el-John-o

Hey all,

So I am about ready to move on from my Tucano .40, not sure on what model yet but I definitely want a four stroke and I think I want something in the .60 range. I noticed that I can pick up a Magnum brand 4 stroke for about $180, versus the $300 plus O.S. models. Is there a particular reason why Magnum is so cheap? Is there any reason why I should stay away from them or is this one of those situations where going with the cheaper brand is going to be okay?

Thanks!

John

GaryHarris

Ive had two Magnum .52s are they were rock solid. They ran as well as my Saito 100 and now my OS .30.

noveldoc

My Feedback: (2)

This question has been posted before. Most folks feel Magnums work just fine.

Tom

bassmanh

My Feedback: (5)

John,

i have a bunch of magnums from a couple of .40's to up to my my .91 fourstroke for my F6f hellcat, i love them all they run well stay tuned and keep right on going....






bass

rgm762

My Feedback: (4)

I have three four strokes, 52, 70 and a 120 and have no complaints about any of them, all start very easily and sound great

ChuckW

In my experience, the Magnums are pretty good for the price. The power isn't quite the same as a comparably sized OS, they spit a little more oil and the quality is less consistent but it isn't enough to steer me away from them. I own or have owned several Magnum 2-strokes and 4-strokes. One .70 4-stroke had a lot of problems but the others have been just fine. In fact, I was really impressed with the .52 2-stroke. While I prefer the OS I would definitely consider a Magnum again depending on the airplane it is going in and my hobby budget at the time.

stssa

I just got home from crashing my Phoenix strega with .52 magnum 4 stroke. I dont know what I was thinking, Took off with 17mph winds gusting to 35mph. Plane took off fine but a strong gust kept drifting it and couldnt bring it back and finally it nose dived in to the ground. In a 400 acre grass ranch I managed to crash it on a concrete pavement about 15 feet in lenght. It took me about an hour to reach where the plane was at. Going over the fences and asking the land owners to go through and stuff. Anyway, Phoenix strega is completely gone there is not one salvageable piece on it other than .52 magnum. I was hoping the magnum would be ok but on the other hand it was a straight nose dive, I dont know how magnum survived that, Motor mount was also in 3 pieces. but, motor broke off the mount as a whole and broke the prop and spinner and crank shaft threads look stripped (easy fix) I will try to start it later today and see if it runs.

This should give you an idea of what I think about Magnum.

oldtyme

I have no experience with Magnum but OS has priced me out of their line. I have run nothing but OS since 1979 and swore by them but now I'm retired and on SS and can't afford their Cadillac prices. I've just recently bought a brand-new Magnum XLS 61A two-stroke engine for $99 as opposed to the OS 61FX for $189 and I'm also waiting on delivery of the Mangnum XLS 52A four-stroke that I paid $119 for instead of the OS56 four stroke for $309. I hope I like the Magnums and I've read a lot of good things about them. I don't have a problem with Chinese products anymore........I'm also into music and have just purchased some Chinese-made Fender guitars that market under the Squier label and they are a dynamite deal!!!! and the quality is superb!!!!

aerofly0610

cost difference is simple...  China QA vs Japan QA

Warbird Joe

I have all Magnum 2 strokes and love them. I have not heard anything negative about the 4 strokes either.

Joe

jeffie8696

Magnums, OK if you buy new and get a warranty.
OS, good if you can afford it
Saito , lighter, cheaper than OS, excellent quality.
Enya, Smooooth but heavy, really powerful.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I think they are total junk and wouldn't waste my money on one. The only thing I have ever found good about them is the price and you can do even better on that if you wait for Hobby People to have there Xmas sale. I do agree though, the big three have about priced themselves out of the market, well, my market. I have been picking up used YS and OS engines and just rebuilding them. For the little I give for them and the bit of time and money I spend on them I come out to the good every time.

