which brand of engine is the "best"
 

hey, i have just started into the exiting world of rc and am already planning out a second model. i was thinking of a sig four star 40 arf and was wondering what was the "best 40 sized engine (price, power, reliablility, ect.) i have my eye on a super tiger gs 46 or an os or equall performance. is there any other reputable brands that may have more to offer than the ones listed? i dont intend on doing balls to the walls aerobatics with this plane, but want this plane to fly decently quick if i desire to. i also thought of a 4 stroke, but want to stay within a pretty tight budget.
any info woud be greatly appreciated

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

hey andrew66,
well if you can afford to go with the O.S. 46 i would but if all you can afford is the Thunder Tiger 46 then that one would be good to. the only reason i say to go with O.S. is that they are very reliable and that for the price they are gonna last. i've have a vintage O.S. 35 (they do not even make that model anymore) and it still runs good and strong.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

I only own two glow planes & they both have OS 46 AX's in them. I can't speak to the other brands but I can certainly echo Machinegun's statements in reliability. I have yet to have a dead stick on either one & they have plenty of power.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

Personally, I think it's who you ask. Ford, Dodge, Chevy, etc, etc. I own Magnum, Thunder Tiger and Saito engines. I can't tell difference between all of them. They all run like a champ.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

I've had about every brand of 2 stroke at one time or another and if I went shopping tomorrow for a 40 size 2 stroke I'd buy an OS. They cost a little more but from what I've found they are worth every penny.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

I have OS, magnum, TT, K&B, and ST. The Os's are BY FAR easier to tune and MUCH more reliable. I have 2 ST 3000's one runs as good as an OS and the other is finicky. Magnum is my second choice, and TT and K&B are far behind. I love the ST 3000 on my Ultra Stick (recently re-kitted) but the other is on a 1/4 scale husky 5 flights = 5 deadsticks. The K&B I've never been able to get properly tuned. After much angst I was able to get the TT tuned and the magnum just requires slightly more tuning than os. I'd say they all are good but I could definitely use some coachin on tuning. I'm not necessarily trashing the engines just say ease of use for my inexperienced tuning fingers the OS is best

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

I'm an OS Max guy myself. Years ago, before CNC, one brand of engine would produce a great 25, and another brand would produce a great 40 and so on.
But for the last 15 or 20 years, OS Max has really pulled away from other brands. All of the OS engines run very well. The difference between OS Max and the clones is the nickel content. More nickel in the metal means a longer wear life. OS engines last.
Supertiger, Enya, HB were other great brands, but have faded away to some degree. OS Max has very strong technical support here in the USA. Parts are easily obtained.
With the advent of CNC machining, the tolerances of all the brands is remarkable. The only thing that really differentiates the brands is metallurgy and carb design.
YS was a great brand of engine, but has lost favor among many folks in recent years due to technical problems and poor support.
OS Max engines might seem a little pricey. But the engine is not the place to cut corners. You will see plenty of guys that tinker and tinker with their engines and almost never fly. I say, " those guys have a different hobby". A good running engine is essential if you wish to really enjoy this hobby.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

Another vote for OS. I have the .46 AX on my Easy Sport and it certainly has been better then my tower Hobbies .46

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

OS makes good engines, I'd go for the AX, rather than the LA. Nothing wrong with the LA, it's just that the AX has more power. I would also take a good look at the Thunder Tiger .46 Pro. Supertigre also gets good reviews, but I personally think they tend to be too heavy.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

Andrew, I agree with cruzomatic, unless you are pylon racing, extreme 3-D or some other demanding type flying, any good quality engine will work fine. That four star will perform well with a wide range of motors.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

I currently own eleven sport engines in that class & I have owned many more --- of various brands. There are two stand-outs in terms of ease of use, reliability, very good power & decently long life -- Thunder Tiger 46 Pro and OS 46 AX.

The Thunder Tiger 46 Pro is a just a little more user friendly & costs a little less, while the AX has a hair more power (with stock mufflers). Both offer superb quality, which is a good thing, 'cause both also have obscenely expensive parts costs.

That was for BB engines. If you are looking for a less costly alternative &/or a simpler engine, the TT 42 GP is very good if you want to go fast & the OS 46 LA is good if you want to swing a larger prop, although both are notably less powerfull than the two BB engines.

My personal preference is for the TT Pro -- it runs like oiled silk right out of the box, makes great power & lasts & lasts.

