FlyerBry

My Feedback: (8)

All I can say is WOW! I saw this thread when it first started and decided to stay away figuring it looked like a ball of flames waiting to happen. Some very interesting posts and a vast array of opinions I must say. Very entertaining too...

Reading through this thread it is evident that problems can be had with any brand and any model. While good examples can be found of each as well. If there is anything I have learned in my relatively short time of running these small engines it is that a poorly running engine can typically be made to run better through time and effort. At the same time, a good running engine typically won't remain that way. All of the RC engines we use need a minimal amount of tinkering every so often to keep them in good running order.

The perfect engine that never needs any adjustment or minor attention simply doesn't exist. Yes, some are more tempermental than others and a few have been known to drive us to the point of disgust. But if there is one thing we can all agree on it is that over the years the quality has gotten better and there are more good choices in engines than ever before. There was a time when if you wanted a good, reliable engine you bought an OS. Nowadays we gripe about cylinder liner problems with OS engines and yet they are still one of the old reliables. Even though they have had some problems with their liners I can't say as I would disapprove of an OS as an engine choice given the proper application. The big difference is today the competion is so much closer and in some cases even better.

I hope the manufacturers are listening to all the comments that have been made and make an effort to apply these to improvements to the products they make available to the market. If just a few of the common problems get ironed out there will be that much less for us to gripe about.

Will the perfect engine ever be made? I honestly doubt it. There are just too many variables that can't be ironed out by the manufacturers. The least of which is us the consumers who tend to foul things up in any way imaginable and then often turn around and blame the manufacturer. IMO there are very few engines to "avoid at all cost!!!" But you wouldn't know it from the length of this thread!

Spaceclam

i am sure the perfect engine could be constructed, but it would cost so much money that it never will exist.

donkey doctor

Hello; I have had over 40 engines in teh last 13 years, the only one that gave me any trouble was a new Webra Silverline 40 I bought for my first ARF.

I broughtr an old Air Trai9ls magazine to the lake where we float fly on Mondays, a few of the fellows bought that issue when It first came out (april 47) There were many engines offered in teh ads, from $15 to $35 some smaller ones for less. As tehy went through the magazine one fellow mentioned that these engines were a pot metal piston in a pot metal cylinder, you were lucky if you could get it to last through a whole gallon of fuel. A few of the other brands advertrised brought on memories of some of the other flyers,. The general consensus was that modern engines are terrific compared to what was available then. Even that old Webra served me for two years before I got an Os FP40.I had a problematic Enya 53 that I just couldn't get running right and finally sold. Turns out that the cam idler bearing, in the cam shest was cocked when it was installed and the engine just wouldn't run like that. I sold it to a friend who pulled it out and put it in straight and has had no problems with it since then.

rcairplanenut

Thunder Tiger .61 heli
It will drive you to drink fast!!!!!!!!!

Sherman

My flying buddy put his LA 40 in a pPhoexnic low wing sonic, which is for 25-32 engines. It really flies great, and the LA is a light 40, so didn't cause any proglems. The engine has never quit while flying, and the sonic is quite aerobatic. The LA 40 has gotten a bad rap since it is not a power house. Put it in the right airplane though, and it is great.

LarryQ

My Feedback: (1)

I doubt you will ever find one of these ....but the Worst engine I ever owned..Flat out!
Was the OS .35FP!

I swear I have a patch of grey hair from that engine!

I bought it at a time when I had just gotten married, and things were LEAN for us!

If I had the money I would have thrown that thing in the lake and bought something else!

It drove me out of the hobby...as I couldn't afford to repair/replace the planes it ATE!

When I got back into flying, a year ago..I found all my stuff as I left it in my flight box.....

And there, sitting on the bottom was that Damn OS .35!!!

Can you guess where it "Rests" now??

Spaceclam

the os la series has not gotten a bad rap because it is not a powerhouse. over half the la users i know, (most on this thread) my self included have had problems with the engine vibrating excessively, not tuning correctly, deadsticks for no apparent reason, etc. my la vibrated so much that the fuel in my 1/2 inch of foam insulated tank was foaming. i am not saying this because of the bubbles in the line, i am saying this because we took off the hatch and looked at it! it never throttled up right and things like that. those are the common complaints. that's a lot more than a powerhouse issue. being that half the guys who own them are die hard believers and half of of those who own them have had nothing but problems with them, the chances of buying one that will run right would logically be 50/50 or close to it. so why gamble that when you can get a tt pro .46 for about the same price? it's the equivelant to the fx series which is by far superior. think about it!

britbrat

Well said Clam. There are just too many better choices for equal, or less money, to be bothered with the silly things. If you already own one you might as well use it -- but to go out & buy one from choice ---- ???????

Propwash in Pa

Bought a P-51 ARF at swap meet and the guy threw in a Tiger Shark .51 for no additional charge. He got the better of the deal. Engine was a piece of !$&%^* junk. Installed OS 46 AX (I think) and now it is a good combo.

G McIntosh

My Feedback: (9)

I've read every post.. Been in the hobby for 35+yrs.. For meworst engines..

1) Fox- hands down, just junk carbs period'.
2). ASP's junk, better than fox though
3). Magnums.. ok' , I guess..carbs suck'.. never would buy one
4)Any thing with remoute needle valves , you can keep..
5) K&B.. Sportster.. yeah right'
6) Newer OS Maxes.. Junk.. old stuff , like FSR's best they ever made
7) Tower Hobbies,GMS's.. if you have too own one.. yeah right

My favorites to own:
1) Jett
2) MVVS
3) Irvines
4) HB's
5) webra's
6) Thunder Tigers
7) Supertigers.. not my favorites..hate the mufflers, carbs are so so.. but good power for the
buck.

