reapr

What is the better of these engines. Thunder Tiger Super Tiger Tower Hobbies or Magnum. Notice I did'nt include O.S as that is not an option.

AMB

I cannot comment on the tower its gotten OK reviews, but I own the rest my thoughts I like
the carb better on the ST , beyond that I would say equal also the STs are in the same price range and you have a choice of ABC and ringed in the STs. myST 40 and 91 and TT46 pro
are running as diesels good bottom ends

mstroh3961

My Feedback: (4)

I've had great luck with my magnum .46! And their service center is first rate! Sent mine in for crash repair and had it back in under 2 weeks.

Nik

My Feedback: (12)

THUNDER TIGER ALL THE WAY!!!

Ed_Moorman

My Feedback: (1)

I think you're going to find you can cover them all with a small blanket. I have run all of them and for power and reliability, they are all about the same.

People claim the Tower doesn't shut down. Mine does, it just takes a couple of seconds extra. Tower does give free shipping on parts.

If you are looking for power, consider the Magnum .52XLS for $99. It out turns the new OS .46AX, at least my AX, by several hundred rpm. Magnum does have, in my opinion, the best service anywhere.

My last ST was a screamer, but I bashed it some years ago.

My Thunder Tigers run great. For someone who doesn't have much engine experience, I'd probably recommend the .46Pro.

If you really need power, consider a Tower muffler ($15) on any of there. You'll gain something like 700-800 rpm, in my experience.

Veco

My Feedback: (28)

How about the Fox .46, great engine

Oodles

Thunder Tiger--Cheaper--Easy tunning--Run on any fuel-5%-10%-15%---Strong for the money

wrob

Hi,

I've owned Super Tigre, Thunder Tiger and Tower Hobbies engines in the .45/.46 size. I've had great luck with all of them.

yard-dart

My Feedback: (35)

I know that you didn't mention this one, but the Mecoa .46 Tomcat will kick the crap out of all the ones you mentioned, and is considerably cheaper than all of them too. It is a remake of the O.S. SF series, the predecessor to the FX line, which is known to be one of the best series of engines that O.S. ever came out with, besides the FP. The Mecoa is ABC unlike the nickel lined engines of the O.S. You can get this engine brand new from the Mecoa website for $69.00. If you have an old .10 sized engine or larger, you can trade it in toward the purchase of the .46 and get $20.00 knocked off the price, therefore getting the engine for $49.00. Two friends of mine and I have the same planes, only I run a Mecoa .46 and they run the .46FX. My engine outperforms theirs by a large margin while I am turning a larger prop. Facts are facts!. I will never buy another brand of .46, I'm Mecoa all the way now.

John

Windwalker

My Feedback: (2)

I understand you like that MECOA of yours, but have you actually tached it against some of the engines mentioned? with the same props? same fuel? same day?

Of all the engines above the Tower 46 and Magnum 52 seem to be the strongest, from what I've seen.

Of course you could always include various other engines like a Rossi, Novarossi, Jett, or even a K&B 48 if you really wanted to talk about strong motors.

Can't say I've seen anyone tach a Mecoa, but I'd be surprised if it did any better than the average sport engines listed in reapr's initial post.

Why not tach it and post the numbers?

crazycap

reapr:

All my life buys O.S, recently I buy a Thunder Tiger 46PRO
Excellent, some of the best buy that I made in my life, cheap and so good as the O.S
I recommend it.

FlyinHigh

I'm running a TT .46PRO with a Tower muffler and can't imagine anything better. Absolute screaming RPM with a totally sweet disposition. Can't remember the last time I had to adjust even the high-end needle.

