Thunder Cat 31
09-08-2009, 04:10 PM
#2576
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
thanks asmund i have read a few things on it. so i guess i know a little. but every little bit helps. theres probally some guys out there that could work magic on them.
09-19-2009, 12:11 PM
#2577
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
I broke my flex shaft last time on the water and lost my Octura M445[:@] and I didn`t get to test the Octura M645 or the Prather SS225. The boat is up and running again and I have done the prop saver mod now, even though I`m afraid it will give slightly more resistance in the water. As soon as the weather allows the other two props will be tested so I can find out if they will give more than 45 miles or not. When this is done I guess I have reached the limits of the Dynamite 32 and then I will install an OPS 45 I just bought. That should get me well past the 50 mile barrier
09-19-2009, 07:17 PM
#2578
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
44mph today!!!! finally got the rest of the mods done. cut rudder down. nipped the end off the water pickup a little bit. stepped up to 40% nitro. removed 1 head shim left aluminium one. thundertiger carb. i didn't get my props yet tho having trouble with the guy i ordered them from. not impressed with him. i picked up another m445 had to go to detroit to get it. this was my own work on this prop so kind of made me feel pretty good. must have done somthing right. i talked to some racers last weekend and picked up on some tips on how to work on them that i do believe work. ran 4 passes on radar 40 42 43 44mph water was kind of choppy boat stayed glued to it fairly good i lowered the strut inline with bottom of sponsons tiped up slightly in back. for a newbe i think i did a pretty good job . (pat pat pat on my own back). thanks to all of you guys too.
09-26-2009, 04:55 PM
#2579
Senior Member
RE: Thunder Cat 31
Dang, you`re closing in on me
only one lousy mile between us now, he he:-)
I did a engine swap yesterday, I have now fitted an ASP XLS 36 engine. It is really a aeroplane engine that is tune by me and turns an 8x8 aero propeller at 19000 rpm. It is fitted with a bigger MVVS 49 carb and have been ported and polished, so it is quite a bit more powerful than stock. It will be very interesting to see how it performs in this boat and if it will turn high up in the 20K rpm zone now that it has a small metall propeller to turn. Watercooling is done by wrapping one length of 1/8" copper tubing around the sylinder and also one on the header, plus I have ducted cooling air in over the head (I have also ordered a heli head for it to further improve cooling). The funny part is that this engine is a drop-in fit, it goes straight in the engine mounts, it bolts right up to the header, and the flywheel and coupling fits like a glowe the whole operation took under an hour to complete, so it is definately worth a try. I will have to start it with a belt, but that should be ok.
The weather is really really bad now, it has been raining and blowing strong winds for almost four weeks straight and the forecast is looking very lousy too, so I will have to wait for the performance testing. I will post my results here as soon as I have anyting new to report
only one lousy mile between us now, he he:-)I did a engine swap yesterday, I have now fitted an ASP XLS 36 engine. It is really a aeroplane engine that is tune by me and turns an 8x8 aero propeller at 19000 rpm. It is fitted with a bigger MVVS 49 carb and have been ported and polished, so it is quite a bit more powerful than stock. It will be very interesting to see how it performs in this boat and if it will turn high up in the 20K rpm zone now that it has a small metall propeller to turn. Watercooling is done by wrapping one length of 1/8" copper tubing around the sylinder and also one on the header, plus I have ducted cooling air in over the head (I have also ordered a heli head for it to further improve cooling). The funny part is that this engine is a drop-in fit, it goes straight in the engine mounts, it bolts right up to the header, and the flywheel and coupling fits like a glowe
the whole operation took under an hour to complete, so it is definately worth a try. I will have to start it with a belt, but that should be ok.The weather is really really bad now, it has been raining and blowing strong winds for almost four weeks straight and the forecast is looking very lousy too, so I will have to wait for the performance testing. I will post my results here as soon as I have anyting new to report
09-26-2009, 07:47 PM
#2580
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
ORIGINAL: asmund
Dang, you`re closing in on me only one lousy mile between us now, he he:-)
I did a engine swap yesterday, I have now fitted an ASP XLS 36 engine. It is really a aeroplane engine that is tune by me and turns an 8x8 aero propeller at 19000 rpm. It is fitted with a bigger MVVS 49 carb and have been ported and polished, so it is quite a bit more powerful than stock. It will be very interesting to see how it performs in this boat and if it will turn high up in the 20K rpm zone now that it has a small metall propeller to turn. Watercooling is done by wrapping one length of 1/8'' copper tubing around the sylinder and also one on the header, plus I have ducted cooling air in over the head (I have also ordered a heli head for it to further improve cooling). The funny part is that this engine is a drop-in fit, it goes straight in the engine mounts, it bolts right up to the header, and the flywheel and coupling fits like a glowe the whole operation took under an hour to complete, so it is definately worth a try. I will have to start it with a belt, but that should be ok.
