KAVAN FT160AR - Instruction Manual

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Introduction

Important: Before attempting to operate your engine, please read through this instruction manual to familiarize yourself with the controls and other features of the engine. Also, pay careful attention to the recommendations contained in the „Safety Notes and Warnings“ chapter of this instruction manual.

Specifications

Displacement	12.8 cc ×2 (78 cu.in. ×2)
Bore	26.5 mm (1.043 in.)
Stroke	23.2 mm (913 in.)
Power	2.2 kW/8 000 r.p.m.
Practical R.P.M	2 000~9 000 r.p.m.
Weight (w/Muffler)	1.265 g (44.6oz.)

Dimensions (mm)

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
AP06A	24	10	45	M4	38.5	33
AP09A	30	11	58	M5	43.5	41
S15AII	31.5	11	62	M5	49.8	42.8
S32AII	38	15	74.9	1/4”–28	56.7	53.2
S36AII	38	15	74.9	1/4”–28	56.7	53.2
S40AII	44	17.5	84.3	1/4”–28	70.2	60.3
S46AII	44	17.5	85	1/4”–28	70	60
S52AII	44	17.5	85.8	1/4”–28	70.9	60.7
S61AII	52	25	97.8	5/16”–24	80.3	68.5
S91A	52	25	97.5	5/16”–24	84.7	67
108A	58	25	105.3	3/8”–24	90	73.7
180AR	68	36.5	133.7	3/8”–24	108	96.6
FS-30AR	36	14	64.7	1/4”–28	71	46.8
FS-52AR	44	17.5	80.6	1/4”–28	82.4	59.2
FS-70AR	50	21	89	5/16”–24	97.4	65.3
FS-80AR	50	21	90	5/16”–24	98.3	65.3
FS-91AR	52	25	90	5/16”–24	100	65.3
FS-120AR	58	25	106	5/16”–24	116.3	78.3
FS-180AR	58	25	111.8	3/8”–24	120	80.8
FT-160AR	80	68	120	5/16”–24	195.3	69.5	56.5	56.5
FS-400AR		Ø122	160.5	3/8”–24	Ø227	78

Safety Notes and Warnings

Important: Remember that your engine is not a „toy“, but a highly efficient internal-combustion machine whose power is capable of harming you, or others, if it is misused.

Before attempting to operate your engine, please read through these instructions to familiarize yourself with the operations and features of this technical, fully operational model engine. Please read through the entire manual before operating this engine. Pay particular attention to the Safety Instructions and Warnings section of the manual. Your new KAVAN engine will give you dependable performance and will be a source of satisfaction and pleasure if you follow these instructions as to the engine‘s proper and safe use. Do not let pleasure turn into injury and/ or tragedy! You alone are responsible for the safe operation of your engine, so act sensibly and with care at all times. This engine is a precision built machine whose power is capable of causing harm to you and others if abused, misused, or if you fail to observe proper safety precautions. As owner, you, alone, are responsible for the safe operation of your engine, so act with discretion and care at all times.

Always Remember:

Keep spectators, especially small children, who can be hurt when the engine is running at least 5-6 metres (20 feet) away from the operating engine. NOBODY should (including yourself) should be found in the plane of the rotating propeller!
Mount the engine securely in the plane, or on a proper engine test stand using high quality steel hex cap screws, washers and locknuts. Follow the mounting recommendations on the airplane‘s plan and/or instruction manual, or in the test stand described in the directions. DO NOT clamp this engine into a vice!
Use the correct size propeller and follow the recommended mounting procedures. Follow this instruction manual, the building plan/kit instruction manual; ask an experienced modeller or skilled model shop personnel if in doubts.
Install your propeller properly (looking from the cockpit of your model, the propeller of an engine installed in the nose rotates clockwise, looking from the front of the model it rotates counter clockwise). Use a proper wrench to tighten the propeller nut. Do NOT use pliers. Four stroke engines and large two stroke ones should use special safety locking propeller nuts.
Never touch, or allow any object to come into contact with, the rotating propeller and do not crouch over the engine when it is running.
Beware of the prop, protect your fingers. When hand cranking your engine, always us the „chicken stick“ (available in model hobby shops) or strong leather glove. Preferably, use an electric starter.
After starting the engine, carry out any needle-valve readjustments from a safe position behind the rotating propeller.
To stop your engine, adjust the throttle linkage so that the engine stops when the throttle stick and trim lever on the transmitter are fully retarded. Alternatively, the engine may be stopped by cutting off the fuel supply. Never try to stop the engine physically.
Discard any propeller which has become split, cracked, nicked or otherwise rendered unsafe. Never attempt to repair such a propeller: destroy it. Do not modify a propeller in any way. Also, check the tightness of all the screws and nuts regularly and frequently.
If you have to carry the model to the take-off point with the engine running, be especially cautious. Keep the propeller pointed away from you and walk well clear of spectators.
Do not fly your model near or under power lines.

