Running a Wen Mac Throttled .049

Bob, your engine run shows the Wen-Mac throttled to be a nice engine. (Repeat of your earlier March 14 run, but with a different engine?
https://www.coxengineforum.com/t16127-hot-off-the-mail-truck-running-a-throttled-wen-mac-vii#208983 )

It would make a nice R/C engine for a sport plane. I guess the only downside is the rarity in getting glow heads. Using a glow head plug adapter would bring its power back down to the earlier 1950's engines. (Unless one used it to power a .020 or smaller, light .049 plane - DMECO Kitten.)

Ha on me George, I forgot about that one.  Different engine, I put that one on a W/M Peashooter.  I have about a half dozen of the throttled W/M's.  

Just got the one that spent 10 days in Baltimore a couple of days ago.  Sent from Knoxville Tn, about a six hour drive away.  USPS took 13 days to get it here.  It's shown in the last picture above, next one to run.  

Came with a 4.5/5 W/M prop.  Another different one.  But no throttle return spring.









Totally locked up engine.  Berryman's/soapy/clean water dip.  Heat, would not loosen.  Starter not the engine.  Usually I can free it by rocking back and forth.  Not so this time, after about 15 minutes I gave up and got out the pliers.  Big no-no for me but..........securely clamped on the outer ring, twisted counter-clockwise it popped free, and no tool marks.  Fine now.

GallopingGhostler wrote: I guess the only downside is the rarity in getting glow heads. Using a glow head plug adapter would bring its power back down to the earlier 1950's engines. (Unless one used it to power a .020 or smaller, light .049 plane - DMECO Kitten.)

I checked both of these glow heads with an ohm meter before trying to run them, not conclusive but an indicator. Both checked open. A little burnishing with steel wool and they were like new again. Oxidation is hard on these Wen's. I wonder how many were tossed because they were thought to be bad.

rsv1cox wrote:I checked both of these glow heads with an ohm meter before trying to run them, not conclusive but an indicator.  Both checked open.  A little burnishing with steel wool and they were like new again.  Oxidation is hard on these Wen's.  I wonder how many were tossed because they were thought to be bad.

Bob, in electrical terms, open usually implies that there is no continuity, i.e., open circuit. I think you meant the elements were good, but the cosmetics were bad. Am I correct?

I was referring to continued use, the element finally breaks down. I saw this many times with the Cox engines. New, they glowed a bright orange. When they were near the end of their useful life, they looked eroded and ash-like. What I was referring to, is once the glow heads are gone, do we have a source to get new?

I have purchased a glow head adapter to use glow plugs, but albeit just like the Cox, with less compression, they lose a bit of top end, best for sport engine use on aircraft not demanding full engine performance, or, at their full performance is optimal for that particular aircraft.

Yes, open, no continunity/conductivity but the element was good, just oxidation on the pin preventing electrical flow.  I just cleaned it off, problem solved.  Sort of like burnishing the contact points on your old Ford.  

Wen Mac's seem to be prone to this, not my first time.  A close look at the last picture above shows the build-up. Cox glow heads don't present the same problem.

GallopingGhostler wrote:

rsv1cox wrote:I checked both of these glow heads with an ohm meter before trying to run them, not conclusive but an indicator.  Both checked open.  A little burnishing with steel wool and they were like new again.  Oxidation is hard on these Wen's.  I wonder how many were tossed because they were thought to be bad.

When they were near the end of their useful life, they looked eroded and ash-likfind and buye. What I was referring to, is once the glow heads are gone, do we have a source to get new?

I have purchased a glow head adapter to use glow plugs, but albeit just like the Cox, with less compression, they lose a bit of top end, best for sport engine use on aircraft not demanding full engine performance, or, at their full performance is optimal for that particular aircraft.

I've tried the "Kamtechnik"glo head adaptor for use with "turbo plugs", They work great and gave me about 200 more RPM compared to the standard 7810 testors head. The OEM testors heads are getting difficult to find and buy.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/165357735595 or direct from Greg: https://kamtechnik.com/product-category/testors-mccoy/
The big benefit is you can select the turbo plug that best suits your needs..hot to cold.

Thanks Rene, you just cost me $16.43, shipping plus the Governor. I have been meaning to get one for a long time. Just needed a little push.

Bob

Thanks for clarifying, Bob, and thanks Rene for the Kamtech option. Glad to see we have excellent cottage industry support for these little jewels.

Bob, you teach me a few new things about these engines and models every day. I guess that whereas Cox used a plated center electric pin for glow continuity, the Testor appears it may be plain steel or other metal subject to age corrosion. (Sort of like us when we age, lose that bright "orange" glow. ) My Cox engines have been the go-to engines for all my half-A needs. It was only within this most recent decade that I've even played around and purchased Wen-Mac, although did have a Red Head with tank and 8000 that I bought a while back, but more for eye candy to free up the Cox's for use.

rsv1cox wrote:Thanks Rene, you just cost me $16.43, shipping plus the Governor.  I have been meaning to get one for a long time.  Just needed a little push.  

Bob

you'll need one of these to:
Nudge, nudge, push, push.....https://www.ebay.com/itm/393311294105  
or maybe    https://www.ebay.com/itm/122143766652  

Whatever spins your prop!!

Got me again. I'm going broke on the Marleysky plan.

Marleysky wrote:
you'll need one of these to:
Nudge, nudge, push, push.....https://www.ebay.com/itm/393311294105  
or maybe    https://www.ebay.com/itm/122143766652  

Quit!! I'm going broke saving money!