Yep, thanks Missileman.
I just got my OS46AX in the mail yesterday, and it looks pretty good. I looked at the carb and imagined if it were not a remote needle valve; being new in this hobby I definitely don't want to be anywhere near the prop if I don't have to be. Maybe #2 (engine) I'll have a better feel for the plane and get something different

As long as you don't mind spending the money, there's really no reason to buy anything other than O.S. Max.

O.S. Max makes a huge variety of glow engines for almost every conceivable application. Their quality is excellent, their power output is very good relative to other brands, and O.S. Max isn't the most expensive option on the market.

There are a lot of great values out there, and a lot of lesser known brands offer power and reliability for less, but you'll never be disappointed by choosing O.S. Max.

I was a little on the fence again about what engine to buy; did a search and this old thread came up, my first engine purchase

This time I was between a Super Tigre G-51 and a 55AX (almost double the price) for my Venus 40; the 46AX just isn't enough for me on that plane. This last comment is steering me toward old faithful...

I really would love to save some money, but there's just something about strapping an engine to a plane and seeing it in the air after one tank of fuel!

What I like about OS is the great support. No other manufacture offers a web site as good as OS. You can find part numbers and tips for current and past engines. I like looking at their timeline to find when older engines were made.
http://www.osengines.com/

Rod S

Good choice Joe, you would have never liked the ST compared to the OS. Good engines but they really need to learn to make a carb. Just for the fun of it you should take a look at the SK line of engines from Super Kraft, Kangke. I haven't used any of there smaller engines but I like there .91 better then the OS engines. Different break in but worth the little extra time. QUESTION: why a Nexstar????

I voted for FORD! Just kidding. O.S. and Saito are very good but a little more on the expensive side than they should be. JMHO I have one Evolution .61NX, One Evolution .46NX and one Evolution .46 NT and they work great and the prices were right in my book.

2 people in my club love Magnum Engines 2 and 4 strokes...and I haven't seen them have any problems. If Evolution wasn't around I'd be buying Magnum's. Can't beat the price for what you get.

Check this out! I practiced a little patience, and found a link on Tower's site to a free quart of fuel with the 55AX. For the same price as the engine (retail), I got:

Fourmost Bulkhead Fittings, APC 12x7 Sport Propeller, Sullivan Fuel Tube Connectors & Tees, Great Planes Segmented Lead Weights 6 oz, Hitec Servo Horn Set HS-700 ,Hitec Programmer Digital Servos, Sullivan Steel Control Horn 3/4" , O'Donnell 10% Airplane Fuel Quart, O.S. 55AX, ABL W/Muffler
Standard Shipping: Waived
Total Current Charges: $ 165.02

Gene, this post is from last year, my first RC Plane purchase. Knowing what I know now, I'd have gotten the Tower Trainer. And thanks for the confirmation that the 55AX is the right choice. One thing that really got me was that people with the ST 51 are swinging the same prop I swing on my 46AX.

Flight Risk, you're absolutely right. Hobby Services has been really great to me over the past year.

Tower Hobbies is totally awesome. I recommend joining their super savers club.

I like the notion of a ringed engine. No particular reason; I just do. The ST 51 Ring I put on my first trainer 15-20 years ago broke in after a couple of tanks, never gave me any trouble, and ran like a top. Same for the ST 61 ringed engine I purchased next. Left the hobby only to return last year. Bought a Magnum 91 Four-stroke for my new Hobbistar trainer and so far its been great. However, I picked up a new ST 75 ringed engine shortly afterwards so I pulled the Mag 91 off my trainer and put the ST75 on it. It broke in well after a couple of tanks and seems to still be getting better. I've installed the Mag 91 in another plane and hope to be flying both of them once the weather turns better & warmer.

All I've run in either engine is Wildcat Premium fuel (16% oil content) with 6oz of castor added to the new gallon. The ST has been run on 10% nitro and the Magnum on 15% nitro. (These are the % on the fuel before I added the castor)

SuperTigres then and now seem to like to shake their exhausts loose. What I remembered from way back was to clean the screws and threads with alcohol, add a dab of locktite (blue nowadays) and tighten everything down real good on the engine. I have used the fibre gasket when doing this with a light coat of RTV on both sides of the gasket and really snug it all up. On the very first run of the engine while its still very hot I retighten every screw and that has always been it.