JNorton

My Feedback: (2)

(3) .91 4 strokes and (2) .46 2 strokes all good. I also own Enya, OS, Thunder Tiger and Saito. The only brand I've ever had a problem with is MDS ans they are no longer available.
John

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

I own 4-stroke engines from Magnum (two .XL 52 RFS), Thunder Tiger (one F-91s), Saito (.72 AAC), and Enya (.60 4C). I think they're all terrific engines. It's funny to me that I don't own an O.S. Max 4-stroke, but I'm sure I'll pick one up when the right deal comes along.

The Magnum XL .52 RFS is a terrific, reliable, and user friendly engine. It provides plenty of power for .40-size planes, sounds great in the air, and is easy on fuel consumption. Global Hobby backs them up with excellent warranty service and support, and spare parts are always readily available. You can spend more for that "special" project if you'd like, but the Magnums are great engines.

aerofly0610

Based on???

jeffie8696

My first Magnum 52 RFSwas a pile of junk, leaking valves and a tooth broken off the cam gear, its replacement (under warranty) has been a wonderful little engine that has never dead sticked on me. And Ihave flown at least 2 gallons through it this year.
It just depends if you get a good one or not. My Magnum XL15A was low on power, its replacement (again under warranty) was an XLS15 that ran sweet as heck. You draw your own conclusions.

mike109

G'day

I think the Sanye engines (Magnum and ASP) are good for the money but although I have had quite a few of them, I always end up selling them on.

I had two Magnum 30 four strokes. The first was very strong and ran well but the second was never as good and was less consistent. I wanted them for a twin and I just did not trust them so they went. I had a 70 ASP. It ran well, no complaints, but I sold it with the model it was in. I had an ASP 91 four stroke. Again, it ran OK but I sold it. I also had a very good ASP 61 four stroke but again I sold it with the plane.

I found they all ran better with at least 5% castor oil in the mix and 10% nitro.

I mainly have Saito and once I get them I rarely sell them. The one I did sell I was talked out of and I regretted it. I think I have about 14 at the moment. I also have a couple of OS including an 81 Alpha which was expensive and is no better than a Saito. My Lasers I really like but they are not exactly cheap but they are beautifully made and run really well.

I may buy another ASP or Magnum but at the moment I really don't need any more engines. Did I say that?

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I rebuild four stroke engines for a lot of people, not just myself, it's a side job to go along with kit building and ARF assembling. I avoid Magnums, for the price they aren't worth the time or money to bother with. It's a clone of the old OS engines but they forgot to put in the OS quality, poor machining, bad castings, pressed parts that tend to vibrate out. {carb} With CNC machining you would think they could get the tolerance's a bit tighter.
I find them total junk when I set them next to any one of the big three. What I do question is the price difference of the big three. As much as I like YS and OS I have been watching them price themselves out of the market over the last few years. With the price of glow fuel and a good four stroke engine I'm seeing a lot of people going to gas now. I started running gas in several planes for a while myself. Maybe that's why I keep running into so many good deals on the better four strokes??

jimmyjames213

My Feedback: (2)

they work well, just expect a gallon or two breakin time where the engine wont be up to par. then they turn into a beast of an engine i have 5+ magnums, the .46 and .52 two strokes are just as good if not better than their os competitors for half the price. the 4 strokes are not as "smooth" turn over a magnum 4 stroke than a os one and the os one is "smoother" but they run great, no complaints.

oldtyme

I just bought a Magnum 52 RFS 4-stroke Blue head from this guy:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT
It's brand new in the box for $119.99 I got it and it is beautiful. He is selling on-line for his son-in-law that has a hobby store in Minnesota called Big Sky Hobby so you get the new warranty. It cost me $128.98 to get it to my door. Not bad when you consider that they sell new for $159.99 and the OS 56FS is $309. I have no problem with Chinese made products at this point and OS is pricing me out of the hobby. This is the second Magnum I've bought this year.....the other being the XLS 61A and that looks like a beauty too. I have friends with Magnums that love them so I'm pretty confident that I'll likem'. I've flown nothing but OS since 1979 but they are just toooooooo expensive and if the Magnums have a little bit less power (which I doubt) so be it.......I'm a sport flyer not a 3D guy.........real planes don't do 3D maneuvers and that's what I'm after........realistic flight! Anyway, it's an experiment but I think with what I've heard and read and the price difference and the warranty, I think the Magnums are a good choice.

