CRRC Pro GF26I

[TrikeFlyer]

My GF26I arrived today in a brown paper box. Upon opening the box found a white box inside containing the GF26I engine, muffler, ignition module,spark plug, spark plug wrench, hex wrench, and blue anodized stand offs complete with allen bolts and blind nuts., all inside a form fitting styrofoam packing .

This is excellent packaging folks as I have friends who ordered engines from offshore and received them in the regular engine box with engine wrapped in bubble wrap and the other parts thrown in with some peanut like foan pieces. End result was dented mufflers and bent exhaust tubes.

So CHEERS for the packaging.

Next I removed everything from the styrofoam inner packing. First thing I noticed was faint smell of gasoline. Looked at plug and it had been run (brown) looked at the piston dome same thing. Also marks on the mounting ears. So I know the factory ran this engine B4 shipping. This hopefully means the needles are adjusted close to normal running setting.

The fit and finish look very nice. The crank case is low volume type made from castings with a satin bead blasted type finish. The head/cylinder is neatly powder coated in bright red. The ignition sensor is mounted to the front of he crank case snout with 2 machine screws allowing some timing adjustment. The muffler is the side dump stlye bead blasted aluminum with shiny satin finish and is internally supported to prevent crushing and has two hardened allen bolts and gasket. The ignition module has a couple nice features with mounting tabs with holes and clips on the side to adjust the length of the HT lead and battery and sensonr leads. These also double as strain reliefs. The aluminum stand off are a nice blue anodized finish complete with hardened allen bolts and mating blind nuts. Also included was a hex wrench to fit the allen bolts and a sparkplug wrench. NO WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS OF ANY KIND could be found in the box.

So CHEERS for the appearance, fit and general quality. and JEERS for the missing or lacking instructions.

Tested the ignition module with a 600 Ma flight Futaba flight pack and a 2100Ma ignition pack. Both operated the ignition with a fat blue spark. Upon plugging and unplugging the battery pack the heat shrink slid back ffrom the connector on the ignition module and found the battery lead is shielded ( one inner conductor ans outer braid). So I slid back the sensor lead heat shrink and found it was also shilelded (2 inner conductors and outer braid. This shielded cable has a very slippery outer cover possibly Teflon??

So CHEERS for the ignition module making HOT Spark and shielded leads,
and JEERS for the heat shrink sliding off the connectos (will fix with a couple tiny nylon tie wraps to keep heat shrink from sliding)

Next step is to mount this cute puppy and fire it up. see picturs of the above posted below

[TrikeFlyer]

There is some discussion whether the ignition module is a rebranded Rcexl or something else.

In the previous post I showed a picture of the CRRC module and the Rcexl side by side. . You can see they are they are physically different. The plug caps are made from different materials, the inner insulator is made from different materials and the battery and sensor leads on the CRRC module is made from shielded cable .

The CRRC module has wire clips molded onto the sides to adjust the length of cable by clipping to the side of the module.

Both modules have a chrome like finish. Both module produce a nice fat blue spark.

[hardtop351]

just an update guys as to what im doing.....i have now got 2 props to try...an APC 16x8 and a Master Airscrew 16x8

will mount the engine over the weekend in my old test rig as i STILL haven't finished my new one!!

photos coming soon

cheers
craig

[hardtop351]

something i've just discovered with this engine. i put the spark plug in the hole and tightened it up. as i turned the engine over by hand i noticed a noise. it appears to be a leaking front shaft seal in the crankcase housing. this also happened in my big 45 cc engine. i replaced the seal and cured the problem.

just wanting the rest of you to know about the problem as well as the factory.

cheers
craig

[hardtop351]

lol.....and no i havent replaced the seal in this new 26 cc engine....only my 45 cc engine.

cheers
craig

[bosshoss]

I have my engine mounted, I was not going to try an APC or MAsterAirscrew.

For different reasons. First, the APC is heavy and the MA is ineffecient and prop hub breakage is well known.

I am ordering Xoars, I will test fire but not fly with the APC.

I have a series of pics and a drill diagram, for mounting the engine, that I made.

I reinforced my firewall and retro-fitted from a YS1.10 . Yes, this is going in my Extreme Flight Yak-54 68". I decided it was the best test for it, the plane is built, and there are many copies of this great plane out there now...CG,NP,Seagull, QQ, etc..... I do want to use a tuned pipe eventually , to really wake it up, but the first gallon or so will be on the stock muffler.

My motor seal seems fine, but, alas, I am nearly deaf from playing guitar in a rock and roll band for many years, and cannot hear little noises...........

[mattbogy]

Haven't received the motor yet so here are some pictures of the test plane with the not so hot 26cc engine.

[TrikeFlyer]

Finally finished my Test Stand so I can run the engine and get everything adjusted. AT 63, kneeling down and flipp'n engines gets old real quick. My test stand puts the engine at waist high with work space on each side for tools etc.

