Performance Improvements on AP .09 Hornet  
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Performance Improvements on AP .09 Hornet - 5/27/2008 12:18:20 AM   
Falco250


 

Posts: 56
Joined: 9/22/2004
From: Montreal, QC, CANADA
Status: offline 		Does anyone have performance improvements on AP .09 Hornet to report about; such as enlarged carburator throat,
or tuned exhaust pipe, etc?

Thanks, Falco250
       Post #: 1

RE: Performance Improvements on AP .09 Hornet - 5/27/2008 3:24:50 AM   
digital_trucker



Posts: 1277
Joined: 2/4/2006
From: Dorr, MI, USA
Status: online 		The best performance improvement is an Enya....or an OS.

Sorry to sound so flippant, but past experience has led me to be highly distrustful of clone engines (which the AP is, of the Norvel which is no longer in production).

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RE: Performance Improvements on AP .09 Hornet - 5/27/2008 3:29:02 AM   
on pipe



Posts: 230
Joined: 12/9/2004
From: Omaha, NE, USA
Status: offline 		Or go to the .15 which shares the same case as the .09, and makes it just as light. Ross

(in reply to digital_trucker)
       Post #: 3

RE: Performance Improvements on AP .09 Hornet - 5/27/2008 1:11:26 PM   
GrahamC


 

Posts: 542
Joined: 9/19/2005
From: Ottawa, ON, CANADA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: digital_trucker

The best performance improvement is an Enya....or an OS.

Sorry to sound so flippant, but past experience has led me to be highly distrustful of clone engines (which the AP is, of the Norvel which is no longer in production).


While the Enya or OS in the 09/10 size engine are very good choices the AP .09 Hornet is not a clone or copy of anything Norvel produced. It is a more recent incarnation of an older design also produced in Asia from some years ago as a high performance 09 (1.5cc) size engine. I forget the name it was made/sold under but FFKIWI who reads and posts here could add some detail as he is far more knowledable on the subject than I.

The AP 09 is popular elsewhere in the world for control line combat flying and has been converted to diesel use as well. There is an ongoing theard on the subject here: http://controlline.org.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3255

The best way to improve the performance of this (or any) engine is improve it's breathing. The stock "can" muffler while very compact is also rather restrictive. My AP sees a loss of 1500 or so rpm. I have put an OS FS-30 muffler on one of my AP .15's and see a drop of only 700 - 800 rpm - a considerable improvement over the stock muffler.

I kind of like the AP 09/15's and they have so far served me well for a couple of years of control line use. Unfortunately the AP 15 is no longer available (at least here in North America).

As much as I like the AP's if I where looking for a good sport RC engine in the 09/10 size and was going to buy something new I would get an Enya (you can order them online right from ENYA and Enya provides exceptional service).

cheers, Graham in Ottawa Canada

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RE: Performance Improvements on AP .09 Hornet - 5/27/2008 1:27:01 PM   
combatpigg



Posts: 9784
Joined: 11/22/2003
From: arlington, WA, USA
Status: offline 		AP claims the practical RPM range goes as high as 18,000 with this engine, if this was true the AP .09 would be a very popular engine everywhere, turning the props that they list for this engine. Just to kind of verify my doubts about there honesty, I looked up what they claim the practical upper limit for the Wasp to be........25,000


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RE: Performance Improvements on AP .09 Hornet - 5/27/2008 2:00:05 PM   
fritzke


 

Posts: 851
Joined: 1/3/2002
From: Saint Paul, MN, USA
Status: offline 		Graham,
Good tip on the muffler! I have 2 AP .09's and a .15 in the "drawer".
I agree on the Enya .09's, very nice little motors and there always
seems to be a few older ones for sale on the auction site. The newer style
with the angled back NV are very spiffy.
Dave
http://www.richmondrc.com/shop2/index.html/ENY_USA_Retail.html

(in reply to GrahamC)
       Post #: 6

RE: Performance Improvements on AP .09 Hornet - 5/27/2008 5:06:28 PM   
GrahamC


 

Posts: 542
Joined: 9/19/2005
From: Ottawa, ON, CANADA
Status: offline 		OOps, actually it is the OS FS-40 muffler.

The OS FS-40 muffler threads are m10 x .75 - the ap09 and 15 thread is M10 x 1. There is enough meat on the OS extension tube to rethread one end to m10x1 or you make your own.

cheers, Graham



(in reply to fritzke)
       Post #: 7

RE: Performance Improvements on AP .09 Hornet - 5/27/2008 7:43:10 PM   
ffkiwi


 

Posts: 306
Joined: 7/25/2005
From: ChristchurchCanterbury, NEW ZEALAND
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: digital_trucker

The best performance improvement is an Enya....or an OS.

Sorry to sound so flippant, but past experience has led me to be highly distrustful of clone engines (which the AP is, of the Norvel which is no longer in production).



close-but no cigar! The 09 AP Hornet as Graham has said is no clone. The AP Wasp 061 is a clone of the Norvel. The 09 and 15 designs seem to be derivatives of the generic Chinese 15 racing engines-most recently typified (and probably still available) by the CS line. Earlier than that there was the SY and 3-Leaves designs. These were pretty much copies of the Rossi 15. I don't own an AP 09 or 15 so have never stripped and measured one up-but I have physically handled them so am aware of their external characterictics.I would guess they may have been detuned from the originals by more restrictive shaft and cylinder timing. The carb too appears fairly restrictive.
As Graham says-the muffler is ridiculously restrictive-and should be replaced with something with more volume. A 'magic' type muffler might offer a performance increase (though strictly speaking this would be heavily influenced by exhaust timing). A second area to look at is the head-if a button insert can be used the options exist for a trumpet button, a Nelson or a turbo plug. Again, machine work will be required-so you are not looking at a fit and forget option. I would look at either a genuine CS 09 glowhead or a Cox 09 reworked as a starting point.
The carbs from what I've seen are a bit cheap and nasty and not made with the degree of precision needed to be effective. Your options are to bin it completely and go with a wide open U/C type venturi-or fit another brand-in which case you're up for probably at least another $30. And then you'll still have a lot of bench work to do sorting it!

ChrisM
'ffkiwi'

(in reply to digital_trucker)
       Post #: 8

RE: Performance Improvements on AP .09 Hornet - 5/28/2008 2:57:50 AM   
digital_trucker



Posts: 1277
Joined: 2/4/2006
From: Dorr, MI, USA
Status: online 		Sorry about being half wrong (or half right, however you want to look at it). A substandard clone is still all it is.

_____________________________

I feel I can speak for 90% of humanity when I say 'durrrr'
Skype digital_trucker

(in reply to ffkiwi)
       Post #: 9

RE: Performance Improvements on AP .09 Hornet - 5/30/2008 9:00:50 PM   
Falco250


 

Posts: 56
Joined: 9/22/2004
From: Montreal, QC, CANADA
Status: offline 		Thank You everyone for your comments and advice.
Although I also own many of the suggested Norvel and OS alternatives,
I was curious about the performance improvement potential of the AP Hornet.
Hence with the advice received, I may attempt some exhaust muffler adaptations.

(in reply to digital_trucker)
       Post #: 10

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