ORIGINAL: William Robison
Chip:
I think he's talking about the "Testor's" McCoy engines, that weren't much of an engine to start with.
They used a very soft steel cylinder, so soft it could be ported with an Xacto knife. Running in this cylinder was a meehanite iron piston. The crank ran in the plain aluminum case, not even a brass bushing cast in.
My experience with them was after a gallon of fuel they were worn out. Of course a gallon of fuel and a new "Testor's McCoy Red-Head 35 Stunt Engine" cost $10 at the time, so we could easily afford to throw one away every week.
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704hank:
If you really want to bring one back to life, and have the capability, get a block of mild steel and just make a new cylinder. You can bore/hone to a near fit, then finish by lapping the piston fit. You can have your local friendly gun smith blue it before you do the final fitting.
If the crank is too loose in the case you can over bore it and press a bushing in place.
This will cost a lot more in time, effort, and materials than the engine will ever be worth. My advice is to put it on a shelf to remind you of times past, and fly a more modern engine that will last at least a full season, instead of just one weekend.
Bill.
Will,
I had two McCoy's on my life. One, a control line engine in 1954-55. It ran like a champ and I finally sold it off to friend. It was the hottest engine at the field. In 1964, while in the Air Force, I got another one at the BX. I could never get it to run. Threw it away.
Got back into the sport in 2000 out in Tucson, first engine was Enya 54 4C, good engine. Had a couple of OS LAs that worked okay and so on. I do not think I would ever use anything McCoy again including the glow plugs though I probably have under other brand names).
The engines today are more powerful, lighter, and overall better made. Some cost more, some less, some better but absolutely none worse.
Cheers,
Chip