HI
Can someone please tell me, if the RCG engines sold by Hobby King, are the same as the RCGF engines sold by other vendors, or are they RCGF engines rejects.
Geoff

They appear to be the same engines. I suspect the thinly veiled name difference was a way to get around contracts to sell engines via HK as well as still use their normal distributors and dealers.  But some of the engines may be a older version that they sell off via HK to reduce inventory.

I was told by a fella from china that they were from the same factory. But that HK's were a lower standard of quality engine. China does not have the level of quality standards for their recipient's as we do. His words not mine. But, I can tell ya for a fact, if you by from HK it's your's regardless of what you get. No warrenty, no service of any kind after the sale.

I too have read that their "copies" are of a lesser quality than the originals.  If you have read enough about HK you know you will be taking a chance on anything  they sell  electronic or with moving parts. If/when you have a problem with an engine the money you saved with them will disappear after you have to pay to send it back and deal with any/all of the aggravation. Proceed with caution.

My take is that all else being equal, it's about service and/or support. You shouldn't be expecting much of either if you decide to go the HK (RCG) route. To some though, that's not that big a deal? Speaking for myself, willing and capable of doing all my own work, my biggest gamble is getting something serviceable to start with? From that perspective, my experience so far has me willing to buy another? I don't buy into the "second's" line of thought at all.

I am, for the difference in price RCGF vs. RCG, willing to gamble on that, AND take care of anything that happens on my own. For those that struggle with that - there's RCGF.

Your call....

I second achicks, the engines are both from the same manufacturer but the difference in price reflects the difference in warranty and support. All this seconds are for the china market is crap. The dle,s hobbyking were not seconds and im sure the jc brand they sell are not seconds, just dont expect your local dealer to carryout warranty work for free on a engine that has made him no money, quite rightly so. Thats the difference right there.

Thanks for the replies.
Think I will spend the extra $100.00 and buy a RCGF.
Geoff

That's a smart man right their!

I all depends on what you are saving and your ability to fix a motor yourself.

I really like my rcg motors, and if the price difference in the UK between a rcg and a rcgf was only $100 dollars Imaybe would pay the extra for rcgf support also. But in the uk a rcg 20 from hobbyking is £110 pound, a dealer wants £200 pounds, nearly double.

A dle 55 costs £300 from a dealer, a rcgf 55 is £305 pound from a dealer and the rcg 55 is £150 from hobbyking, I can buya rcg 55 for spares! and be a fiver up, how can I go wrong?.

I think in the usa there is a much smaller difference in pricing and so the savings/risk from buying from hobbyking are greater. I do not blame the uk dealer for being greedy, our import taxes and customs take the piss.</p>

If you look at the 2 different 15cc gassers one has a machined case and the other a plain looking cast one . Im not talking about the beam mount verses back plate one but both of the same back plate mounting type . Cheers

There is little differences as in the rcgs sometimes use the older cases instead of the cnc cases. The beam mount rcg20 is identical to the rcgf 20 beam mount.

The rcg 50 has the old rcgf cast case with a rcgf 55 head and piston, the rcgf 55 now has a cnc case. The rcg 50 can use the cnc case if required as the crank is the same.

So what's the difference in the RCGF 55 and the RCG 50? Larger bore and cast vs. machined crankcase? It doesn't look like there is a 55 under the RCG label right now.

What about the DM 55 that Hobby King sells? It looks very similiar to the RCGF 55 from what I can see.

Those are good examples of where you might need to exercise some caution I would think?

Don't know about the 50's, but the 15cc engines are the same way. All they (HK) offer are the radial mount which are first generation. Way down on power compared to the V2 which is the beam mount. The RCG 30 vs. the more commonly available RCGF 32? Both have good reputations from what I've seen, but the 32 is probably a newer version? A reaction to the other manf's coming out with slightly bigger 30's (eg DLE 30 vs. DLE 35)?

If the latest and greatest isn't important, is down on your "must have" list, the engines may represent good value...... to some. That's my take anyway. -Al

As said above the rcg 50 that hobbyking sells is actually a 55cc. Hobbyking sometimes does not even know what they are selling lol.
The picture of the rcg 50 on the hobbyking website is not correct as well, only minor differences but it looks far more like a dle 55 or dm 55 in the flesh. I believe most parts between these engines would be interchangable becauseI have read a dle 55 head and piston fits a rcg 50 (actually a 55) for example. I also read somewhere that the rcgf 30 and rcgf 32 share the same crank as the dle 30.

I would love to know just what is interchangable on these engines from those who actually work on them on a daily basis. It seems to be a bit of a secret.<br type="_moz" />

It would be good if someone had recieved a rcg 30 and measured the bore/stroke, just to confirm its not a 32cc. I dont think it will be though as the 32 cylinder does not fit the 30 crankcase. Oh and not that it really matters but the rcgf 32 was out long before the dle 35. I think the cc increase and cnc on there brand was introduced mostly to help sales in a dle 30 dominated market. To offer something a bit different. As the dle now does with the 35cc rear exhaust engines now. Competition between manufacturers is good for the consumer it forces improvements and keeps prices down. Obviously not so good for the manufacturer.

Hi Guys,
I am flying a RCG 20cc gas engine...and I'm very impressed with the engine. I am turning a Master Air Screw "S" series 16 x 8 and getting 8900 rpm at full throttle and a solid 1400 RPm at idle...maybe a hair lower. I'm flying this in a Big Stick .60~.90 size @ just over 9# gross weight. It goes vertical with a good bit of authority and with a Xoar 17 x 6 (the best prop for this combination of airframe and engine), I get a bit over 9K RPM. The Master Airscrew props are less expensive then the Xoar props and more robust and why I switched over the Master Air Screw products. I had a lot of dead sticks with this engine, my first gas engine, until I figured out how to tune the carb. Once I got the carb tuning in the sweet spot, it turned out to be one of the most dependable engines I own.

The two pictures show the engine at full power and at idle...using a M.A. 16x8 "S" series prop. After I flew the model a while, I re-installed the RPM guage to the side of the model. With the tack on the port side of the model, I could read the tack for carb tuning, with out getting body parts near and over a turning prop.

Its starts easy, pulls better then a DLE 20cc gas engine and mine is just a bit lighter too. I received both my RCG 20cc engines from the H.K.'s U.S.A. ware house.

I have over 4 gallons of gas through my engine now and it will hand start with out issue. I use 89 octane, "O-ethanol" gas and a 32/1 mix Royal Purple 2-stroke oil. Its easy on gas, easy to start and once tuned properly, one sweet gas engine.

As far as I'm concerned...the RCG is as good as the RCGF, and a good bit less expensive. They are made by the same company...but with a different external finish. I read a lot of horror stories about the RCG line of engines...but I found out the RCG 20cc is a solid engine. I have no idea if the RCG and RCGF internally are the same...but mine turns up a storm and equal to any 20cc I've seen so far.

My only issue with the RCG engine is dealing with H.K. = Zerro support, but other then that, a good choice for a 20cc engine. I picked up mine for $135.00 U.S. each, w/free shipping.

Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui