nano__

I have both a Schumacher Menace GTR and a Schumacher Fusion.
I find that both cars suffer from the same problem; neither car is able to reach high RPMs at high speed. The engine seems to lack the torque to get past the mid-range RPM to reach the high RPMs where the peak horsepower range is. Both cars will accelerate swiftly through all three gears, reach third gear, then they will just keep a steady medium RPM -- they will never *scream* at high RPM like most two-speed nitro cars do. Neither car never gets anywhere close to maximum RPM in third gear.

Now, the "high speed gearbox" is supposed to make the car go faster in terms of top speed, correct? However I find that the high speed gearbox only makes the problem worse; if the engine doesn't have enough power to accelerate the car in third gear due to being too low in the powerband, then of course it will go _slower_ when the powerband is lowered due to a higher gear.

Are all Fusions and GTRs like this? Or am I just really unlucky to have bought two defective cars?

Both were new, both were broken in correctly. And now I'm sure you are wondering if I know how to tune the engine, I'm quite sure I do, but I have asked several others very experienced guys to help me -- to no avail. Both cars run as lean as possible with rather crisp throttle response, and despite this they have this top speed problem.

I want to buy new engines for both cars, I find the engine which sits in the cars to be horrible, it has no torque at all, and I doubt it makes anywhere near the claimed 2.1 HP.

Could anyone recommend a good engine that will fit? I.e. one with high torque, high peak horsepower and high maximum RPM (difficult combination yes, but I'll ask anyway)?

What is the point of having a three-speed gearbox when the system only utilizes half of the third gear?

The GTR is supposed to reach 70 MPH, the Fusion 80 MPH, I find it highly unlikely either car can get past 60 MPH with any gearing. Has this ever been measured, documented, filmed? I'd really like to see it, not just hear people and specifications sheets state it.

nitrohead5300

You are right about the .21 Thundertiger motor it does not put out the advertised clamed hp output more like 1 hp instead of 2hp. I got rid of the stock motors as soon as I got the cars. Rumor has it that Schumacher is getting ready to release a new Fusion that has amore powerful motor in it. The new motor is suppose to be a Picco .28.

nano__

Which engine(s) do you run at the moment? Which would you recommend? I want the cars to run as fast as possible. :-)

nitrohead5300

Nano I run RB C-5 .21 modified by RBMods and a NovaRossi .28 modified. I got the motor mounts from Wolfpack Radicals, they are adjustable.

nano__

Thanks, I will look into that.

Isn't this fraud though? I mean, by Schumacher? Selling a car they claim to output 2.1 HP when it in reality is merely half that? If I knew this I might have bought a different car.

nitrohead5300

Almost all engine manufactors all exaggerate their hp rating. There is no industry standard for measuring hp.

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

I also have both the Fusion and Menace and yes, they do the same thing as yours...I have not modified them...(yet)

I've noticed that just recently some engine manufacturers have listed the power output as "claimed" H.P....so I guess it's a CYA thing for them...

If you study the dyno sheets...most of the engines tested are actually producing only about 50-60% (give or take a few % ) of the "claimed" H.P.

nano__

Interesting, are those dyno sheets for the power on the actual wheels of the car, or measured directly from the engine, or flywheel?

nitrohead5300

Most of the dyno use a prop to put a load on the motor. I don't believe that the prop based dyno give you a accurate reading. Xtreme RC Cars have a X-Dyno which have the motors turning a drum with sand or water in it . I used the results from this dyno for hp reference on motors because I believe it puts the motor under a more realistic real world load!! The guy that designed this dyno was a professional motorcycle engine builder so he knows his stuff.[sm=thumbup.gif]

nano__

Which other engine(s) would be a good match for the GTR and Fusion?

nitrohead5300

Maybe a Ninja .21 or .28

Bluebrew

My Feedback: (1)

I don't know about the fusion, but I have a GTR and it too fizzles out like you describe. Take a look at that tuned pipe, it's TINY!!! Looks like a .12 pipe! One of these days I'll get a proper pipe and see what happens.

nitrohead5300

You should see a difference in performance with a true .21 onroad pipe