What equipment do you need?

• Small, external fuel tank (unless your engine is equipped with an attached fuel tank)
  
• Well-charged battery (1.5 volt D cell)
• Glow plug clip
• 20% to 30% nitro model engine fuel
• Size 5", 5½" or 6" propeller, with a pitch of 3" or 4"

Optional:

• After-run oil
• Cox wrench/tool
• Chicken Stick or electric starter

• Adding a few drops of after-run oil to the engine after a flying session will help protect and lubricate it.
  

• Also indispensable is the Cox wrench. You can disassemble the whole engine with this and, important for field work, remove the glow head.
  

• If your engine has a spring starter, starting is very easy. If the engine does not have a spring starter, you can either hand-prop by flicking the prop over with your finger, or use a Chicken Stick. You can also use a 1/2a electric starter.
  

• However, be careful when using an electric starter on this small engine because, if you flood it, you run the risk of breaking something. Plus, if your engine is well-maintained, it should start up, no problem, by hand.
  

• The Chicken Stick is a handy tool for preventing your fingers from being wounded by a spinning prop. You can build your own Chicken Stick by wrapping electrical tape around a piece of dowelling.
  

• Cox .049's will run on a wide variety of propellers. For general flying, a 6x3 will run well, and also will a 5x3. If you are going for flat out speed, a 5 1/2 x4 prop will serve you well.
  

How do you get the engine running?

1. Fill the tank with clean fuel. This is pretty self explanatory and everyone has their own preferred method.

• Use an in-line fuel filter, if possible, to keep any dirt particles out of the fuel tank. Keep your fueling equipment CLEAN. Bag it after each use and never set it down in the dirt.

• If you are using an engine that requires an external tank, you should make sure there is fuel in the fuel line before trying to start the engine or you will likely run out of primer before the fuel has had a chance to flow.

• You can do this in a number of ways. One method is to attach a fuel line to the tank vent and blow lightly into the line until you see fuel flowing into the fuel line. Alternately, you can pinch or block the overflow, just as the first bit of extra fuel comes out while filling the tank. This will pressure the fuel line.

2. Turn the needle clockwise until it stops. Do not force it. Then, turn the needle 3 full turns counter-clockwise. Once running, you can lean the mixture by turning the needle clockwise.

3. Squirt a few drops of fuel into either the top of the air intake, the carburetor or into the cylinder exhaust port. Close the opening with your finger and flip the prop over a few times.

4. Connect the glow clip to the glow head with the fresh battery attached. A one or two-cell battery box soldered to the clip leads works great.

• It is important that you attach the battery after you prime the engine. Priming with the battery attached can cause the fuel to ignite and the prop to kick, potentially leaving your fingers wounded.

• DO NOT use a battery over 1.5 volts as you will burn out the glow plug.
  

5. Now, using your chosen method of starting, begin turning the engine over. If your engine has a starter spring, simply wind the spring one turn clockwise and release.

• If your engine does not have a starter spring, simply flicking the prop over vigorously (from right to left when facing the prop) works as well as anything else.

• If the engine fires but does not start, and there is not an excess of raw fuel flowing out of the exhaust ports, enrich the mixture by turning the needle a quarter turn counter-clockwise. Repeat the starting procedure.

• If the engine runs but slowly bogs down, stopping with amounts of fuel appearing around the exhaust ports, the mixture is too rich. Lean it out by turning the needle a quarter turn clockwise. Repeat the starting procedure.

6. Once the engine is running continuously, remove the glow clip. Play with the needle to adjust the setting to optimal RPM.

• Turning the needle counter-clockwise allows more fuel to pass through, and the engine will start to run rough or lumpy. You will see copious amounts of fuel and oil flowing out of the exhaust ports.

• Turning the needle clockwise will lean out the mixture, causing the RPM to increase. However, the RPM will only increase to a point, after which there is not enough fuel in relation to air being absorbed; and the engine quits.

• It is a good idea to run the engine a bit on the rich side, as this will promote longer engine life. Also, you don't want to lean out the mixture fully on the ground because, once in the air, the engine tends to lean itself out and may stall if the setting was already very lean on the ground. Turning the needle counter-clockwise 1/2 turn from full RPM is a good compromise.
  

• You may also notice that, when your engine starts, the propeller is pushing wind forward instead of backwards! Sometimes, when starting by hand, the engine backfires and continues to run in the reverse direction. Reed valve engines will run equally well forward or backwards. Just pinch the fuel line and the engine will stop running. Repeat starting procedure.

• A brand new engine should be broken in. Simply run the engine for one full fuel tank in a very rich mixture setting. Let the engine cool off and repeat with a slightly leaner mixture (higher RPM). Repeat once more at almost full RPM and you are set to go.