charred buildup from E engines?

[techrat]

On Sunday's launch my Big Daddy did not deploy the chute. The nosecone came off but did so only halfheartedly. No damage to the rocket after falling quite a ways (built super tough), however, when I pulled the motor, only HALF of the clay cap had popped from the ejection charge. I also noticed charred residue in the motor tube that appeared to be blocking some of the tube, both of which likely contributed to the failed ejection/chute deployment. The Motor was an Estes E12-6.

I was able to blow out most of the blockage in the rocket with compressed air, but there's still some stuff in there I might have to get out with a circular brush (like a test tube brush), a few of which will now go into my field box for next month. Ah, the random-ness of black powder.

 

[Antares JS]

Ah, the random-ness of black powder.

What the heck are you talking about? Estes motors are remarkably consistent.

Was your Big Daddy built stock? It has known issues with ejecting its nose if the nose isn't modified.

 

[Back_at_it]

It's not uncommon for Estes motors to only partially break the clay on ejection. Generally this isn't an issue on most models but the BD needs all the ejection it can get.

Look up the big daddy nose cone mode to save yourself some future headaches.

The residue is common as well. It tends to be worse the larger the motor.

 

[techrat]

Sorry! I should have mentioned that my Big Daddy already has been modified. Plywood former built into the nosecone and chopped off the shoulder because I need all the room that I can get in that short tube. Even built a kind of stuffer tube (using the yellow tube included with the kit), so I don't even have to use much recovery wadding. Ah well, might have been just a glitch. I'll give it a good cleaning anyhow since next time it gets an E30-4T, but need to give it a wider launch lug first, so I gotta shave some paint in one spot to glue on a second lug.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

That happened to me (different rocket). Do you have pictures of the partial cap? In any case, report it to Estes. They should at least replace the engine.