45 VAC into the Future

[Andy Brown]

For the NonBelivers?? Just come on down to the waters edge.... and see what happens. Smoking Fast little engine that is just like a TIMEX...Takes a Beating and Comes Back TICKING for More........ The Alum/brass bushing rod motor days are over ... GO HARD GO V A C unless you want to tinker with your Rod after Every Round. I will not bash another mfgers engine. But I have seen many Alum rod 45 engines blown up this summer trying to run with the Vac45...

. Andy's Mac 45 had/has a steel rod in it also from 10or11 years ago. No doubt steel rod is the way to go,but most have ran them for 10 plus years now.

CMB built their first .45 in 1987 and I got one of the first ones. It was the GP. The next version was the Evo. My heat race Eagle consistantly ran 79 to 81 with the Evo in 1994. They had steel needle rods in them. I ran those .45's exclusively until 1995.In 1987 they also built a .21 similar to the current VAC .21 and it had steel needle rod too. For some reason the needles in the 21 would only last for one gallon of fuel. As long as we changed the needles before getting through a gallon they were fine. Much past one gallon and you'd be picking rod needles out of your piston. They later tried a bushed steel rod in the 21. The 21 Vavola as it was called back then did not stay in production long, but if one knew how to mod them they were as fast as the Nova of the day. I ran them for two years straight until Tidewater sent me a new Picco P-5 to try out. It did not run stock, but nothing more than a sleeve shim and head adjustment and it was instantly 4 mph faster than the .21 valvola.

Nothing wrong with a good aluminum rod in a properly designed engine. Steel needle rods are not a cure all. If the engine is not designed correctly even steel needle rods have issues. CMB and anyone who has used CMB engines for any length of time know this all to well. I have a box full of burned up, black & blue, crunched & split CMB rods and needles out of various CMB engines.

 

[wayne middlemiss]

For the NonBelivers?? Just come on down to the waters edge.... and see what happens. Smoking Fast little engine that is just like a TIMEX...Takes a Beating and Comes Back TICKING for More........ The Alum/brass bushing rod motor days are over ... GO HARD GO V A C unless you want to tinker with your Rod after Every Round. I will not bash another mfgers engine. But I have seen many Alum rod 45 engines blown up this summer trying to run with the Vac45...

. Andy's Mac 45 had/has a steel rod in it also from 10or11 years ago. No doubt steel rod is the way to go,but most have ran them for 10 plus years now.

CMB built their first .45 in 1987 and I got one of the first ones. It was the GP. The next version was the Evo. My heat race Eagle consistantly ran 79 to 81 with the Evo in 1994. They had steel needle rods in them. I ran those .45's exclusively until 1995.In 1987 they also built a .21 similar to the current VAC .21 and it had steel needle rod too. For some reason the needles in the 21 would only last for one gallon of fuel. As long as we changed the needles before getting through a gallon they were fine. Much past one gallon and you'd be picking rod needles out of your piston. They later tried a bushed steel rod in the 21. The 21 Vavola as it was called back then did not stay in production long, but if one knew how to mod them they were as fast as the Nova of the day. I ran them for two years straight until Tidewater sent me a new Picco P-5 to try out. It did not run stock, but nothing more than a sleeve shim and head adjustment and it was instantly 4 mph faster than the .21 valvola.

Nothing wrong with a good aluminum rod in a properly designed engine. Steel needle rods are not a cure all. If the engine is not designed correctly even steel needle rods have issues. CMB and anyone who has used CMB engines for any length of time know this all to well. I have a box full of burned up, black & blue, crunched & split CMB rods and needles out of various CMB engines.

the cmb 45 you talking about andy would be what they called the abc engine with down draught carby with flat slide 3rd ch mix cont on main needle also used steel rod needle rollers on crank pin.to which this same engine came back into the market as the cmb cam gold head engine with drum induction not zimmerman shim steel disc as in the abc version. i have a few new gp 67 s & 90 nib still, a small collection lol

 

[Tim Kish]

Title should read " Vac to the Future ".

