Hi Rich and others, Have just caught up with this as been off for quite awhile.
I see the dreaded adverts are spoiling yet another thread but that's another issue with this bloody format on here – sorry David but it is frustrating
DC Rapier value – ah now, how long is a piece of string. Firstly Rich I'm really pleased you have managed to get yourself a good example as obviously this particular engine means something to you. It's value is very much down to what ever someone wishes to pay as has already been said. That's not to hedge bets but simply the way it is.
For nostalgic reasons I too was looking for an aircooled DC Rapier for quite sometime. A friend contacted me to say there was one on Ebay and we both watched with incredulity as obviously two people fought each other and pushed the price to well over two hundred pounds. This was not even an original 'still in box' but one that had been rebuilt, and re-anodised. Why this should attract such a price is beyond all who I know with an interest in such engines. A dealer, selling one 'as new in box' would probably ask around a hundred or so but at a local swapmeet you'd probably pick one up for a lot less.
Some diesel engines however do have extremely good value on the resale market – of the commercially made engines Oliver Tigers and Eta 15's particularly, good examples fetching well over a hundred regularly but the average engine – ED Racer, Frog 2.49 (to keep to 2.5cc) will be considerably down on that though there are always exceptions.
You've answered your own question actually in that really, it's quite 'priceless' – to you – as it obviously means a lot. I have had over some fifty odd years so many many engines but only one ever really meant anything (Dooling 29) and in a weak moment I foolishly let that go to my eternal regret.
Starting diesels – once the normal compression is found it's fairly straight forward but when a silencer is attached it can get a bit fraught as you are not able to give the exhaust a direct prime having to rely on a carb prime or finger choking to get the fuel into the cylinder and doing this it is very easy to flood the engine. Flooding leads to having to back off the comp screw usually leading to losing settings.
It's much easier if you drill a small hole in the silencer just opposite the exhaust port to enable a small prime, open the needle no more than a turn from running setting and fundementaly leave the compression alone or at most back it off no more than half a turn. Once the engine fires let it 'burp' a bit until it warms up – it may stop and need to be restarted – don't be tempted to mess around with the compression if it does as within a couple of short burpy runs or so it will continue to run then, as it warms, close the needle gradually to lean it and then adjust the compression to give a smooth run. Hope that's not teaching granny.
Just one last thing – I'm sure you know this already but Springboks reference to 'Nitro' fuel is misleading as this is for glow motors only. Ether based model 'diesel' fuel is what is required.
Good luck with it – at least flywheels don't bite your fingers
regards – Ramon
Edited By Ramon Wilson on 12/11/2012 23:39:56