The weather is really really bad now, it has been raining and blowing strong winds for almost four weeks straight and the forecast is looking very lousy too, so I will have to wait for the performance testing. I will post my results here as soon as I have anyting new to report
Dang, you`re closing in on me
only one lousy mile between us now, he he:-)I did a engine swap yesterday, I have now fitted an ASP XLS 36 engine. It is really a aeroplane engine that is tune by me and turns an 8x8 aero propeller at 19000 rpm. It is fitted with a bigger MVVS 49 carb and have been ported and polished, so it is quite a bit more powerful than stock. It will be very interesting to see how it performs in this boat and if it will turn high up in the 20K rpm zone now that it has a small metall propeller to turn. Watercooling is done by wrapping one length of 1/8'' copper tubing around the sylinder and also one on the header, plus I have ducted cooling air in over the head (I have also ordered a heli head for it to further improve cooling). The funny part is that this engine is a drop-in fit, it goes straight in the engine mounts, it bolts right up to the header, and the flywheel and coupling fits like a glowe
the whole operation took under an hour to complete, so it is definately worth a try. I will have to start it with a belt, but that should be ok.The weather is really really bad now, it has been raining and blowing strong winds for almost four weeks straight and the forecast is looking very lousy too, so I will have to wait for the performance testing. I will post my results here as soon as I have anyting new to report
hey man, please post some pics,,
09-27-2009, 02:38 AM
#2581
Senior Member
RE: Thunder Cat 31
I knew that one was coming, he he
I`ll try to get it done, but I`m a total noob when it comes to processing of pics into a computer[&o] I have a friend I can ask for help though, he`s back from abroad in a few days so I`ll pass this one on to him[8D]
I`ll try to get it done, but I`m a total noob when it comes to processing of pics into a computer[&o] I have a friend I can ask for help though, he`s back from abroad in a few days so I`ll pass this one on to him[8D]
09-28-2009, 07:34 AM
#2582
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
hey asmund did you get a chance to run the Octura M645 before you swapped engines? if ya did what did you think? sounds like your going to try open that gap up a little ( 1 mph).
09-28-2009, 03:52 PM
#2583
Senior Member
RE: Thunder Cat 31
No, I didn`t get to test the 645 before it broke. I will test both 445 and 645 on my new engine to see what happends, and also a Prather 225. I guess that if the boat now runs 44-45 with the 445 (similar to the .32 engine) and faster with the 645, then I would think it should do the same with the .32 also. If it is even faster then I will be very happy, and if it is slower then in goes the .32 again
I don`t know when I get a chanse to run it again though, the crappy weather has no end[
]
I don`t know when I get a chanse to run it again though, the crappy weather has no end[
]
10-04-2009, 09:59 AM
#2584
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
I got mt thund cat 31 over 2 months ago, it has NEVER SEENWATER due to 3 leaky gas tanks, and the lastone still leaks,broken tiger drive, and beeing jerked around waiting for parts, now my canopy has only one latch,(That is my own falt for accepting it in the first place) and it has been on B.O. for 3 weeks now.
I got prob a DUMB Question,
Has anyone ever looked at puting in a Zen 160 or equiv, I don't see why a person can't play with props and come up with a torquey and fast boat. I am just making a deal on a Zenoah 260 trade for 2 amps stern drives, and got this idea about the Tiger Cat.
Would love to get any input.
contact
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I got prob a DUMB Question,
Has anyone ever looked at puting in a Zen 160 or equiv, I don't see why a person can't play with props and come up with a torquey and fast boat. I am just making a deal on a Zenoah 260 trade for 2 amps stern drives, and got this idea about the Tiger Cat.
