Team A-Hull

I couldn't find any info either on tower. i'll look at the motor specs and see if can find out.

cwaterhunter

go right to the sullivan web sight and try that...

sushi2me

Here's the Tiger Drive as seen on Sullivan's page or you can also go to Horizon Hobbies (they are the owner/distributor of ProBoat):

sushi2me

Oops, what happened to my uploaded images - I'll try again.

Sushi2me

sushi2me

For the AquaCraft SuperVee 27 Nitro you need the 8 mm shaft size (to start .15 - .18 displacement engines)!

sushi2me

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

A few observations.

First, 2 1/2 turns on the high speed needle may not be enough for break in. I recently checked my Vegas, which is broken in, and found that it's open close to 3 turns. I know the manual says to start at 2 1/2, but my experience has been that some of these engines like more.

Second, breaking in a boat engine at home is risky, and can be less than optimal. The risk is that extended running of the engine with no load on it is stressful on the connecting rod. Another issue is that you're not running the engine with the loads, the RPMs, or the temps that it's going to have when it's on the lake. And finally, why waste the fuel running it at home when you could be having fun with it at the lake.

I've often seen the assertion that one should break in the engine at home to minimize the chance of the boat stalling on the lake. I find this strange for a few reasons. First, and foremost, if you don't have a safe and reliable way to retreive your boat when it stalls, then it's probably not a good idea to run it. As a minimum, an inexpensive rubber raft and a life jacket will work. The other reason I find it odd is that rich boats don't usually die on the water, they just run slow. The ones that usually die are either out of fuel or too lean. Since it's nearly impossible to get the right needle setting running a boat engine on the stand, why bother?

Next, the need for "boat fuel" is often over stated. If boat fuel is locally available, it's good to use it. However, model airplane fuel is more commonly available and when you look at the oil percentages, is usually the same as you'll find with boat fuel. If boat fuel isn't available locally, meaning one would have to pay high shipping charges due to the hazmat fees, plane or heli fuel from a well known company (Redmax, Cool Power, Omega, etc) is not going to blow up your engine. OTOH, I would never run car fuel without adding enough oil to bring it up to an appropriate level. Since some of the car fuel manufacturers say the formulation of their fuels are "proprietary" and won't even disclose the oil percentages, trying to run them can be a crapshoot.

One final comment about fuel. While I buy lots of things from Tower, fuel isn't one of them. Their prices for fuel are outrageous. Red Max currently shows $28.43 per gallon for 30% while 4 quarts of O'Donnell 30% is $45.16?

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

To those pondering "upgrading" an Aquacraft engine to Tiger drive, I suggest doing some searches first. Lots of people have had problems with them. Much simpler is a 12 volt starter, such as the Tower one that was already posted, combined with a starter belt, which will fit in the grove on the flywheel of the Aquacraft .18. In addition to being simpler and more reliable, the starter will work with other boat engines you decide to buy, unlike the tiger drive, which will be limited to very few engines...

d-lo

you have to be careful with the tiger drive for this engine, as per my experience, i just installed it and went, the one way bearing froze up on the the crank starter shaft, ruining it and the tiger drive. upon further investigation, there is a 'special instruction' notice, not on the package, but on the sullivan site i think, that gives the proper modifications that need to be done to the drive. you need to drive the bearing further into the gear, because it does not engage enough of the starter shaft, as it is almost too short for the tiger drive bearing to reach. i modded a new one, and the shaft still does not go all the way through the bearing, so i have not installed it yet.

this is from the sullivan cross reference page. wish i would have seen this before it toasted my drive and starter shaft.....



Notes:

1). The start shaft of this engine is shorter than most and requires a slight modification of the TigerDrive unit to ensure maximum life from the one-way bearing. To ensure that the one-way bearing engages the shaft as fully as possible it must be pressed further into the large bevel gear. To do this place the TigerDrive Bracket on a hard flat surface with the gear resting in its normal position. Be sure that the brass washer is in place and laying flat under the gear. With the gear resting on the bracket, drive the one-way bearing downwards until it contacts the surface that the bracket is resting on. To do this use a soft faced hammer or small wood block to cushion the bearing edge from being deformed. Once the bearing is repositioned simply install the TigerDrive as normal.

http://www.sullivanproducts.com/

cwaterhunter

also think about this,,,,,if you go with he belt and hand starter and say your belt breaks,,, you still have the pull start as a backup,,,or if the battery ib the sullivan control goes dead or something else goes wrong with it,,, you still have the pull start,,

tcarp

Ok I think I am gonna buy a Nitro...Who has the best price on em?

