O.S. Max has held onto a pristine reputation in the small block industry for quite some time now. However, more recently, they have been trying to make their mark in the big block market as well. The recently released V-Spec is a good example of this. Until now, their idea of a big block was a .21. This is no longer the case, as the 30VG shatters that with a whopping .30 cubic inches of big block, monster truck muscle. So would this possibly be the "11" Nigel so illustriously referred to?

While the 30VG is made to drop into about any big block application, it's ultimately designed with the monster truck crowd in mind. The big block class of monster truck has gotten bigger and heavier, when compared to their small block counterparts. While the big block sport motors in these trucks offer a lot of bang for the buck, there's always room for improvement when it comes to power. At times, with some models, the prospect of a motor with legendary tuning ease would be a welcome sight as well. So with this in mind, O.S. went to the drawing board, and the end result is the 30VG.

I really get excited over about anything I review, but this new release from O.S. has me really pumped. Not only is this new ground for them in the land-based segment of the market, but I was given the opportunity to be one of the first to check this motor out and put it through a workout. However by the time you read this, the 30VG should be nearing its shipping date and, since you're reading this, it's likely you're considering it as a purchase. With that thought in mind, my experiences will probably weigh heavily upon your decision, and I plan to give you what you need to make an informed decision. Now, let's go shred some turf!

The O.S. Max 30 VG arrives with several other items in the box, making it a very well rounded aftermarket motor choice. Obviously you'd expect a manual, and O.S. delivers with a very nice booklet detailing the motor, operation, and their recommended break-in procedure. In addition to that you'll also receive a very nice 1/8 scale air filter assembly with not one, but two pre-oiled air filter elements. The unit I received also came with a silicone header gasket as well. Excellent job O.S.! Keep in mind that some of the included accessories may vary between the three versions of this motor.

The version of the motor I received was the 30VG(P)-X, and it comes with a pullstart mounted on it. If you're looking for a starter box version of the 30VG, O.S. offers one that will work for that scenario as well. Savage owners will likely want to opt for the SR version of the big block, as it will allow them to bolt their Roto-Start backplate to the truck.

The motor is quickly recognized by most hobbyists, thanks to the blue anodized head. If there was any doubt, O.S being stamped on the carburetor and engine block should remove any doubt. The front of the crankshaft exits the motor in a SG (pilot shaft) configuration, which should easily work well with most big block applications you're likely to run across.

O.S. reminds me of the Google search engine when it comes to their motor heads. It seems as if they have a department that is solely in charge of designing motor heads, in much the same way that Google seems to have a department devoted to their ever changing logo. It seems that with every new O.S. release the head continues to change, look better, and distinguishes it from the other motors they offer. The top of the motor head is emblazoned with "O.S. Power", in case there is any question who manufactured the motor. They use an oriental-looking font for "Power", and a tribal-like design along the sides.

The motor head itself is designed to be used with a standard non-turbo plug, and arrives with an O.S. #8 plug to be used with the motor. The bottom of the head mates to the combustion chamber, as there is not a replaceable head button used on this particular motor model. I have to admit I'm a little disappointed by this, as a replaceable head button is something I like to see in an aftermarket motor. Four screws secure the head to the motor, and require a 2.5mm hex driver for their removal.

The pullstart that comes with the 30VG(P)-X version is a rather stout looking pullstart. Considering the size and compression of the large motor, it should be. The thick and strong cord wraps around the inner wheel of the pullstart which connects to a hex-shaped one-way bearing, and a good-sized handle rises out of the top for the owner to grasp. Three screws secure the pullstart to the motor's backplate, which endures the owner tugging on it to fire the motor up.

From the left-hand side of the motor, you can easily catch a good glimpse of the low speed needle, as it resides on the end of the carburetor's slide. The high speed (or main) needle sits on the opposite side of the carburetor in a brass housing. Both should be easily reached, although that will ultimately depend upon the installation.

