Hey everyone. Little background before I ask my question. I have flown trainers, and I have flown some sport planes (I still have my U-Can-Do).

But it has been a few years and when I was in the hobby before, I never really took the time to make things right. I "rigged" a lot of things.

I dont want to do that this time. I still have my U-Can-Do but I want to get a trainer again just to get back into the flow of things. I still have my spektrum DX7 with servos that I plan to install in a Tower Hobbies Trainer. I flew one of my friend's, and they are a smooth trainer. I enjoyed flying it.


The question is about the engine.

I don't want to get a tower hobbies / GMS engine. They have given me nothing but trouble in the past. I need an engine that is pretty easy to setup (or comes with good documentation) since this is the first engine I am giong to do the "right way". I don't know much about the brands out there. There is OS, Thunder Tiger, and Super Tiger. I am leaning more towards OS just because they are the "tried and true" I guess you could say but if the others are just as good, please let me know for sure.

Also, is there a place that I could learn about engines online? For example, I dont know what the difference is between non-ringed and ringed.

I would highly recommend OS engines, especially the new 46 AX or any of the AX series engines. I have five of them, two .75 AX's and three 1.20 AX's and love them all. They start very easily, tune easy, and have a lot of power. My second .75 ran just fine for flight after one tank of break in. I ran it rich, but it ran just fine with plenty of power. It is on a Goldberg Skylark 70, by the way.

CGr

Ditto.

The Thunder Tiger 46 Pro and the Evolution 46 are very good also, but OS is the Cadillac.

I like Thunder Tiger or O.S. I have several TT pro .46.s and they are good engines for the price. I also have O.S. engines and they are better but cost a little more. If cost is not an issue, I would second the O.S. vote!!

morning,

im with minn on the evolution engines have one in my P-51 and starts up everytime by flipping the prop backwards to the stop and it springs foward and starts everytime.have not used a starter on it yet also have not had any deadsticks with it either.

got a pair of .36 evo's in my new hangar 9 B-25 bomber also.


i also have 2 magnum .40's that i like very much and an O.S. la.46 that runs like a champ with no deadsticks.



bassman

[link=http://www.hooked-on-rc-airplanes.com/nitro-rc-engines.html#3a]Ringed vs. non rings engines [/link]can be found here.

Same as most of the others. Thunder Tiger Pro or OS, performance wise and easy tuning both are equals, the OS has the adavantage of a remote needle valve so you don't have to get your fingers so close to the prop while tuning but, and this is just my opinion, I really don't care for the squared off muffler on the OS.

I just sold a NIB OS .46 FX but kept my Thunder Tiger .46 Pro - mainly because of the needle valve. The OS has a remote NV which you can't rotate the orientation other than horizontal. I'd have to cut into the cowl of my trainer to accomodate the OS. The Thunder Tiger has a conventional carb mounted NV which is angled back and plenty far enough from the prop for safe operation - and NONE of us EVER reaches OVER the prop to make adjustments, do we?

Thank you all for your help.


Wings, I love you! I have been looking around on that link you sent and it has SOOO much great information as to engines. Everything from terminology to adjusting the valves and how to test. Good stuff for sure

The OS 46 AX can rotate the Remote Valve to 2 positions. horizontal or vertical. I have the one in my Kadet Senior vertical just to avoid making another hole in the cowl.

One other advantage of the 46 AX over the old 46 FX. On the FX the needle valve mount was cast as part of the engine backplate. Most crashes would break that mount off requiring a new backplace (~$15). The AX now has a metal mount that bolts on to the backplate. Crashes will simply bend back the mount, and if it does break it's a lot cheaper than an entire backplate.

Ken

I appreciate your kind words.

The Tower Trainer .40 MkII ARF is a very lightweight airframe, and it balances best with an engine in the 12 to 13 ounce range. Your optimal engine choices would include the O.S. Max .46 LA, Thunder Tiger GP-42, Thunder Tiger Pro .36, Magnum XLS .36, Evolution .36 NT, or Super Tigre G-34.

Ball Bearing .46 2-strokes normally weigh in around 16 to 19 ounces, and even with the receiver battery clear in the back of the fuselage behind the servo tray, the Tower Trainer .40 MkII ARF will come out nose heavy.

If you want to fly a ball bearing .46 2-stroke, please purchase the Tower Hobbies .60 MkII ARF. A ball bearing .46 is just about perfect for the larger trainer.

For the Tower Trainer .40 Mk II ARF, my personal choice would be the O.S. .46 LA or Thunder Tiger GP-42 with the "Nexstar" 11x5 prop from Hobbico. Either one of these engines are top quality and dead-solid reliable. Both will fly best with castor oil lubrication rather than glow fuel with 100% synthetic oil. If you only have 100% synthetic oil fuel available, then a .36 ball bearing engine (G-34 included) would be a better choice.

Good luck, and good shopping.