RCMDLR-RCU

My Feedback: (10)

Hello all,

I am concidering an Aviastar 2.0 engine for a project. As I understand it, the carb MIGHT need replacing with a Perry unit to achive better results, other than that any practical input would be appreciated.

(Lets not get into the ol' Gas vs Glow thing here OK? )

Thanks in advance.....

majortom-RCU

My Feedback: (40)

Two years ago I flew an Aviastar 1.50 in a Creek Edge (72" wing) with BCM muffler and the usual muffler pressure tap. I had a hard time getting the needles tuned, just not getting enough fuel to the carb, even with the high speed needle all the way out. I capped off one of the two exhaust pipes, and that helped somewhat. However I still had a major problem with the mix going from rich on full tank to fuel-starved as the tank went below half. I eventually found just the right needle settings that would allow me to get in almost a full flight, but the setting was very critical. Engine power was excellent with 18x6W APC prop when it was properly tuned. I didn't fly that rig at all in '06, and decided I wouldn't try to put it in the air again without installing either a pump or regulator. Also, I found that the low needle setting was influential well up into the mid-range.

RCMDLR-RCU

My Feedback: (10)

A question if you don't mind, other than the carb, (seems to be a common occurance with all chinese engines)

How would you rate the OA quality of the engine?

Fit, finish, casting quality, bearings, threads, ect...

Thanks again....

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

It's been about six years ago but I came across several belonging to Alvin So. They had extremely good finish and quality look. I picked up some and felt of them but they were not in models.

majortom-RCU

My Feedback: (40)

I'd say my Aviastar 1.50 is on a par with my OS 1.60FX in terms of performance and overall quality. Nothing to complain about in that respect. I will say the current product suffers from Sig over-pricing. These engines really deserve better distribution than they've had so far in the US. Worthy competition to OS & Moki, for instance (another great product with poor US distribution, but at least it has a following). Mine comes from when Dave Gierke was distributing them and the pricing was more reasonable. As far as bearings go, mine are still stock, and haven't had all that much use yet. But as with the OS, I think it's best to prepare for early replacement with stainless bearings from Boca or your favorite supplier.

rcdude7

My Feedback: (264)

I remember Clarence Lee did a review on the avistar 1.50 and had nothing but good things to say about it. I did very much look forward to reading the monthly Clarence Lee engine review in RCM. Too bad that rag went kaput!

RCMDLR-RCU

My Feedback: (10)

Thanks for the info guys,

As it seems Moki has dropped off the edge of the earth, ST does not make the 4500 anymore, the ST 3250 and the BGX are a bit too small, Aviastar has at least gotten some press coverage.
There are others out there, but whos even heard of them before... I figure at worst I will have to drop another $50.. for a Perry to get it reliable, maybe, maybe not.

As is my understanding, Clarence Lee is now writing for Model Airplane News. I cannot verify this, I stopped subscribing to all the glossy expensive monthly advertisment flyers a long time ago.

Thanks again any other info is appreciated....

deltabaron

I hear that someone downunder is working on a revolutionary new carbie to be fitted on a aviastar..
Work is under progress..!!

ruggie

hi deltabaron, i'm up in brisbane and having heaps of trouble with my three aviastar engines(av53,av150,av200)all have the same trouble crap carbs, i have two other mates that have them as well , being av200"s and av 46 , every one the same ,

ruggie

wots the story about some one making a carb for them

Kweasel

My Feedback: (29)

The RCM review noted that the carb was relatively large. This always causes problems with reliability. A typical 60-90 size carburetor is ideal for a 1.50 turning under 9000rpm.

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

You can purchase a Moki 210 direct for about $279.00 including shipping. A fantastic price.