The motor block itself is cast aluminum to assist in weight reduction, while the inner lining of the block is machined. The motor's sleeve pushes into the inner lining. Along the side of the block you'll see "30VG" molded into it, which officially designates the motor's identity and giving you bragging rights. Cooling fins extend down to this point, assisting with heat dissipation as the motor powers the vehicle of your choosing.

The 30VG is a rear exhaust motor, and the large tube shaped exhaust port utilizes a silicone style coupler that is included with the pullstart version. Towards the front, a smooth bore awaits the neck of the carburetor, while a concave cinch bolt holds it in place once it's installed and positioned. A large 19x7x6mm sealed bearing supports the front of the crankshaft while a 25x14x6mm oversized bearing, inside the motor, performs the same task for the other end. Both of these bearings are chosen for their ability to handle high-torque loads.

The backplate used on the X version of the 30VG makes use of a rearward shaft that is used for the one-way bearing and the pullstart that comes with it. The standard version of the 30VG uses a block-off plate, as it's designed to work with a starter box and won't include this. The SR version will differ as well, being that it's designed to be used with the Roto-Start of the Savage. The backplate is secured to the motor via four screws and, on the versions that have a rear shaft, the shaft rides on a brass bushing in the backplate.

The SG style crankshaft doesn't rely on fancy porting like many smaller motors do, but instead relies on it's sheer size to accomplish the task it's given. A good example of this is the mixing port on the crank, which is definitely needed on a motor this size. You didn't think this motor was going to politely sip the fuel and air did you? Not a chance, as a .30 cubic inch motor will have a very healthy appetite. The counterweight for the motor is large as well, coming in with a width of around 6.5mm. O.S. felt that this was the best design, to counter any potential engine vibrations,. The rear port, and center bore, of the crankshaft has a diameter of approaching 10mm. So when it's all said and done this motor will have no problem moving the fuel and air through the motor.

The mixing of the fuel and air is handled by an aluminum-bodied slide carburetor, which provides more durability in an off-road environment over composite carburetors. However, the primary reason many manufacturers have made the switch to a composite body is due to the fact there are less heat-related problems with composite plastics instead of aluminum. This fact was not overlooked by O.S. though, and they covered this potential issue by insulating the carburetor's neck with a plastic sleeve. So despite the fact the 30VG uses an aluminum carburetor body, it should not exhibit any of the tuning or vapor-lock issues that aluminum-bodied carburetors often do. Rounding out the carburetor's neck is a single o-ring to further insulate the two components from one another, and to provide a good airtight seal.

The carburetor itself uses a two-needle design, and given the reputation of O.S. Max, I'd expect it to be as easy to tune as any motor in their lineup. While we previously discussed the adjustment needles earlier, I haven't touched on the idle adjustment screw yet. It's found on the side of the carburetor, which puts it right alongside the motor. Just like the other needles, it should be easily reached with most applications.

As with any O.S. motor I've had the pleasure of working with, the piston and rod assembly are machined from quality aluminum. The piston itself contains two oil-retention rings close to its upper edge to help lubricate the piston as it travels up and down in the sleeve. The piston and sleeve use the standard taped fit approach, providing a tight seal as the piston reaches the top of the cylinder. A relief is cut into the piston's skirt to allow proper clearance with the crankshaft's counterweight while it's at bottom dead center.

The connecting rod uses a large, brute force approach similar to the crankshaft. It doesn't utilize a knife-edged finish, but rather is designed to perform its purpose without the need for any fancy finishing work. Brass bushings are used at each end of the rod, and an oil hole on the lower end of the rod itself provides proper lubrication for the end attached to the crankshaft. The phrase "simple, but effective" comes to mind. However, given the basic approach that O.S. has taken, I'd say there's plenty of room for an experienced porter to draw some extra power from.

