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RE: K&B engines
Aren't K&B American Engines? I hardly saw anyone using it, but some guys before I was in US, they were using it and didn't have complaints on K&B, I know I had problems with HB engines of Germany as per these links HB's are also made in USA with German parts and I remember they used Perry Carburetors
http://www.mecoa.com/hb/index.htm http://www.mecoa.com/kb/ Mody |
RE: K&B engines
The carbs I liked best were the Perry Carbs but I never saw one on a Sportster. May have been some but I did not see.
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RE: K&B engines
GMS are also made be Mecoa and they are closing out all of their GMS inventory
http://www.mecoa.com/gms/index.htm |
RE: K&B engines
ORIGINAL: JohnBuckner Please note the Sportsters which include the .20, .28, .45 and .65 are completely different engines from the Screaming ..48 and there is no common connection other than the rotating spraybar carb. John I had an old Series 75 .61 that I really liked and it tuned well. They made a few .40 quickie motors that were decent. Just avoid the Sportsters. NIB today is only $50-60 market value. Tells the whole story there. |
RE: K&B engines
ORIGINAL: bruce88123 The carbs I liked best were the Perry Carbs but I never saw one on a Sportster. May have been some but I did not see. Hogflyer |
RE: K&B engines
ORIGINAL: rambler53 Sportsters...engine doesn't even have a bushing, the crank runs inside the case, like that's going to last. |
RE: K&B engines
Cutaway is right. I have a small deisel in a boat with an aluminum head and the cam rides on aluminum. As far as the carbs go i have never had to re adjust my carbs once dialed in, but they are all newer motors. Maybe the tolerances are now better.
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RE: K&B engines
Unique to K&B, they in fact didn't last.
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RE: K&B engines
ORIGINAL: JohnBuckner Sport Pilot nothing has changed since I wrote that a year and A half ago to change my opinion and yes I still feel that carburation was the weakest part of the K&B line and toward the end may have contributed to the failure of the screwhead 61 and .48 in the marketplace. Actually agine in my opinion I feel the best carbs they ever used that were in house K&B and were the first one's with the large smooth block shape with no fins. These worked quite well but these were never used with any of the sportster series. First problem with the rotating spraybar has to do with education of the customer in how to operate it this at a time when all the competition was going double needle. Heck this was always a big perception problem with the dykes ringed versions of the forty and sixty one's , with folks thinking their engines were no good not realizing that their was almost no compression when not running and the dykes rings relied upon the combustion gasses to complete the seal. I also feel the machine work on the carbs of the sportster series went downhill and barrel binding was a problem with only slight contamination at a time this did not seem to affect contemperarys to the same degree. I have had many K&B's the old forty and sixties and a pot load of the Sportsters in all the sizes, In fact My little personal best Cross country flight was with a .45 Sportster lifting the airplane and fifty ounces of fuel. So yes I am sorry but I still feel the carbs were just a little crude for their time and a contributor to the demise of the company At Lake Havasu before RJL picked up the pieces. John |
RE: K&B engines
ORIGINAL: armody GMS are also made be Mecoa and they are closing out all of their GMS inventory http://www.mecoa.com/gms/index.htm GMS were Chinese engines imported by Mecoa, then distribution was given to Tower Hobbies instead. |
RE: K&B engines
Hi Sport,
I did not know that, Thank you very the corrections, now it looks like GMS's are being wiped out of the surface of the earth? GMS's seem to be pretty good engines, one time I thought to buy one, but some how couldn't do it. I wanna get my hands on JBA so badly, but whatever the A or F series new one, KangkeUSA does not have that. They even checked the box, it does not say anything. Thanks again:D |
RE: K&B engines
Mody, I would stay away from a JBA engine. I did a review on one a few years back and for the first few weeks of the review it was great. But I wish the review period had been a few months longer. The engine snapped a crankshaft in flight. I wouldn't use another JBA engine if it was given to me for free</p> Ken</p> |
RE: K&B engines
JBA = Just Buy Another
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RE: K&B engines
ORIGINAL: bruce88123 JBA = Just Buy Another The one that Ihave makes a great fishing line anchor!!! Ken |
RE: K&B engines
Ken,
Thank you very much for your great input, I respect your valuable advice. Thank you Bruce. Great explanation of JBA lol I'm gonna try for the first time in my life O.S. or Super Tigre, I gotta save up some money, I'd go for O.S. 55AX or Super Tigre G51 *Just another thought, SK is pretty much in the same category as JBA |
RE: K&B engines
OS 55AX is a good engine. Have not tried the Super Tiger since back when I got a Blue Head.
