Hey guys,

I just bought a Hobbico Super Star 40 trainer, and am thinking about upgrading my 8-year-old tower hobbies .40 engine.

The guys at my club all really like OS and recommend OS .46 AX, but it's pricey at $125 (Cad), it's powerful at 1.65hp though
The OS LA is only $80, but it's also only 1.2HP

Super Tiger GS-45 ABC w/Muffler is also $80, but packs 1.45hp, 20% more than the equivalent priced OS.

What should I do? I would eventually like to put floats and ski's on this plane, so I'm pretty sure my old .40 won't be able to handle that.

Thanks! [8D]

how do u plane to fly the new motor, do u need lots of power for series verticle or 3d?

The Super Tiger 40 runs beautifully with good power and is only $49.95. I have seen them new for $40at flea markets and swaps.

They say 1.15 hp for the ST 40 but I can assure you that it will run circles around a OS LA engine.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXFV69&P=ML

At this point, I am just barely at the solo stage. I am very keen to fly in the snow and on water which is why I would like to upgrade. The current TH .40 I have is a bit of a dog on land, so I don't know if it will be able to fly from the water effectively.

Being inexperienced, I also want a solid performance so I don't get many dead-sticks. I don't have a lot of money to put into this hobby though, so I'd like this engine to be upgradeable with me. Once I've outgrown the trainer, I'll buy another ARF and throw the engine into that.

Thanks for the help!

The Tower 46 is a very strong running engine and the price is not too bad ($80) especially if it is in some sale feature or you want to play towers games of money off or free shipping deals.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXJA86&P=ML

It's $70 at my local hobby shop, so for $10 more, I can get the .45.

Also, the 40 is Ringed and the 45 is ABC. Isn't ABC better or do people dispute that? (I have no idea). I just want the most trouble-free engine that still provides lots of power.

I really have no preference as to whether an engine is ringed or ABC. They both have their advantages and disadvantages.

There are many people on the internet that will argue this point till the cows come home.

The ST 40 retail price has been $49.95 (USD) for at least three years.

The newer ones are very smooth running through-out the throttle range and easy to adjust.

A OS 46AX is very user friendly and easy to adjust. Perhaps the best I've ever experienced?

You cannot put a whole lot of faith in those horsepower figures posted in the ads. They seem to put down whatever they want and it is always at some unrealistic rpm. To run a 8-4 prop to get the ST 40 to run 15,500 rpm . . . . Why the plane wouldn't get off the ground.

The Super Tigre 51 is lighter than the 40 and has lots of stretch for later projects. It's a stretched 40-45 just lighter and stronger.

Take a look at SK 50 abc Dual BB,real chrome,unbeatable pricing and reliable for 60 $ .
www.kangkeusa.com

ASP or Magnum XLS 52 (same engine) The strongest of all conventional 50 size engines and it runs truly great with some carefully tuning of the low speed needle. Mine powers my Katana profile and does tailtouches and can hover all day down at the deck and lately some hover landings too This just to confirm that the engine is very dependable. At 13700 rpm on the APC 12.25-3.75 with the Tower muffler it would pull your plane on floats out of the water quicker than you could believe. Cheap as dirt too

If you want low price and the tuning ease of an OS, go with the Thunder Tiger .46. Ross

Maybe take little pieces of paper write the name of each of the above put in a hat and pull one out ( joking aside ANY of the engines the guys mentioned are excellent) I have an SK, A Jen (same as SK) , OS46AX and an ST 40 all by the way are converted to diesels the ST 40 for $50 is the best value but as stated $20 more increase your choices, the OS AX46
does have the smoothest throttle response , its a 10 the rest 8-9 on a 1-10 scale really means nothing it is however the most bucks martin

Excellent advice, thanks for all the help guys!

I'm still not sure what I'll do, but as dieseldan said, I can just pull out of a hat, and I'm glad to hear those other engines are all adequate.

I think the ThunderTiger 46 would be the best choice. I put one on a trainer with floats and it had power to spare. I have had several ThunderTiger engines and they all have been very powerfull and reliable.

I would suggest the Thunder tiger .40 or .46 and the Supertigre .40 or .45 as a better choice than any of the OS engines. I like OS engines and have well over a dozen in my shop, but in the .40 to .61 catagory, they are far outclassed by others on the market today.

Mike

Do not forget the mighty MVVS 49[sm=48_48.gif] I tached mine today on APC 12-4 running 5% nitro and 15% synth oil and it peaked at 14200 rpm, tuned muffler of course. Anyone better on a limited budget???? not likely.

What size prop are you using on the Tower .40? Anything larger than a 10x5 or 6 will load it down too much. Try a 10x5. You will be amazed at the difference if you are running an 11" prop currently, or more than 5" of pitch. This engine likes to rev up, unlike many of the other plain bearing engines out there. Also, if you aren't using a fuel with 20% oil, half of which is castor oil, it will make the engine run hot and doggy.

As Jim, W8YE (I hope I have it right, Jim) said, the Super Tigre GS-40 is a strong running forty, despite its low price. And it doesn't need special fuel, as do most plain bearing engines, such as the Tower .40, OS FP & LA series, TT GP series, etc.

The SK .50 is another engine to consider. They run very well and are fairly powerful. Were it me in your position, I would buy either a Thunder Tiger .46 Pro, or a Magnum .46 ball bearing engine. Both are fairly strong and are dependable with the Magnum having excellent support from those that distribute such engines in the US.

Truthfully, the GS-40 and the G-45 are excellent engines too.


Ed Cregger

I really like the TTpro 46. Its a great engine at a great price.

Thanks for the help guys.

Ed: I use a 10x6 on my Tower .40, so I may take your advice and grab a 10x5 and have a go. Unfortunately I wrecked my plane, and am now building an Easy Sport 40 ARF, I'll put all the same equipment in though.

Still don't know what I'll buy for an engine, but I definitely have an idea of what to get now. Hopefully I can fly on floats over the long weekend, have to get used to the new plane first.

Don´t belive in the OS market.. My friend have a OS .46 AX that only turn 600rpm more with the same prop of OS La 46 of my other friend. Is cheaper you tune the La to turn the same of Ax.. very easy to do.. some polish in the cyl windows, working in the mufler... and you will turn very close or the same.


If you want more for the same money, choose ASP/Magnum or ThunderTiger engines,, they turn much more than OS engines.



Cheers,



Matheus S. Almeida