Minari 180 & 200
updated January 22, 2021
Warning for electric start models – DO NOT USE THE 14.8V LIPO BATTERY! IT WILL BURN OUT THE STARTER. USE ONLY A 12V LIPO.
All Italian paramotors use many of the same parts e.g. ignition system, carburetor, starter, throttle cable, engine & muffler mounts, spark plugs, among others. If you do find what you are looking for here, check the Top 80 and Polini pages.
SPECIFICATONS – important info including maintenance intervals and torque values
Air box – the air box usually has an internal air filter. It must *NOT* be saturated with oil. It is unnecessary and can restrict air flow into the engine. Periodically wash the filter in hot soapy water.
Air filter – see "Air box" above
Bearing condition – What condition are the bearings in my engine? Which one is the most likely to fail first?
Bearing replacement and case disassembly/assembly – Here is how to replace the main crankshaft bearings and seals
Belt adjustment & diagnostics – redrive pulley misalignment is the main cause of redrive belt failure
Carburetor info - Walbro WB general information including troubleshooting and repair
Carburetor adjustment – Minari has particular settings for the idle, low, and high speed adjustments
Carburetor leaks/drips – see "Drips" below
CHT – see "Cylinder head temperature gauge" below
Clunk – see "Fuel filter" below
Crankcase assembly/disassembly – see "Bearing replacement and case assembly" above
Clutch bearing replacement – It is done in the same manner as for the main bearings (see Bearing replacement... above). Steel does not expand as much as aluminum so a press must be used to install the clutch bearings. They will not just "clink" into place.
Clutch maintenance and repair – see the "User manual" and, in particular, "Rebuilding a paramotor" below
Connecting rod – see "Rebuilding a paramotor" below for info on this part including when it should be replaced (which must include the entire crankshaft).
Crankcase assembly/disassembly – see "Bearing replacement and crankcase assembly/disassembly" above
Crankshaft replacement – see "Rebuilding a paramotor" below. The paramotor must be completely disassembled.
Cooling shroud – it dramatically lowers the engine running temperature
Cylinder head temperature gauge – Not having a CHT is like driving a car without any gauges or warning lights. Most of the time you don't need them....
De-carbonizing a two stroke engine – Alex Varv shows how to do it without removing the cylinder. However, I do not recommend using any sealant between the cylinder and cylinder head. I have never had a head leak when the "O" ring is new and installed properly. The exhaust port should also be cleaned at the same time.
Decompression port check – Here is an easy, simple way to check whether the port is clogged or not.
Decompression port cleaning – It must be clear. Failure to keep it free of combustion deposits will shorten the life of the starter.
Drips – Two stroke engine carburetors drip/leak fuel by design. It cannot be helped.
Electrical troubleshooting – see "Ignition troubleshooting" below
Emergency engine kill system – see "Kill system, alternate" below
Engine stall – see "Stall" below
Flywheel removal and installation
Four cycling – see "Performance tuning" below
Fuel & oil specifications – 2.5% (40:1) full synthetic oil e.g. AMSOIL Dominator or Motul 710 with premium 100% unleaded.
Fuel filter – What kind/type to use? If you choose poorly, the engine will also run poorly, if at all. Removal and installation tips. The fuel system MUST be purged of old fuel and air when changing out the fuel filter!
Fuel line size/installation – these are IMPORTANT notes that will prevent engine fuel starvation
Fuel system leaks – (see also "Leaks of the engine" below)
Fuel system modification – the FSM dramatically fixes fuel starvation and most performance issues (still in the test phase)
Ignition coil secondary wire replacement – This is the most common point of failure in the ignition system
Ignition timing – see "Timing" below
Ignition troubleshooting - including the newer Minari's which have the magneto ignition system
Kill system, alternate – The inability to shut down a runaway engine could be exceedingly dangerous, especially with bigger engines. This alternate system routes a cord from the spark plug boot to some accessible place.