The basic approach is also used in regards to the porting on the motor's sleeve. Instead of opting for a large number of ports, as some motors do, O.S. chose to use a simple layout and match the ports as best they could. There are three intake ports, and a single exhaust port, for a combined total of four ports in the sleeve. The exhaust port is extremely large, ensuring that spent gases have no problem when it comes time to exit the motor. The intake ports are angled, and cut, in a manner that assists the air and fuel as they try to enter the motor.

The plated sleeve itself utilizes what O.S. calls an Advanced Bi-Metallic Liner, or ABL. This designates a process that uses dual plating layers of a nickel composite plating, combined with silicon carbide, instead of the single layer chrome that's more commonly seen with most motors. The benefit of this process is that the plating is more precise, providing a longer life and better seal between the piston and sleeve. This results in much more compression as well.

Installation of the O.S. 30 will vary, depending upon the exact configuration chosen as well as the vehicle you are planning to put it in. I received the 30VG(P)-X, which comes with a pullstart, and opted to install it in a Losi LST. The stock Mach .26 that's found in the LST provides a decent amount of power, but I was looking to wring a little more performance out of the truck than it had in its stock configuration. So with my test vehicle readied, I started performing the swap.

The first thing I had to do, of course, was to remove the stock motor from the chassis of the LST. This was easily accomplished, and if performed correctly, you won't even alter the pinion and spur gap. Since the O.S. 30VG was similar to the layout of the Mach .26, I figured that not moving the gap was a wise choice. In the end, I was hoping it would simply drop back onto the chassis with no adjustments needed between the gears.

Four screws hold the motor to the motor mounts, and they are easily removed. A ball end wrench will help with this removal though, as the large head of the stock motor does require that the driver be held out at an angle. If you don't have the luxury of a ball end driver, removing the motor's head will allow easier access to the screws. You'll also need to loosen the screw that secures the tuned pipe to the chassis of the truck. A standard hex driver works fine for this. Once all of the screws are loosened or removed, disconnect the fuel lines and pull the motor away from the chassis of the LST.

With the motor removed from the LST, I could now focus on removing the components I planned to swap to the O.S. 30VG. Basically this means stripping the front end of the motor down, all the way to a bare crankshaft. So I removed the screw that held the clutch bell on, which in turn allows access to the clutch shoes. I then was able to remove the clutch shoes, and their springs, from the flywheel. That leaves just the flywheel on the old motor.

The flywheel is a step that provides some difficulty when tearing down a motor, especially for those who have never disassembled one before. In most cases, you'll find a standard nut holding the flywheel in place, as is the case with the Mach .26 on the LST. A flywheel locking tool helps tremendously in this task, although in a pinch you can use a pair of channel-lock pliers to hold the flywheel still. Once you have the flywheel held tightly, use the appropriately sized nut driver to remove the flywheel nut. After removing the nut, you'll likely notice that the flywheel still won't budge. This is typical, as there's a split brass cone that is compressed under it. First thread the clutch bell retaining screw back into the end of the crankshaft, to protect it. Then set the motor on a block of wood with the same screw facing down, and gently tap the flywheel with a hammer. Take care not to hit the motor's block with the hammer, as you can damage the block. After a few taps, the flywheel should drop off, allowing you to remove the split brass cone afterward.

Once the components have been removed, you should inspect them. This is especially true when it comes to the clutch shoes. If anything is worn or damaged, it's best to go ahead and replace it now. I found this to be the case with the pinion gears that were installed on the clutch bell. Over time, rocks had damaged and ground up the teeth. To keep the gears matched well, I also opted to swap the spur gears as well, as they were also worn some. While the gears were working before the swap, I felt it was best to start with fresh gears when dropping in the O.S. 30VG. So during the installation, I planned on addressing this as well.

With the components I needed removed from the stock motor, I began to install them onto the new O.S. powerplant. If you removed all of the parts from the stock motor, this shouldn't prove too difficult. Installation is simply the reverse of disassembly. So to start off, you'll need to slide the split cone onto the crankshaft of the O.S. 30VG. Once the cone is completely pushed on, follow it with the flywheel. Push the flywheel back as far as it will go, but it will probably far short of sliding completely on. This is normal, and will be rectified in the next step.

