Just looking for opinions on engines.. i'm new to RC, and i always have trouble tuning and starting the engine. Looking for an engine thats easy to start and maintain. not too worried about performance just want an easy engine to work on to learn.

I've come down to the LRP .28 and the Picco .28...BUT the LRP is very easy to tune and start from what I have read unlike the Picco which is more than finicky.

Lrp is very easy to tune, not real picky about a perfect tune, runs very strong, easy to start and break in...Or, for just something to get up and running, the axial 28's are easy to get up and going, might give good practise on carb sealing, not real picky on the tuning, and brand new are about a 100$. Not the strongest or best made, and normally I would never advise someone to get one, but for a newer hobbyist learning the ropes, it will get the job done. My theory is this, if a guy is just learning, he's bound to make mistakes and likely to smoke a few engines before really learning what to and not to do. So go cheap and learn to fix the most common engine problems without breaking the bank.

Any of the GoldenLion (SH Engines) .28ci engiens would be great for the Savage. There are dozens of SH resellers, and many of these resold/rebadged SH engines have found great homes in Savages. The common SH resellers are LRP, STM, Mach, Werks, Dynamite, (the list goes on, ther are too many SH resellers for me to remember).

By far, the most popular SH reseller that has found its way into Savages is the LRP (at least form what I have read to date). The SH-LRP in particular that is decently priced but leaps and bounds over teh stock HPI engine is teh LRP Z28 Spec3.
To show you how popular thi resold SH engine is, just type "LP Z28 Spec3" and you will get dozens of links with hundreds of posts talking about this engine.

Good Info guys i've been looking at the LP Z28 Spec3.. and its got a good price thanks for the info

Picco P3 .28 much better engine than SH.Shouldent even be used in the same sentence together[:'(]

If you're in no hurry, then you should wait for the LRP30

After the carb issues are fixed and the 1-2 gallon break-in is complete.

Axial 28rr

there is nothing wrong with the sh28 engines at all,they are easier to run in and tune then the picco if you just want an engine that is easy.however they only provide about 80%of the performance of the picco.dont buy a axial rr they suck allegedy.

I also had the dilemma between the LRP .28 Spec 3 and the Picco JPX .28. The Picco like Mogi said will prob give you 15-20% more power over the LRP, and will likely last about 30-40% longer than the LRP, though the LRP is no slouch on longevity either. Most guys are getting 10+ gallons from the LRP, and the Picco will probably get 15 gallons if broken in and treated properly (BDC, ARO, proper temps, not much WOT on pavement, etc).

Both engines should have the carb sealed, though the Picco will likely need it more than the LRP. LRP will tune slighly easier as well, which is what you want if you're learning.

These are basically the top 2 engines that give you the best bang per dollar. If you were experienced I'd say go Picco, but learning I'd say LRP for the learning curve and that it's slightly cheaper. Any of the SH motors are good (LRP is an SH motor). Axial is pretty lame, but very cheap if u just want an engine to mess with. It'll be similar to a stock RTR engine in most cases.

Cheers!

What do you mean the they suck "allegedy"
what wrong with the Axial motors?

Axial motors are made by the same company that make the K4.6/K5.9 which are notorious for problems with the carburetor and the piston exploding...

what types of carb problems

Axials and the k engines are known for bad front bearing leaks and the k engines mid range needles fall out if u dont plumbers tape/loctite/or similar to the needle. Go the lrp for ease of use and reliable.

i didnt get any front bearing leaks yet but my mid needle did come out 2 weeks ago

The Axial .28RR is a major disappointment. When I tore both of mine down, I was at first pleasantly happy to see many race grade innovations in it: domed piston top, turbo plug button head, turbo scallop on the crank, scooped pointed leading edge on crank, ports with flow channels cut in them.

What really disappointed me to no end was the timing profile. When I put the calipers, micromoters, and degree wheel to it, it had teh EXACT same timing profile as a Kingstar-Nitrostar K4.6! So, ALL of those race innovations put into it are utterly WASTED. Moreover, since Axial bought this same engine from the factory that also makes HPI's Nitrostar-Kingstar engines, the materials were also just as poor. Nothing like an OS , Picco, or Rossi materially.

Well, materially, they are not as good as say, an OS. OS pretty much set teh standard on engine quality, but Rossi engiens have raised teh bar.

Axial engines use the same materials quality as RTR engines, afterall, Kingstar also makes similar engines for HPI. And Kingstar will not step up their materials quality, they pretty much ae there for the RTR RCs.

Aside from maetrials quality or bearing leaks or lemon carbs, Axial engiens do not have the same timing profiles as what SH (GoldenLion) is making. The SH-LRP for example, uses a betetr timing profile, and that is why it will outrun the HPI stock Kingstar (Nitrostar) engines, and since Axial engiens have the same timing profiles, (or maybe only slightly more advanced), the SH-LP will outrun that too.

Somehweere, Axial bought several .28RRs from the factory with lemon carbs. It was hit or miss, you could have gotten a great running RR or one with a horible carb that would not keep from running away no matter how rich you set teh needles. STS had a similar problem. Air leaks are what we are talking about. These are from improper machining at the factory, and no tuning can correct them. You could turn the needls out so rich that they just about fall out, but the engine will still run away from massive air leaks.

All I can say is that the LRP28 spec 3 is undoutidly the best car engine I ever bought. It did take about a gallon and a half to settle the tune, but after that, I really dont have to do any adjustments other than some minor needle tweaks, and I've never had to seal the carb or back plate.

1-2 gal break in!Thats not a bad thing.All that means is you got a high end itilian mill

The LRP isn't an Italian mill though...is it?

Any one that dismisses the SH based engines knows very little about them and is talking from ignorance and not experience. Yes I am looking to get another engine for my Savage and the top two are the LRP and the Picco 28. I will not go any bigger as it is not race legal but for bashing does not matter.

No it is made by Golden Lion and it is Chinese.

As 46U said, the LRP is made by GoldenLion Enterprises, better known as SH Engines. LRP does not make any of their engines, they buy from SH Engines and put their badge on it (rebadgeing). Actually, I think SH Engiens has a contact with LRP to mold teh engines with the LRP emblems on them.

LRP began by cloning Picco engines (for the most part) and even today, you can see hints of Picco in SH Engines and in any other resold SH engine. That might be the Italian hints you are referring to.

yeppicco is a way better engine than any golden lion mill.most sh engines are poor clones of the picco.Why buy a counterfit picco when you can just buy the real thing for about the same coin?