This is for the few purists out there who still tinker with the Black Widow/ Golden Bee engines. I can say I truly have a love for these engines but at the same token I've become discouraged. I sat the majority of my fleet on the back burner for almost the last 2 years and flew mainly Norvel equipment. I've offered my experience with these engines to those here who inquired. I also was lucky to share dinner with Larry Renger when he came to the Philly Fliers Thursday night dinner a few years ago. I had several questions and he had some good answers.  I just couldn't get a substantial run with these engines to use them anymore until today. We were scheduled to go to another site today and I was aware of another fellow who flies 1/2 a. I took several planes with Black Widows. Earlier in the week I did the tune up I typically do when they've been sitting. I also had done what Larry recommended some time back to me which was to replace the pick up with some aluminum tubing. I tried this several times using K&S 1/8 tubing and gave up due to the fact it would kink. Well, this months issue of Model Aviation shows how to properly bend aluminum tubing using heat. I successfully bent the tubing practically back on itself using no bender and no kinks. This was quite impressive. I then made a pick up and used my smallest fuel tubing as a link from it to the barb on the backplate. I turned my cylinder inboard as Larry has also mentioned never trying this before. I have to say this put all the excitement back in it for me. My son flew this plane repeatedly doing maneuvers so hard it was like flying a combat wing. This engine was incredible. I've also been air testing the engines for leaks, tanks, screws, o-ring, needle valve, etc. These simple little things all add up. If you ever wondered why the engine never runs the same as when you first purchased it, try making a nice little pick up tube out of aluminum as you will find it stay put. I wouldn't get a full run out of this engine and today I was so impressed with this little fix. I felt the inboard cylinder gave a quality run as well. I actually had a few engines that would burp like a Fox when being thrown into the outside maneuvers. This resolved this on this airplane. For those that haven't tried it I highly suggest it. Its an easy experiment . Ken

Glad to have helped, and that was one enjoyable evening!  Pity that I am unlikely to be able to repeat it soon.   

I am always on this forum and happy to answer questions.  Send me a note or post an inquiry in the main 1/2A section, and I'll do my best to answer.  The main forum is actually better because, perhaps, others have the same questions.

Larry