Using a flywheel locking tool, or a pair of channel-locks around the circumference of the flywheel, hold the flywheel steady while tightening the flywheel nut into place. You may have only seen a few exposed threads at first, due to the flywheel not sliding all of the way on in the previous step. However, as you tighten the nut down, the flywheel will slide back onto the shaft into its correct position.

With the flywheel installed, you should now focus on the clutch shoes and springs. If you plan on reusing the shoes you removed form the stock motor, it would be a good idea to de-glaze the with a fine-grit piece of sandpaper. The LST uses a standard big block clutch shoe approach, so the long end of the spring rests against the back of the clutch shoe, while the short end locks into place on the flywheel nut once the shoe is installed. Installing this style of clutch shoe is tricky, and requires some patience. Place the spring in the clutch shoe, and then press it onto the peg on the flywheel. Then use a narrow flathead screwdriver or similar tool to pry back the short end of the spring so you can fully seat the clutch shoe against the flywheel.

Once the clutch shoes are installed on the flywheel, you can slide the clutch bell into place. For this installation, since the pinion gears on the clutch bell had been chewed up, I replaced them with some fresh ones. So you'll notice a big difference between the dual gears when the clutch bell came off the stock motor and now. Once the clutch bell and its bearings are slid into place, make sure to install the screw that holds it into place. After the screw is tightened down, make sure the clutch bell spins freely. If it does not, make sure you have fully tightened the flywheel down with the flywheel nut, and that you have shimmed between the flywheel nut and the inner bearing correctly.

With the front of the motor prepped in regards to the clutch and clutch bell, I then focused on the exhaust header and tuned pipe. The O.S. 30VG(P)-X comes with a silicone exhaust gasket for the header. This isn't included with all of the versions of the 30VG, but I'm certainly glad it was included with mine. Once I removed the header from the stock motor, I noticed the factory gasket was in rough shape. So the one included with the O.S. was put to good use. I slid the supplied gasket on the O.S. motor, and then followed it with the stock header and pipe from the LST. Once all the items were in place, I used the header's spring to hold it all together.

I then focused my attention on the air filter. However, before I installed the filter, I loosened the cinch bolt for the carburetor and adjusted it so that it would be properly aligned for my application. Once that was done, I tightened the cinch bolt back down and installed the air filter. The air filter is based off of a typical 1/8 scale filter that should be familiar to anyone who has spent a reasonable amount of time in the hobby. In fact, the LST uses an 1/8 scale filter. However O.S. has altered the design of the housing some, to achieve what they feel is a slightly better design. The slide pieces help align the filter, and provide a good seal, while a brass insert in the end of the base gives a much more secure hold than simply running the screw into plastic as is typical with most filters. Once assembled, push the filter onto the motor, and secure it with a couple of zipties.

Drop the motor back onto the chassis, and secure it with the screws that originally held the stock motor in place. Then check the alignment of the throttle arm, loosening the grub screw that holds it in place and rotating it if necessary. Once the throttle arm is correctly positioned, snap the ball end onto the throttle arm for the O.S. 30VG, and then double check its operation with your radio.

Since I replaced the pinion gears on the clutch bell, I also took this time to replace the spur gears as well. Once I had replaced them, and installed the motor I checked the gap between the clutch bell gears and the spur gears. I couldn't do this with the LST's gear cover in place. Once everything checked out, I replaced the gear cover over the new set of gears I had installed on the truck. I should point out that the motor dropped in perfectly, and no adjustment was necessary once it was in place. Due to the fact that the motor mounts can move slightly over time, you may find an adjustment necessary however.

