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Conversion sense ?
I don't fly with gasoline yet, but question the sense of conversions. With places like B+B with ready to go engines, with engines like Fuji out there ready to go for $300-$400, with a decent used market where Zenoas are selling for say $300 is it really sensable to convert ? By the time you buy an engine, even a cheap engine much less a new one or recon, do machine work, buy the conversion parts and wonder if a carb will work or the fit will really be right, it just makes me wonder. I'm not knocking conversions, just looking to justify why and if that may be a better way to go or not.
David |
RE: Conversion sense ?
its all part of the hobby you build an airframe from a kit or scratch build. its the same with an engine ..... cheaper... sometimes yes sometimes no. satisfaction from flying what you salvaged from a weedy or a chainsaw...priceless.
i got my first g62 from B&B all my other engines were home built from 25cc homelites to 100cc husky saw engines. some of the husky engines can use the g62 prop hub for easy ign conversions |
RE: Conversion sense ?
LETS SEE Fuji 32 magneto $300.............................................. ................Fuji 32 EI $400
New Ryobi 31 $60, Wacker mag conversion $60....................... New Ryobi 31 $60, CH ignition $120 conversion kit, Wacker Muffler and mount $43. Garage sale Homelite 30 $10, Wacker conversion $53................Garage sale Homelite $10, CH ignition conversion and Mtr Mt $132, Wacker muffler $25 Looks like about %50 off by rolling your own. A little garage sale cruising will find lots of "broken" weedies in the $10 range. Sorta like ARF vs Kits vs Scratch building |
RE: Conversion sense ?
It all depends on what sort of person you are- i get just as much satisfaction out of the time spent late at night in my shop carving an airplane powerplant out of a raggedy chainsaw engine as I do
flying the darn thing- I'd just as soon mount the engine to a bench and run it and tune on it as I would to drag something to the field and fly. I can tinker with the engine at night- or in a spare hour here and there- flying can only happen on a weekend and involves a mini road trip- and I don't get many of them with that much spare time these days. Conversions are for "engine guys"- period. If you don't have the deep, burning, engine-tinkering mentality- then go buy a ready made one. It's not so much the money as the accomplishment and satisfaction- plus its not easy for me to spend $400 all at once. But- I can spend it over a period of months- on this little piece and that little piece- you guys know how that works. I have a small lathe and mill. I can make anything I need to within reason- I have never bought a mount, prop hub, or muffler. I am trying to get geared up to make my own ignitions. I have been doing this for years, but just for ref- I can take a $140 poulan from Lowes, buy $120 worth of ignition parts and in my spare time build EVERYTHING else- and I end up with a sweet-running powerhouse. Worth it???? YEAH. |
RE: Conversion sense ?
If you want to save big money it won't do it . You have to want to do it just because you can because it is not going to make you money . I sell parts and mufflers and complete engines, it gives my money to buy another to convert and get more materials , I do fly my conversions but I have alot of time to kill .
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RE: Conversion sense ?
i bought a homelite 25cc off ebay for 22 bucks with shipping. so far i have a total of 28 bucks in it. my dad is a tool maker so i asked him to make me some parts. had to buy a 4 dollar spark plug to cut down on interference.
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RE: Conversion sense ?
It makes perfect sense to me. First I am an engine guy, so this is something new to explore. A big reason for me is to have something that isn't available. This Decathlon I am putting the honda 4 stroke on is going to be unique. IF fugi or the others later release a 4 stroke then nice, someone can now buy out of the box what I had to build. Money wise, it makes sense too, 0~$60 for a 31cc engine, $60 for the conversion kit delivered to you, and you have a power plant for $60 to $100. Should the weedie put out a little less power, you just up the CC some, if you would use a 27cc factory engine, just use a 31cc weedie. The blocks are often the same between CCs in a similar range.
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RE: Conversion sense ?
ORIGINAL: subarubrat It makes perfect sense to me. First I am an engine guy, so this is something new to explore. A big reason for me is to have something that isn't available. This Decathlon I am putting the honda 4 stroke on is going to be unique. IF fugi or the others later release a 4 stroke then nice, someone can now buy out of the box what I had to build. Money wise, it makes sense too, 0~$60 for a 31cc engine, $60 for the conversion kit delivered to you, and you have a power plant for $60 to $100. Should the weedie put out a little less power, you just up the CC some, if you would use a 27cc factory engine, just use a 31cc weedie. The blocks are often the same between CCs in a similar range. but i fear itll have less power than the Honda, i have on occasion heard that fuji engines are underpowered. |
RE: Conversion sense ?
save money is not the only reason to convert. I have a 3W 100 in my 1/3 Extra but I feel proud of my Extra 3D with a Poulan 36 with my own electronic ignition system. Something special will be in convert engines so you can see in the workshops expensives engines near the converted ones
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RE: Conversion sense ?
Retail prices.....The Fuji 34cc four stroke is $799...
A Honda GX25 is $175.. A Stihl 64.9cc four stroke is $400 . Shindaiwa makes a 34cc now, not sure of the price.. Fear not, the Big Daddy of all four strokes is coming, an 80cc Shindaiwa....:D |
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