Would love to get any input.
contact
[email protected]
10-04-2009, 04:36 PM
#2585
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
way to big for the hull better off putting in a .45 or even an outboard i ave a 40 inch cat and the zenoah is aliitle big for it so i am now running a k&b 7.5 outboard i also have the tc 31 great little boat
10-04-2009, 08:27 PM
#2586
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
yimmy1 you could run a belt to start it. then run a rc airplane tank. if your sick of dealing with the original stuff. that is what i am doing and am very pleased with results. but i also started out with airplanes so i had the starter already. but didn't have a battery for the starter for the tigerdrive. so it made sense for me. cheap belt. exspensive battery. i never did use the tigerdrive. plus i had a fuel pump to fill the airplane tank that also made it easy for me to swap tanks. but i might not make sense for you if you had to buy all this to do the swap. i belive the tiger cat is quite a bit bigger hull than the thundercat 31 (if i am thinking of the right hull my buddy has one)quite a bit wider and a little bit longer. i am not sure the thundercat would float with a zen 260 in it. not to shoot down your dreams or nothing your willing to try it im willing to be proved wrong. i wouldn't suggest it tho. i have to agree with rcguy 1411.
p.s. run without the lid its faster that way anyway. and you don't break it up when you flip it.
p.s. run without the lid its faster that way anyway. and you don't break it up when you flip it.
10-05-2009, 05:14 PM
#2587
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
what problems you having with the tiger drive i have had mine for three years and ive only changed the one way bearing once and im still running the stock flex shaft with about three gallons of fule through the boat so far two gallons this summer 25% nitro havent changed the ploug since last fall i have no complaints with this boat at all well leaky fuel tank but all i had to do was trim some of the flash off the fuel barb on the bottm and no more leaks
10-05-2009, 06:12 PM
#2588
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
The drive stripped the gears out before it ever started, so I had to wait for it to come up,then when it did arive the hull had fuel in it from the fuel I left in it,(the seam on the tanke leaked), since then I have had 2 more tanks sent to me, both leak,and no I am waiting for another tank, and the hood, the left front clip snapped off, it was very flimsy when I picked the boat up,never should have accepted it.
Hope to get it in the water next year. gone to gas with a hydro plane, and trying to get a zeno 260 for a used deep v.
[email protected]
Hope to get it in the water next year. gone to gas with a hydro plane, and trying to get a zeno 260 for a used deep v.
[email protected]
10-05-2009, 08:38 PM
#2589
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
did you pic the deep v off a guy from kingston ? think i know the boat you got its a nice pice with the amps drives ive not seen the gears strip in the tiger drive make shure the shimms are there when you put it back together ps never leave fuel in your boats
10-06-2009, 07:38 AM
#2591
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
the biggest problem i've seen so far is that the gears aren't adjusted properly when new. the teeth need to have a full mesh so they don't strip. also when the engine hydrolocs you need to pull the plug to get the extra fuel out replace the plug and then continue to start it.
10-06-2009, 07:48 AM
#2592
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
I think you hit the nail right on the head, but one would think the term RTR, it should be pretty well ready to go, if you had to RESET and CHECK EVERYTHING, that would be a little diferant.
10-11-2009, 12:32 PM
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
Yes this is what i started my tc31 on and then i switched to blue thunder 20% and it does not run as well as the o'donnell 30% boat fuel?
10-11-2009, 12:39 PM
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
i had the same problem leaky fuel tank they sent me 2 more that leaked, then i got crappie with them and they sent me one that was mod they cut the bottom nipple off and replaced it with a metal threded one now no problem. and also sent a couple extra props and a pro boat cover for the inconvienance.
10-11-2009, 02:28 PM
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
I am hoping they will take it back, now I am waiting for my hatch lid (SO), just picked up 1 new tank, haven't had the desire to try it yet
10-14-2009, 11:40 AM
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
I Had This Happen But as i retreived the boat to discover that there was a tree limb under the water that i could not see from where i was. Now after reading this thread im going to replace my bottom bolt with a shear bolt.
10-14-2009, 11:47 AM
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RE: Thunder Cat 31
I see you have a blackjack 55, how do you loike it?
I bought a new Miss Elam 1/8 with a Zen 260 in it, works GREAT, but it heats up, and now the clutch is being replaced,I am debating on going straight drive (no clutch) and using the water pickups only without a pump.
I bought a new Miss Elam 1/8 with a Zen 260 in it, works GREAT, but it heats up, and now the clutch is being replaced,I am debating on going straight drive (no clutch) and using the water pickups only without a pump.