kamtechnik turbo head adapter

I have a couple of Kamtechik heads for 020, 049 and 09 COX engines....all work wxcellently, adding serious 1000- s to the rpm achieved with stock heads. Should work for other brands too..just put some oil on the glow plug threads to make sure the mating surfaces will smoothly shape into each other and the seal on the plug tapered tip is perfect.

They are awesome heads! But, sometimes you need to tune with a bit with extra haed gaskets. I at first didnt believe this and didnt get great runs from my engine. Then I took the time to tune them with head gaskets and my TDs and other engines I use them on are amazing performers with these heads. I also found its best to run an engine in / break in with the normal cox plug then swap over to the Kamtechnik heads. For tuning them, I started with 5 head gaskets and just worked down till I got the best running, and one past that, then back up to the best and I had it. As an engines naturally wears through use, which may be fast or slow dependant on how often you uses the engine and how hard you run them, I have found a head gasket could be removed and regain some power as the engine wears. It does not return them to the brand new power level, but does make a difference. I have found this with my TD 049s which I run often and very hard.

Great investment in your engine, these heads.!

Yabby

The instructions that came with the TD 0489/051 used to indicate the engine came ex-factory with three head gaskets fitted-and that once initial running had been done, you could remove two of these and gain about 250rpm per gasket removed....so it comes as no surprise that a higher comp head such as the 'shaved' KK one, or the later Galbreath and Kamtechnik ones-whether Nelson or turbo-would require quite a stack of gaskets for good running. I've often tamed balky TD 049/051s by fitting the lower compression #325 head...which more or less achieves the same thing. depending on your tolerance stack up...some TD's are over-compressed on a single gasket...hence KK offering the cylinder shims and holder, to get things spot on for those who wanted to take the extra effort.

Now with the turbo plug heads in particular-you have a wide range of plug heats to play with and can experiment to your heart's content....

ChrisM
'ffkiwi'

This setup just aint going to work for me.It has nothing to do with any of the other heads they make. I assume its just the testors mccoy, wen-mac one. I will leave it at that.

chevyiron420 wrote:This setup just aint going to work for me.It has nothing to do with any of the other heads they make. I assume its just the testors mccoy, wen-mac one. I will leave it at that.

Just depends on your goals. Recently I was kicking around the possibility to remove the .020 Pee Wee on my Littlest Stick, replace the engine with my OK Cub .049B, fed off the metal tank I already have installed in it. The Cub is slightly heavier but not by much, could prop to within Pee Wee range.

Then take the Pee Wee and tank off parts engine, natural aluminum tank to replace the one I cut a hole in the tank with. Then have the Pee Wee for other use.

That would be a cool and unique retrofit on your Ace LS George….You’re right about the weight, Not much change at all, LS would carry it fine… I vote for it!!
Mine has been PeeWee .020 then two different electric systems and will return to PeeWee power again sometime in the future ….I’m also thinking re-doing to light weight silk on the wing just for the retro look….Think that frame could take it with Sig Lite Coat?…. They are such neat little planes…

I’ve had good luck with the Turbo Heads on Tee Dee .020 Chevy Iron, With OS P-4 plugs
Just bench runs though …I hope you get yours worked out OK…

rdw777 wrote:That would be a cool and unique retrofit on your Ace LS George….You’re right about the weight, Not much change at all, LS would carry it fine… I vote for it!!

The Cubs are all basically higher torque lower RPM engines. Putting a 5x3 prop on backwards would probably be all that is needed to have Pee Wee like power.

Still have the Ace R/C Grasshopper that I built for my son some years ago. Was thinking of trying out the Cub .059R with tank, the reed valve version. It is a torque engine like the Enyas. Prop it like a Cox, it doesn't shine. Up the prop pitch or diameter slightly, then it cooks. It currently has a Golden Bee on it.

I think at least a Masters 6x4 or may be an APC 7x3 might make it really stand out.

rdw777 wrote:Mine has been PeeWee .020 then two different electric systems and will return to PeeWee power again sometime in the future …. I’m also thinking re-doing to light weight silk on the wing just for the retro look…. Think that frame could take it with Sig Lite Coat?…. They are such neat little planes…

About the only thing that wouldn't handle the dope might be the balsa leading edge. I'd almost think that replacing it with a 1/8" hardwood dowel or 1/8" square birch strip wood from Hobby Lobby might help it to handle any problems with tautening from dope.

Otherwise, one of the Polyspan type coverings would work, IMO.