Safety Tips

The wearing of safety glasses is strongly recommended.
Do not start your engine in an area containing loose gravel or sand. The propeller may throw such material in your face and eyes and cause injury.
Take care that loose clothing (ties, shirt sleeves, scarves, etc.) do not come into contact with the propeller. Do not carry loose objects (such as pencils, screwdrivers, etc.) in a shirt pocket from where they could fall through the propeller arc.
Take care that the glow plug clip or battery leads do not come into contact with the propeller.
If you install a spinner, make sure that the slots for the propeller blades do not touch the blade roots and weaken them.

Warnings

Model engine fuel is poisonous. Do not allow it to come into contact with the eyes or mouth. Always store it in a clearly marked container and out of the reach of children.
Model engine fuel is also highly flammable. Keep it away from open flame, excessive heat, sources of sparks, or anything else which might ignite it. Do not smoke or allow anyone else to smoke, near to it.
Model engines generate considerable heat. Do not touch any part of your engine until it has cooled.
Never operate your engine in an enclosed space. Model engines, like automobile engines, exhaust deadly carbon-monoxide. Run your engine only in an open area.
Remember: Operating any model requires experience and constant attention to safety rules. Model airplanes, boats or cars have a lot of energy that can cause serious personal injury or significant property damage.

Always proceed with caution!!

If you are a beginner, ask for help and advice from an experienced modeller!

Before trying to start the engine for the first time, carefully read the instructions and safety rules!}}

Engine Installation

The FT160 engine is equipped with a strong aluminium alloy square-type mount to enable it to be bolted securely to the firewall (front bulkhead) of the aircraft.

The engine should be mounted with the carburettor below the crankcase, otherwise scale appearance may be spoiled.

The needle-valve and throttle lever locations are interchangeable and the choke valve rod can be located right or left. Decide their most convenient locations before mounting the engine in the fuselage.

Fuel Tank

The suggested full tank size is 360 ml or 12-1/2 oz. This will give approximately 12 minutes running time at full power, or about 15-17 minutes when some part throttle operation is included. Fuel consumption also depends, of course, on the size of propeller used.

The ideal fuel tank location is with the top of the tank 5-10 mm (1/4-3/8‘‘) above the needle valve. However, model design will usually require the tank to be located higher than this and there should be no trouble with such a tank location provided that you do not pursue spectacular aerobatics flight. If the tank is located high, fuel will flow into the carburettor when the tank is full. Therefore, pinch the fuel line with a clip, when the engine is not running, to prevent flooding and loss of fuel.

Fuel

The FT160 engine runs on standard commercially available model glow engine fuel. Fuels containing castor oil and/or synthetic lubricants are acceptable but, for the best performance and reliability, a fuel containing 5-15% nitromethane is recommended.

For consistent performance and long life of the engine, it is advisable to use good quality fuel containing MORE THAN 16% LUBRICANT until a total of one to two hours running time has been accumulated including the running-in period. Generally, the fuel containing a lower lubricant content improves the running characteristics of a four stroke engine slightly, but it may also shorten engine life.

Glow Plug

With a four-stroke engine, ignition of the fuel charge takes place at every fourth stroke of the piston instead of every two stroke. Because of this, conventional two-stroke giow plugs may not suit this engine in some cases.

For general use the special KAVAN PRO Type KF or O.S. Max Type F glowplug is recommended.

Propeller

The choice of propeller depends on the size and weight of the model and on the type of flying envisaged. Determine the best sizes and type after practical experiment.