You can't lose if you chose either one & I wouldn't bother looking anywhere else -- but then that's my personal opinion.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

Go with a 46 size, not a 40 and throw an APC 11-5 prop on it. For the few dollars difference the performance increase is well worth it and it gives you the extra power you might need if the winds suddenly whip up and you need to get back to the runway in a hurry. Having said that in the 46 size my favorite is the 46AX. I have some of the older 46FX series and they are very good engines as well but the AX seems to have a touch more power and runs a touch smoother at lower rpms. The Thunder Tigers run a close second. At our field the Super Tigers have been a Royal pain to try to get adjusted properly and keep running. Also the carb barrel is not machined smooth and seems to suddenly jam after a few runs. The Evolution engines are a mixed bag, some run great, some are very finicky and unreliable. For down the road if you need a good 60 size engine, pick up a Tower Hobbies 75! Easy to tune, tons of power and you can get a pitts style muffler if you need to mount the engine sideways.[8D]

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

OS 46AX! I have one on a WM Mach II and it screams. I just placed one on a 40 Stick, just need to break it in.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

I just picked up a Magnum 70 this summer when tower had them for $150 with $25 off orders over $150. It's been a very good little engine. Not only does it haul my twist around much better than the OS 46 FX (with tower muffler) but it sips the fuel and is much quieter.

I think it would be a sweet little engine in a 4star, but you do pay a little extra for the 4 stroke.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

I don't fly 2 strokes, can't help you there, but for four strokes the o.s. .52 is the perfect match for the fourstar forty. It hauled my plane around real good. I just recently recovered my fourstar, and am repowering it with a .50 saito. I'll let you know how that goes next time I get a pretty day to fly it.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

This is such a subjective question. One person will say such and such brand is without doubt the best and another will say different. I think in the end all of them are probably very good.

I have mostly had and am satisfied with O.S. Does this mean I think they're the best? I really can't say, as then you then have to say the best at what. I think they're reliable, I think they're manufacturer is very good at producing model airplane engines, they are high quality and I think they last. I've also had good luck with K&B and Magnum 4 strokes.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

As you can see OS is the hands down winner here. I have some old OS engines of my Dad's. I was trying to find a pipe for one particular little OS .10 engine that was one of his. I sent photos of it to OS so they could help identify the model of this .10 engine, now I knew it was at least 20 years old, turns out it is from 1964! This little engine fired right up & runs great! All his old engines that I have still run perfect. I think they're bullet-proof! I don't think you'll ever be dissapointed with the quality & reliability of an OS engine. I hear that the LA series are a little under-powered for most people's taste, but I wouldn't know personally because I have never owned one.

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

OS

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

I like OS but the Super Tigers are great motor. You can bet the price. A .45 is just 69.99 with a three year warranty. I've never had a super tiger run bad they just work. Follow the break in and you wont have any problems.



Bevo

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

It really does not matter guys, No matter who makes them 2 stoke glow engines are hardly engineering masterpieces. Its like swearing by Ford or Chevy when really they are all the same. I am running Enya, Supertigre and OS and when tunned properly they all run just great. The 2 OS engines are I run are a 40fp and a 46sf but I don't know if I will buy a new OS because of the higher cost when there are other brands of engines that cost much less, run just as well and only take a few more minutes to tune.

For a recomendation for a 4* 40 motor our club has 4*-40 races where the only legal motor is a ST 40, This engine will fly the plane very well and only cost $49.99

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

thanx for all the input! i am alot wiser now and at least have some ideas for brands. i knew the ford vs chevy, ect... was probably going to pop up, but i did want to hear why some people use the brands they use. ( the more opinions the better) now i have an idea on which route im going to take engine-wise. i will go with an os b/c my local hobby shop has them on sale right now for $89CDN, so i think i will pick one up tomorrow!

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

ive had mds, os, magnum, thunder tigre, super tigre, and another one. And there all good. But os stands out. Its the shizee. I have a .46 FXi. Its great....

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

For the 4*40, an OS46Ax turning either an APC 11X5 or APC 11X6 will be perfect for it. If you want to go to a 4 stroke then a Saito 56 will also be perfect for it.

So as you can see, OS Engines are in the majority here

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

I would say go with the YURIANANA .46 it has more cyntrifugal force than the O.S.!

Drew

RE: which brand of engine is the "best"
 

Yurr waaaa???!??!!?[X(]