new 46AX
 

Hey guys, I just bought a new 46 AX today after hearing so many good things about them. I'm putting it in place of a 46LA. I've herd a lot of good about them but is there anything I should look for or do to it besides breaking it in like the book says? James

RE: new 46AX
 

Yes, start thinking about how you're going to get rid of that 46LA once you try the AX :D

Don't do anything special - just put it in your plane and get ready to have some fun!

RE: new 46AX
 

Follow the instructions in the book and you can't go wrong. OS gives good instructions for breaking-in an engine. If you follow them the engine will give you a lifetime of good service. The only thing I can recommend to extend the life of the engine is to always run it a click or two rich. I've got a couple of OS engines that have over 500 flights on them now and they are still going strong.

Ken

RE: new 46AX
 

OS seems to ship most of their engines with the low speed mixture set a bit rich. Fly it that way for a gallon or 2 and then think about leaning the idle mixture slightly IF NEEDED.

RE: new 46AX
 

boy oh boy look at that line-up MinnFlyer, RCKen and Bruce all in a row. Hi guys.

RE: new 46AX
 

Holy Cow, he hit the Trifecta!!!!!!!! You're check's gonna be in the mail!!!!! :D

Ken

RE: new 46AX
 

You'll be very happy with that engine.
Mine dead sticked on me today, haven't figured out why yet but it usually behaves itself. Probably something minor.

RE: new 46AX
 

thanks guys I cant wait to get it hooked up and in the air. the 46LA didn't have very much power to do much of a verticle climb before it stalled. Can't wait to see the difference:D

RE: new 46AX
 

This is off topic, but I'll go with it anyway.

My problem with instructions for any engine is this: They assume some knowledge of engines. For those people who have NO prior experience with any kind of engine, how would they know the difference between an engine running in two-cycle and four-cycle? They should at least explain the difference between rich and lean, and what is happening when an engine is rich and lean. My professors tell us to write our papers as if the person reading it has no prior knowledge of the subject. I think that the instructions for these engines should be written the same way. My .02.

RE: new 46AX
 

The nice thing about the AX series of OS engines is that they will fly just fine even without a specific break-in period. And, as mentioned, they are a tad bit rich on the low end out of the box, but that's ok. That can be tuned out after the engine has burned some fuel.

I have three 1.20 AX's, and a pair of 75 AX's. I did the traditional thing with breaking in the 1.20's, sat it on the ground for at least two full tanks, run rich, then lean, then rich... and so on. Then flew them. Flew just fine.

I then bought a .75 and put it on the Protege. Well, I did the traditional thing with the first tank, and found that it ran just fine no matter what I did... so I flew it after one tank, and it ran fine. Plenty of power and very smooth and quiet.

Next, was the .75 on the Skylark. Well, no break-in, just filled the tank, tuned it, made it a tad rich, then put it in the air. I tended to fly it easy for a few orbits, then hit it hard for a few orbits, then eased up a bit.. continued that.

I had it up today for the 5th through 9th flights (all full tanks) and there was absolutely no indication of anything that I could even suggest as being problematic.

These engines are fantastic. So, if you are concerned about the manual and the instructions, get an OS AX series engine.. :D then you professor will not hesitate to give you an "A".. or at least an E for Effort... :D or maybe "E"XCELLENT CHOICE!!

CGr

RE: new 46AX
 

HOW would YOU describe the difference? It's something that really needs to be demonstrated IMO. I believe they may assume a small amount of knowledge or that the person knows enough to get assistance from someone who does. If they know NOTHING, the plane won't last long enough for the engine to matter anyway. IMO

RE: new 46AX
 

I would think the manufacturer would suggest seeking experienced help if you never ran a glow engine but after digging out one of my engine manuals and breifly looking through it there is no mention.

RE: new 46AX
 

I guess SOME common sense is assumed?:D

RE: new 46AX
 

The difference between the sound of a Harley and the sound of a Kawasaki.

RE: new 46AX
 

A Hemi & a sewing machine?:D

RE: new 46AX
 

If I were manufacturing something that required some technical knowledge or expertise to operate, I would FIRST have an expert write the directions. I would then give the directions, along with the product, to several people with no prior knowledge of the product or its operation. In this case the product is an O.S. 46AX. I would tell them, of course, to follow the directions, and to try to tune the engine. I would also tell them to make note of areas that are vauge and/or confusing. Did the participants, following the directions, satisfactorily tune the engine? Yes? Then the directions are adequate! No? They had trouble? Got confused? Well, take their suggestions and improve the directions. I think that a lot of what would be added would not be necessary for a good percentage of product users, but at least those people with very little to no experience with engines have better, more complete instructions. I would also include a glossary/explanations of many of the most common terms. I might also include a basic explanation of the engine's actual operation. That is, what's actually happening in there that makes the prop turn?

RE: new 46AX
 

Don't forget to rebalance your plane due to the difference in the weight of the engines.