As starting points, suggested propellers are 14x9-11“, 15x8-10“, 16x6-8“, 17x6“ and 18x6“. For safety, keep your face and other parts of the body well away from the propeller when starting the engine or when adjusting the needle-valve while the engine is running. Remember that the propeller turns through a much wider arc with the larger sized propellers that this engine is capable of driving.

Refer to the „Safety Notes and Warning“ above.

Important: Use well balanced propellers only. An unbalanced propeller causes vibration and loss of power.

The four-stroke engines were originally designed so that the propeller could be fixed to the engine with the usual nut, in order to prevent propeller slippage. However, if the propeller nut is inadequately tightened this can (due to detonation or „knocking „ if the engine is run too lean or under too heavy a load) cause the propeller to get loose and fly off. Obviously, this can be very dangerous. It is recommended to use the Safety Propeller Locknut Assembly supplied with the engine to prevent the propeller from fracturing or flying off, even if it loosens.

Installation procedure is as follows:

Ream the propeller center hole to 12 mm (0.472“). Make sure that the propeller is properly balanced.
Fit the propeller sleeve-nut and washer to propeller, screw onto shaft and tighten firmly with 17 mm wrench supplied.
If the Safety Propeller Locknut Assembly of your engine is supplied with the Locknut Spacer, and the Spacer if the dimension „T“ is between 14.5 mm and 18 mm (or 0.571“ and 0.709“), add locknut spacer supplied. If the dimension „T“ is between 18 mm and 22.5 mm (or 0.709“ and 0.886“), it is not necessary to add the spacer.
Finally, insert the Safety Propeller Locknut .Tighten Locknut firmly (but not with excessive force) using 14 mm wrench.

Regardless off the type of propeller fixing used, make a habit of always checking the tightness of the propeller before starting the engine. Remember that, especially with wooden propellers, there is a tendency for the material to shrink over time, or for it to be reduced by the serrated face of the drive hub.

Glowplug Wiring

A set of glowplug leads, with clips, is supplied with the engine. The lug plate of the earth lead should be fastened to the motor mount by means of one of the engine fixing screws.

Observe the following precautions:

Make sure that no part of the wire or glowplug clip touches the cylinder head or cooling fins.
Keep wiring away from the fuel tank , where it might cause a fire in the event of a short-circuit.

Battery Capacity

It is advisable to use a glow plug heating battery of fairly large capacity (e.g. 20 Ah in the case of a rechargeable lead acid cell) as this is required to heat two glow plugs simultaneously.

Battery Leads

As the battery leads are required to conduct a large current (approx. amps), make sure that the wire used is heavy enough to prevent excessive voltage drop at the plugs.

Note: It is inadvisable to use a variable resistance or rheostat as, in the event of one plug lead becoming accidentally detached (or the plug element failing) excessive voltage will be applied to the other plug. The alternative is to use a separate battery and rheostat for each plug.

Carburettor Adjustment

Carburettor Adjustment Controls

Needle-valve (adjusts maximum engine speed)
Mixture control valve (adjusts the richness of the mixture at idle speed)
Idle stop screw (adjusts the extreme position of the carburettor rotor)

Needle-valve

After being set to provide maximum speed at full throttle, it determines the basic air/fuel mixture ratio. The correct mixture at lower speeds is then set automatically.

Mixture Control Valve

Determines fuel delivery at low and idle speeds to ensure reliable operation when reducing and increasing the throttle. The default mixture control valve position is preset at the factory. Start the engine with this setting and only change it if necessary.

Throttle servo adjustment

Idle speed is controlled by the throttle control trim on the transmitter, which allows full control of the speed from idle to maximum speed and engine shutdown by trim. Adjust as follows: with the throttle trim in the down position, adjust the servo deflections so that the carburettor rotor is fully open when the control stick is in the full throttle position and fully closed in the down position. Idle speed is then adjusted by moving the trim as needed.

Restoring the Mixture Control Valve Initial Setting

To adjust the carburettor, it is a good idea to have a short piece of clean fuel tubing on hand, through which you will blow air into the carburettor with your mouth. You can use the following procedure to make an initial mixture control valve adjustment. Close the carburettor rotor so that the diameter of the hole is no larger than the thickness of a modeller‘s pin (ca 0.7 mm). Place a piece of clean fuel tubing on the carburettor fuel intake nipple and open the needle- -valve 1-1/2 turns from the fully closed position. Now close the carburettor rotor completely and, while blowing gently into the tubing with your mouth, adjust the mixture control valve to a position where air just begins to escape. The correct operating position of the mixture control valve can then be obtained by opening it an additional 1/2 turn. The adjustment is further checked by opening the carburettor rotor while blowing continuously; you should notice a rapid change in airflow as soon as the carburettor is opened about 15 degrees from idle. Do not use the mixture control valve to set the mixture too rich in an attempt to reduce idle speed. Instead, close the carburettor rotor a little more and repeat the mixture control valve adjustment.

