I had I think the first DLA56 in the US, they sent it to me to evaluate in hopes I would want to distribute them. The engine they sent had parts inside with DLE cast and forged into them. The cylinder is the old style DL50 with the 2 mm larger bore and the spark plug straight out the top instead of at an angle to the exhaust. It ran fine but it did have a strange idiosyncrasy where it would still turn a 22x8 prop at almost 7000 RPM with the high speed needle completely closed.
The latest version of the DLE is by far a better engine but sure it costs another $60-$80.
The main problem I have with the DLA line is the ownership, though it seems they have been taking care of their customers for the most part, their beginnings are marred with deceit, deception and outright lies. From a distributor standpoint I don't trust them. I also can't bring myself to sell a competing product to my premier line that out right steals their trademarked name and hides it on parts inside their product.
I have several other DX this, D-blah that engines that have been sent to me for the same reason, some have been sent just for my input and advice on their design. Most of them come from the same place, a company that specializes in liquidating old obsolete inventory by means of assembling it in to hobby engines and selling them to western markets. I don't have the DLA56 anymore but it's owner seems very happy with it.
If I were to need an engine and were on the tightest of budgets I would try the DM, I've not seen one up close yet but the pictures I've seen look like it's a direct copy of the earlier version of the DLE except for the spark plug location, don't know about support though but for $216 what do you expect.
Re: DLA 56 opinions
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