I bought and (mostly) assembled an ARC Carosel this weekend, and I'm down to installing the engine... and I can't figure this out.

I'm assuming that since the engine bracket doesn't have holes, I have to test-fit the engine and then drill my own holes. I can do this, but what I'm confused about is how the heck I'm supposed to secure the engine in place. See, the nose of this plane is all one piece; the cowling runs right in to the fuselage, and I can't see any way to access the back side of the engine mount without poking holes in the top of the fuselage.

Does anybody here have a Carosel? Can you tell me how you mounted your engine when you couldn't reach the top of it to hold nuts in place?

Thanks....

oh.. duh.

I just realized that I can remove the bracket that holds the engine. Then I can do whatever I need in order to secure the engine to the bracket. Now I see why I wasn't supposed to glue that part in place.

Tom, just for the record, that "Bracket" is called an "Engine Mount"

TOM, I don't have the Carosel but I have most of the other ARC planes and they all mount about the same.

There should be a ring that goes behind the firewall and in that ring you should have to insert 4 nuts in holes. Then you put the bolts through the motor mount and firewall into the nuts in the ring. That will tie it all togeather. Now a note, your fuel tank will have a soft rubber ( ? ) ring that goes over the neck of the tank and slides into the hole in the ring to assist in holding the tank.

AND yes you do have to drill holes to mount the engine to the engine mount. If I remember right it uses a sort of metal screw and you drill a smaller hole then screw the screw in. By the way that plane was designed to have the engine mounted INVERTED, that's why I don't have one. Hope this is of some help. ENJOY !!! RED

Hobbypeople was blowing them out for $49 this weekend and i picked one up. I won't put it together for a while as I have too many planes as it is. When I do, i'm going to see if I can mount the engine some other way besides inverted. That's one of the things I don't like about the plane too.


What engine are you putting in yours?

What do you think,is TT 91fs to heavy?

wrob: If I'm correct on the engine mounts being the same as all the other ARC planes ( and I'm pretty sure I am ), it shouldn't be much to remount the engine. The biggest problem I forsee would be having to cut the crap out of the cowl. If I did it I'd side mount the engine.

As a bit of added info on these planes: if you are carefull you can use a heat gun to reform some of the plastic. I suggest a heat gun and a pair of gloves to do the forming and keep from burning your hands.

Also when assembling :: SCORE all glue areas, the instructions say to lightly sand but using a hobby knife and scoring gives a much better glue joint.

CBJUSS: I don't have the weights of your engine but if it is close to an OS 61 it should work fine, it might be a close fit but I've seen a couple with 91's in them. Even on a 2 cycle it is some times a bit of a job to fit an engine in but IF you take your time a little playing around will find a way.
GOOD LUCK and ENJOY !!! RED

TT 91s weight is 27.5oz(wo muffler). Reason why I'm asking - is this engine moving CG to very wrong place (making it very nose heavy)?I have read in some German forum that with 2 stroke OS61 there was added 11oz lead in nose. Is Carosel in natural condition tail heavy?

CBJUSS: Your engine appears to be about 4 oz heavier then a 61 recommended. That much weight that far forward could cause you to have to add a little weight toward the tail, but before you do that be sure you have moved the battery around trying to get it right. Also be sure you use the recommended CG and balance the plane INVERTED. As I said I don't have the Carosel but in all the time I've been around the ARC planes I don't remember ever hearing of a CG problem unless it was instigated by the assembler.
ENJOY !!! RED