remten2001

I have read some places that the OS .21 VZ B engine only last for 2 gallons and read some others places it last for 6 gallons any one know if its really a good engine?I will receive mine on wesnesday....

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

I have one, you need to be carefull on the boost chamber connections, if there is an airleak, the engine will go lean and south real fast. I plan on rebuilding mine but for now I'm debating on getting a s-7 RB instead. By the time I buy a piston/cylinder,rod and all the gaskets, I pretty much have $50.00 more dollars to go till the RB or a new rossi, so it might just get tossed in the trash. I kind of hate O.S., even in the airplane world, they charge way too much for the product they make.

remten2001

sorry but that is not the VZ B your taking about but RZ 2 different engines but thanks anyways ...i posted this on different forums and didn't get any responce yet...

madmaniac

Os is coming out with a new model the VZ-B V-SPEC that solves many of the problems on the previous version.......

dryvr

I've seen a vz b in action, pretty strong.

fhm101

I have not been keeping current on the VZB, but when it first hit it was a nightmare of crumbling pistons, broken rods and failed bearings. I too have read the claims of 6 gallons of fuel, but everyone i know that tried one had nothing but short life and trouble out of them. Some people were putting old RZ piston and sleeve sets in them which helped with the crumbling piston problem, but did nothing for the bad rods or bearings. This engine is so bad even the die hard OS faithful have switched to something else until OS can get their YKW together and bring them a more reliable, long lived engine. Even their (OS) top sponsored driver refuses to run the VZB. Something must be awfuly wrong with an engine if someone who can get them for free refuses to use them.

remten2001

wow I guess its not that good well too lat now the engine is on its way and i can't cancel my order..Ill try to be carefull in the meantime Ill order another engine to use as a back up...

rcracenut

My son has an OS VZB and it screams. We have had excellent luck with it. Remember, its all in how you maintain and care for the engine. Run an engine too lean and it will go bad quick. We have had alot of different engines, we race 1/8 Mugen buggies. I still prefer OS to anything else because they perform AND hold up. Like any other engine, how you break it in will determin how long it lasts too. If you just drop it in and run, it will probly only last alittle while before it starts breaking. Follow OS instructions on break in to the letter, you will notice not only a performance difference but also a dependable motor.

Po Kid

I saw one of those things run in a 1/8 buggy at my LHS and it was amazing. Everytime he revved it up I thought it was gonna explode. It was going down the straits at damn near 60 MPH and it spin the tires so badly (all 4) that he was practically floating accross the dirt.

fhm101

While this is true for most engines and in the past has been true for all OS engines, I would consider the VZ-B as the exception that proves the rule. The basic problem with it lies in the machined aluminum piston and whatever alloy it is being made from. I do know OS is scrambling to find a better material to make these pistons and it will be a great engine if they solve the problem.

badboy2

My Feedback: (13)

wizen ur into buggies now?well 1/8th scal not ur big gas buggy..lol didnt see u in a while...

Henderson

Have you actually ever owned this engine?

I actually have owned and run the engine for the past 9 months. I've got five gallons through it with no problems so far. It's a real powerhouse; you won't get passed on the straight by anything save a $550.00 massaged engine. It's easier to tune and holds a tune better than pretty much anything out there. Pair it with an OS T-2050 pipe for a nice combo.

Break it in patiently like you would any other top shelf engine, don't run it too lean(!), and the engine will serve you well. (It's really tight when new and can be hard to get it to turn over on your starter box. Heat it with a hairdryer if you have problems).

The engine did lose it's "pinch" fairly early on, but not compression and not performance. I think some people confuse the loss of pinch for something else.

Ignore the naysayers who are just jumping on the internet negativity bandwagon and quoting other people.

repete

the only problem with the VZB are the users not reading the operating instructions...they dont say run 18% oil just to take up space...every single VZB i have seen with problems..was running 12% or 8% race fuel...they lasted from 1 race weekend..to 1-2 gallons...i run trinnity MHP 30% fuel..with 10oz of klotz synthetic added to every gallon...im at about 2-2 1/4 gallons on my engine..and its without a doubt the most ballistic motor i have run..it will hold a tune like no other...and has a powerband that RB's can only dream about...my engine still has so much compression..that sumtimes my starter box still struggle to get it to turn over..just last saturday i had several guys come over after the race and tell me that they have never seen a buggy run so fast..and i agreed with them.

thats my view on the engine..this weekend at the races we will try to take video of the race..so if we do..i will post it up here

Aerobirdbrain

I've read that O.S. has come out with an new version of the VZ series called the VZ-R Version II w/20-K Carb. I'm also curious to see what that VZ-B V-Spec Engine can do.