Leaks of the engine, exhaust, and redrive – (also, see "Fuel system leaks" above)
Leaks of the reed valve – see "Reed valve" below
Manuals – see "User manuals" below
Midrange roughness & "four cycling" – see "Performance tuning" below
Mounts, rubber (engine) – Here is a way to quickly check them. These are normal consumable parts that fail with use. Pilots must keep an eye on them and replace them regularly.
Owners manual – see "Users manual" below
Parts diagram – note that these diagrams can have changes as the factory makes improvements on their engines
Performance tuning – Most paramotors run poorly in the midrange due to a rich air/fuel mixture, the range that we spend most of our time flying in.
Piston failure – This page from Madsen's (a chainsaw dealer) gives many maintenance and repair tips on 2 stroke engines including the piston. Paramotors are more like chainsaws and motorcycle racing engines than any other. Paramotors use carburetors from obsolete chainsaw.
Preheat system of air entering the carburetor
Priming a paramotor – Because the Minari has a vertical carburetor it is particularly sensitive to flooding from over-priming. 3-4 seconds is all that is needed.
Propeller hub info, removal, & installation – this page is particularly about the Top 80 but has important information relevant to the all hubs, especially vibration sources.
Propeller info – General information including how to correctly attach and repair it
Purging the system of fuel – It must be done if a paramotor is to be stored for more than a few weeks, especially if you are using ethanol fuels.
Rebuilding a paramotor – includes disassembly and assembly of the major parts of the engine e.g. flywheel, cooling fan, clutch, carburetor, etc.
Redrive belt adjustment & diagnostics – see "Belt adjustment & diagnostics" above
Rich running condition – see "Performance tuning" above
RTV – e.g. Permatex Blue or Ultra Grey. Used to seal case halves, some gaskets, and surfaces. Apply with a clean finger. Forget the spout that comes with the tube. It is useless. Use Ultra Grey for sealing surfaces that may become hot, like the exhaust flange gasket. More sealant is not better. It is not as simple as most think.
Safety net installation – on NEW Miniplanes the safety net comes already assembled and ready to install but not replacement netting kits
Safety net replacement – replacement safety netting from Miniplane must be assembled. Here is help to prepare the net for installation (above).
Safety net wear – How to minimize wear and tear on the safety net
Shroud, cooling – see "Cooling shroud" above
Spark plug installation – Do not waste time troubleshooting an engine unless the spark plug is new. It must be gapped and installed correctly.
Spark plug type and gap – see "SPECIFICATIONS" below
SPECIFICATONS – important info including maintenance intervals and torque values
Squish – Pilots must get the correct size cylinder gasket to prevent overheating, detonation (knock), and engine damage.
Stall – Going to full throttle, the engine stalls! What happened?
Starter, manual – like the Polini's, the Minari's also have problems with their starters. See the Thor Flash page for some maintenance notes. Getting the electric starter seems to be the only long term solution at this time.
Starter, electric – some pilots have had the best results with a 12V LiPo battery, 50% charge, and a 40A fuse. A properly primed engine will start immediately. A compression relief valve (CRV) will greatly relieve the stress on all electric starter. It should be available from us soon.
Starting – Start your engine the first pull
Throttle cable – Cleaning, lubrication, modifications, and cruise control info
Throttle placement in the hand while launching a paramotor (Miniplane throttle)
Timing – how to both check and set the timing of a paramotor
Torque values – see the "SPECIFICATIONS" page above
User & service manual – from Minari The English section begins at page 15. Go to Minari's product page for models other than the F1.
Vapor lock – it is the most common fuel problem in paramotors due to the near universal location of the fuel tank far below the carburetor
Vibration – see "Propeller hub info, removal, & installation" above
Warming up – When the cylinder head temperature reaches 70ºC or greater, the fuel/air mixture is 100% vaporized so the engine will not be fuel starved and potentially overheat. Various moving parts of the engine must also be at the correct temperature to reduce wear and seal properly.
Weight – 24.3 kg (53.5 lb) all up weight at take-off minus fuel (the 200 weighs a bit more)