George, I think you may have planted a seed!…. Remember that Cub .049 I posted a week or so ago that only runs 10.2 K with a 6-3?…. Might be just the ticket for my
Ace LS…I will check it out!!

Thanks for the input on the silk…. Maybe a laminate on the back of the leading edge?…. I have a couple of things that might work

Sorry to pull the thread off topic, We need to start another thread on Ace LS….

Robert

I was always under the impression that a smaller prop load uses less shims, and a bigger one needs more. So a 5-3 maybe needs one shim, and a 6-4 maybe a few. Now if the head, or conversion head is a bit higher compression than might be needed, then possibly a couple for a 5-3 and a few more for a 6-4. Then high nitro maybe add another one, or especially if you blow a plug. A tach is always good too. Can't say about the Testors other than mine runs pretty well with the stock head. A bit better than a Cox reedy and a bit slower than a TD on a 4 1/4 - 4.

I use Kamtechnik heads on TeeDee-s and reedies both, and never needed more than 2 shims under the head with 5x3 and 5x4 props and 20% nitro..

I am re-visiting the Kamtechnik head on my testors engines. I am looking in to a way to slow the rpm down. I know this is something we dont normally do but 15500 rpm and more is not good on these engines. They will break the crank. That is why I posted about carb restrictors.

chevyiron420 wrote:  I am re-visiting the Kamtechnik head on my testors engines. I am looking in to a way to slow the rpm down. I know this is something we dont normally do but 15500 rpm and more is not good on these engines. They will break the crank. That is why I posted about carb restrictors.

Some, I believe it may have been Joe Wagner, instead used an exhaust restrictor on a half-A free flight, may be even his 24" Dakota F/F bipe. It was made from sheet metal, may be steel from a tin can, had round holes drilled or punched similar to Robert's .020 Pee Wee and .010 Tee Dee experiments. However, it was not required to be loosely fitted for R/C use. Just 360 degrees and flanged for a small screw, lock washer and nut. By testing and rotating until RPM was dropped just right did the trick.

Other solution is to instead use one of those more standard glow plug head adapters. They drop RPM sufficiently by inherently lowering the compression below that of a standard head. Then you can tweak the nitro in the fuel to put it where you want.

Here's a Jim Walker that has a throttle restriction and exhaust restriction. I tried to get it running till I got tired of flipping on it now it's locked up from setting .

Sorry my phone didn't pick up the other pic

Eric, You've got an early one, , never seen that one before, from the early 1950's? Looks like it is a .06? Designed for 2 position escapement throttle, full, and partial or idle. The venturi flapper for reliable idle is classic.  

If you can get that one cleaned up and do a video of it tached and running, that would be swell.

Perhaps a bad glow plug? I've got one like that with "rotating key" exhaust, will have to dig it out, think maybe a Fox .15X R/C (but it has a rotating NVA like the earlier Medallion R/C's).
The gray matter gets more fuzzy the older I get.

chevyiron420 wrote:  I am re-visiting the Kamtechnik head on my testors engines. I am looking in to a way to slow the rpm down. I know this is something we dont normally do but 15500 rpm and more is not good on these engines. They will break the crank. That is why I posted about carb restrictors.

A restrictor is easy. Just find a piece of tubing that fits through the venturi with the spray bar out. Drill a hole carefully through the middle for the spray bar, then it won't pull through. You could machine something up if you have it, but even plastic tubing from a pen or fuel line of the right size will do. You will get a smoother run too. More shims will put less strain on the crank too if the fire keeps lit.

Greatest challenge is pushing out the press fit spray bar in these Testor's, almost a one way deal, leaves a rough hole in the aluminum due to the knurling of the spray bar. It would have been nice if it had been a spray bar and lock nut situation. I had one that was dysfunctional, couldn't clear a blockage. I pushed it out, it was a machine press fit situation. You can't simply reinstall these, IMO.

I am replacing it with a Cox Sure Start NVA JB welded in place.

GallopingGhostler wrote:Greatest challenge is pushing out the press fit spray bar in these Testor's, almost a one way deal, leaves a rough hole in the aluminum due to the knurling of the spray bar. It would have been nice if it had been a spray bar and lock nut situation. I had one that was dysfunctional, couldn't clear a blockage. I pushed it out, it was a machine press fit situation. You can't simply reinstall these, IMO.

I am replacing it with a Cox Sure Start NVA JB welded in place.

Yes they are one way. They press out from right to left. You can use one from a pipe bomb but there quality is terrible.