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

Could a restrictor be added to the carb? What is the going price of these engines?

ruggie

hi skypilot, i woundnt buy one untill these things are sorted out , i am working with alvin from aviastar ,on the trouble with the carbs, all though i have found that a moki 180 carb just needs the spigot machined down buy 1mm to fit the av 200 engine

geminitool

My Feedback: (9)

I have a .53 and it works great. im useing one of the sig idle bar plugs

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

I tested the Aviastar 150 (I am pretty certain it was the 150) maybe a year and a half ago. I flew it in a Midwest Extra (it was OK but a little more power would have been nice for that plane) and currenlty it belongs to a fellow club member of the club I belong to.

I had no issues whatsoever with the stock carb. The engine itself is very well made and it ran really well for me. I have no other experience with any other displacement sizes of the brand.

AJC

majortom-RCU

My Feedback: (40)

I flew my AV1.50 today with Perry pump and their pump carb (9300). The Perry carb fit perfectly, but has a venturi opening about half the area of the stock carb (.375" dia vs .530" or 13 mm on the stock carb). The 'neutral' idle setting on the Perry carb was just about perfect, so I didn't change it at all. I may lean it out a hair later on. The recommended high speed needle initial setting was too rich by more than a half turn, but I turned it in for a rich two-cycle at WOT. This gave me 7800 rpm on a re-shaped Zinger 16x6-10, burning 7.5% nitro. That was plenty of power for my maiden flight, so I let it go at that. Plane by the way is a Hangar 9 1.20 size CAP 232 ARF. Transition was clean all the way up from 60 seconds at 1800 rpm.

I got the Perry carb after trying a modified idle needle from Aviastar, but it made very little difference compared to the original, which was unflyable as noted above. About the only difference between the original and the new idle needle was the new one appeared to have the diameter of the needle end turned down maybe a couple thousandths. I could hardly see the difference, but when I scraped the new needle with my fingernail, I could feel the step up as I got away from the end of the needle.

I noticed that Dave Gierke, who sold the engine a few years back, and Clarence Lee, who did a review of it back around 2000, both got rpm readings of 91-9200 with whatever prop it was. I got a reading in that vicinity myself (using the same prop, altho' I forget now exactly what size it was), but the only way to get it was to run with the high speed needle way out (4 turns or more) and the idle needle also backed way off, so far that the low end was drowning in fuel as soon as you throttled back. These settings would allow plenty of fuel to run into the carb to support all the air that was rushing through that big carb opening.

There was a point where I was ready to try flying with the low needle set for just a usable idle and transition, and let the high end suffer the consequences. That would mean closing the low needle down to maybe just 2-3 turns out from closed. At that setting, and with high needle 4 turns or more out (essentially wide open), I could open the throttle about halfway and still have enough fuel to match the air going through the venturi. That would give me something close to the 7800 I achieved today with the Perry carb. If I opened the throttle more than that, the engine would start to sag and overheat. So one thought I had was, just re-link my throttle so full stick would give me half open at the carb air valve. That, in essence, would equal what I'm getting with the Perry pump carb and its smaller barrel opening. That level of power was more than enough to fly aerobatic routines with an 11-pound+ model, even though it was well short of the 'advertised' 9100 rpm.

I spent some time today looking at a write-up on the Webra 1.60 mixture control carb (on the Central Hobbies website). The way I see it, the only way to get a useful aerobatic engine out of the AV1.50 using its full venturi opening would be to make the low needle servo-controllable, a la the Webra MC carb, and slave the low-needle channel to the throttle channel with a multi-point programable mix that would open the idle needle as the throttle opens. That is my brainstorm of the day, and I offer it to Aviastar if they would like to follow up on it.

The shame of it all is that the engine is such a beauty in so many other respects.

geminitool

My Feedback: (9)

Hi all

I also have a 2.0 and it runs great. It hand starts easy runs strong .

yyk1966

My Feedback: (3)

Big Aviastar engines (150, 180, 200) are on sale at http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk/.

wcmorrison

My Feedback: (2)

Mr Lee does a column in Model Airplane News. His column shows up every other month. So he is still around and still writes a column.