Hi everyone,

I plan on building a SIG 4*60 for my 3rd plane and first low winger. I would like an opinion on which engine I should choose between these two. Also the plans call for a 12oz tank. Is this large enough for a .61? I have a TT.46 PRO with a 10oz tank and it barely goes 15 min before empty.

Lastly, I've been reading some posts regarding adding additional rudder surface to improve performance. How should the additional area be added.. to the rudder or vertical stabilizer?

Thank you for your help.

Hey, And Welcome to RCU! Both engines<ST and TT> are very good engines... So I Would go w// which ever ones lightest.. Also does ST make a ringed version of the 61? I can't remember right off the top of my head but the ringed engines <IMO> are alot more reliable and eeasy to operate.. Also you may want to upgrade to a 14 oz. tank.

Thank you for the advice, seems like the longer break-in period for a ringed engine may be worth it.

Something else to look at is a 90 sized engine. The Super Tigre 90 is a great deal at 119 at Tower Hobbies. The good thing with a 90 is that it weighs the same as the 60 and has the same size case, but you get a lot more power. Its like the difference between a 40 and a 46 sized engine. Same size and weight, so there is not really much reason to buy a 40 or a 60 you are better off with w 46 or a 90. This will allow you to move to a bit bigger plane later on as well. You dont have to use all the power of the motor but its impossible to make one stronger.

This advise a 50 cents might buy you a Coke.

Personally I really like TT and OS engines. They both are easy to adjust for good running and both put out good power. To me I don't have time to be bothered with ST engines. I find them way too finicky to get to run properly. They have decent power when you do get them to run, but no more than other engines of the same size. I have also seen a lot of the throttle barrels suddenly jam on ST engines. I also have a World Models Tiger Shark 75 and a Tower Hobbies 75. Both of these have also given me very good performance. As far as tank size is concerened I use 16 0z. tanks for my 60 and 75 engines. A 12 oz. tank will probably only be good for about 8 minutes flight time so I would go for a 14 oz. as a minimum size. Normal flight times are considered to be 10 minutes flying time after takeoff, and then some spare fuel for landing and a bit extra in case you have to go around again. [8D]

I got both the TT61 and the ST G90, the TT61 is a lot easier to run than the G90, ST needs a little more time as it is ringed and its not a screamer. So it depends what you want, an engine that has torque or you want it to scream.

May I suggest that with a Sig Star series, the ST .61 will be an investment. TTs are fine engines, however a ST will take more abuse than any engine I know of. I have used STs in one way or another since back 1961.
Every so often I try other engines and find a number that do well in their intended purpose, yet for general sport and scale flying, a Tigre does the job well. I have some that are 30 years old and keep on running. I have gone to the "Chest" opened a drawer, pulled out an engine just laying in there that has not been run for 15 years or more, drop it in a plane, go to the field, start it on first flip, check the NV setting and start flying. For reliability and dependable service, I have found nothing to compare other than a well-broken-in Fox.
Tower has some good prices on Tigers right now. The .61 ringed is a bit more finicky for the first couple hours than I remember the ABC being. Been a long time since I started a new .61 ABC. Now some say the .90 but that is too much for a 4-60. OTOH the .75 is my very favorite for the .60 size models.
You might wish to consider planking the LE of the 4-Star. Makes for a much better wing. Cap stripping the ribs also adds to the rigidity of the wing. Another little item to enhance the 4-Star is to cut 2-3" off the aileron tip and glue it to the wing TE with about 2-4* up. Looks weird but definitely enhances the landings when using medium to higher pitch props.

One ST point: With the slide muffler, DO NOT push that muffler all the way in. Either cut the manifold, drill a couple holes in it/or slant it, or keep the muffler at least 1/2" out on the manifold. Failure to do so has made for some good deals for me on eBay. I have a significant number of STs from .15 to 2500.

Horace ... they can last that long? I got a TT46 and an SC46, I "abused" (running on max RPM always) them and after 6-9 months the power has dropped by 20%. My G90 serves me well, been almost 3 gallons now and its nice but for a funny reverberating sound the engine has. Wooor wooooooor Woooooor wooooooor ...

Re: long lasting engines; I had my 6 year old OS FX40 engine out yesterday with an APC 10-6 prop on it. I was getting 13,800 rpm on the prop! Came in really handy for flying in the 30 km. winds.

As for the original question -- it's a tough call -- both are winners. You won't lose with either one, so get the one that is for sale at the best price.

Thank you all for your posts, I think I'll stick with the TT for the sake of simplicity.

Anyone have any thoughts regarding enlarging the rudder control surface of vertical stab?

Joe

I have run a TT .61 throughout this flying season on my 4*60. No problems whatsoever.

Marl

My ST G-51 Ringed just turned 1.... It's Such a good engine it got a B-day cake<jk> But it's absolutely the most reliable engine I've ever owned Hovers my <6 lbs.> Trainer with ease and make 5 foot takeoffs.. Starts First time every time..

got some great advice so far. I have buit three 4*60's. really great, easy building kit. The last one I kit bashed into a 3D version. I split the ailerons and built them up (instead of solid) to twice their size. I extended the elevators and rudder the same way, buy building them up and counter-balancing them. I also knocked one degree of dihedral out of the wing. Not quite flat, but not the extreme the dihedral brace used with the kit. I used a 1.20 four stroke on it, with some very heavy duty servos on the ailerons, dual elevator servos and HD on the rudder using Pull-pull. It rocked. Several friends at the field are flying the ARF with OS .91FX's. Like the one gent up top said, many of the .90's weigh the same as their .61 counterpart. You can always throttle down and exercise throttle management, but you can't get more power when you want it, unless you already have it mounted up front. The airplane is a real floater, if it's moving, it's flying, so plane on spoilers or airbrakes is you want to spot land, other wise, they just don't seem to want to come down, like a glider.
Plan on some mixing in your computer radio, because these plane, stock, have some real coupling issues. They are very neutral, but require rudder to aileron mixing for rolls and elevator to rudder mix for knife edge. Have fun, they fly great and are pretty tough planes.