The plug that came with my engine sparks OK, but looks a little black so bought some new NGK plugs so can read the mixture. NAPA Auto Parts sells an NGK CMR7H wich is an exact cross. Their P/N is 3066 and it has the fixed plug terminal instead of the screw on one the Torch plug has.

Trike

[TrikeFlyer]

Forgot to mention that the mounting bolts supplied are Chinese grade 8.8 which is equal to US grade 5 so they are plenty strong. The bolts, nice blue anodized spacers and the matching blind nuts supplied with the engine makes it very easy to bolt up to your fire wall. The hex "T" wrench also supplied is long enough that it puts the handle out past anything on the engine so you can tighten the bolts with complete revolution of the wrench.

Trike

[hardtop351]

speaking of spark plugs......

mine has failed. the ceramic insulator has come away from the metal body of the plug. you can turn the ceramic quite freely inside the body. i have ordered some NGK plugs so i can try to start this engine.

the crankshaft has also gone tight so something isnt right there either. im thinking of disassembling this engine to find the source of the "tightness" a tight engine is a sign of something wrong.

more to follow soon......

cheers
craig

[TrikeFlyer]

Hey Hardtop351 the "tightness" you are seeing is the gas and rings striping the oil off the cylinder wall. Craig and I both experienced the same thing at first. That is why weed eater engines have rounded rings in them so they are easy to turn over and start.

This engine has square rings like Frank sells. If you squirt some after run oil in the exhaust port or down the plug hole you will see it frees right up and flips over normally.

I had a big concern about this late last week, called Jim and he said it was gas washing the cylinder dry as it is a new engine and hasn't got hot from running so the oil can plate the cylinder wall. Sounded strange to me, but I can assure you after running the engine it will go away.

I replaced my spark plug right off with an NGK CMR7H NAPA stock number 3066. I has the fixed plug wire tip unlike the screw on tip the Torch has.

If suggest you give Jim and Western Hobbies a call and he will explain what is going on with the engine to you. I heard his run over the phone. These little engines run like a wiss watch. I will have a full report on how mine runs, what prop and RPMs in a few days.

Regards - Trike

[bosshoss]

HI,

I have been busy, but, I have been installing the GF26i in my 68" Extreme Flight Yak-54 over the last few days. I am close to completion.

Forecast for 50 degree or more on Sunday here in Chicago!! THe field will be a wet nasty sloppy mess, but I hear more than a few people are jone'sing to fly.


So, this thing should go if I can get her to run, I am not doing the bench test at first. Everything looks good, sparks good, I am changing the plug to an NGK.

AND...I am running a ground wire from the case of the ignition to the crankcase.

I have a remote kill and a switch on the plane, with 1100mah mini-nimh;s at 3oz.

The only prop I could get that was close to what I want at the LHS was a Master Airscrew wood Scimitar 16 x 8 . I am not expecting thrilling performance from that prop.

I needed to add 1/2 inch spacers on the mounting studs to get the correct cowl to prop distance.

I plan on flying a few planes Sunday, hopefully this will be one of them.

I have been taking lots of pics and will post them in a complete set after it is ready to "turn the key" .



10oz tank gas conversion. saves weight on the 16oz from the YS1.10 it is replacing.

[TrikeFlyer]

Bosshoss that sounds good. Give us details of your "first flight". My Laser 200 will be ready week from this Sunday for maiden flight.

I have over 2 hours on engine with Hawk 16X8 prop ( Looks like a XOAR with another name) runs like a Swiss watch. If first run of day, Choke venturi with thumb (EI off ) flip 10 times, turn on EI will start 2nd or 3rd flip. If already
run choke and flip 3 or 4 times (EI off) , turn on EI and will almost always start FIRST flip!

I will post some RPM numbers next week when my XOAR props get here. Will do comparison to 16X8 Pro Zinger for kicks and maybe an MS 16X8 also.

Trike

[bosshoss]

Sunday maiden here, too. I am not going to expect great performance with this Master Airscrew woodie scimitar. I am looking forward to firing the little engine up, hopefully it will be flying by the late afternoon Sunday after a tank or two on the ground.

[hardtop351]

not happy jan!!!!!

i got my new spark plugs this arvo and went home to hopefully start this engine. after 2.5 hours of trying to start it and swapping carbs to eliminate problems it STILL wouldnt start!!!. yes there was PLENTY of spark....yes there was fuel getting into the engine....removal of the plug confirmed this. however...it still wont start. it would run on any prime i sucked into the engine but it just wont keep running.

and i now know why....
the front shaft seal is not sealing at all. i applied soapy water to check for leaks and found the seal happily bubbling away. and due to this the engine doesnt create enough vaccum to draw fuel fron the carb and into the engine. the screwdriver is pointing to the gaps between the seal and housing. i have since removed this seal from the engine and as you can see the outside sealing surface is severly damaged. the seal was gently removed and no further damage was caused in its removal from the housing.

i will be trying to get a new seal tomorrow and fit it....everything else is unchanged

cheers
craig