Once everything was installed back onto the truck's chassis, there was a single task left to perform. This last item would be installing the fuel and pressure lines. Since this O.S. 30VG is a new motor, I felt it was best to replace the factory fuel lines on the LST to ensure I didn't have any potential problems with them. After all, fuel line is cheap and pressure-related problems can often be hard to track down. So I reached into the pit box and pulled out some Dubro translucent blue fuel tubing. I also cleaned out the fuel filter, and after using some Velcro and Shoe-Goo to mount it to the tank, I ran new fuel and pressure lines on the Losi LST. Once finished the LST was ready for action, and I was ready to see what this motor would do!

I've been excited about the opportunity to test many motors, and vehicles alike. However, as I mentioned earlier, this particular motor had me practically begging for an opportunity to check it out. So much so, in fact, that I left work early on a Friday so that I could break it in and use it at the track early the next day. Besides, once I stepped outside and saw how nice the weather was, I just knew that to waste a day like that would be a crime. Especially with Old Man Winter right around the corner!

Once I left the office, I found myself a suitable empty parking lot and fuelled up the Losi LST that had become my test vehicle for this particular review. I dropped a little after-run oil into the motor's combustion chamber to help lubricate the motor for priming and, after a few pulls with the pipe's stinger plugged, fuel had made its way to the carburetor. I clipped the glow igniter to the plug and, with my hands shaking from anticipation and excitement; I gave the starter cord a few quick pulls. I was rewarded with a near instant firing of the motor, and a growling rumble that only a large big block motor can provide.

Once the motor was fired up and ready, I gave it a little throttle and watched the truck pull away from me. I could tell, after a few seconds, that it was running extremely rich. So I pulled it back over to me and leaned it up some. Since I was opting to heat cycle the motor as a break-in procedure, I wanted to get it up to operating temperature as quickly as I could without trying to stress the components. This would be hard to do, or even impossible, if the motor was running too rich. I should mention though, if you're new to nitro or simply don't feel overly comfortable with your tuning skills, stick with the procedure in the manual that accompanies the motor. It is simpler, and easier, in many cases.

Once I had leaned the motor some, and saw temperatures in the 200° range, I knew I was on the mark for a good break-in. The motor had been very tight, compression-wise, when I first pulled the starter cord. Even with running a leaner setting I could tell it wanted to stall with the stock idle setting, because it would easily still load up with fuel. So I made sure that I was careful in regards to allowing it not to idle more than a few seconds while I varied the throttle input as I drove it around the parking lot. After running the LST around for around 2-3 minutes after warming up, I brought it in and shut it down to cool. I checked the flywheel, to ensure the motor was a bottom dead center, and then made an idle adjustment to help me out when I would continue the process in a few minutes.

I ran through this type of heating and cooling cycle five times, and then stepped up the running time to around four minutes once the motor was warmed up. I did this extended run three times, and then ended my break-in session. I had wanted to perform some tuning at this time, but time simply didn't permit it. I still had a few errands to run, as real-life always has a way of intruding when you're having fun. So the tuning would have to wait until I had hit the track. However, even during the break-in, it was apparent that the O.S. 30VG was going to be a heck of a force to reckon with!

The following day I arrived at the track with the LST in hand, eager to pick up where I had left off the day before. The day was crisp and pleasant, and even though it was on the cool side, it would soon warm up quickly. The track I had chosen for the task at hand was my local track, Monkey Bottom Raceway. Located in Lexington, North Carolina, the track layout offers some very challenging turns and jumps which would be perfect for testing the 30VG and LST combination I had ready and waiting.

I did find it necessary to swap glow plugs, as the break-in process had taken its toll on the stock one. However it didn't take me long at all before I had the O.S. fired up, and powering the heavy truck up and down the straightaway to get it warmed up. I spent the first few minutes working with the main and low-speed needle, finding a good balance of power and lubrication. However, as it was still early in the motor's life, I still stayed a little on the rich side when tuning. Later on, if more power was needed, I could always lean it up just a touch more. I also kept the idle a little on the high side, as with the motor's compression, it still seemed to want a higher idle right after the break-in process. As the day would wear on, I found that I could start lowering this back down to a more subdued setting. Keep in mind, with very high compression motors, they usually don't even start to loosen up completely until they near the gallon mark!