The only aggravating thing I've experienced on two of the three is I had to install the brass nipple on the muffler that pressures the fuel tank. It will twist in half if you just breath on it hard. Here's the trick - be sure you are comfortable and sitting at a well lit table. Use a wrench that fits the flats on the nipple fitting. Because my eyes aren't good anymore I wear a magnifying lens so I can see really well.

Put a dab of blue locktite on the nipple fitting and lightly turn in to the muffler with finger tips until its tight as you can turn by hand. Then while viewing closely and using the wrench gently turn it another 1/3rd turn. NO MORE. Do not turn it until you feel it tighten down because you never will...it will snap in half in a blink. Trust your fingertips first and then with the wrench; your eyes.

Then with plenty castor in your low nitro fuel break it in with atleast three 12oz tanks of fuel and don't fiddle with the low-end needle, just the high end. Oh, and when you mount the carb just pay attention to the seal and press down firmly and hold while tightening the carb retainer. Be sure the carb is all the way seated before tightening the retainer.

None of this is hard and its ashame SuperTigre doesn't already have this done when the engine comes out of the box but; they don't. So what!

I know 3 engines hardly proves anything but the doggone SuperTiger - "other Brand" argument was going on 20 yrs ago just like it is now. The folks that say use low nitro, add CASTOR to bring your fuel up to a 20% oil content by volume with your SuperTigre seem to know what they are talking about. And I've noted that a good bunch of the folks unhappy with their SuperTigres (and Magnum 4-strokes) are folks that detest CASTOR. Maybe its because they are ringed engines?...who knows? But I've read a gagillion posts from folks that I believe are telling the truth and my limited experience has been positve so far.

You might laugh but I still like the look of a SuperTigre engine head and still wished they used allenhead screws instead of slotted.

Regards,

Clay

if you cant afford a os get a gms .47
the thing hauls compared to the .46 la and is about the same as a .46 fx but only $70
mine purrs, love the engine, its a set and forget engine (if i didnt break so props.....but i finallly got smart and got 6 of the same prop, 10x7 MAS)
btw i run 5% on it and it runs fine.

Nice to see you are still at it Joe.
If you are looking for an economical, reliable powerplant, then don't overlook the Tower Hobbies .75 and the GMS .76. They will make your Venus come alive. I have both. I broke them in by running two tanks through each on the ground and finished breaking in flying. Once I had about 6 to 8 tanks run through total, I fine tuned the low speed and high speed needles again and forget them. They run awesome and OOOOHHHHH what a sweet sound they make and the power is fantastic!! I also have the GMS .47 and GMS .61 also. They are equally as good. All running on 5% Glow Fuel.

Good luck
Curt

Yup the T.H. and GMS engines are often overlooked.

I would not compare the TH .46 against an OS .46 FX however. Powerwise they are equal to the .46 AX.

Strangely the GMS .47 seems to put out a bit less power than the identical Tower Hobbies .46, while the GMS .76 seems to put out MORE power than the identical Tower Hobbies .75.

Go figure?

I've never owned the TH .46 so I can't comment on that one but my GMS .47 will swing an 11x6 APC prop about 300 rpm faster than my OS .46 AXs' and my .46 FXs'. Wierd how results vary from person to person.
I also found that my TH .75 will swing a 13x5 MAS about 100rpm faster than my GMS .76 can.
AGAIN... individual results may vary.

But, all in all, I am super happy with my "econo" motors as well as my OS', Evos', STs', Saitos' etc, etc. I have yet to find a "TOTAL LEMON BRAND".

Cheers
Curt

I have read a lot of good things about the TH 75. I would have got one if I didn't think it was too much of a weight increase. I hope I'm happy with the power of the 55...

Yes the TH .75 weighs about 4.5 oz more than the .55AX but the power differance would be quite noticeable. The extra weight vs power ratio would not mean that much on a sport plane but if you are 3Ding that is a differant story.
You will like the .55AX. I have one and it definately has more power than my .46 AX and FX. I am using the .55AX in my Funtana 40 and it will hover at 1/2 throttle.

Cheers
Curt

I know this is an old thread Minn but OS is the equivlent of FORD not Chevy. Their logo is even a Blue Oval and not a little boys Bow Tie