frenchie79

G.B.-I have to agree-I don't really like getting involved in these debates, butif the poster wantsOpinions here goes.The 52 is really a good price at 79 to 100 bucks but thats what it's worth. Magnums will run and go from Idle to fast-No question. If thats your criteria and price-You found your engine. I do think the Newer line of OS Alpha series engines are priced up there, but watch for those Tower deals and it brings them into check. The quality, fuel sipping and smooth power just can't be beat as a total package. They have created a fine engine worth your time, dollarsand efforts when building a plane. I have given up on cheap whenputting so much time into a build.Save the extra hundred or two and you'll be happy. JMHO

PS The OS56 with 60 off from Tower is 249. A little over 100 bucks more than the Magnum 52-It's a no brainer, no comparison. Save up the extra 100+.

oldtyme

Well frenchie...........I would have agreed with you in the past but now I don't think that price is the delineator in quality.....things have gotten better and price has come down.........except in Saito and OS. I have been diddling with an OS for the better part of 2+ years to get the darn thing to run properly and a friend of mine is also arguing with an OS engine. Now don't get me wrong........maybe I'll not like the Magnum's but I'm sure going to give them a try and I understand that customer service is top quality. I'm just not going with the $$'s make the difference anymore. I'm now 67 and maybe if you had asked me when I was 35 whether cost made the difference, I would have agreed with you but things have changed and the need to spend a lot of dollars sometimes only buys you bragging rights. I'm waiting to see if I'm impressed or not but a lot of people that I have talked to are very, very satisfied Magnum users and they don't just go from idle to fast.......they fly very well and are satisfied. It's like you say though..........what suits your needs and satisfies you is what counts and in this case, I'm hoping that Magnum will do that for me.
Cheers,
Andy

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

The original question seems to have gotten too far back and no one can remember what it was, here it is. The P wants to know what others think, I have never hidden my feeling at all about engines, quality counts and cost more. I have seen a lot of pilots new to the hobby try there first four stroke and they went by price and bought the magnums and decided four strokes are junk. That's a shame but going out and buying a magnum .91 on sale for $129.00 and trying to compare it to an engine costing $325.00 dwells on the silly.
OLD, I'm 62 and I still always try to buy quality. Age has nothing to do with it. Buy the best you can afford and you won't be sorry too often. I have one of my own OS .91 I started working on because it just doesn't run very well? After opening it up and looking I could find no problem at all until I used my magnifying loops and on the bottom of the rod I spotted a hair line crack. Just installing the new rod repaired the engine. This engine was given to me so I have no idea of the history or how the rod got cracked, doesn't mater, the price was beyond great!!
I also don't care a lot for Saitos but I do work on them. Great design, super machining and finishing, I just don't care for them but they are the number one four stroke in my area. It's just a choice thing, you put your money down and walk out with the engine of your choice, in my case it is never a magnum.
Nuff said!

flythesky

I've had a few 2 stroke Magnums and had problems with about half of them. Loose carburetors and leaking needle valves mainly. Those problems were fixed and the engines ran fine after. If you're ready to troubleshoot a new engine the price is pretty good. The last worst experience was with 2 .46 engines, I bought the first one and had terrible vibration, thinking it was just a fluke I bought another, same problem. So then I bought an OS and went flying. I have a pretty good inventory of OS engines so I won't be buying any new ones for a while but when I do I'll consider Magnum. But then I play Blackjack too.

goirish

I on the other hand have several Magnums. 2 and 4 stroke. Probably 10 or so. I have only had problems with one of them, a 70 4 stroke. When it was new it had weak valve springs and was sent in to Hobby People to replace. It never did run good after that. In fact I sent it to Gray Beard and he worked on it. Got it running better than when I sent it to him. Ended up selling it last Saturday. I would not hesitate to buy another one. Startem and flyem, no fooling with em. Just my 2c and by today standards that ain't worth much.