Hi guys, I'm only an occasional user of RCU. I'd very much like to be using radials in RC models, I have been tending towards Saito but I've also been interested in the Evo's. But I've seen some posts talking about a gradual decline in quality and reliability and Mark Bartley's post is just a recent example (very sorry to hear of this Mark). Are the current production engines just a big risk or are they OK? ie does it depend first and foremost on the user, or are some of them just bad? And I hear that it's generally the practice to ditch the carb's and substitute Saito. BTW I'm particularly thinking of the Evo 7-35. None of that is very encouraging. A Saito glow 3-cyl FA-200 sounds like a safer bet, but for scale and interest's sake I'd really hoped to run at least a 5 cyl and a 7 would match some of the projects I had in mind. But is it safe to spend money on, for someone like me who has to save hard to buy something like this? I do not have the kind of disposable income to buy these engines on a whim. I've been running Saito singles and a couple of twins with great results (all glow, maybe I'll do gas one day... don't really care), and I'll eventually convert my FA-182TD to spark, still methanol.
Is the complexity of a 7- or 9-cylinder simply too much for Evo's quality standards nowadays? As I understand it Evo licenced the Siedel designs for their radials, but I don't understand the relationship to UMS... sorry guys I don't have time to study 2000+ posts in this thread and a ton of others to find out about this, I'm new here. If I understand the current situation, UMS equals EVO equals this is who is making the Siedel designs now, and people got burned when Siedel collapsed. Are people getting burned by Evo now too? Doesn't sound like when you get one with mfg problems that the maker is real big on after sales support... I would only go for it through local distribution if I had a good guarantee of repair or replacement. I like the idea of the design, but can I trust it? Any guidance gratefully received... Bernie