What pipe is working with the Vac ?

 

[wayne middlemiss]

crack pipe has massive effect on everyone lol

 

[Buckshot]

CMB nitro pipe.

 

[Buckshot]

It's CMB's open nitro pipe with the tapered stinger.

 

[Chris Wood]

yes that one greg

 

[Joe Warren]

Yes Stus boat had the silver CMB 45 pipe on it, Same pipe anyone can buy.

 

[Joe Warren]

joe any idea on what he was running? 1657? abc 60 x 80?

1657 octura

 

[shoboat]

Chris and others,

It is a custom pitched 1657 with more center of blade pitch added.

Not your average 1657 with cup added.

They need to be hardened so they don't open up.

It has taken a few of them to get it right!!!

Enjoy Testing Fellas,

Mark

 

[David Bryant]

How well has the new Picco P45 performed in comparison to CMB 45 VAC? Any documented runs at over 80mph in heat racing configuration? I would think it is very capable engine as well.

 

[Andy Brown]

This one ?

the Small volume Pipe is similar but not as Fat in the Mid section

Yes, that would be the AB 45 pipe. The first one I designed for the MAC 45. It was later built with a muffler system and painted black with the AB logo.

 

[Andy Brown]

How has the new Picco P45 run in comparison to CMB 45 VAC? Any documented runs at over 80mph in heat racing configuration? I would think it is very capable engine as well.

Dave that Picco is the same internally as the Picco 45 EXR (blackhead) that Picco produced about 1997/98. I was using that engine in my Eagle SG heat race set up and it consistently ran 82 mph with an Irwin pipe using a 1462 cut to 56mm. I even used the stock rod and the stock carb with a spraybar modification. Never had a rod issue running 60% nitro, 15% oil. Picco's previous .45 to the black head was the EXR 4-port bluehead version and was a faster engine. This 4 - port bluehead is the engine that Stan Simpson ran 97 and 106 mph with in his Eagle SG. We never went as fast with the blackhead. I won the SAW event at the 1997 IMPBA Internats with the Bluehead. Average speed of two passes was 82 mph. That was with 60% nitro.

 

[Andy Brown]

For the NonBelivers?? Just come on down to the waters edge.... and see what happens. Smoking Fast little engine that is just like a TIMEX...Takes a Beating and Comes Back TICKING for More........ The Alum/brass bushing rod motor days are over ... GO HARD GO V A C unless you want to tinker with your Rod after Every Round. I will not bash another mfgers engine. But I have seen many Alum rod 45 engines blown up this summer trying to run with the Vac45...

. Andy's Mac 45 had/has a steel rod in it also from 10or11 years ago. No doubt steel rod is the way to go,but most have ran them for 10 plus years now.

CMB built their first .45 in 1987 and I got one of the first ones. It was the GP. The next version was the Evo. My heat race Eagle consistantly ran 79 to 81 with the Evo in 1994. They had steel needle rods in them. I ran those .45's exclusively until 1995.In 1987 they also built a .21 similar to the current VAC .21 and it had steel needle rod too. For some reason the needles in the 21 would only last for one gallon of fuel. As long as we changed the needles before getting through a gallon they were fine. Much past one gallon and you'd be picking rod needles out of your piston. They later tried a bushed steel rod in the 21. The 21 Vavola as it was called back then did not stay in production long, but if one knew how to mod them they were as fast as the Nova of the day. I ran them for two years straight until Tidewater sent me a new Picco P-5 to try out. It did not run stock, but nothing more than a sleeve shim and head adjustment and it was instantly 4 mph faster than the .21 valvola.

