You can get a brand new Magnum 4 stroke for only a little more than the used ones your looking at. The Magnum .91 is 189.99 at HobbyPeople.net right now. Magnum .52 149.99 and a Magnum .70 is 169.99. Everyone who has a Magnum .91 that I've read on here loves it. I don't have one myself, but I do have a 1.20 Magnum (also a great 4 stroke) in the TF P47-D. Magnum is a great "bang for the buck" engine. Your going to hear people in this thread tell you they are O.S. copies, which they are, but they are also good reliable engines, don't let it sway you if you choose to look at them. You can also look at the Thunder Tiger 4 strokes. The Thunder Tiger 54s is 179.99, but the Thunder Tiger .75s is 169.99 at ThunderTiger4U.com. Thunder Tiger also has a .91 4 stroke but it's pretty heavy (heavier than other .91's), on the flip side it's also a powerful .91 4 stroke, I think it's 194.99. The only other 4 stroke I have is in a GP Corsair, Saito .82, it's a good engine, but they are also known to vibrate a lot. I got it early this year, well before Saito hiked their prices up, which is why I bought the Magnum 1.20 over another Saito. I probably won't be buying anymore overpriced 4 strokes as long as Magnum and Thunder Tiger keep making good 4 strokes.

Edit: I mention all of these engines because in your original post you advised you were trying to keep the cost down. No need to buy a used engine when you don't know it's history if you can get a brand new one for considerably less than a Saito, O.S. or YS.

I just wanted to give a vote for the Saito on the OP's 4 * 40. I have a Saito 56 on my son's Sig Kadet. We started with a 12x6 and now use a 13x4W acp on it. The flatter prop helped cut down on the float. Now the 56 flys it great with good power but a 72 or 82 would be of more use later on for just a little more money. As for the cost of fuel for YS engines I use Powermaster 20/20 in Saitos , OS 91 and YS 1.10s the last I bought was 24.00.

A Magnum .91 is 150 on sale at Hobby People, they have a sale for every holiday. For me a Magnum is a love hate thing, I love the price but don't think much of the quality of the engines. They work pretty well but don't seem to last very long before it's time to rebuild. Still, for the price??? I run 15% POwer Master fuel in everything up to the YS 1.40 and get it on sale at HP for 17 bucks a jug, right now the 20/20 is on sale for 19 beans. It's gone up too high in price so I buy as much as I can when I can get it for this price. I go from sale to sale. I tell my students that if they can afford a good OS or Saito then buy one, if not then take a look at the Magnums. In the two strokes if they can afford it get a trouble free OS AX, if they can't then I have been very happy with the SK line and put several guys into them. I like the SK line as well as the OS engines, I use there .91 and love it.

Hobby People / Global Hobby do stand behind the Magnum Engines

They try to treat you right

My Magnum .52 was a great engine until I nose dived it into the ground and cracked it in half. I've also owned a .70. It seemed OK but I traded it for some other stuff before running it much.

Grey, I've never heard mention of a Magnum needing a rebuild any more than any other four stroke. Look at Saito... for the price you pay you wouldn't expect it would eat bearings, but I've read of it happening, in just a few gallons. I believe Saito rectified that problem. But I'm still not paying double the cost of a Magnum for an O.S. with .10 more HP. Some of the guys on the Magnum post in the Glow Engines section have been running theirs for years with no problems. What w8ye said about HobbyPeople and Global standing behind the Magnums is true, what is the warranty?, several years if I remember and if ANYTHING go's wrong, they repair or replace it, it's one of the reasons I wasn't worried about buying one. Saito looks prettier on the outside, but honestly I could care less considering my engines are cowled. As long as it gives me good service, performance, runs well, and doesn't give me fits I could care less who's name is cast into the crankcase. Actually, I've read the "rebuild sooner" comment many times on four strokes and they were referring to YS. O.S., I've read just as many people having a love hate relationship with. I've seen more than one post by a O.S. four stroke owner who's been in RC for umpteen years and can't get the O.S. tuned right no matter what they do, I think those are usually the pumped variety. I've also seen them for sale on RCU Ads and the person actually stated "Never could get it to run right". You may blame the user for that. But someone else could blame you for your Magnums needing to be rebuilt more often. Be that as it may, I can still rebuild my Magnum for 1/10th the cost your paying for O.S. parts.

Actually I've seen a lot more "so-so"s on the Mag 70's for whatever reason. The 91's and 52's seem to be pretty well liked by their owners. In the end it all turns in to a "Chevy vs Ford" kind of thing.

