Digger-RCU

Greetings all,

Does any of you out there have direct experience with the standard Norvel .15

How does it compare weight and power to other 15's

If you think it is a Dog, what other 15 would you recc.

thanks a bunch!

Randy (Digger) Birt

wild fred

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I've had both norvel 15's, prefer the plain bearing one. use it a lot on my ferroplanes. it likes a 7-4 or 8-3, turns up pretty good, durable. the bigmig idles well without low speed adjustment. been running them since 2000 or so. my 15 of choice for sport stuff. not as strong as the mvvs 15, but hey, the norvel 25 weighs the same as the mvvs and mounts in the same holes; lighter is better! can't hardly wear it out. have had them on lazy bees with the 8-3. a buddy had one on a ziroli designed h.h. sukhoi, pulled it great. another had the b.b. one on a hobby people superfly, it pulled it fine. another had 3 on a telemaster 40 trimotor, worked well. a good choice for 15 size stuff, and overpowered 1/2a things. I had one on a simple series extra 230, and 2 simple caps also. am going to put one on a h.o.b. texan when I ever get around to building it!

Digger-RCU

Thanks a bunch Fred, I value your opinion. One last thing,

How do you think it compares to the the os 15's . I think I got from your post that you think it is stronger, I just wanted to make sure. Thanks
By the way, Its going on a 40 inch wngspan Global p-39

Thanks again

Randy (Digger) Birt

Andrew

Hello Digger --

I've got several NORVEL .15's, both Big Mig and AME's. For almost all of the type flying I do, the Big Mig does nicely -- we have some guys flying SPADs in combat that are using the AME .25's and seem to be quite satisfied, especially after they're broken in. One of the guys gets 1 flip starts just by holding the spinner in his fingers and giving it a sharp snap backwards.

The AME's have a twin screw carb and the Big Migs have just an air bleed hole without any adjustment. Bypass porting is configured the same as with the .061 -- 5 for Big Mig and 3 for AME's. I don't have an OS to directly compare it with, but matching up, the OS CV is about $25 move than the AME and the specs are not any better. The OS LA and Big Mig are about the same price -- the LA is ABN and Big Mig is the standard AAO. The LA also has an adjustable air bleed. I think the OS quality has suffered a bit during the past few years, but that is a personal opinion -- when I started, ENYAs and OS were the engines to have. OS seems to have had some cylinder peeling problems, especially with their ABC engines.

The last two NORVELs I acquired, a Big Mig and an AME, were both squeakers at the top, even with a generous oiling. I have not run either yet, but I am guessing that the initial breakin will take some time -- they are as tight as the NELSON and JETT pylon engines.

I have been happy with mine and will probably continue buy exclusively NORVEL in this size and smaller.

the "other" Andrew

wild fred

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how does the norvel compare with o.s.? well, the norvel has better metallurgy, is lighter, has more power than an unmodified os; but DON"T try to run it like an os! had a lot of people talk bad about norvel because "they SQUEAK when new; not like my o.s.!" and "they don't go as fast on an 8-6 prop-like my o.s.!" again, run a 7-4 or 8-3, maybe as big as an 8-4 in certain planes. as for me, I prefer the bigmig 15 over any 15 out there, including the b.b. one because of weight, cost, performance. and I've had about 15 different kinds of 15's through the years, including 3 cox versions; sportsman, medallion, conquest.

a freind at the field has a la 15 powered ferroplane; flies fine, reliable. and about 10 m.p.h. slower than the bigmig powered ones, which cost the same. enough said!

speaking of the ferroplane, I have a norvel 40 now, and will probably have to try it on one!

wild fred

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Andrew; do you know chris fry? used to fly with him a few years back, as well as the henderson bunch.

ZAGNUT

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hey wild fred, i've got an mvvs .15 with a rear exhaust tuned silencer on the way and would like to know what sizes of props/rpm range this thing likes. any other helpful info would also be welcome.


dave

Andrew

When I first got a NORVEL, I was surprised at the topend being so tight -- but a loose engine generally will not tighten up. The Enyas and McCoys would gain compression with running, but they were totally different metallurgy. I can usually find pretty good used NORVELs, still tight and with little or no run time. I really believe that initial starting problems that some experience with the NORVELs has hurt their market, especially for first engine buyers. The readers here likely have had few difficulties, but this is a real competent group of people. When you take someone who had a COX during their childhood, and give them a NORVEL, they may think the engine is damaged -- I do see some with plier marks on the thrust washer. So, I agree -- the tighter the better.

Let us know how the new AX-40 runs.

I'm not familiar with Chris Fry -- was he in the Murray Club or a western KY flier??

the "other" Andrew

prole

My Feedback: (3)

Digger-

I've got a 15 BB on my SPAD and it works really good. Easy to start, throttles good and runs up real high with an 8x4 with 25% nitro.

I don't have any other .15's to compare it to but it is lighter, quiter, faster and stronger than my OS .10 FP. I'm still pretty new at all of this stuff and it is really user friendly and easy to tune, even for me.

no complaints here...

timothy

Digger-RCU

Thanks for all the good info guys, I really appreciate it. I have heard lots of talk about the 25 norvel (I own one, and really like it), but not much comment about the 15. Thanks again.

Randy (Digger) Birt

Clean

Have they changed the muffler connection? I love my 15 norvels on my Control line, but I don't use the mufflers there. Is there any improvement on the snap on spring that they went to from the clumsy over the head spring they used to use.

Couple of good bolts is what I'd like to have. I used the snap on spring on my SPAD HOR and every time I land the muffler falls off. My fault I have it angled that way, but it doesn't seem to take much to do it.

P-51B

My Feedback: (5)

Do the norvel .15's use a regular glow plug, or do they use the same system as the smaller ones?

Andrew

It uses a standard plug.

NORVEL's specs on the .15:

http://www.shopatron.com/longdescrip...979.1981.0.0.0

the "other" Andrew