Capablanca

Hi,

I have to agree with Henderson and repete, I too have this engine on my Hyper 7 and it really runs great. I'm using 25% Gammalube nitro fuel. I use heat cycling method during break-in and I never run it too lean. It's almost one year old and it still runs fine...

I think people mistaken the "pinch" for compression.........That's one characteristic of OS Engine, specially the CV-R and TP (racing series), it looses the pinch very early.

repete

well i got a Vspec coming in july hopefully...ill be sure to let u know how it goes..hopefully the S3 TTR buggy will be out by then..so i can break in the new motor on a new buggy

remten2001

well its nice to hear some good i was getting a little bit scared..The VZ B is not a cheap engine either price wize so I hope I can break it in without any problems...I should have the engine later on today or tomorow..Ill take some pictures.

And I hope this thread will help others as well as there is some pretty good information now.. if anyone is interested in this engine...Keep the reply coming...

Da Smak

Now for the price, I feel they have lame reliability, but that is probably down to break in. I know a few people that have run them and they never bought a second. Now I do rate OS quite highly but but the VZB is only good for doning its carb to an Ofna hyper 21.

fhm101

As a matter of fact I've owned 3. Funny thing is, all 3 were NIB and I got them dirt cheap because they all came from frustrated owners who had already exchanged their defective engines at least twice before giving up in frustration. After watching them at the track I never tried to run one, just found some OS faithful and unloaded them as quick as i could.

Here's a lift from the instruction manual on the VZ B regarding the manufacturers warranty

GUARANTEE
This engine is constructed from the very best
materials available and to the very highest
engineering standards, using the most advanced
precision machinery. However, the extremely high
stresses imposed by car racing operation under very
severe conditions, stresses which are exacerbated by
the use of powerful fuels containing very high
concentrations of nitromethane, constitute hazards
which are beyond a manufacturer's control.
Accordingly, we regret that it is not possible to extend
our usual warranty terms to this particular engine -i.e.
no guarantee is offered against material wear, or
damage resulting therefrom, in actual use.


If OS does not offer any guarantee on the VZ B and it's such a jam up engine, why would Great Planes (US importer of OS) exchange them by the hundreds at no charge? Last I heard, they had given away more than they have sold. While it's not a public acknowledgement of a problem with the VZ B, the fact that they are eating so many of them when they are under no obligation to do so tells me they know they have a real problem on their hands.

Da Smak

Or their just stupid and didn't read the fact that they have no obligation to offer support for this abortion of an engine.

repete

yea its amazing how many idiots in this world dont read the instruction manual before running the engine

remten2001

ran teh vz b for the firt time tonight...I can't say its a great engine at this point..IT just kept staling and then i had to lean it more and lean more unitl it would run ok...I did used a heat gun and heated the head until it reach 200 f before starting it for the first time...I ran it bleeping the throttle and keeping temps within 200 f,, i burned 4 tanks...Right now im just freaking not in a good mood for saying any thing good about it...

Dark8ngel

I have the OS vzb01 in my Kanai 2 and have had no problems in 2 gallons. Screams at 200-211 deg. Then again you must know how to properly tune the motor.
Break-in was just as easy as on the .12 cvr's I run. It fired up on the very first bump. You MUST do as the instructions state, set the needles as stated in the manual before you start the break-in.

Very poor maint., incorrect break in, not properly tunning, fuel choice and poor fuel storage seem to be the order of the day when it comes to compalints of bad motors. I get about 4.5-5 gallons on my .12 cvr's and they are raced hard, but very well taken care of and ran at 190-200 deg. In 3 years I have gone thru 2 cvr's.

I am still runnig the same OS .40 in my Telemaster Jr. Airplane that I put in it back in 1993(ya I'm old). This is why I stay with O.S.

crazzyguydj

i got the vz-b about 8 months ago, it still runs great. i haven't had the slightest problem. and this thing flies! i threw some road tires on my hyper 7 and it hauled @$$ down the road at about 40! i have got at least 3 gallons im working on 4 but u made a good choice. i run o'donnels 20% mix. im not sure how much oil there is but obviously it works! anyway, good luck