Nitro engines for 1/8 hydroplanes

[circus circus]

Hello, I currently have a OPS 67. I was told by many racers that they are OK but are slow? And everyone runs CMB greenheads.

Being on a budget, I don't want to spend $575 on a engine. So I'm wondering about Piccos, Mac, Rossi, and K&B engines. I've heard you can't get parts for any of these but price seems to be right.

I guess what I'm asking is should I just keep my OPS and save for a CMB green head, or perhaps try another engine. They all seem to be high-quality engines?

One more quick question, I've been looking at a CMB goldhead are these good?

Thanks for all help,

Kyle

 

[circus circus]

Someone recommended a Russian built engine at one point, anybody have knowledge on this, I've never seen anything like that?

 

[hugh hargett]

Thats BS OPS makes **** good engines. All you need is a good motor builder. Piccos,Macs,OPS,CMB all would be just fine in a scale. Hot nitro motors are the result of good engine builders. if you clear away all castings and lap in your rotor you should be fine with any of them. There are some mac.84's and a picco 67 for sale in the for sale section.

You dont have to do what everyone does. If you need that OPS worked pm me ill give you a source. SOME not all run the greenheads coz someone told them too they themselves dont really know the difference or whay they should run them. I remember a time ago when cmb's were considered junk when all the competitors Ran OPS . Then one day someone cleaned up a CMB and bam everything else sucks now . My opinion take a quater of what you were going to spend on a new motor and have your OPS worked. With engine builders its just like a car ; everyones an expert but only a few really know what the hell they are doing.

 

[SayMikey]

I think it will be fine just run it and see what happens. Ken Hildreth knows how to make them run......Keep and eye out for a good used green head they go for around 350

 

[hugh hargett]

"I think it will be fine just run it and see what happens"

thank you Mikey.

 

[Lennard Cuenco]

it's not the motor...it's the guy setting it up that determines how ANY motor runs...

ppl who bad mouth engines, either didn't have the time or inclination to make it run properly....

 

[Tim Strange]

I have only been involved in this hobby for three seasons so far, and ran 1/8 scale for the first time last season. My suggestion is to run that OPS, work on your racing skills, tuning skills and most importantly focus on Starting and Finishing your races! In the meantime, save your pennies for a NEW CMB. It will save you a lot of frustration of dealing with a motor that you can't get parts for. Plus buying a used motor (or anything used) is just a whole can of worms...you just don't know what you are getting regardless of the sellers intention.

BTW, There is a MAC 67 for sale in the "for sale" section if you want to go that route...

 

[hugh hargett]

SEE Kyle dont listen to everything you hear. Cmb's are **** good but not good enough to throw a ops in the trash. NO WAY. These guys run scales all day so when they tell you try your ops first its great advice.

Hugh

Ps Tim does bring up a good point about parts availability but if that OPS is done right and run with properly mixed fuel it will be just fine. Synthetic fuel is fine but top engine builders I knew recommended adding triple A castor on top of the synthetic. I dont remember their mix tho Oh and make sure you set your pipe length correct for it. What pipe you running?

 

[SayMikey]

SEE Kyle dont listen to everything you hear. Cmb's are **** good but not good enough to throw a ops in the trash. NO WAY. These guys run scales all day so when they tell you try your ops first its great advice.

Hugh

Ps Tim does bring up a good point about parts availability but if that OPS is done right and run with properly mixed fuel it will be just fine. Synthetic fuel is fine but top engine builders I knew recommended adding triple A castor on top of the synthetic. I dont remember their mix tho Oh and make sure you set your pipe length correct for it. What pipe you running?

2 oz of castor a gallon helps the guy with a itchy 3rd needle finger. It protects a lean run to some extent. Lean is not the fast way around the course,it is easy to do and causes more dnfs. Ask a guy who knows ME

 

[Buddy Benedict]

The one thing I noticed about the OPS67s that I had in one of my scales is that it ran very HOT. I drilled and tapped the water fittings out to use the Aeromarine 10-32 fittings and that solved my problem.

 

[Michael Costanzo]

hi, i have been running scale on and off for over 25 years and ran a ops 67 many years ago and set it up with a drum rotor and a good carb and it took second in div1 and 3rd at the nats(bad start) otherwise it was fast and dependable.have someone go thru the engine put good bearings in it,don't go crazy with timing #'s and run a macs 11cc pipe,start at 12" and 50% nitro and don't go needle happy and you will be suprised at how well it runs.good luck,mike.

 

[circus circus]

Thanks everyone, i'm going to install the OPS for now and see.

Sorry for all the questions, but when the guy at the hobby store (former RCUnlimited member) told me OPS engines are junk, I wasn't sure if he really meant it or if he just had a bad experience with them? I guess the club had a nickname for OPS engines, and it's not so nice.

Anyway I'm not here to bash RCunlimiteds, I know a lot of their members, and are stand-up guys.

 

[hugh hargett]

I bet the hobby store sells CMB <_<

 

[Duck899]

I bet the hobby store sells CMB <_<

I doubt it....have not seen one hobby shop yet who sold CMB. Probably Irvine or OS at best.....

 

[hugh hargett]

LOL

 

[circus circus]

Are Mac engines still being made? It shows them for sale on CMDI website.

 

[Joe Wiebelhaus]

No, MAC engines are not being manufactured anymore, Picco's same thing (67's) but there are allot of good used engines for sale time to time.

Your OPS 67 engine is just dated, and they are high maintenance, you need a RPM rod, bearings need to be checked all the time, proper carb, water cooling just to name a few, but they do run, and you can buy parts.

You may pay a little more up front for the CMB 67 Greenhead (dont uses any older type CMB's) but at least you have an engine that is current, if you dont run it too lean, and clean it out at the end of the day it will perform well, and will re-sell if you want to get out of rc boats.

Whatever you do, this hobby takes some knowledge and experience or you can just throw a pile of cash away in a hurry, find a local club, other "people" to help you get started.

 

[hugh hargett]

Hey here you go : http://www.intlwater...showtopic=50070 id still try my ops first but.....

 

[brandonclan]

No, MAC engines are not being manufactured anymore, Picco's same thing (67's) but there are allot of good used engines for sale time to time.

Your OPS 67 engine is just dated, and they are high maintenance, you need a RPM rod, bearings need to be checked all the time, proper carb, water cooling just to name a few, but they do run, and you can buy parts.

You may pay a little more up front for the CMB 67 Greenhead (dont use any older type CMB's) but at least you have an engine that is current, if you dont run it too lean, and clean it out at the end of the day it will perform well, and will re-sell if you want to get out of rc boats.

Whatever you do, this hobby takes some knowledge and experience or you can just throw a pile of cash away in a hurry, find a local club, other "people" to help you get started.

Alot of great knowledge in this post from Joe.

Read it, break it down, and learn from it.

 

[hugh hargett]

I guess that post is another type of cmb sorry .