Can anyone please explain to me how it is that I just purchased a leafblower on sale at Sears for $50.00 with a 25cc gas engine and I have to pay $300.00 for a 25cc engine b/c it is RC related? Man, this leafblower has advertisement on the box and all. Says it blows 185mph wind and it cranks everytime. Hey, I am excited, now my garage gets cleaned! Oh yeah, it even came with a bottle of oil and instructions. Wonder if Zenoah actually makes this engine? If so, boy, Zenoah has embarked on every businesss' dream, make the engine pretty, add some good advertisement and baboom, they have the created a little goldmine! Sorry, just wondering?

I could be wrong but, I believe this is simply economics.

I'll bet that the number of engines manufactured annually for the production of yard equipment vastly exceeds that used for the R/C industry.

If the production numbers are low, the cost stays high.

In fact, it probably makes the $300 airplane engine a bargain in comparison when based on units sold.

My thinking is that it is the same engine that is used in yard equipment with a few mods. It probably just takes a turn on the assembly line somewhere near the end. I cant imagine there is much needed to modify for RC. I would be surprized if the rc engines are actually different cases,rods and pistons,etc. I am sure I am wrong here with all the technology today.

-From my understanding, with the exception the DA and perhaps the ZDZ, most if not all the other engines are simply conversions of engines made for chain saws or the like.
Again, it's a numbers game. (as well as clever marketing) It's just that those "few mods" can really jack up the price from a tooling standpoint.

Also electronic ignition, something that would be a hassle in a weed eater, eliminates the requirement for a magneto which saves weight and makes the engine easier to start with out the benefit of a recoil starter.

Just some thoughts.

I just bought a Ryobi 31cc edger at a garage sale. Converted it with wackerengines.com parts, spent a little elbow grease, and now I have a gas engine that will turn an 18x8 prop for about $100. I guess it boils down to the fact that you are willing to do the work yourself.