Starting

It is preferable to use an electric starter, although hand starting is also possible, as will be explained later. When applying the starter, be sure to connect both glow plugs to the battery.

Open the throttle fully and unscrew the needle valve 3-1/2 turns from the fully closed position.
It is preferable to use the choke control for priming.
Close the choke valve and turn the propeller counterclockwise 2 turns by hand keeping the throttle valve fully open.
Caution: Never apply an electric starter with the choke closed. Such action will cause an excessive quantity of fuel to be drawn into the cylinders and result in an hydraulic lock that may damage the engine. Do not turn the propeller more than 2 turns, initially, with choke closed, otherwise the engine may suck in too much fuel and become flooded.
Release the choke control and immediately turn the propeller counter clockwise several times so that fuel is drawn well into the cylinders.
Set the throttle valve approximately 1/3 open from the fully closed position. Connect the glow plugs to the battery and apply the electric starter.
When the engine starts, open the throttle valve fully and keep it running, initially (approx. 20 seconds), with the original needle-valve setting. If the engine slows down because the mixture is excessively rich, close the needle- valve slowly approx. 1/4-1/2 turn.
Now disconnect the battery from the glow plugs and close the needle- -valve slowly so that revolutions are increased. Adjust the needle-valve gradually. Abrupt adjustment of the needle-valve may cause the engine to stop, especially when it is new and insufficiently run-in.
To restart the engine when warm, simply re-energize the plugs and reapply the starter with the throttle in the idling position. If the engine does not restart, re-prime by closing the choke valve while rotating the propeller twice with the throttle open. lnitially, the high temperature inside the combustion chambers may turn the liquid fuel into gas and emit it through the exhaust pipes. Therefore, repeat the priming procedure once or twice until the cylinders become cool enough for restarting.
Caution: Do not connect the glow plugs to the battery when priming. The adjustment of the needle-valve should be done only after disconnecting the battery from the glow plugs.

Hand Starting

For safety use a heavily padded (leather) glove or ‚chickenstick‘.
The procedure is as follow:

The propeller should be fixed in such a way that it is positioned horizontally as compression is first felt when turning the propeller counter clockwise.
Open the throttle valve fully and unscrew the needlevalve 3-1/2 turns from fully closed position.
Close the choke valve and turn the propeller counter clockwise through two revolutions.
Release the choke valve and immediately turn the propeller counter-clockwise several times so as to draw fuel well into the cylinders.
Set the throttle at approximately 1/3 open from the fully-closed position and gradually turn the propeller counter-clockwise until compression is felt.
Connect the glow plugs to the battery and swing the propeller swiftly counter-clockwise from the centre of the right blade. The engine should start. If it stops again, make sure that fuel is reaching the carburettor from the fuel tank, then repeat procedures 3) to 6). Correct priming is the secret of easy starting.
When the engine starts, open the throttle fully and keep it running, initially (approx. 20 seconds), with the original needle-valve setting. If it slows down because the mixture is excessively rich, close the needle- -valve about 1/4-1/2 turn.
Now disconnect the battery from the glow plugs and close the needle- -valve slowly so that revolutions increase. Adjust the needle-valve gradually. Abrupt adjustment of the needle-valve may cause the engine to stop, especially when it is new and insufficiently run-in.
To restart the engine when it is warm, after a run, first try just flipping the prop with the throttle in the idling position after re-energizing the glowplugs. If the engine does not restart, re-prime it by closing the choke valve while rotating the propeller twice with the throttle open. Initially, high temperature inside the combustion chambers may turn the liquid fuel into gas and emit it through the exhaust pipes. Therefore, repeat the priming procedure once or twice until the cylinders become cool enough for restarting.

Caution: Do not connect the glowplugs to the battery when priming.