RE: new 46AX
 

Yetti, I agree. Unfortunately it must be cheaper to deal with the few complaints that come in than to upgrade the directions, which are probably written and printed in another country. I say this because I've complained about poorly written Hobbico directions, and they're not about to make any changes because of me, or however many other people called in. They have people's time responding to emails budgeted in, but not changes to thousands of direction booklets printed. Does this make sense? Of course not, but that's bottom-line industry.

On the flip side, I have no prior RC plane experience. I did understand exactly what the directions meant, however, and can hear in my head exactly what I know I'm going to hear when I finally get this thing started (FRIDAY!!). I don't know how or why, probably just from life experience. If I did not, a quick email or phone call would have answered the question. OS/Hobbico/Whatever parent company does have good US customer service. If you read the instructions all the way through before even getting to the field, it does talk briefly about rich being equivalent to slower RPM's and exhaust smoke, and lean being associated with fast, high pitch RPM's with little to no exhaust smoke. I guess they just assume some kind of mechanical inclination, which really someone should have if operating one of these (potentially dangerous) engines alone.

Just my $.02, but like I said, I agree that more clarity in the OS46AX instruction manual would be greatly appreciated and go a long way.

RE: new 46AX
 

One other thing to think about if you haven't yet is to replace the prop. I have no experience with OS's, but I assume the power will be much different and you may need to change to a higher pitch and/or diameter. I defer to the guys in the trifecta for more info.\

RE: new 46AX
 

My 46AX loves the 11x6 prop. Tachs out at 13K on the ground, and being on a slippery Mustang, winds way out in the air, and yet has vertical limited only by my eyes and my fuel. It's a good place to start.

If you find your plane flies too quickly, or if you'd like more vertical still (the 11x6 at 13K is good for about 7# thrust), you could try a 12x5. In the unlikely event you wanted more speed (with an 11x6, it's pretty quick!), a 10x8 might be a good choice.

Try to use props that hold the ground RPM to 13K or less, and it'll run a long, long time, and still have PLENTY of power for spirited flying.

This is the best engine I've owned yet, it's never deadsticked (about 70 flights on it), it always starts easily (started first flip when breaking in), and it tunes with ease. Oh, and it's really powerful. The LA you had should have been it's equal in everything but power, I find the AX's very similar to tune, excepting their superior non-air-bleed carb which is far better than the LA's bleeders.

You'll be amazed at the difference. Think 6cyl ford mustang vs 5.0L all tricked out....

J

RE: new 46AX
 

11x6 or 11x7 should be fine. Kinda depends on the plane too and intended flying.

RE: new 46AX
 

Yeah, less is best. Remember that noise does not equate to power. If you can get it to do what you want it to do at less RPM, then that's the way to go. It will surely ensure that your engine will run for a long long time.

The engine RPM numbers you will get from the manufacturer are nothing more than a sales pitch and mean nothing. You may see 16K in their product description, for instance, but actually flying it at that RPM, well, it won't fly for long.

My instructor/mentor had me keep my RPM down below 12K for just about all applications and that seemed to do the trick for just about all sorts of flying, including demanding pattern flying with my Venus 50 and OS 50 SF. It flew great and my RPM never exceeded 12K. Then again, I learned that lowering the throttle when heading down was part of the scoring. Some of the warbirds and warbird pilots do not, for reasons of their own, and for what they are doing while flying, and I understand that. It comes down to a flying style. I just don't like the noise. Every time I hear one at that high RPM, I look up expecting to see parts flying all over the place... [:@] :D

CGr.

RE: new 46AX
 

Yup, CG, you're right, but really, a Mustang looks best rolling in on the field in a power dive, about 20 degrees down from 2-300 feet, strafe the field, pull up, victory roll, wash, rince, repeat!

With the baffle removed from the muffler (lost when the muff bolt sheared last year, gained 400rpm static!), the 'stang is achieving low 90's mph across the field, per dopler. What a rush!

That means, coming outta those dives, it's turning well in excess of 15K. No performance issues in over 70 flights (that's about 10 airborne hours, about 2/3rds of them wide open!)

It's still getting faster as it continues to break in. What a wonderful engine!

J

RE: new 46AX
 

I got mine not too long ago, love the engine. I always run mine on the rich side because even at a rich setting it pulls my avistar really well.

One thing I did have to do was take the muffler apart and put some rtv sealant in to keep the oil from leaking out. I also put some at the header area where the muffler connects to the engine. Now the only place my oil comes out is the exhaust :)


It's a superb engine.

RE: new 46AX
 

Tuning is definitely something where having experienced fliers around can really help. Hard to know what a 4c sounds like until you hear one. I've always liked this hobby because the "old salts" are always willing to teach the newbies like me without making me feel like an idiot. There is no substitute for experience, but you're not born with it.
I've only had 3 brands of engines, O.S., Tower Hobbies, and Thunder Tiger. The O.S. by far has required less tuning and fiddling with than the others. I guess it's a case of you get what you pay for. Have fun with it!

Rufcut