Nothing wrong with a good aluminum rod in a properly designed engine. Steel needle rods are not a cure all. If the engine is not designed correctly even steel needle rods have issues. CMB and anyone who has used CMB engines for any length of time know this all to well. I have a box full of burned up, black & blue, crunched & split CMB rods and needles out of various CMB engines.

the cmb 45 you talking about andy would be what they called the abc engine with down draught carby with flat slide 3rd ch mix cont on main needle also used steel rod needle rollers on crank pin.to which this same engine came back into the market as the cmb cam gold head engine with drum induction not zimmerman shim steel disc as in the abc version. i have a few new gp 67 s & 90 nib still, a small collection lol

You are correct Wayne and that ABC was the first CMB 45. The zimmerman ran on two small ball bearings and they would come apart often. I raced and modified a bunch of those. The second 45 was the GP and had the double throw crank like the 90. I also have a new in the box 45 GP and 67 GP. The GP .85 was a wicked little engine. We put a pair of them in a twin 67 Eagle. It was FAST!

 

[Tom Foley]

What is considered the optimum combustion chamber volume for this engine 60 - 65 % nitro? Stu ? Andy ? Albert ?

 

[dwilfong]

That AB#2 pipe is the best pipe for a .45 Pulls big props and REV's

When I was at the winter Nat's 2 years ago Dick Jones was pitting next to me.

He had the usual boxes full of stuff.

I was rummaging thew all his stuff and pulled out 5 pipes. All just a little different all for the .21

He gave me the run down on them and said thy where all made by the national pipe company?

Thy all looked the same as the new CMB nitro pipe that is sold now with just small differences to the front cones.

This is the same design of the new CMB .45 nitro pipe. also looks allot like the new Nova .46 pipe.

This pipe design seams to work very good.

CMB also made this design for the big block eng. I tried this pipe But the pipes where to thin and would not hold up.

David

 

[aaron alberico]

What is considered the optimum combustion chamber volume for this engine 60 - 65 % nitro? Stu ? Andy ? Albert ?

Tom

When I was running vac45 I ran from .38- .40cc

On 60%. Nitro... Stock volume is too small...

Regards Aaron

 

[FloridaScaleBoater]

Joe,

More will be on patrol in Charleston, also watch out for those South Florida fellas.

It is definitely a STOUT ENGINE!!! The 1657's are running aren't they?

Have Fun Testing,

Mark

Mark, I have seen most alum rod motors self destruct trying to run with the steel needle rod engines of today!!!!!!!!! the rest need to rethink there conn rod design. the 45 class hydro are swinging early years 60 hydro prop today.Thats asking a lot of load to be handled by a brass bushing rod......

Hey Joe;

Pulled er apart tonight,,, wasn't the rod!!!!

Not sure what made it lock up,, but there was a scuff mark on the crank, from contacting the front housing???

Dressed the spot on the crank,, all spins freely now,,, I dunno.

 

[Terry Keeley]

My motor after a coupla gallons:

http://www.intlwaters.com/index.php?showtopic=51998&hl=

Specs:

https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=70&pos=143

Been running the stock 13.7:1 CR on 60%, haven't leaned on it much yet but so far so good!

 

[Andy Brown]

Joe,

More will be on patrol in Charleston, also watch out for those South Florida fellas.

It is definitely a STOUT ENGINE!!! The 1657's are running aren't they?

Have Fun Testing,

Mark

Mark, I have seen most alum rod motors self destruct trying to run with the steel needle rod engines of today!!!!!!!!! the rest need to rethink there conn rod design. the 45 class hydro are swinging early years 60 hydro prop today.Thats asking a lot of load to be handled by a brass bushing rod......

Hey Joe;

Pulled er apart tonight,,, wasn't the rod!!!!

Not sure what made it lock up,, but there was a scuff mark on the crank, from contacting the front housing???

Dressed the spot on the crank,, all spins freely now,,, I dunno.

How much time on the bearing Rick? If they get to worn they will let the crank drop down and contact the seal area in the case. If the engine was really new, then it could be that CMB set the seal clearance too close...or there was some debris in that area.