To date I have never had a YS that was hard at anything. I find them more user friendly then OS and that's saying a lot. I just try not to recommend them to new users of four strokes. That big brass regulator screw you don't fool with seems to boggle people??? YS is my number one and OS my number two favorites. Nothing is as simple as electric though, Buzzzzz and go.

GO GAS, cleaner and cheeper than glow. Glow is for little planes that flit, Gas is for big planes that FLY.

Yep, that's what all the pattern pilots say too.
Electric was already decided on.

If you have the large capacity lipos and you are flying 600's then you do. Electric might be your most economical route.

That said. There are many 25-26 gas engines that are well under $200.00. Sure they are not "big name" engines. But they are reliable and run gas cheaper than glow and less messy.

I have never been of the mentality that a "high price, big name" engine is better. I have bought used engines for pennies on the dollar and have flown them for years. If you have a local "SWAP MEET" coming up in your area. Go walk around. You will be amazed at some of the deals you can find. I recently bought a US Engines 25 and quadra 35 at a local swap meet with a bunch of spare parts. Coils, etc. for $75.00.

Both run so deals are out there. You just have to look.

You can get good deals spend less money and have great fun. This hobby is only as expensive as you let it get.

Good luck in what ever you decide. I just thought I would toss in a couple of avenues that have not been discussed.

I have to give Graybeard credit.......some guys can handle YS's. But I can't tell you how many hours I've spent at what we call our 'YS tuning bench' working with guys to get their's running right. I'll stick to OS and Saito. But then if the ONLY choice is YS or electric, GO YS!

Jessiej - over 400 glow engines??? Only another 390 and I'll be caught up!

You have a headstart now, microdon2. I lost most of mine in a fire last January, along with most of the accesories, books, etc. I now have a great oportuniy to start afresh. Some things that I lost have no replacement, but the engines by and large do. I can't replace the Fox i used to win my first contest, but should I choose to do do so I can buy a close replica.

The family bible from the 1700s I can't replace, but by the same token none of my family members or companion animals were lost to the blaze.

Enjoy your engines. They provide a a marvelous sourse of entertaimment and a great way to broaden your knowlege.


Even if never flown in an airplane the engines are an endless source of entertainment and offer a never ending source of questions to be answered.

jess

While the debate on power system is over, thought I'd chime in for others that may read this thread.

I have several O.S. and several Magnum four-strokes, and love them both. My Magnums have run dependably, (NEVER a stall on the 52 on my Fleet Model 10!), and the O.S.'s are great, too. For the cost savings, I wouldn't hesitate to buy Magnum.

It doesn't seem clear from the advice in this thread, but I think a couple things were overlooked regarding the gas engines. Gassers are dependable because of their spark ignition. But are these points valid: (?)

Gas engines are two-stroke, aren't they? (You can tell I don't have one!). Not sure I've seen gas four-strokes for RC. Anyone?

Don't the 2-stroke gas engines require 2-stroke mixed gas & oil? Not a big deal, but it should be mentioned as it's an added step/complexity. (Are there oil-injected engines? Are they expensive?)

The "mess" was mentioned about glow fuel, but the thing that keeps me away from gas is the smell. Nothing more permeating or hard to get rid of than gasoline smell (even castor oil!), not to mention flammability. Both the fumes and fuel are considerably more flammable than glow.

If your shop is in your home like mine, you must avoid bringing any gasoline indoors for safety reasons, as well as the odor reasons.

Lastly, aren't there a different set of parts/tools/accesories for gassers, like the prop hubs are different? Are the props different, too?

Hope this note (and answers from those in the know) may help others with the same question.

Birdman

Jess - wow, really sorry to hear you lost so much in a fire, but it sounds like you've got a good attitude about it. I do love these engines - only been flying for three years and one of the things I love most is working on \ tearing down \ rebuilding these engines. Just bench-tested an OS 1.60 that I bought used 1.5 years ago and had yet to run it - after some priming it started right up! This engine has excellent compression and NICE power!! I'm going to sell it, cause I'm going gas, but part of me wants to keep it (even WITH the price of 15%). It sounds SO pretty. Recently tore apart my YS 140 to replace a bent shaft - very cool. I've now got other engines on the bench that I'm going to test - an OS 61 2s, an OS 72 4s, an old OS 91 4s and an OS 91 2s. Have a bench set up in my kitchen and a dryer-hose routing the exhaust out the window. Debating whether to sell these engines or just keep these engines for some future project. Think I'm gonna keep them. Electric is cool, but just not the same as a combustion engine. And now I've got some gassers (50cc, 30cc, and 20cc). Love these engines.

I own 4-strokes from Enya, Magnum, Thunder Tiger, and Saito. I fly them all and I like them all. I've heard good things about O.S. Max engines, but I'm not too familiar with them, so I'd rather stick with a proven brand like Thunder Tiger!

Saito 125, if you are stuck on glow 4-strokes. OS is good as well. I would steer clear of YS, Magnum, and all other 4-strokes. It's a crap shoot with them IMO.

Personally, I would go with one of the small gas engines. Plenty of room in that cowl, very clean burn for your airframe, less expensive fuel, no glow start to fool with, the engine will cost less, and the sound will still be cool (unlike electric).

Opinions vary. This is my humble offering.

Not all gas engines have an electronic ignition, I have Zinoahs with mags and really like them a bunch. I keep 6 or more planes in my really small shop and sometimes I do get a glow or gas smell out there for a day or so after I put them all away after flying. As for storing gas in the house, No Way. I do have a can of gas in my shop in a corner. Glow fuel I cap up so no real problem but I still wouldn't keep it in my house. My shop is unattached but I do worry about having so much combustibles stored out there. It isn't that far unattached!! Power source is up to the pilot. I have friends that have gone from gas and glow to nothing but electric and love it. We all have our favorites and mine are a bit different then others. My favorite glow engine is the YS but I was taught to tune buy a YS rep a long time ago. I just don't understand anyone having a problem with them. OS is my number two all time favorite and I put Saito at number three. They are OK, I just like OS better, my choice. The other four strokes I avoid meaning I just don't care for them at all, my choice. I would never advise anyone without long time knowledge of engines to ever buy used. If you don't know what your looking at you can get stung. These days I trade or am given used engines but I have been working on them for a lot of years so I have done well 100% of the time. Wet is not for everyone but I really like it. When I launch an electric it's just lacking that Barroom. Sort of like pulling up next to a big Honda while you are on a Harley. Just lacking something.