Walbro WT-997 factory settings? Need tuning help on Fuelie 30.5cc

[Bryan K.]

Hey guys, I'm having issues setting up my Fuelie 30.5cc motor I got from King motors. This carb seems to be a bit of an odd ball. I haven't been able to find much information about it. The few forum threads I've found around the net say to use the same settings as the WT-668. However, on those settings the motor barely starts.

So the idle sounds very low and the motor sounds like it's choking. At first I Thought it was too rich on the L needle so I leaned it out and it ran ok for about 1 tank. Then all of a sudden it died then wouldn't run again. Even when I got it started, as soon as I applied throttle it just died again. Pull the spark plug and it looked good, so I ended up richen it up a 1/4 turn on the L needle c-clockwise and the motor fired right up. Then proceeded to run it through another tank without issues. The next day, I could not get the motor started again. I had to set it to even leaner settings than I had originally then it fired right up again? I proceeded it run it though another tank. Towards the end of the second tank, the motor started to bog down and it died again. I could not get it started again. I feared that I leaned out the motor too much and killed it. However, while running everything sounded great. Keep in mind I have no carb tuning experience. I'm only going by what I've read and what the OBR tuning video on youtube says to do.

I pulled everything apart again, checked spark, checked the kill switch connections to the coil pack, etc. Everything was fine again. So my dad got involved since he had some carb tuning experience with chainsaws and snow blowers and told me to lean out the L needle almost completely. I literally had it to half a turn C-clockwise from the full closed position and it started up? The idle/RPM was insanely high. He said that meant it was too lean. So I turned it about 1/8 of a turn richen and the idle started to go back to normal with small pops like it was before. If I went even slighter richer than that the motor would just die. So that's only a little more than half a turn from fully closed. My question is why the hell does this carb run so lean? Unless it has some whacky stock oem carb settings that aren't like the other Walbro carbs and why does the L carb setting need to be constantly changed? It seems like every time I run the thing the carb setting needs to be changed or it eventually dies? At idle it always sounds ok, but after a tank of running the idle always seems to die because it needs to be leaned out or richened? It doesn't make sense. This isn't a nitro, I shouldn't need to keep tuning the L needle every time I go out right?

My 1/5 gasser buddies said just to get a Walbro 668 and call it day. However, I've read that the 997 is made for larger displacement motors and flows fuel better at higher RPM's whereas the 668 has lag due to slow fuel supply. I'd like to get the 997 running if possible. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I will upload videos of the last tank I ran it through before it died. Let me know how it sounds. I got it started again with the leaned out settings but haven't run it yet. Literally starts now with 1 pull. I'm just uncomfortable with how lean it is. Should I not be too worried about the L settings, as long as it starts and sounds ok? Is the H setting more important for overall performance and engine safety? Is L just for idle or is it more of a low - mid range type of fuel setting? My understanding is that the L needle will supply the same amount of fuel from idle all the way up to top RPM's. The H needle will then dump more fuel from mid range up. Is this correct? If that's true, then I'm concerned that the lean L setting will mess up my H setting by making my top end too lean as well. I guess you have to listen to the motor.

Here's a video doing straight fly by pulls

Here's a video of some random bashing around

 

[Seandonato73]

As far as I know it's the same specs as a 668. Like identical. Pop off pressure may be a bit different but not enough to say it's better then the 668. I would start with checking for air leaks in the intake track. It can cause major issues with tuning. The diaphragm may be hard as well. Idk how old this carb is ethanol is a major issue with these carb diaphragm. If all.else fails swap your stock carb back on and see how it runs. And forget about checking the plug it's not running consistent enough for you to be able to tell anything from it.

 

[5ThscaleNut]

I have a 997 on my engine and I have not had those problems with it. I found the factory settings 1-1/4 low 1-1/2 high

 

[Phill2]

These are the stock settings for Walbro.
As far as I know 997 is identical to a 668?
Is it a genuine Walbro you have?
The chinese clones are nothing but trouble.

