Kieth doesn't service the ignition units. They are a seperate vendor. If you have a C&H ignition, you need to send it to them. If you have a Falkon ignition, I think you need to send it to them. Kieth simply does not answer his phone nowadays. Don at Don's Hobby is very helpful, but he won't be able to repair your ignition. C&H, when I called them 3 weeks ago, were backed up for a month on service turn-arounds, so be prepaired.

[AHP]

I think I'm going to send my new 110 in for service. What's their avg turnaround? Do I just box it up an send it in with a description and contact info?

[bodywerks]

I shipped mine out next-day air on a monday and had it back that friday! Just be sure to provide an email address so he can contact you, as well as a DETAILD description of the problem AS WELL AS what you want him to troubleshoot. That's where I screwed up. I sent him the engine, mufflers, and ignition, but all he used when he ran it was the engine. He replaced a cylinder and said the engine was good, but when I got it back I saw no improvement. So I had to do the rest of the troubleshootig on my own, which took time and money - still working the bugs out.

[AHP]

Long story short, I bought mine used. It had about 10 flights on it and a ring let go. BME rebuilt the engine under warranty. when the prior owner got it back, he sold it. It runs like .. and I have spent countless hours trying to get it to perform with no go. Sending to BME is a last resort, but I may break down and do it. I'm really bummed because it dropped over 2lb's from my 33% Cap and I was hoping get a lot more power. So far it's been 2 weeks of headaches. I may send it in and if it's still no good, I'll get another 3W.

[KrisW]

AHP, what, EXACTLY, is it doing/not doing properly?

[bodywerks]

I had a breakthrough with mine, I think! After getting a gallon through the new cylinder, with the aid of emails from a guy that works with Kieth, I started troubleshooting the tuning/airflow problems. I baffled around the carb a bit to get rid of any airflow fluctuations and to keep the hot air coming off the cyliders away. then leaned the bottm end per my helper's instructions and am now just starting to lean the top end. I found that most of my midrange burbling was the rersult of being way too rich on the top end, not the bottom end. I immediately noticed an improvement in vertical performance and the midrange is starting to clean up a bit. I haven't leaned it out anymore because I am going to a fly-in that's 1800 feet lower than my flying field - should see a bit more power way down there at 5,000 feet!

[AHP]

Mine is running much better now as well so I figured I'd post a follow up. Here's the issues I was having: The engine would not idle reliably no matter the needle setting. It would idle at about 2k RPM and bumping the trim down several clicks was totally ineffective. One click too many and it would drop from about 2k RPM to 500 and usually die shortly thereafter. If I revved the engine and then dropped back to idle, it would be stuck at about 2k RPM's for few seconds and then drop down to 500 and die. It was extremely rich in the mid range and would sag about WOT like it was too lean. Richening the high and low end always resulted in enriching the midrange with little to no change at idle or WOT. In the air, it wouldn't drop below probably 3k - trim was ineffective until I went too far and it would die. The best I could possibly get out of the engine with an NX 27x10 was 5900RPM. The plane had dropped 2lbs but the engine struggled to pull it around. I spend a countless amount of time playing with needle settings to no avail. Also, regardless of the way it ran on the ground, it was worse in the air. This was corrected by lowering the pop off pressure (I don't have a tester so it was trial in error) by shortening the carb diaphragm spring. In addition, I soldered a tube over the diaphragm hole and ran a line back into the fuse. Shortly after getting the engine running better, it started acting up badly, but only intermittantly. Without going into details, I found a bad solder joint on one of pins on the timing sensor connector. Fast forward to now and it's running MUCH better. It's still not perfect, but it's getting there. I'm turning a PT 27x10 at 6700RPM's still rich and on Lawnboy 50:1. The power is now borderline ridiculous on my 23lb Cap (soon to be even lighter thanks to all the carbon goodies). I have about 7 gallons through it and I'm considering switching over to synthetic (mostly because the horrible mess the LB is making). Should I run Amsoil Dominator 50:1 at 50:1 (My 3W loved it) or go ahead and run the Amsoil 100:1 at 80:1 (my DA loved it). I'll probably switch over to a 28x10 after I get some more time on the engine. The plane is a little too fast with the 27x10 and and I'd like slower downlines. The engine is really starting rock now.

[jongurley]

Taking and mixing the amsoil at 80:1 instead of 100:1 will leave a right smart more amount of carbon on the piston,

[Mike East]

I just got mine back from service on Monday. I shipped it on Friday, it got to BME on Wednesday, left BME on the same day and was back on my plane by Monday! Same day turnaround.What more can you ask. Mine had shattered a piston that knocked the jug off. They basically replaced the entire engine by rebuilding the whole thing using only the original crankcase. They even replaced the mounting plate with the new more stout version and all for $525.

I have never had a single bit of problems with this engine other than the catastropic failure as mentioned above. I do have the diaphram vent piped back into the fuselage and this time around I installed ductwork in the cowl to force the air directly over the heat sync on the jugs to cool the engine down a bit.

They are a little difficult to reach but its because they are really trying to focus on building and repair and less talking on the phone from what Dons told me. They are a small business and Keith was spending so much time fielding calls that he could not get the work done. Don's was really helpful in keeping me posted. Also, Keith and Steve did call me directly the day they got the engine and discussed the repair needs with me personally and we came to a decision togehter.