Are there any brand engines to stay away from? Are there any that really stand out from the rest?

I have heard to get like the OS FX instead of The LA because the LA doesn't have bearings or something...

Anything like that to stay away from?

Are Saito engines good engines?

Prepare to be inundated with replies to this post. Saito are good engines as are OS as are many others. Don't be put off by plain bearings as opposed to ball bearings, many manufacturesrs make both and for most applications you won't notice the difference.

Engines with twin needle carbs as opposed to air bleed are more set and forget. What ever you decide on follow the manufacturers instructions about running in and what ever you do err on the side of too rich rather than to lean.

To put the cat among the pigeons I'm sure someone will tell you that MDS stands for "Mulitple Dead Stick".

Cheers,

Colin

Ah yes so many engines! Assuming your starting out, your more than likely going to want to look at the .40 or .46 size engines for a trainer.
(That is assuming your going to start out with a .40 size trainer of course! ) It's hard to go wrong here and to be honest, if its brand new one no matter which brand ya get its going to be of quality and meet your needs for a .40 size plane. I started with an OS .40 LA on my Hobbico Superstar and later strappedon a .46 FX for more power. But what ever brand you choose, good luck!

I was just like you poorkid when I first entered the hobby. There are so many engines out there to choose from. I began with the o.s 40LA i my .40 size trainer and is now in my low wing sport model (Tiger Sport). I strongly recomend this engine, it is easy to start, smooth power and most importantly is fairly cheap. If may not have the power such as the the 46fx but it is fine for what it was intended to be used for. The needle valve at the back of the engine is also very handy.

Good luck

Poorkid,
I have 2 OS LAs and love them.
Yes, you will get more power from a bearinged engine - do you need it?
One of our super flyers prefers the bushinged engine for his 3D flying.
Since he flys vertical much of the time he claims the bushing is able to
withstand the lack of oiling for longer periods of time.
Get what you can afford.
KW_Counter

I bought a .40LA for my trainer when I started flying a little more than a year ago and once I had put a .46fx on it for more power, I doubt I will ever use the LA again. You can always fly around at half throttle with the .46, but why buy an engine you will use for a couple of months and then put in a drawer forever because no one will buy it from you cause a new one is so cheap? There are however .40 sized engines out there that have much more power than a .40LA, and those aren't so bad. Don't get me wrong I have never had a problem with my .40LA, but they lack the power. I think some of the posts above prove that you will want more power on your trainer soon after you learn how to fly. And if you are worried about reliability, you should be using an instructor to teach you how to fly and that person will be able to show you how to work out any problems you may encounter with any .40 or .46 sized engine(which will probably be almost zero). Just my opinion.

I would never recommend buying more than you can afford, but if you can swing the price of a Ball Bearing 46, you will be much happier a year or two from now than you will if you get a 40LA.

Don't get me wrong, the LA's are very good engines, but you're going to want to move up to bigger and better things later.

Don't think you have to stick with OS or top engines either. The tower engines are good, TT engines are good, super tigre engines are great. The FX does have more power than the LA series. You can look at the power charts to compare engines on towers site. Look at the tower engines too. For the money, you might be well ahead to look at those.

Most of the engines are good. You just have to find one that will work for you and work for more than just the plane you currently have.

Do yourself a favor.....get a Thunder Tiger Pro .46. Power of an OS .46 FX, and not that much more money than a .40 or .46 LA.

MOST of the engine brands are good. I have had excellent luck with OS (FX series), Thunder Tiger (Pro series), Saito and GMS.

The most USER FRIENDLY engines have been Thunder Tiger and OS. TT is the least expensive of these 2, and power and reliability are excellent.

The Saito takes a little tinkering to get exactly right (use a tach with ANY 4 stroke to set it up properly), but after that is fine. The power and reliability of the Saito engine is AMONG THE BEST out there.

The GMS and Tower engines I have had have fantastic power, excellent transitions and a decent idle. They do take a little tinkering to get the idle/transition just right, but not much. The downside I have found with them is they do not want to shut off with the transmitter due to air leaks. Fixing the air leaks is USUALLY not a big deal. The main air leak problem I have encountered is from the front bearing. The price on both these engines is very affordable, especially considering the power received.

I have never tried or used an Evolution engine. The comments and reviews of this engine have been quite favorable. These engines do have the limiters on the high and low end needle valves (easily removed/by passed if needed).

I have never tried or used a Magnum (ASP) engine. The impression I receive from the comments/reviews on the engine is that GENERALLY, they are pretty decent engines.

I have never tried or used an MDS. The impression I have received from the comments on this engine are: If you get a good one, they are great engines - IF YOU GET A GOOD ONE. I would strongly suggest doing a search on RC Universe for "MDS" and then forming your own opinion.

I would also suggest talking to different people at your field and see what they are using in their planes, AND how they feel about their choice of brand and other brands.

As someone new to the hobby, I don't think you will go wrong with either Thunder Tiger Pro, OS FX/AX or a Saito engine. You should have no problems setting them up or afterwards. They usually run great right out of the box. I have had my best luck with the OS #8 flo plugs for the 2 stroke and the OS "F" plug for the 4 stroke. I suggest a 2 stroke engine when starting out as they are less complex than a four stroke (not to mention cheaper).

As with ANY brand of engine, break it in according to the manufacturer's instructions. Pay particular attention to the percentage of oil and nitro suggestions from the manufacturer.

This is MY PERSONAL OPINION of these engines.

Hope this is of use to you.

Wow, more responses than i though I would get, sounds like OS and Thunder Tiger engines are pretty good. As of now, i have an OS .46 FX and i LOVE how it runs.

Thanks again!

OS, Irvine, Enya, Super Tiger, Thunder Tiger, MVVS, Magnum, Rossi and Webra are good engines. I have a bunch of Saito's. They all are fantastic runners. You would not go wrong with one.

Mark Shuman

just for the record if you use fai fuel MDS engines will run without worries and will out perform most others

So many engines to from which to choose. Best advice above was to check with other pilots at your field. My first engine was a Baby Cyclone in 1936. I bought it used. Can't tell you how many engines I've had since, both good and some poor. The thing I've noticed laely seems to be that too many pilots say "Run one tank of fuel through it and it will break in while you're flying". Maybe I'm just old fashioned but I still believe that the clue to engine life and performance is a good break in. Manufacturers always include an owners manual that will tell you all you need to know about break in. Read it. If you're talking diesels, I've never been able to get one to run. They are used extensively in Europe and by a few in the US and all the people who have mastered them are very pleased with the little beasts. Someday I'll take a course in diessels and learn what I don't know about them.