Picco 45R: Impressions, Set-up.........

[David Bryant]

Was wondering what owners of current (2012) Picco 45R engines are doing for set-up? Are most running in complete stock form?

Any mods to head button for hi-nitro (50% in my case)?

Any mods to exhaust timing? Or intake (rotor) timing?

Is stock carburetor clean operating?

 

[gil sonsino]

David one of my friends is running this engine "stock form" in a Jae burning 35% nitro and what I can tell you is the boat is very fast turning with no problems a 1657.In the other hand I have one full mod(timing,carb) in the same boat burning 55% nitro and it is a beast!

Gill

 

[David Bryant]

this is good, thanks Gill

 

[David Bryant]

this is good, thanks Gill. I usually run 50%, without much modding

 

[gil sonsino]

Hi David unfortunetely I have bad news about the new Picco .45 ......during a heat race the rupture of the crankpin made a hole on the botton of the crankcase so we don't exactly know what'was the problem as the engine was running on 35% in normal conditions.I'm waiting for the parts to get a better idea and probably send them to the factory to get a technical feedback.Needless to say that the conrod also suffered damages ! I will post the pics to see if everyone else experienced something similar! In the oitherf hand my Black Head stills outrunning the new engines.

Cheers

Gill

 

[David Bryant]

during a heat race the rupture of the crankpin made a hole on the botton of the crankcase so we don't exactly know what'was the problem as the engine was running on 35% in normal conditions.I'm waiting for the parts to get a better idea and probably send them to the factory to get a technical feedback.Needless to say that the conrod also suffered damages ! I will post the pics to see if everyone else experienced something similar! In the oitherf hand my Black Head stills outrunning the new engines

whoa, that's not good! Hoping this is more of a random occurence. Was this your personal engine? Or someone else?
So the crankpin failed, broke loose from the crankshaft?

 

[gil sonsino]

David no its a friend's engine.Mine is the old Black Head that received new parts and runs strong.Called that guy and it seems the crankpin broke loose from the crankshaft and opened a hole on the botton of the crankcase.I'm worried once I faced the same problems with the last batch of .80 engines I received from O'Donnel years ago and there are more people intered in get these new 45's.As soon I have the parts will post pics as a warning to Picco owners also got in touch with Mike Hallan for replacement parts.Hope sincerely its a random issue.

Gill

 

[David Bryant]

In the past I had Steve O'Donnell prepare two brand new OPS .45 engines for me (no mods, just "blueprinting"). One thing he did was to open-up the bottom-end of the rod, just providing a few thousandth's of clearance to aid in not grabbing the crankpin under high temp conditions. He also milled a cross slot on the inside face of the rod bottom-end boss surface to provide additional lubrication transfer. I've never had a rod or crankpin break ever.

Maybe this is what needs to be done to these new P45R engines?

 

[gil sonsino]

Finally got my hands on this motor and nothing better than pictures..

Gill

 

[SayMikey]

The one thing you must check on a picco is rod side play. Joe Warren taught me that and ive never popped a rod. I did how ever ingest enough water to tweak one. Before I could figure it out it was too late

 

[Charles Perdue]

Is the crank burned black?

Charles

 

[David Bryant]

The one thing you must check on a picco is rod side play. Joe Warren taught me that and ive never popped a rod

you mean providing a small amount of "play", or clearance, between the rod lower-end inside diameter (ID) and the crank-pin outside diameter (OD)?

 

[SayMikey]

Nope rod side clearance,We use flex shafts and it pushes against the crank.If you dont have enough side clearance between the drum and crank it drags making friction causing heat and a failure.A squeeze effect

 

[ALLAN YUEN]

Nope rod side clearance,We use flex shafts and it pushes against the crank.If you dont have enough side clearance between the drum and crank it drags making friction causing heat and a failure.A squeeze effect

can see at picture crankshaft surface " rust" bad bearings but the nitro fuel is poor quilaty ( less 16% oil ) or may runs with a "too lean" mixture will shorten life and result in parts/engine failure.

 

[David Bryant]

Nope rod side clearance,We use flex shafts and it pushes against the crank.If you dont have enough side clearance between the drum and crank it drags making friction causing heat and a failure.A squeeze effect

I believe the stainless steel flywheel collets Mike Hallam supplies may address this issue?

 

[gil sonsino]

Guys this engine ran only 1 galoon of a good fuel brand ....Byron 40% Nitro 18%oil + 2% castor added .No the crank is not burned black just some little rust due to a poor after run maintenance Ball bearings are ok and rod play side was ok as the JAE was running with a square flexshaft and ferrule so no big stress against the crankpin.

Gill

 

[SayMikey]

Nope rod side clearance,We use flex shafts and it pushes against the crank.If you dont have enough side clearance between the drum and crank it drags making friction causing heat and a failure.A squeeze effect

I believe the stainless steel flywheel collets Mike Hallam supplies may address this issue?

Those address the flywheel slip[ issue. Rusty crank and good bearings really? Ive been told you need to run these motors plenty rich to make power. And at least a gallon of fuel before you get after it very hard.....IMHO. Right now the CMB rs,Vac Picco 45r, AA45 and the Nova Rossi give us more great choices than we have ever had. And ALL are great motors

 

[David Bryant]

Nope rod side clearance,We use flex shafts and it pushes against the crank.If you dont have enough side clearance between the drum and crank it drags making friction causing heat and a failure.A squeeze effect

you mean providing clearance between the outside surface (perimeter) of rod lower-end and the inner case wall surface?

Those address the flywheel slip issue

these prevent flywheel inner surface from potentially rubbing against case front bearing surface

Right now the CMB rs,Vac Picco 45r, AA45 and the Nova Rossi give us more great choices than we have ever had. And ALL are great motors

yeah, great 45 line-up. If only there were more of a selection in .67, .80, .90., 1.01 (well, at least .67's and .90's)

 

[John Knight]

Nope rod side clearance,We use flex shafts and it pushes against the crank.If you dont have enough side clearance between the drum and crank it drags making friction causing heat and a failure.A squeeze effect

I believe the stainless steel flywheel collets Mike Hallam supplies may address this issue?

The steel collets are a must but what Mike is saying is also needed. Under load the clearance for the rod between two surfaces gets squeezed. Easy way is to take about .002 - .003 off each side of the rod on the crankpin end to add more clearance. Can be done with a belt sander (very carefully) and then polish it out smooth. Measure it out with calipers first and then work on it to get your final settings.

The steel collets are longer than the stock brass ones and creates more distance from the flywheel to the rear of the case. When the brass ones gets worn over time they allow the flywheel to hit the case, grind up the brass collet and gets metal debris into the small bearing. This ends up pinching up the crank against the rod and rotor and then real bad stuff happens.

Do both mods and maintain the engine well and it will last.