 

[DougStar]

 

[Bryan K.]

Thanks for the info guys. As far as I know it's a genuine Walbro. I bought direct from King Motors and it states in the specs it's a Walbro 997. The carb has Walbro stamped on it as well. King motors is a somewhat reputable brand now, hopefully the Fuelie motor they sell uses genuine parts. The 997 is quite rare anyways. I see lots of clone 668 for $10-$15, but most of the 997's I see selling online are genuine and around $50. Not much point cloning an odd ball carb I guess. I'll continue playing around with the settings. Hopefully, I can get it running properly.

Thanks,

 

[Phill2]

Thanks for the info guys. As far as I know it's a genuine Walbro. I bought direct from King Motors and it states in the specs it's a Walbro 997. The carb has Walbro stamped on it as well. King motors is a somewhat reputable brand now, hopefully the Fuelie motor they sell uses genuine parts. The 997 is quite rare anyways. I see lots of clone 668 for $10-$15, but most of the 997's I see selling online are genuine and around $50. Not much point cloning an odd ball carb I guess. I'll continue playing around with the settings. Hopefully, I can get it running properly.

Thanks,

Sounds like you got the real thing.
If it keeps giving you trouble see what KMs warranty policy is.
You may just have a lemon.
It should be set and forget.

 

[Z.hb71]

Thanks for the info guys. As far as I know it's a genuine Walbro. I bought direct from King Motors and it states in the specs it's a Walbro 997. The carb has Walbro stamped on it as well. King motors is a somewhat reputable brand now, hopefully the Fuelie motor they sell uses genuine parts. The 997 is quite rare anyways. I see lots of clone 668 for $10-$15, but most of the 997's I see selling online are genuine and around $50. Not much point cloning an odd ball carb I guess. I'll continue playing around with the settings. Hopefully, I can get it running properly.

Thanks,

km/rovan doesn't use real fuelie stuff although they might say so, all their motors are made by them for them, not cy. i don't even think fuelie/cy (the real fuelie/cy not km/rovan) makes a 30.5, only a 29. im not sure on the carbs tho, they might be real, might not, they used to be fake, not sure if they improved, all i know is my stock carb sucked LOL.
edit: im right, fuelie only makes a 23cc, 27cc,29 and a radically different 42 and 46cc http://www.chungyang.com.tw/en/product.php . rovan/km engines are their own stuff, which is probably the reason mine only lasted less than 6 months. anyways

 

[Bryan K.]

km/rovan doesn't use real fuelie stuff although they might say so, all their motors are made by them for them, not cy. i don't even think fuelie/cy (the real fuelie/cy not km/rovan) makes a 30.5, only a 29. im not sure on the carbs tho, they might be real, might not, they used to be fake, not sure if they improved, all i know is my stock carb sucked LOL.
edit: im right, fuelie only makes a 23cc, 27cc,29 and a radically different 42 and 46cc http://www.chungyang.com.tw/en/product.php . rovan/km engines are their own stuff, which is probably the reason mine only lasted less than 6 months. anyways

Just curious, where did you get that info from? Even Redcat Rampage has a Fuelie 30cc motor which comes stock on their RTR? I don't consider Fuelie to be "quality name brand". It's just a china brand like the rest. Even the 29cc genuine Fuelie's sell for $200 or less. I wouldn't brag that I had a fuelie, lol. I don't except much from the motor but it's running quite well aside from the random carb issues I've been having. Puts out decent power and everything seems decent quality from what I've experienced so far.

 

[Z.hb71]

Just curious, where did you get that info from? Even Redcat Rampage has a Fuelie 30cc motor which comes stock on their RTR?

i got it from chung yang's website (the one i linked) , chung yang is fuelie, they simply don't make a 30cc only a 29cc, they don't make a 32cc, 36cc, that rovan 45? thats rovans own as its way different than the cy 46 and 42. . cant comment on the raampage, tho ive heard problems with them, namely @ZRC 's rampage motor never made it through break in so i don't think those are real cy either. they (rovan and km) can say what they want but i know that cy and zen motors are pretty much the most reliable out there, they don't just blow up.