Thanks in Advance!

robcaryh

is there a guide somewhere that shows exactly how the belt system works? Do you just leave the belt on the shaft while the boat is running?

Team A-Hull

I think Tower has them $279 plus i think free shipping over 150 or 125. Thats the cheapest i've scene and there in stock!

Good call on the tiger drive Craw!

Thanks Piper, and D-LO for the much needed info!

cwaterhunter

Click for fullsize

cwaterhunter

damn it didnt work go to post# 327 i think it shows a belt and starter

Team A-Hull

There it is, i was looking at the very begining of the forum like you said, it was just a little further up. I did remeber seeing something like that a month ago when i went through tthe forum.

Thanks Craw

1989-SHO

Hey guy's, could you provide me with a source to buy the things needed to do a belt start system? thanks.

-1989-sho

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

I don't know the Canadian R/C boat vendors, but Ron has suggested buying used belts from sewing machine repair shops. [link=http://www.philshobbyshop.com/tek9.asp?pg=products&specific=jnprmqi8]Click here[/link] for an example of a typical starter belt. They fit over the grove on the flywheel when you start them. Once the engine is running, you move them to a place that's away from the flywheel, shaft, and tuned pipe, which will melt them.

1989-SHO

So in other words just slide down the flex shaft housing and tuck it to prevent melting?, what kind of moter / batteries do i use? any links on those?

Sean Bowf

I used my 14.4 drill batteries for awhile, until I bought a lawn mower 12V battery from Wal-Mart. The battery itself was only $20, but I had to pay a $9 core charge on it too. Tower also has batteries for starters for about $20, but I already had a charge for the lawn mower battery, so this was a better route for me. If you don't, they also sell a charger for $11 I think.

The starter I use is pretty old, but I am sure you can find some on Tower (or your local hobby shop, since they are used for aircraft too). I just took a quick look at tower, and looks like they have them for $20 and up...

As a note, if your engine gets loaded up with oil, or fuel, you will have to loosen or remove the glow plug for the electric starter to work. Don't put too much stress on the engine with the starter, or you may shorten its life span.

Sean

1989-SHO

This seems like a lot of fooling around! :P is the battery that u use like the ones that starter boxes for R/C cars and trucks? thanks for the help.

-1989-sho

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

I use the 7.5 amp gel cell batteries on my hand-held starters. You can pick them up for around $20-25.00. The Aquacraft boats don't need an expensive starter so you can get away with the cheapest one sold. pick up a 1 amp charger for the battery and you're set. Down the road you can add a power panel, fuel pump and a box to put it all in.

1989-SHO

Is it just me or are half the vidieos i see of the sv27 b/l faster then the nitros? man some of hem SCREAM i guess it depends how many cells u got though, im kind of hanind guilt with buying the nitro... i never thought i would say that as i prefer having an engine beating away rather than a motor humming away. ima try to convince my dad to "buy on for himself" :P

Team A-Hull

This the combo someone recomended to me?

Starter
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXJC35&P=ML

Battery
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXL370&P=V

Carrying Case
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXPS86&P=M

Belt
http://www.philshobbyshop.com/tek9.a...cific=jnprmqi8

Back up battery
http://www.generatorfactoryoutlet.co...rator_main.htm

Power tool combo
http://www.generatorfactoryoutlet.co...rator_main.htm

Flowers to wife for spending all your money
http://ww12.1800flowers.com/welcome....nerBeacon=true


Okay everything but the last three or what Rons said... Posted at the same time.

Dan S

1989-sho

heres a Canadian vendor you can look up, you can send him an email or call him, he's in Ontario.

http://www.hallammarinehobby.com/

Dan.

1989-SHO

hey thanks guys for the help, il getting the cheapest ones from tower , is it just me or is shipping a ***** nowadays?