Note: Excess fuel in the carburettor may drip into the engine compartment when the choke valve is reopened. Therefore, it is advisable to drill a drain hole in the bottom of the engine bay or cowling and to apply fuelproof paint to the surrounding surfaces to prevent fuel from penetrating the airframe structure.

Running-in (‚‘Breaking-in‘‘)

For long life and peak performance, please follow the recommended running-in procedure:

Install the engine and fit the propeller that you propose to use for flying your model. For example, If you use the propeller indicated in the „Propeller“ chapter, start the engine and run it for about 10 seconds with the needle-valve set for 6,000/6,500 r.p.m., then open the needle-valve to reduce speed to approximately 4,000 r.p.m. and run for 20 seconds at this cooler setting. Keep the throttle fully open, using only the needle-valve to reduce speed.
Repeat this procedure, alternately running the engine fast and slow with needle-valve, but gradually extending the short period of high speed running until a total of at least 20 minutes running time has been accumulated.
For those who do not have a tachometer, the exhaust gas colour can be a help: i.e., as the needle-valve is screwed in, the dense grey exhaust smoke will become less visible.
Following the initial break-in of 20 minutes on the ground, run-in for a further period in the air. For the first flights, have the needle-valve set as rich as possible, consistent with adequate take-off power and, if necessary, readjust the throttle trim on the transmitter so that the engine does not stop when the throttle is fully closed.
With each successive flight, close the needle-valve slightly, until, at the end of 10 flights, the needle-valve is set for maximum power. The carburettor can now be adjusted for optimum throttle performance as follows.

Idle Adjustment Diagram

Mixture Control Valve Fine Setting

Start the engine as described above, slowly close the throttle, and set the idle speed. Hold the model in a horizontal position and slowly lift the nose of the model up.

If the engine revs up, you need to close the mixture control valve and repeat the procedure until the rpm does not change when the model is raised.
If the engine runs irregularly or stalls, open the mixture control valve slightly. Repeat the procedure again until everything is fine.

Note: The needle-valve and mixture control valve settings are always somewhat cross-affected. If you make a major change in the setting of one needle, you will probably need to fine-tune the other one as well.

Exhaust Pipe Adjustment

The direction of the exhaust pipe may be altered in accordance with individual installation requirements. The angle is easily adjusted by loosening the nut that secures the exhaust pipe to the cylinder head. Use the appropriate spanner supplied. If longer exhaust pipes are required, you can use flexible exhaust pipes of 12 cm or 24 cm length available in model hobby shops.

Lubrication

All the parts of your engine are automatically lubricated by the oil content of the fuel mixture. The crankcase breather hole is in the bottom of the timing case and is fitted with a brass nipple. Fit a length of silicone tubing of approx. 2.5-3 mm I.D. to this nipple to conduct the small amount of oil that escapes through the breather away from the model. Do not block or obstruct in any way the breather nipple.

Valve Clearance Adjustment

Valve clearances are correctly set before the FT160 leaves the factory and, in normal use, will seldom require adjustment. However, if, after a considerable amount of running time, a loss of power is detected, or if the engine has to be disassembled or repaired as a result of a crash, valve clearances should be checked and readjusted as necessary.

Note: Valve clearances of this engine must be checked and re-set when the engine is COLD.

Remove the rocker cover from each cylinder head unscrewing two hex socket head cap screws from the rocker box on top of the cylinder head with the hex key supplied.
Turn the propeller 2 revolutions counter-clockwise and see about the motion of both valves. The propeller turns approximately 260° from inlet valve stops action to exhaust valve begins action(i.e. both valves will be closed).Turn the propeller clockwise approximately 130° from exhaust valve begins action point. The piston should now be stopped at the top dead centre.
The required valve clearance is between 0.04 mm and 0.10 mm (0.0015 to 0.004 inch) measured between the valve stem and rocker arm. Use the 0.04 and 0.10 mm feeler gauges to check clearances. Usually, the 0.04 mm feeler gauge will pass through the gap: 0.10 mm gauge should not.

