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Engine basics => Engine set up tips => Topic started by: Motorman on July 25, 2023, 01:09:20 PM
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Why do I see most of the engines for sale on ebay, forums and flea markets have no needle, needle valve assembly or venturi. The engine had one when new, where do they go?
MM 8)
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Heavy damage items, especially on profile planes. Then you start the "rob Peter to pay Paul" routine....
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Because venturis are easy to make and fun, and because even if it takes three or four tries, getting a needle valve made that actually works is very rewarding, and we need to find our fun someplace.
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Hello The classic missing needle often occurs where people remove the needle from an engine that lives in a box, so it will fit in without poking a hole in the box lid. It gets lost and you get a new engine in the box with no needle like an ETA 29 I have, at least reproduction NVA's are being sold on Ebay but pricey.
Probably more common are the broken or bent needles in used engines that are missing , the owner probably intended replacing, but never did.
Missing prop drivers especially on splined or loose keyed shafts are annoying too. (I epoxy them on the worst offenders to save loosing them when using an electric start as they often shoot off to never be seen again).
Regards Gerald
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It just occurred to me that we are looking at this all wrong. People, including myself, listed a bunch of great theories but what we can actually substantiate via the logic of negative evidence is that the missing needles are co-located with all of the missing socks from this world. And there is plenty of proof regarding Missing Sock Syndrome....
If you find a hole into a parallel universe that is filled with sock singularities, be careful to remove the needle valves before you put any of the socks on. And please close the sock-hole after your expedition to reclaim your missing needles--I can't afford to lose any more socks....
The Divot
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I think the reason for the missing parts is that even though there may have been more people participating in the hobby back then, it doesn't mean that most of them knew what they were doing with engines!! If they couldn't get one to run they took it apart to "find the problem"!! When they couldn't find anything, they shoved the parts into the box and set it aside. The same reason is why a lot of these old engines don't have hardly any time on them. The previous owners either couldn't get them to run correctly, and they survived a first or second flight crash intact. I had a great discussion with Al Kelley from Merlin Glowplugs about this several years ago.
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
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One more thought. Along the lines of someone having engine they couldn't get to run right. I think sometimes engines are sold without the needle valve so you have to provide one. Then when the engine doesn't run well for you, it must be your needle valve because it ran fine for them. They get rid of a stubborn engine and you inherit their problem child.