ORIGINAL: capt17
Thanks for the info so far, I guess to narrow the question; Are there any brands you should steer clear of? I've been running a O.S. .40 FP in my Midwest AeroStar for some time now. I want to buy a Sig Four Star (60) or Venture 60 next so I will be looking .61 size.
In this size I'd look at a .90 four stroke from OS, Saito, or Magnum if funds are tight.
Another Question: Is the O.S. .46 AX ABL that much better than the .40 LA to warrant another $50? If my buddy had the money, should he upgrade to this motor for his Trainer?
If he's on a budget, the .40 LA can do fine. However, for planes in the .40 range, the engine will only be useful for low power applications. The .46 AX will have way more power and give more options for future .40 size planes.
Has anybody any beef with the Tower Hobbies engines?
Some people report good luck with them, while others are less than happy. There seems to be a natural tendency for people to complain about bad products more than they praise them, but the volume of complaints I've seen about the Tower .46 has convinced me that there are better choices. However, the Tower .75 gets a significant amount of praise and appears to be a good choice for over powering a .60 size plane.