If the gap is found to be too small or too large, reset the valve clearance as follows:

Carefully loose the locknut on one rocker arm with wrench.
Turn adjusting screw approx. 1/2 turn counter clockwise to open gap.
Insert 0.04 mm feeler gauge between valve stem and rocker arm, and gently turn adjusting screw clockwise with a screwdriver until it stops.
Re-tighten the locknut while holding the adjusting screw with a screwdriver.
Remove 0.04 feeler gauge, rotate prop through exactly two turns and re-check gap. If the valve clearance is correctly adjusted, check other valve and adjust if necessary. Then replace rocker cover.
Check the other cylinder and adjust, if necessary, in the same way

What to do in the event of a failure?

A guide to the warranty and post-warranty repairs

Warranty Conditions

Since this engine, which requires regular maintenance and care, is intended for operation by the modeller under conditions of much higher performance and load on the model than those to which toys in the ordinary sense of the word are exposed, we cannot assume (and it cannot be supposed) any guarantee relating to how long it takes before individual parts need to be replaced due to wear. Engine parts wear out and require replacement over time. If any part of the engine appears to be damaged, defective or incorrectly installed when the engine is new – before the first start – this part will be repaired or replaced free of charge. Engines are only protected by the warranty against manufacturing defects in material, workmanship or assembly when new (before use). If any part is found to be defective, incorrectly manufactured or incorrectly assembled during the statutory warranty period, it will be repaired or replaced by the importer free of charge. If you believe that the defect in material, workmanship or assembly was not apparent when the model was new and only became apparent after the product was used, then please contact KAVAN Europe s.r.o. (e-mail: info@kavanrc.com, tel. +420 446 260 133). We firmly believe in the quality of the products we sell and will do our utmost to ensure that you are satisfied with them.

Warranty Limitations

This warranty does not cover damage caused by improper or rough handling, negligence, accidents, water or excessive humidity, damage caused by chemicals, improper or negligent maintenance, neglect of maintenance, accidents and acts of God, unauthorized changes or modifications, use of incorrect fuel. The warranty does not cover engine parts that are considered consumables (spark plugs, oils, etc.). KAVAN Europe s.r.o. does not cover the costs of transporting defective parts from the user.

Role of the Model Shop

The shop where you have purchased the engine is the first place where you should apply for a warranty repair or complaint. The dealer can help with identifying a possible defect and communicating with the importer. Only if for some reason it is not possible to use the services of the shop where the model has been purchased, contact KAVAN Europe s.r.o. directly.

Limitation of Liability

KAVAN Europe s.r.o. does not provide - nor can it be assumed to provide - any other warranties. KAVAN Europe s.r.o. is not responsible for any special, incidental or consequential damages arising from the assembly or use of its products, accessories or chemicals required for the use of its products. The moment the product is used or operated, the user assumes all liability arising therefrom. In no event shall KAVAN Europe s.r.o.‘s liability exceed the actual sales price paid for the product.

How to send products for warranty or non-warranty service?

First, email or call the importer or service centre. It often happens that a product may appear defective or malfunctioning simply because it has not been used correctly or requires only simple adjustment. One email or phone call to our experienced service technicians can solve everything quickly and easily! When sending your product for service check/repair, please remember to include:

A copy of your proof of purchase
A return address
A telephone number where you can be reached during business hours
Your email address
A detailed description of the problem

Preparing Your Motor for Service

The guidelines below will help you save on postage and assist our service technicians in carrying out repairs and returning products.

Clean the engine before shipping to avoid paying an additional cleaning fee.
Do not send fuel, batteries, accumulators, chargers, glow plug clips and glow plug heating devices, operating instructions or other accessories that you use when operating your engine (unless the service technician requests that you send one of these items). You will save on postage and avoid the risk of loss during transportation. KAVAN Europe s.r.o. is not responsible for the loss of unwanted accessories during transportation to the service or repair.
When sending the product to the service, insure the product for the price corresponding to the newly purchased product. KAVAN Europe s.r.o. is in no way responsible for the loss of the product during transportation to the service.
Pack the product thoroughly and securely in a hard cardboard box of appropriate dimensions. A freely moving engine in a large box can only cause additional damage.
If possible, avoid using shredded paper or foam padding. If this cannot be avoided, place the padding or motor in a sealed plastic bag(s).
Include all documentation needed to repair the motor, along with as detailed and concise a description of the fault or problem as possible.
Include a telephone number where you can be reached during the business day and an email address so that the service technician can contact you with additional questions about the repair.
Include a note with your address. It is surprising how often this is forgotten.