MurphyLong

I have a small carton of various glow engines, as well as 4 attached to planes currently. I am not going to stick with nitro, I'm going strictly electric. With that said, all of these motors move freely without the glow plug, and have compression with it in. I don't have a way to test beyond that, but I'm sure they need a decent cleaning, since they've been sitting for almost 2 years.

Can anyone tell me what these would be worth, and if I should spend the time cleaning them up, or sell them as is, or just trash them?

Here's a partial list:

O.S. Max FX 30
O.S. Max FX 46 (x2)
O.S. MAX FP 60 (x2)
Super Tigre 40
Magnum XL 30 (and a 70) I believe this is 4 Stroke
O.S. Surpass 70 (I believe this is 4 stroke as
GMS 2000

This is an album of most of the engines:

www.amazon.com/photos/share/6IqLV6S2MAx0jaG5QpRd3xvWjvyOWtyr74d7F8KA2T4

aspeed

I have been getting the FPs for $20 and the BB ones for a bit more at swap meets. Ebay prices are likely much better. I would guess the 4 strokes to be over $100 if they look fairly clean. Definately don't toss them. Unless it is my way. You can check the classifieds here if you scroll down a bit farther. The prices are quite a bit higher. Some take a while to sell, but the reasonably priced popular ones go fast.

ma_mulcahy

Check the closed listings on ebay for comparable engines so you know what to ask. My advice is to use an auction format starting at a low price. Some sellers put their final asking price up and more often then not, they have to relist multiple times to find a buyer. You are risking a lower selling price, but you might make out better as well. Time your auction to end on a Sunday so you might have more available bidders, although snipers really don't care.

MurphyLong

I refuse to sell on eBay. I sold a $1,200 Summilux camera lens on there a while back, and the guy filed a claim saying I sent him something different. eBay told him to return it for a refund, and he sent me some garbage yard sale lens. Even though I had pictures of my lens getting packed, eBay still sided with him. He kept my lens, I got nothing.

With that said, I'll probably tall to the guys in the local club, and work out a barter of them cleaning them up and keeping something in exchange. If I get enough out of everything, including the 4 planes and 2 Txsto buy an electric RTF, I'll be happy.

aspeed

I don't know what city, or country you live in, but in North America at least there is a soap from the Dollar Tree stores called LAs Totally Awesome cleaner that does a nice job after soaking for 5 minutes and scrubbing with a toothbrush. It is a dollar or $1.25 here in Canada. I spray with WD 40 after cleaning so it doesn't go chalky. The insides you can leave, maybe a light oil or a squirt of fuel to soften up the dirty dried oil inside. Hopefully the carb barrel turns nicely. I wouldn't bother anyone else to do it. or even take it apart if it feels ok. You may damage threads or bearings. I watch ebay a bit, but have never bought or sold from them. I have heard similar stories.

do335a

Engines generally sell for more on ebay than RC sites.

I'll usually buy them on RC sites and sell on ebay.

As for your camera lens, it's important to cover your position right from the start. ID your lens in the auction with a serial number. You can't be stuck with nothing but the junk if you take your proceeds before sending out your lens. Make certain that the payment clears first and state that policy in your auction. By clear, I mean pull it out of PayPal first so that it can't be taken or frozen. Then if someone wants to cheat you, tell them all to stick it where the sun doesn't shine and walk. ebay discriminates heavily in favor of purchasers and against sellers.

You'll also find that a nice, clean, shiny engine will sell for more and quicker than an old dog. Which would your prefer? Take a bit of time and clean them up.

MurphyLong

I'm in North Carolina, US. I'll swing by a Dollar Tree on my way home today, I have a 4 day weekend with nothing to do, since I'll be having oral surgery, so I can just sit at my kitchen sink, and scrub them all down. I pulled the plug on them all, and the top of all the pistons look perfectly clean, so I might just put a few drops of oil in there.

If I'm only getting $20/pc for them on eBay, I'll end up with about $12 each by the time eBay/PayPal get their fees. I assume the 4 stroke engines are probably worth a few bucks more? I'll try to get them cleaned up and take new pictures.

aspeed

Clean ones will do better than $20. This site here is pretty good for selling stuff. No fees either. You won't get bidding wars though.

MurphyLong

Well, everything I have was an inheritance, and I'd rather make a bunch of people happy with getting a good deal on something, rather than milking every dollar I can out of something at the expense of another. I had someone make me an offer on an old Futaba TX6A Transmitter, and 2 of the FP 60 engines already, (Everyone is offering $30 a piece for those so far) and I have a local guy wanting to come see "all the Big Block stuff" this weekend, but I'm not even sure what he means, is that everything over .40 or what?
I figure after my surgery tomorrow, I'll spend the rest of the day scrubbing the outside of the engines, and whatever this guy doesn't wanna buy this weekend will get posted up here in the classifieds... Does it allow things like "$50 or best offer?" or is the price I post stuck at firm, preventing haggling?

I tried finding completed listings for a few of the things (Futaba T9CAP, and some of the engines) but I've seen the same engine without box or papers, in similar condition have such a huge variance in price, it's not gonna be easy to post prices without knowing if I'm asking too much or too little... Looks like I have more scrubbing and pictures to take care of, then I've gotta decide if I want to sell the engines off the 4 planes, or leave them as complete, and try to sell them locally, since shipping wouldn't be very feasible.

It also appears it may be worthwhile to upgrade to R/C Trading Plus Member - NON VENDORS so I can access the RCU Book, or should I just stick with completed Auctions to base pricing?

do335a

Snagged the two OS FP 60 engines from MurphyLong.

Just a short note here to let you guys know that he was absolutely first rate to deal with on this.

The deal could not have been handled any better.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

It's always good to hear of good stories about selling engines. I recently bought something when everything I had said it was too good to be true. The item was better than advertised and the seller is a great guy. Plus, I saved a lot of money. Great deals do happen.