ORIGINAL: oldtimer4759
hi,
with all the different brands on the market, how much difference is there between eg, RCG, RCGF, DLE, DLA or even a DA, there are lots of other engines as well, where are they made, probably China, does that matter these days with modern manufacturing processes.
by all reports the DA engines have very good after sales and service, DLE seem to be very good as well, I dont know about RCG, but I can buy 2 1/2 RCG 50 engines for the price of 1 DA 50.
I have read good and bad reports for most engines,
For most of us the $$$ are a big factor in modelling gear, from engines to radios, to kits and retracts, some people can afford the top price items, a lot of us can not.
but are they any better than some of the cheaper brands.
Are we paying for the name.
Oldtimer.
Now just in case you are really serious. Here is my answer based on experience.
If you just wish to bore holes in the sky, only know 2 or 3 throttle positions (perhaps with one of those being "deadstick") then it really doesn't matter what you use if you can use a few basic tools yourself. These engines are pretty basic after all. I was once one of those that didn't really notice the difference - even though during that time I had tried an early version of a well known American made product of "around 50cc's".
Then a while back, I tried some of the more "upmarket" products. In the years between I had learnt about throttle control and precision (which as a full scale aerobatic competitor, I already knew the importance of).
The better brands of engine (which do in fact cost a little more for the initial purchase) have a far superior throttle curve and a much longer life in general.
How often do you see an engine advertised as "XXXXX RPM on YYYYY Prop" yet they rarely actually do it. Get an engine - any brand - and set the throttle solid at 1/3, 1/2 or 2/3rds open - see what the largest prop they will swing and at what RPM it will swing it at at that setting - then compare it to another brand. This is the range where most fly.
Then see what the aceleration of the enginie with that largest prop is - this is important.
Then see what the throttle curve is like between 50% open of the throttle and 100% open of the throttle - many do nothing to very little in that throttle range.
Apart fom build quality, which will always cost more and is money well spent IMHO, This is where the real difference is - in useful engine power curves.
Any company can provide great backup service. It is up to the company to dedicate itself to doing so - some do it well, some don't do it at all and if you need it for any reason, you will soon appreciate it.
Any company can accidentally ship a dud product out the door for a myriad of reasons - it is how that is dealt with that matters.
The outcomes of those two points do tend to be related very closely to purchase price in most cases.
I know that my situation is best suited to paying a little more for an engine, having a great throttle curve where I use the engine and having a great quality product that I can rely upon to just work without any need for tweaks. I just wish I had opened my mind to them earlier and followed the advice I was given by some very experienced people. I would have saved my self a lot of heartache had I done so.