I have one mag 52 and two 70's. Only had any problem with one of the 70's. Hobby People / Global Hobby took care of it. I could not ask for anything better. Several friends have Saito's, My mags run right with them for a lot less $$$$$.
john

Well, I'll chime in here,, a bud needed to free up some space so I gave him $265 for a great planes big stick with a saito .65 and a H9 with an OS .46ax on it...good deal? Yeah, but I prefer the scream of a good .049 on a half pound plane...anyway I dont like the 4 stroke, it runs and starts great,,just doesnt sound right,,he had it set up with wild throws, I barely got it back on the ground once I took off...which only took about 10 feet!! just not my favorite plane....now a Herr Extra .074 with an OS .15la on it,,thats a sweet plane..very popular over in the 1/2a forum...probably sell the stick's and both engines one of these days....Rog

I've had a Magnum 30, 65, two 61's, 91, & 120.

I looked on Hobby People last night and didn't see the $150 Mag .91, was still $189. I was going to get one to put in the FW190A8 I'm going to scratch build (waiting on plans to arrive). Thanks for that by the way Grey, you peaked my interest in a scratch build...so here I go...again...plane #6 and my first scratch build. When my wife rolls her eyes and gives me that loud short sigh I'll tell her it was your idea. If it needs nose ballast I may go with the Thunder Tiger. My local hobby shop is running a special on the O.S's right now, can get a brand new O.S. .91 4s for 225 ( I know I got several gift certificates for the shop as xmas gifts so it may not end up costing me anything). Might be a good time to see what the fuss over O.S. is...or I may just get a Saito .91...decisions decisions.

Be opportunistic and seek the best deal

Do it!

My OS .91 was a gift because the fellow couldn't get it running right. I gave it a new ring and a tune up, it's in my Kaos. Sorry but I have rebuilt three Magnums this year, all .91s and the oldest one was three years old and the other two only two years old?? It was the rear bearing that was the problem on all three but I replaced the front bearing and ring while they were apart. The ones I see at the fields are either working or having problems. Each sale has different items and the Xmas sale doesn't have the Power Master 15% on sale either, the 20% is 19 dollars though. They do have the 52 XL on sale for 115. I'm not following the glow engines a lot because of the price of fuel and the new prices of them. Just too much money and I still have a few not being used. I started going back to gas this year and will only have three or four glow powered planes in the next year or so. I got over 10 years of very hard use with my pumped OS 1.20 before it needed a rebuild. As much as I like that engine I would never pay the kind of money they want for one today, the gas engines are a much better deal and cheaper to use, that and I have a couple under the bench needing a home.

Amazing!

"The ones I see at the fields are either working or having problems"

No truer words were ever spoken

LOL!, for any engine, regardless the manufacturer. Actually Grey just brought up a good point I didn't think about...with the gift certificates I may have to give that new Saito FG20 a try.....

The 56 should be a perfect fit fot the 4*40. Mine has been motivated by the Saito 45, 65, and 82 and Magnum 52 4 stroke. The 82 was way over the top. The others were fine. It currently has the 65 pulling it around and I think I like it best of all engines tried. It is a little on the heavy side.

I'm prejudiced towards liking Saito but I have all the others too.

Likewise.

As much as the O.S.'s have been good for me, the Saitos have just been that much better.

I've been quite impressed with them.

Well, I think I have convinced my girlfriend that a Saito 62 is what I absolutely need for Christmas. We will see if she pulls through or not.

Just for the record, I don't use Magnums, I have nothing but OS and YS for myself. I work on engines and build and assemble planes for other people. I do refer people to Magnums when money is a problem, otherwise I refer them to Saito and OS. To date I haven't had to replace or rebuild any Saitos for anyone, just valve adjustments and the OS four strokes I see are very old and pretty well used up. The .91 Magnum at 150 dollars is always a pretty good deal and I see a lot of them used in my area. I also get to rebuild a gang of them and they get to me long before I feel they should. I don't feel that the metal or parts used in them is up to the same standards as the high end engines and they wear quicker. With care they will last the normal weekend pilot for a long time and they should be happy with them. The sale is in the hobby People Xmas sale flyer they send out, page 14 #210980- POwer Master 20/20 is on page 9 #275209. For myself I saw the servo wire on sale and I always need that. Just sign up and they will mail these things to you in advance so you can see what they are going to have on hand. Nuff Said!!

She pulled through. I received a Saito 62 today as my Christmas present (Fedex delivered it late, but no biggie). I can't wait to install it into the 4*40 when I head home tomorrow. Thanks for all the suggestions guys!

Congratulations I'm sure you will be happy with the 62 from now on

Allfat,

Go to www.hobbypeople.net and get one of their Mag .52RFS for 75.00 with free shipping. You'll thank me later. Magnums are great engines, I have so many of them I've lost count.