I've owned MECOA, and would not, for any money, own another. My situation was a couple of years ago, to be honest, and perhaps things have changed. The engine was prone to leaning out and the "customer service" at RJL/MECOA absolutly sucks.

yard-dart

My Feedback: (35)

I do indeed have some RPM #'s. My Mecoa, with a 11X4 APC on 15% nitro, running rich because it was still new/breaking in at the time, tached 15,300 RPM. Again, that was not at peak lean and still reasonably rich. A buddies O.S. 46 FX, same prop, 20% nitro, and with a Tower muffler, 15,800 RPM, and it was at peak lean. As you may already know, the Tower muffler will give another 200-600 more RPM, depending on the engine. Now that I have broken in the engine, I still run the engine a tad bit rich on 20%, since engines tend to run hotter when hovering. I don't know what it will tach at peak lean, but I do know that it is higher than the first numbers. Like I said before, both guys I fly with are astonished by the performance of my engine compared to theirs, especially when they payed nearly twice as much for their engines. I simply happened upon this engine, I didn't go out looking for it. I am very glad I bought it, and others I fly with are too, they are now buying the Mecoa over the O.S. They have seen in person what the engine is all about. Maybe you guys can run upon one one day and see for yourselves. I can't speak for other Mecoas, but I can mine, it outperforms the FX's I fly with, and mine is turning a bigger prop. Simply the facts! Try one out, it will only cost you $69.00. I guarantee you'll be pleased!

John

flyn4Him

You can never go wrong with a Super Tiger. All the ones I've owned have ran with great reliability and power. As far as the "others" I can't comment since I've never dealt with them. Hope its warm and dry where you are.

In Christ,

Joel Chavez

velocity

I've had great succes with the following in the "40" size category--provided they are cleaned of metal debris before being turned over and broken in properly:
TT pro 46
GMS 47
MDS 48 (with C2 carb.)
Irvine 53
ASP 52 (same as Magnum 52)
MECOA 46 (at 49.99 with trade-in can't beat the price)

yard-dart

My Feedback: (35)

Velocity,


I'm glad to see someone else leave a good remark about the Mecoa. I paid $60.00 for mine through a local hobby shop, but when I get ready to buy another I'm going to trade in an old engine so I can get a new .46 for $49.00. I don't know of any better deal on the planet than this one. I can honestly say that I'm getting a $100.00 engine for half price.

John

FrancisPerson

I ran my MECOA .46 as glow to break it in. With stock muffler and only a few tanks it ran 13,800 rpm. I added a Tower muffler and that went to 14,100 (10x6 black MAS). Converted to diesel and got 13,000rpm with a 11x6 black MAS and 10,000 with a 12x8 scimitar MAS. Lots of diesel operation later and it is still great! And only $49.00!!!


Francis

Mighty Mouse-RCU

My Feedback: (145)

Cant beat ST at $75 at tower. Chrome sleeve. Hurry before I buy them all.....

blvdbuzzard

I too have had the run of the bunch. I have gone through two O.S. .46's They are no more. I think I got them right in the mddle of the peeling problems. I have a Magnum, Fox, ST, right now. The MAgnum is doing pretty good so far. Its only problem is the Pitts Mufler does not give much pressure for fuel delivery. The Fox has been around since the rockies were a mole hill. The ST is atleast 15 years old and still going strong.

With the CNC machining that they engines are being made with, it is hard to get a bad one now. Any brand you buy will have its own little quirks, but any of them should do well.

Dru.

P.S. my vote would be for the ST's.

flyguy60

Hey all,

I have 4 Tower Hobbies .46 engines and they all run great... The first one had issues with inverted flight and transition problems, but I sent it in and they sent me a new one within days.. I have to say that for the money they are hard to beat. Also I think the warranty is very important, as a super saver member you get 4 year warranty on each engine.

Also have buddies that have these engines, one had a .75 and it screamed...... Only problem is that finding a pitts muffler that fits can be a challenge. The .46 uses a standard slimline, but I don't know what you would use for a .75. Tower doesn't even know and they make the darn thing.... (makes one wonder how knowledgable they are about their products)

Other than that, I think the ST, TH, GMS are pretty much the same engines... (the ABC ones)

.46 - $75
.61 - $85
.75 - $95