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  Make sure prop is flipped over with authority.  The ignition won’t fire at low speed. 

  If a lot of fuel drips from carb, the motor might be flooded.  If so, remove and dry, or replace, the 

spark plugs. Try starting again without using the choke. 

                                                    

Other issues 

 

  Fuel drips continually from carb: Check that the pin on the center of the diaphragm is inserted in the 

metering lever “fork”.  Make sure there is no debris in the needle seat. Remove needles and blow 
air into the holes. 

  RPM won’t go over 3,500 to 4,000: Check that the polarity of the connection between sensor and 

ignition is correct (not plugged in backwards). 

  Broken prop bolts: In order for bolts to shear, some type of side loading (shear) movement is 

usually required. If the bolts are tightened correctly, nothing moves and prop bolts will rarely break. 
It’s a good idea to replace prop bolts routinely. Check prop bolts before each flight! 

  Excessive vibration: Check that low rpm needle setting is not too rich. Check prop and spinner 

balance. Make sure ignition timing is correct. 

  Pink or purple colored cylinders: These colors indicate engine temperature has been too high. 

Check that needle settings are not too lean, air flow for cooling is sufficient, oil/gas mixture is 
correct. 

  Engine starts backwards: Make sure prop is flipped forcefully through the compression stroke. 

Without enough force, the prop may "bounce" off compression and run backwards. 

 

 

IF ANY PROBLEM PERSISTS, PLEASE CONTACT 

DESERT AIRCRAFT FIRST! 

 
We designed and manufactured your engine and have built, serviced, and analyzed thousands more. 
We cover your engine’s warranty, not someone at the field or a stranger on the Internet.  Please give us 
the opportunity to help first!  
 

Maintenance 

 

  Being a high performance 2 stroke engine, certain parts can wear quickly. Under normal operation, 

pistons, piston rings, needle bearings, spark plugs, etc. may need occasional non-warranty 
replacement to insure peak performance.  

  Screws can come loose! After a few flights check that all screws are secure. Periodically check that 

all screws are tightened to the correct torque rating. It's recommended to replace, rather than re-use 
the red aluminum screws. 

                                                         

 

                                                        Size                    Torque specifications 

          Spark plug:                                CM-6, 10mm      90 in. lbs. 
          Steel prop bolts:                        M5x 50mm         65 in. lbs. / wood props, 80 in. lbs. /carbon props. 
          Aluminum crankcase bolts:       M5x16mm          70 in. lbs. 
          Steel cylinder base bolts:          M5x16mm          95 in. lbs. 
          Steel carb mount bolts:             M5x75mm          50 in. lbs.*  
          Aluminum carb mount bolts:     M5x75mm          25 in. lbs.* 
          Steel motor mount bolts:           M6x16mm        120 in. lbs. 

 

      

*Caution:

 Care must be taken to not over tighten the carb mounting bolts. Over tightening can   

                       distort and damage the injected molded reed valve parts and rubber gaskets.  
                                                                     

 

                                                                    (Cont'd) 
                                                                         6 

Summary of Contents for DA120

Page 1: ...T TM M D DA A1 12 20 0 Owners Manual 2 13 ...

Page 2: ...Make sure the aircraft is properly secured when starting or operating the motor Inspect motor mount bolts and firewall integrity before operating the motor Anyone in the immediate area of the motor should use eye protection during operation of the motor Keep spectators at least 30 feet away when operating the motor Turn off the motor before making any adjustments Always use the proper size propell...

Page 3: ...y silicone sealers on the fuel system Gas can break it down and carry it into the carb The inner diameter of the fuel tubing should be the same or larger than the carburetor s fuel inlet fitting s inner diameter 1 8 I D is recommended Make sure all fuel line connections are secure Small nylon zip ties work well to keep the fuel line on the metal fittings Make sure the fuel line is secure and not t...

Page 4: ... the red pick up sensor to the ignition module make sure that the polarity of the wires entering the connectors is correct Brown to brown orange to orange Unlike some ignitions the Desert Aircraft ignition is designed to spark only when the prop is flipped at a high speed If the prop is not turned over at starting speed the ignition will not produce a spark This helps to prevent the motor from fir...

Page 5: ...r loading the engine creates excessive heat Peak rpm should be over 6 000 during the break in process Adjust the needles as needed and give the engine a few easy flights The needles may need adjustment as the engine settles in and when other things change such as different props exhaust weather and altitude The engine should run well from the beginning and improve as flight hours accumulate Recomm...

Page 6: ...needle can have a slight effect on the other Example leaning the low needle can slightly lean the high range Adjust the High RPM needle to peak rpm A tachometer is a great help but remember that the RPM may drop a little bit after every start due to residual heat build up Don t lean the mixture any more than necessary If the rpm steadily drops at full throttle or fades on long vertical maneuvers t...

Page 7: ... starts backwards Make sure prop is flipped forcefully through the compression stroke Without enough force the prop may bounce off compression and run backwards IF ANY PROBLEM PERSISTS PLEASE CONTACT DESERT AIRCRAFT FIRST We designed and manufactured your engine and have built serviced and analyzed thousands more We cover your engine s warranty not someone at the field or a stranger on the Interne...

Page 8: ...r This motor can stop at any time for a variety of reasons Do not fly your plane in a way that damage or harm will result if the motor stops running If you cannot safely fly your plane if the engine stops for any reason do not fly the plane Desert Aircraft will not be responsible for damage caused in engine out situations DA120 WARRANTY Your DA120 motor and ignition system are covered with a 3 yea...

Page 9: ... REASON FOR RETURN Crash Yes___ No____ Other_________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ __________________________...

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