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RE: K&B engines
The company is alive and well. Everybody seems to concentrate on the Sportsters even though that is only one line that they manufacture. All the other engines are current and still being made. When I buy a K&B I pick it up at the factory, and trust me they are still making motors. The Current owner is Randy and he is very knowledgeable. I am mnot saying these are the best engines in the world but mine have always been reliable and have ran well. At one time I owned three of their outboards and they also performed well. I do not think the current reputation is deserved. Have you tried a SuperTiger lately? I just tossed a .40 because it ran like crap and would not transition. Constant deadsticks. So in my mind you would think K&B would be more popular than SuperTiger. People are quick to gobble up no name Chinese engines of varying quality, but will right off anotherf company for have what some, or most, consider a "dud engine" like the sportster. I can buy a Twister .61 for less that a bushed OS .65 LA or a Magnum, and I challenge anybody not to run one and come to the conclusion the K&B is a far superior motor. ALso, Mecoa makes premium engins like the RJL and HB.
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RE: K&B engines
Sport Pilot Please read my statement which you seem to have a problem with and quoted Yes I feel the carbs were a "CONTRIBUTOR" to the demise of the company. As always common sense one would realize things are often more complex with many contributing factors.
I also maintain what you called me on yesterday and that is the 48 and the screwhead sixty were indeed last ditch efforts to save the original family run company and they were failures in acheving that goal. John |
RE: K&B engines
A flying buddy has an EVO on a H-9 Twist. Excellent performance.
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RE: K&B engines
If memory serves me correctly (and I may be wrong...), I think the G in GMS was Jim Goad, who ran Indy R/Cthey were the original US outlet for that engine. May have been an early attempt at a private label engine, as they were always made in China. The M and S were the names of two of his partners/associates in Asia. I know this may be off topic, but one of the comments above mentioned an ugly engineI'm not trying to start a fight, but we always spelled ugly engine/carb F-O-X.......:D
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RE: K&B engines
I have had two Lee Custom K&B 61s and bound them both to be excelent.
jess |
RE: K&B engines
No complaints from me with K&B engines. I still have an old K&B .45 Sportster in my Eagle 63, it still runs pretty good, with at least three gallons through it. Don't take my opinion though, I've had good luck with MDS (.45, and 1.48) so... I must admit my O.S. engines are my favorite (.25, .35, .37), and have had NO luck with Thunder Tiger (.39 PRO). Gotta be me..:)
Steve |
RE: K&B engines
Used a K&B Lee Custom 61 in a 8 lb Pica Waco some years ago, and got excellent performance from it. These engines are modified and hand fitted by Clarence Lee and still available, ~ $127 last time I checked. A good value IMO.
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RE: K&B engines
I have an older K&B 60 (late '70's I think) that is junk, hard to start and low power, and a 2010 Lee PDP K&B 60 that is absolutely beautiful. I think the time frame when it was produced determines whether the K&B engine is good quality or not.
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RE: K&B engines
I have run several K&B engines with great results. The older engines do require more oil in the fuel to run cool when new. I always added 6 oz of castor per gallon on a new engine for breakin. I had such good luck that I have kept using the extra castor. The sportster engines benefit from extra castor as well since they are plain bearing engines.
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