Wow! How did I miss this post a couple pages back? Everyones opinions are welcome, but you seriously don't believe what you typed here do you? I love the way the Tower engine runs when it is in tune, but I sure wouldn't go and tell anyone that they are the most reliable. You don't work for Tower Hobbies do you?

If this was your first visit to this thread, and you read through every page. What conclusions could be made so far by what has been posted here? You could come to the conclusion after reading all the post that 20% of the people here dislike the O.S LA's, and that 80% like the LA's. You could come to the conclusion that 50% of the people here like Magnum Engines, and that 50% dislike Magnum Engines. You won't find many complaints here about Thunder Tiger Engines, Evolution, and some others mentioned. The Tower Hobbies Engines?.........You either love them or you utterly hate them! It don't look to good for K&B Engines either. A few folks like them, but where is the big support group for K&B like there was for the O.S LA? You could also come to the conclusion from reading this thread that a few folks said the Royal Engines were bad, and not one soul came to there defense. The MDS engines are much in the same boat as the Tower Engine.....You like them or Hate them! Not a whole lot of trouble with GMS even though they make the Tower Engine you either love or hate. After 6 pages of discussion, there still is not really a general concensus on any one engine being an Engine to Avoid at all cost. Maybe after 6 more pages we can finally pick one out of this thread that is really disliked by a big majority.

Here's the deal guys I been doing this hobby 40 + years OS and SAITO Engines are positively the best!" ALWAYS WAS THAT WAY, ALWAYS WILL BE" thankyou Revern Ike

[It don't look to good for K&B Engines either. A few folks like them, but where is the big support group for K&B like there was for the O.S LA?]

Think "Marketing" or more accurately "Money".

Compare the advertising you see for K&B with that you see for the engines, imports all, pushed by the mega companies, (Great Planes, Tower, etal). Why would a LHS push (K&B or Fox, etc.) when the parent company can assure a better profit margin with the party-line mega quantity brand?

Another factor is that so many have entered the hobby since the big volume merchandisers have come into control of the market and are unfamiliar with non mass-market brands. This leads to the herd mentality that leads us to avoid experimentation.

Finally, don't place too much reliance on this thread. Review some of the threads in "Glow Engines", or do a search for a particular engine you are interested in. Additionally remember that the answer to a question often is affected by the way that it is asked. There was one thread that asked about "all time favorite engines rather than engines to avoid. The results were markedly different than in this thread.

Bear in mind too that the preferences of RTF/ARF fliers may differ from those of modlers who prefer to build from scratch.

You pays yer money and makes yer choice.

jess

ZZZZZZGZORKZZZZ!! -- Wa? Oh sorry, I fell asleep a few posts ago

Rev, if you have been in the hobby 40+ years you should know that OS and Sato are relative newcomers, thus obviously cannot have been "always" the best. Always will be? What other products do you have that kind of knowlege on? I would like your advice about some stocks to purchase.

jess

Britbrat, I strongly suggest you cease reading this thread. If it affects you this way you could fall and strike your head.

jess

I'm OK now -- it was a flashback to ckangeroo's long post.

I would like to mention that one of my OS 46LA engines recently died. It was the fourth time I had a nose in crash with it and I can't believe it's dead now. What shotty workmanship!!! LOL!!! Actually, it STILL runs, but kind of bad now. Fuel is blowing up out of the carb and leaking real bad out the front bearings. Won't hold an idle anymore either. I guess the last crash finally did it in. I put a lot of good flying hours on that engine... it will be sorely missed. Got lots of good spare parts for the other one though!

Number 1 engine to avoid is any k&b sportster engine. Next os 46 fx. and then 91fx. Some of the older mds, asp and royal engines can also give you problems.

The nice thing about this thread is that we get to meet individuals with open minds!

Right!

jess

[Number 1 engine to avoid is any k&b sportster engine.]

Naw. In the proper application the Sportsters give excellent service. The only exception are the very early ones without the crankshaft bushing. Just remember they like to turn big props.

[Some of the older mds, asp and royal engines can also give you problems.]

Your focus is too narrow- ANY engine can give you problems.

jess

well, if the la engines vary this much, then they should be avoided for that reason. if some la engines dont run witrth crap and some run really well, i would say that is a quailty control issue and it is a gamble spending the money on it when you could spend the same amount of money on a tt engine and get more power and you know it wont come out bad.

Will this thread ever die??? [:@]

nope

all magnum engines are junk not even a good boat anchor
the la os engines had a few quricks but ran ok here in alaska
ys engines you need everything special fuel tanks fuel, fuel line and dont forget the glow plug
you know as well as i do that what ever engine i may have bad luck with may run good for
the next person so there all junk and that is that

you dont need special fuel tubing, tank or plug for a ys. i use an os type F plug and it runs great. i also use a standard dubro tank and standard medium fuel line, like everyone else that ownes a ys engine and it runs just fine. you jsut cant get the cheap tanks because the ys will pop them.

[all magnum engines are junk not even a good boat anchor]

Sorry to disagree, but you are in error. The two Magnum engines I own are quite satisfactory as are countless others.

I have no doubt that "some" Magnum engines are unsatisfactory just as "some" of any brand inevitably prove to have faults.

Your rather confusing final (sentence? paragraph? group of words?) seems to acknowledge the above.

Sweeping generalities such as "all", "none", etc rarely prove true

jess

Magnum?

All of mine are great, the pair in the picture have been running for about eight years, still feel like new.

Bill.

That plane is sweeeet!!!!

I have a Magnum 61XL and a Magnum 46XL. Both run well and both have been planted face first in the ground (the 61 with extreme prejudice). I'll say this for Magnums, they must be tough after what I've done to them!!

Aaron:

Appreciate the kind words re the twin, I call that one the "C-3/10," as I think it is about 30% (3/10ths) the look of the early Cessna 310. Model Airplane News liked it too, it took second place in their ARF bashing contest. I had my short term fame and liked that, but I liked the $250 check even more. It was originally a Hobbico "HobbiStar 60" that I screwed up a landing, then did a major rework and it came out with the mid wing and two engines.

Another of my twins is seen in my avatar, it's a stand way off scale F7F that I call the "Tiggerkitty," it's not anywhere near close enough to scale to call it a Tigercat.

Bill.

i was not meaning to say fuel tubing but if u dont use ys 20/20 fuel and
fiber tape your fuel tanks even the good ones they will pop
and all that fuel tubing i have noticed that a lot of motors that run in the usa dont
run worth a darn in alaska i have used all kinds of motors up here and yes there
were a few os engine problems and the la modle is not the greatest but a few mods
and you too can enjoy flying rc instead of working on the motor that dont run worth a
crap there are a lot of differances in os thunder tiger ys super tiger and magnum
just like ford chevy dodge nissan ect,ect these are my opions and i respect
your opions like i said before what motor works for me might not be worth a hill of bean s
for you i fly year round up here and enjoy the hobbie and i use what ever works for me
here is one for ya that auto pilot thing dont work in alaska but it probly works good for somebody eles i never used one it was a freind of mine that uesd it for about 3 sec
and it couldnt tell the diff in right side up and upside down all i am saying is some things just dont work for some people and they dont use that brand again cause of there expernces
with it thanks and have a good day yall

p4725re, I realize that niceties such as punctuation marks, capital letters, correct spelling, and the like may take a few seconds, but considering the time you spent in your rather lengthy post, why not take those few seconds to make it readable?

Just trying to help,

jess