Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater  (Read 6622 times)

BJ

  • Guest
Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« on: September 28, 2009, 07:47:31 pm »

Looking around for a replacement "run-of the mill" IC engine it seems to me that the marine engine market place is some what empty in the UK.
Yes, most places offer the SC (Super Custom - or call it what you will) engine but after that there appears to be very few choices available for the average club member.
Just Engines now only offer the ASP range and no longer offer the Leo series of engines. The Sussex Model Centre is offering a Thunder Tiger 46 Pro Marine and there seems to be nothing else after that but for CMB's, OPS's and those PIP A -****'s from Paul Firmin at Nimrif. These latter engines are more for the racing side of our hobby. There also now only seems to be one outboard and that again is a Thunder Tiger whereas there used to be three different makers available in the UK.

May be it is different in your area of the country.......
Logged

omra85

  • Guest
Re: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2009, 08:30:16 pm »

You're right BJ, all production seems to have gone into car and heli engines.
If you can get someone who can knock up a water-cooling head and a brass flywheel for you, then any aero engine can be converted (most makes only start above 6.5cc though).
Car engines of 1.5 to 4.5cc without pullstarts can be converted but need a precise flywheel if they have the "gearbox" type crank.
I think Irvine still do a 46 marine but don't know who you could get one from (Just Engines??)
The Thunder Tiger looks a fair deal.
Otherwise its a trawl through the heaps of rubbish on Fleabay.
Danny
Logged

omra85

  • Guest
Re: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2009, 09:45:27 pm »

Thought I'd seen an Irvine somewhere (it's a whole boat though but good price)
http://www.omra-uk.org/salesandwants.html
Danny
Logged

andyn

  • Guest
Re: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2009, 11:55:49 pm »

There's nothing at all wrong with the PIP engines. I'm more than fed up with people putting them down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8DHl-hGaaU

SC's are good, though fall apart when you get them in a race.
Logged

BJ

  • Guest
Re: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2009, 08:19:54 am »

a water-cooling head and a brass flywheel for you, then any aero engine can be converted (most makes only start above 6.5cc though).

I think Irvine still do a 46 marine but don't know who you could get one from (Just Engines??)
The Thunder Tiger looks a fair deal.

Leo marine heads used to fit Thunder Tigers and the new 46 Pro Marine is bare shaft as if for a gearbox.
Just Engines only list ASP under their MARINE range
Yes, it is "buy a lathe" time!
Logged

andyn

  • Guest
Re: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2009, 10:46:52 am »

The new Pro 46 is unthreaded for a clutch, not a gearbox, and Thunder Tigers clutch is a pile of ****
Logged

omra85

  • Guest
Re: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2009, 10:33:00 pm »

There's nothing at all wrong with the PIP engines. I'm more than fed up with people putting them down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8DHl-hGaaU

SC's are good, though fall apart when you get them in a race.

Andy - before you go off on one, think - even if these engines are the best in the world, where can I buy them! What's the service like?
Can I get spares (BETWEEN Championship events, not 3 weeks later)?
That's what you have to think about if you go racing seriously. They will never get taken seriously until there is a reliable source of both engines and parts.
Dave Marles used to sell Moki engines, but stopped for some reason.  The result - nobody ran them, as replacements and spares became unreliable (nothing wrong with the engines though and brilliant carbs).
So don't bang on about PIP engines - unless you're going to become the UK distributor!

Cheers
Danny
Logged

omra85

  • Guest
Re: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2009, 10:41:35 pm »

Yes, it is "buy a lathe" time!

Ah, well, if you're buying a lathe then the Picco 3 port 21 car engine at £80 will give you almost the same output and is lighter than a ST!
And it can be attacked with a Dremel (nudge, nudge, know what I mean  ok2 )

If it's going to be a 'one off' (as they NEVER are...) you could get the various bits from Andy Payne (link on OMRA site, sales and wants page) but that MIGHT work out expensive as they are almost 'custom parts'. Just a thought.

Cheers
Danny
Logged

BJ

  • Guest
Re: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2009, 07:36:28 pm »

Just picked this up on a US forum which belongs to a now defunct marine magazine that Picco are returning to the market. See http://www.teampicco.com/productsmarine.html
Logged

andyn

  • Guest
Re: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2009, 02:12:39 pm »

Picco have always been on the market. They list hardly any of their engines on the site but the make numerous .21's, a couple of .45's, a .67, an .80 and two .90's.
Logged

ids987

  • Guest
Re: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« Reply #10 on: October 06, 2009, 05:07:43 pm »

Picco have always been on the market. They list hardly any of their engines on the site but the make numerous .21's, a couple of .45's, a .67, an .80 and two .90's.

Picco currently make one .21 marine model, and they re-started production of the .45 engine this year - although I don't think anyone is currently distributing the .45 in the UK. The .67s and .80s have been completely out of production for several years. There have been a few .90 models, and there is talk of a new .90 model - to be made in very small numbers - to order, and at astronomical prices (I'm talking substantially more money than a CMB 91RS). For several years, they made nothing (marine wise) except the .21 engines, and the odd 90. Like some others, their core business is car engines, and they generally don't consider it worth diverting their resources to make marine engines. I think the return of the .45 engine this year was largely due to interested parties getting enough orders to make it worth their while. What will happen when the orders slow down ?
Logged

ids987

  • Guest
Re: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« Reply #11 on: October 06, 2009, 05:20:45 pm »

Hi BJ,

Is it a .46 size engine you're looking for ?
Just a thought. In the same advert that Danny linked to, Bernard also mentions that he makes W/C heads for the Irvine .46 aero engines.
I imagine you may have a flywheel and collet which would fit.
Otherwise, I would guess that the same items from a SC / ASP / Thunder Tiger .46 would work.
Logged

ids987

  • Guest
Re: Nitro Engines for the average Club boater
« Reply #12 on: October 06, 2009, 06:51:41 pm »

Sorry, getting confused. The head advert is with the Sea Spirit (no engine) ad. The boat with the Irvine 46 was the Avalanche. I think I saw the Avalanche on eBay though.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.127 seconds with 19 queries.