wasp .28 won't idle

Is this the Wasp .28 Turbo, by chance? I have that in my Savage, and until I sealed it up with RTV, I had the same thing happen. Also, check the header gasket. Mine was chewed all to heck, even though it looked good from the exterior. First thing I'd do, though, is seal the carb and back plate up with RTV, if you haven't done so already.

yes it is a turbo, dangit (different glow plug) and no I haven't done that yet (didn't see that one comming) lol. I keep reading about using sensor safe rtv why?? no sensors
looks like an rtv party is gonna happen.

I keep reading about using sensor safe rtv why?? no sensors

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Frankly, that's a great question and I have no answer for you! I'm sure someone much, much smarter than me knows!

Yeah, I'm still not sure what benefit these turbo mills are, other than the plugs costing twice as much! Sure, you don't need the copper gasket, but that wasn't a big deal to begin with!

Normal RTV has acidic vapors that will cause the aluminum parts to corrode as it cures. Sensor Safe RTV doesn't have the acidic vapors.

I use this: http://www.midwayautosupply.com/detailedproductdescription.asp?2390

MrWill (or anyone), do you happen to recall your needle settings on your Wasp .28? I set mine to factory today, just to do a good retune, and my manual says 6 to 6.5 turns out on the LSN. Does that sound right? It was literally blowing pure fuel right out the pipe and hydrolocked way too easy! Also, since I had blown the OWB (what the hell is it with my OWB's lately), when I pulled the rotostart plate off, there was some fuel in there. Went ahead and pulled the back plate off and quite a bit of unspent fuel came out. I'm supposing this is due to the LSN being so rich, but wondering if anyone else has encountered this with their Wasp before?

Well, I would assume that is its blowing pure fuel out the pipe, lean it out! hahaa

You sure the OWN is blown? Sometimes when they slip, if that is the problem, you can just clean them out...

Roto Starts are notorious for blowing one way bearings.

evan811 said:

Well, I would assume that is its blowing pure fuel out the pipe, lean it out! hahaa

You sure the OWN is blown? Sometimes when they slip, if that is the problem, you can just clean them out...

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Yes, I am leaning it out. I just have never seen a manual tell me the LSN settings are 6 turns out, seems a lot. Yes, the OWB is blown.

as an expert at destroying owb's(got 3 this month from 3 diffrent vehicles) I can tell you that I am running the low side at 4 turns out+- 1/2 turn, and it is still a little rich, but DO NOT listen to me as I forgot to seal up the motor when I got it... all say it together, WILL IS A RETARD!! lol but I has it idling great, right before I dusted the pull start

ok, sealed it up, when it is cold, it will idle, when it starts to warm up it idles less and less, toward the bottom of the tank it won't idle at all just dies when you let off the gas.
now I am confused, perhaps glow plug?

Sounds like your low speed needle may be lean. If the car idles less and less as the engine warms up, it could be that it isn't getting enough fuel from the low end circuit of the carb. Another symptom of a lean low end will be the engine suddenly dying (no sputter or blubber, just instant shut off) when you suddenly apply throttle or suddenly let off the throttle.

Once the car is warmed up, pinch the fuel line when it is idling near the carb. If the engine dies almost instantly, the low speed needle is too lean. Richen it up 1/8th turn (counter clockwise), run the car for another 30-45 seconds, bring it in and pinch again. You want to shoot for engine dying in 3-5 seconds.

Problem is, you said you messed with your idle alot. If you don't have this close to manufacturerer's spec, it can really screw up both the high and low speed needle settings.

If you can't sort things out using the pinch test like mentioned above, try going back and resetting your idle as well as low and high speed needles, and then re-tuning your high speed for 230-250 degrees F, your low speed for a 3-5 second pinch, and your idle as high as it will go without making the wheels move when the car is off the ground. Sometimes a fresh start on tuning will get you there quicker than trying to go back and forth from where you are.

when I had it at mfg spec, it looked like there was a lot of stuff just pouring out of the exhaust at idle, could that just be lube making it out? seemed way rich, but my dumb self can't get it to run right, so we try it your way and see, are wasps really tempramental with the lsn? once it gets into the hsn, big puff of blue smoke, and she's off like a rocket.

Did you try opening up the idle screw more? Sounds to me like thats the problem. I'd try it.

first set to mfg specs on the idle/lsn wouldn't start, started going richer, at 9 turns out it started but had fuel pouring out, leaned it out, it died, ok, took lsn to full rich, till needle fell out then back in 1/2 turns, started it, idled, but as soon as I hit the throttle it died,whop, got it started and startedto run it with no resistance (holding it) and more and more fuel is pouring out, got an idea and leaned out the hsn, ran a little better, leaned out more, better less fuel pouring out the exhaust (did the pinch test and at 3 sec it died) was able to put it on the ground and run a few laps around the lot before I ran out of gas, then the critical thing happened, ran out of electricity... thank god for failsafe... running it up and down a road next to I-35.
so, lsn richer than stock by 3 turns (stock @6.5 turns) hsn leaner by .2 full turns.
also re-set idle screw to 1/8th inch

mrwill said:

first set to mfg specs on the idle/lsn wouldn't start, started going richer, at 9 turns out it started but had fuel pouring out, leaned it out, it died, ok, took lsn to full rich, till needle fell out then back in 1/2 turns, started it, idled, but as soon as I hit the throttle it died,whop, got it started and startedto run it with no resistance (holding it) and more and more fuel is pouring out, got an idea and leaned out the hsn, ran a little better, leaned out more, better less fuel pouring out the exhaust (did the pinch test and at 3 sec it died) was able to put it on the ground and run a few laps around the lot before I ran out of gas, then the critical thing happened, ran out of electricity... thank god for failsafe... running it up and down a road next to I-35.
so, lsn richer than stock by 3 turns (stock @6.5 turns) hsn leaner by .2 full turns.
also re-set idle screw to 1/8th inch

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Wow! 9 turns out on your LSN? I ask only because I'm fighting somewhat the same demons on my Wasp .28 that you are. Same symptoms you are (down to the fuel pouring out the pipe). Maybe you've hit on it! Damn, 9 turns! Geez, it's like free-basing nitro, isn't it?

cough, cough, was for me, but I think it was the hsn that is giving me problems with the fuel, as soon as I leaned it out poof no more fuel...

mrwill said:

cough, cough, was for me, but I think it was the hsn that is giving me problems with the fuel, as soon as I leaned it out poof no more fuel...

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LMFAO!!!! I'll give it a shot. Maybe that's the ticket. Are you hitting it with a temp. gun at all? Just curious what temp. readings you're getting.

My buddy's WASP came with 2 needles (one in the engine, and one in the box) with no explanation as to why. I heard later that one of the needles was a defective design, and the other was the replacement fix. However, I don't know if the one in the engine was the good needle or the bad one. I also can't remember if it was the HSN or LSN that the fix was for.

If you have more than one needle, try the other one.

If not, sounds like you are on the right track. Keep adjusting the HSN until you can get temps above 200. Then adjust your LSN (despite how many turns it says it should be) until you get the engine to pinch out in 3-5 seconds.

I remember reading about that needle thing as well. I think one was silver and one was black... but for the life of me, I can't remember which was the good one...