Spaceclam

the new os max engines are great except the LAs. most of the guys out there say that the neweer os engines are no good because of the nickel plating peeling on the liner. however, that problem was solved about 5 years ago and they do not peel anymore. if you were to buy a new ax engine, or one of their four strokes, you would not be disappointed. the os fourstrokes are not exceptionally powerful, they are about average. but they are very reliable and durable.

valentrd

Started to drink because of thunder tiger ! HA

Worst engine I have ever had.

whiskey29

Well I got Saito 72 with OS F, OS 15 LA and OS FP 40 and they have been great engines. Most people blame their engine while infact they might have had improper run in.

BUT Tower 46 is a hell , I put that on a friends trainer, it didn't actually like to flame out but it's leaking on the first day I got it.
Now I might have a bad engine but surely I'm not gonna ever get another tower, besides 4 stroke is too cool too pass.

SoonerAce

My Feedback: (1)

At the bottom of Hefner, Overholser, Draper perhaps,,,or did you really go all out and toss it in Texoma??

wow460

south canadian maybe? a channel cat will probably eat it lol

mike gruenwald

see a pattern here guys? you get what you pay for.

salmon

My Feedback: (114)

FOX.

edgeio540

My Feedback: (4)

The Thunder Tiger Lazy Tiger is the perfect plane for the OS 40 LA. They recommend a .25 size, but the 40 gives it the power to do anything. I had the same delimma of what to do with the trainer engine. Trust me, you will have a blast with this plane and that engine. By the way, the OS LA series are some of the most dependable and durable engines there are. I have seen a lot of them smack the ground really hard and have no problem starting once you clean the dirt out of the carb. Happy flying!

Fubar-One

My Feedback: (1)

Cant believe this thread is still running.
LA engines run great, are very reliable, and durable. For what they are designed for they work fine. My .46 LA has been on at least 4 different planes, been in more than a few prop-busting,dirt packing crashes, seen gallons of fuel, ingested an obscene amount of dust, dirt and vegetable matter and still runs strong and reliably.

Spaceclam

that's my point exactly for like the 50th time. you have a 50 50 chance of having a great little engine., but for the same amount of money, you could get a TT which has more power, and is of higher quality, not to mention your chances are balistically higher of hagving a great little engine.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

In 40 years of operating glow engines, I have never had a "bad" engine. Oh I see that a lot of you have nothing but engine problems, but that is not the fault of the engine.

1.) Too many airplanes are designed with the fuel tank in the wrong position. This is the cause of a lot of problems. Most trainers have this design flaw.

2.) Cheap fuel, fuel not taken care of properly, and the wrong fuel for the engine type. Buy the good stuff, and keep it clean and closed so you don't suck up the moisture in the air. Some engine need nitro, others don't. Some need lots of oil, others won't hardly run on it.

3.) Get the right prop. Too often the engine manufactor suggest too big of prop for the engine. Hey an engine that turns a 11-7 sounds more powerful than another of the same size that turns a 10-6. Marketing!

4.) Learn the proper method of breaking in the engine. Ok, a lapped or ringed engine is not the same as that ABC, AAC, ABN. Each has different needs.

5.) Most critical of all, learn how to set a needle. I'd say that 80-90% of RC fliers set the needle way too lean. Reading thru this thread was interesting because of the number of people that kept claiming that they know what they are doing, but engine X is a piece of crap.

There are a number of ways these little engines can have problems, and I have just touched upon a few main points. Next time you see a years worth of RCM, buy it, steal it, or borrow it and then cut out all 12 columns of Engine Clinic by Clarene Lee. It takes about that long for him to recycle through all the little things about engines you need to know.

If that don't work, have heart. Lipo's and brushless motors are almost foolproof.

Heads_Up

Want a real bad engine? Buy a Megatech 46. Me and a buddy of mine bought a couple a few years back when we were on tight budgets. Well ... you get what you pay for. After about 10 flights, I noticed a BIG loss of power. Got to checking the engine and found that all the head screws (allen head screws) on the top of the Megatech had loosened out. Talk about a loss of compression ... yuck. My buddy's did the same thing the next weekend. We tried the high temp thread lock and the head screws STILL loosened out. I took great joy in trowing the Megatech into the trash can. What a hunk of junk!

My $0.02 Worth

Fubar-One

My Feedback: (1)

Well, I dont know who was getting the other 50% but out of 4 LA engines of various sizes we own, ALL of em ran great, and still run great with the exception being the LA .15 that my dad slammed into a boulder but then no engine will run good with the head snapped off at the base of the liner. Took 20 minutes to find it...

Spaceclam

i think it was me and the guys here in calif.
also,. for whatever reason, people seem to have better luck with the .40 la t han the .46 la.

Spaceclam

heads up,
i cant believe you chucked the engine becuase the head bolts would loosen. did you try wrapping them in plumbers tape? did you try soaking the inside of the screw holes with rubbing alcohol and pouring it out and repeating and then draining it and using locktite? there were billions of things you could have done to keep thos bolts from coming loose and you simply throw the engine away? especially in your time of "tight budgets"?