Once I had the motor tuned as I felt appropriate, I started cracking the throttle open making some laps around the track. Laps are a loose word here, as I would often cut across the track to hit a certain area again. The O.S. 30VG made the LST feel like an entirely different truck in regards to the power on hand, and after completing a small section, it was hard not to want to try that particular jump again and again. What made it even more interesting was the fact that the track was very dry and dusty, so traction was minimal at best. So this made piloting the powerful beast even that much trickier. However, since I was just out to have fun with the 30VG, it was also part of the appeal at the time.

The power this motor was dishing out to this 13lb. truck was simply incredible. The responsiveness of the truck and motor, once the throttle was opened, made the truck feel as if it had the power-to-weight ratio of a much lighter truck. In fact it felt almost like an 1/8 scale buggy in regards to overall power, it was if it had been through a complete attitude change, from the nicest kid on the block to the neighborhood bully. I could only imagine what this motor would do if installed in a truggy or 1/8 scale buggy chassis. It would simply be a near lethal combination to your competitors, judging by what it did in my LST test vehicle.

As the truck made its way around the track, lap after lap, it easily had enough power to push the truck over any obstacle or jump quickly with little runway needed. The truck cleared the double with ease, if you had good control, landing against the boards at the backside of the following turn. This was even after slowing down for the turn before the double, to try and avoid a loss of traction after making my way around the corner. The triple at the opposite end of the track was conquered in a similar fashion as well, with plenty of torque on tap from the 30VG getting the Losi LST airborne when needed. The same could be said for the tabletops as well, with the O.S. powered truck putting on quite a show as it made its way around the track pulling plenty of big air as it ticked off the laps.

After piloting the O.S. 30VG around the track in the LST that afternoon, I can see one drawback if you'd like to call it that. This would be the fact that you'll want to pull lots of air off of the jumps, which could be a drawback while racing and trying to concentrate on your lap times. It's like driving a Ferrari in a 45MPH speed zone, you just know that you have the power to stand out from the crowd and its hard to try not to use it. However, when you call on the 30VG to deliver, the power is undoubtedly there. Easily tuned, a wide powerband, and easily dropped into most vehicles. What more could you ask for?

The O.S. 30VG continues the long history O.S. has of producing top-shelf motors, with a very reasonable price tag. Until recently, O.S. was more prominent in the small-block genre. However, the 30VG represents their efforts to bring quality-conscious, easy to tune motors, to the big-block crowd as well. Not only does it represent that effort, but it stands as a shining example from my experiences with it installed in the Team Losi LST I used for testing. With a starter box and a Roto-Start compatible versions as well, I'll make the prediction that this motor will become a favorite of the big block crowd quickly, becoming the standard against which many other motors will be compared to. Quite simply, it's a work of art, in both power and looks.

The 30VG has certainly proven itself to me. It's an easy to tune motor that provides tons of torque and a wide powerband for large scale trucks. The way it can snap the 13lb Losi LST up to speed with near instantaneous response is simply amazing. It made me want to hit the jumps wide open repeatedly just to see it launch itself into the air again and again. The only difficulty I could foresee with the 30VG, is deciding which one of your vehicles get to be the lucky recipient!

O.S. Engines
Distributed Exclusively By
Great Planes Model Distributors
P.O. Box 9021
Champaign, IL 61826-9021 USA
Phone: (800) 637-6050
Website: www.osengines.com

Team Losi
Distributed Exclusively By
Horizon Hobby, Inc.
4105 Fieldstone Road
Champaign, IL 61822 USA
Phone: (877) 504-0233
Fax: (217) 352-6799
Website: www.horizonhobby.com
Products used: LST