 

[Phill2]

Just curious, where did you get that info from? Even Redcat Rampage has a Fuelie 30cc motor which comes stock on their RTR? I don't consider Fuelie to be "quality name brand". It's just a china brand like the rest. Even the 29cc genuine Fuelie's sell for $200 or less. I wouldn't brag that I had a fuelie, lol. I don't except much from the motor but it's running quite well aside from the random carb issues I've been having. Puts out decent power and everything seems decent quality from what I've experienced so far.

If you get a good one they're not too bad.
My 30.5 stocker was a POS and was replaced by a 29cc Zenoah very early on.

 

[Z.hb71]

Just curious, where did you get that info from? Even Redcat Rampage has a Fuelie 30cc motor which comes stock on their RTR? I don't consider Fuelie to be "quality name brand". It's just a china brand like the rest. Even the 29cc genuine Fuelie's sell for $200 or less. I wouldn't brag that I had a fuelie, lol. I don't except much from the motor but it's running quite well aside from the random carb issues I've been having. Puts out decent power and everything seems decent quality from what I've experienced so far.

Doesn't matter where it comes from, the the quality of metal that it's made out of and the tolerances. Also they are cheap prices reliable work horses, not made to be anything special just reliable (real cy/fuelie). The metal that Rovan uses is complete poop, my old rovan 30cc blew up partly because of the cylinder skirt falling off into the motor, as far as I know that doesn't happen with a good reliable zen or cy. Not to mention when I took it all apart, boy was that a horribly made Engine, every thing was bad, like 3mm of play on each side of the connecting rod, up and down play on the con Rod, 1mm on each side of the con Rod on the big end (shouldn't be that much) crank moved side to side in the crankcase, crummy ports that weren't made precisely, ect ect, generally a poopy made engine, so that's why most go zenoahm They are not cy/fuelie, they are their own motors that they say is cy, actually I don't even think they say they are cy/fuelie anymore, i could be wrong. Although, my 30cc rovan did make decent power, it was a really fun motor while it want blown up in a box lol. But I do hope yours lasts a good while!!!!!! And I don't mean to scare you if I have, just saying my experience.

 

[Phill2]

Doesn't matter where it comes from, the the quality of metal that it's made out of and the tolerances. Also they are cheap prices reliable work horses, not made to be anything special just reliable (real cy/fuelie). The metal that Rovan uses is complete poop, my old rovan 30cc blew up partly because of the cylinder skirt falling off into the motor, as far as I know that doesn't happen with a good reliable zen or cy. Not to mention when I took it all apart, boy was that a horribly made Engine, every thing was bad, like 3mm of play on each side of the connecting rod, up and down play on the con Rod, 1mm on each side of the con Rod on the big end (shouldn't be that much) crank moved side to side in the crankcase, crummy ports that weren't made precisely, ect ect, generally a poopy made engine, so that's why most go zenoahm They are not cy/fuelie, they are their own motors that they say is cy, actually I don't even think they say they are cy/fuelie anymore, i could be wrong. Although, my 30cc rovan did make decent power, it was a really fun motor while it want blown up in a box lol. But I do hope yours lasts a good while!!!!!! And I don't mean to scare you if I have, just saying my experience.

That should cheer him up Z!

 

[Dynotech]

What a load of poop....(Rovan=junk). I've beat my 30.5 for YEARS now with ZERO issues. Put a kit in the carb as the diaphragms got a bit stiff, but that's IT. It now has close to 40 gallons of VP110 through the thing now and still going strong. After seeing more than half the posts here, MOST issues are NOT 'manufacturing' defects.....it's people who can't even set up a carb.....Then they lean it out and blame the engine....or any of many 'mods' they try. I just have to chuckle....

 

[Rep732]

4 year old thread...............