JPMacG

My Feedback: (2)

I expect OS's problem is that they are trying to compete against manufacturers in China and Taiwan where labor is dirt cheap and environmental concerns are less burdensome than in Japan. If we U.S. modelers were willing to pay more for our 2-strokes then perhaps OS could employ better manufacturing processes. Enya for example builds excellent engines but seems to have given up on the US market. If you want an Enya you can import one from a European retailer and pay $250 for a .50 size 2-stroke.

Cyberwolf

My Feedback: (4)

If I was going to pay 250.00 dollars for a 50 sized 2 stroke it wouldn't be a enya,although there a very good engine I think I would lean towards a jett for that sort of money.

donkey doctor

Hello; I have seen 4 or 5 OS engines with peeled liners, though none of them were mine, I'm the guy at our field , who sees any and all engine problems. Perhaps there are people who can afford to just throw an engine away if there's a problem with it, but I can't allow it to go into the garbage until I find out what caused the failure. I'm amazed that OS continue to treat this problem as something that never happens to an OS engine, and insist that it's owner abuse.

Since this liner peeling thing has been happening, only one person has bought an OS two stroke, at our field, and of course, every time it's down on power or anything at all, everybody says, the liners peeling, might as well throw it away. Since the peeling liners came out nobody here is buying OS two strokes any more, this has been the greatest thing for Saito, and GMS.The only OS' I see any more are the FP and the LA series.

I f OS continue to ignore this problem, and treat it as someones imagination, they will lose market share. They certainly have done here. Regardless of OS' reputation and history, no manufacture can survive by produceing inferior products for relatively high prices.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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I just saw where an Australian hobbyshop is selling the Enya .50CX for $134 plus change in USD. Dang if I can remember their name at the moment. Modelflight?

OS is already fetching a higher than normal price in the US. They have the resources to straighten out this problem. My OS.32F peeled its liner in 1991-2, so this isn't a new problem at all. Their cost cutting/new technology is having problems. Lots of folks are claiming not to be having problems at all with the latest generation of engines. Now, if the importers would just take care of the customers with the lesser number of problems hassle-free, we could all go back to buying OS engines without a worry.

I love Enya, ST, OS, Rossi, Webra, Irvine, Sanye, some GMS factory made off brands and YS engines. In fact, I can't think of any engines I do not like, right off the top of my head. But I really do insist that the importers take care of me if I do have a problem with their products.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

How bout the piston comming apart? This engine was run very few times. It looks like it cooked bad looking at this piston. I don't know why it would have gotten so hot, but when I took it apart, it was missing the head gasket. I haven't decided what I want to do with it, fix it or scrap it. I have to say, its the 4th OS I have lost in the last 3 years out of the box. I have been running OS for almost 30 years and hate to just dump them, but I can't say as I would buy another one either. It really sux. They used to be bullet proof, and now are junk. Hate to see that happen.

JettPilot

My Feedback: (6)

Flyboy,

I had exactly the same attitude you do. I had run O.S. for years, and loved the easy starting and how well they run. Even though I was poor, I never had a problem working some overtime and paying 50 bucks more for an O.S. I was about as pro O.S. as one could get.

But after having 4 of them peel their liners, and reading in RC Magazine engine clinic about the cheap nickel plating O.S. uses, I had to face reality. The fact is, OS used to be the best by far, expensive but worth it. Now they are expensive and they self destruct very quckly. The world changes, and we must learn and adapt. NEVER ANOTHER OS [:'(]

I now have an Evolution .46 NT that is AWESOME. Easy to start, Runs GREAT like an OS, good power, reliable, can throttle it up and down all day without a hickup, and has a true chrome liner that will not peel

JettPilot

Flyboy Dave

My Feedback: (21)

I was a die-hard OS Fan as well. All my OS engines are ringed except one,
a .61 RF with the nickel liner, and it failed totally in a year and a half. The
engine had never been run lean, and had also always been run with plenty
of castor in a blended fuel. I was shocked when it blew the liner. Replacement
price was around $115.00....[X(]

Although I recently aquired a Club Racer Q-500 plane with a nice little .40FX
in it, I would never buy a new OS outright with a nickel liner. All my other
"ringless" ABC types are true chrome types....the GMS, Tower, Rossi, ect.
The Magnum chrome liners are bullet proof as well. As an OS fan since the '70's
it a shame to see the OS engines being put to shame for quality by the new
Chinese offerings, especially when the reason for buying OS engines in the
first place....and paying top dollar....

....was for the quality. Sadly, no more. []

FBD.

aviapilot

If you over rev and overheated the engine, the nickle would peel. Chrome plating can withstand higher heat and not so easy to peel.
Choose a true ABC engine rather than ABN.

MyWay

Os Ax engines are the engine of choice for most of the members of our local club. Not one engine has ever had a problem of any kind. They are very dependable and are used both on trainers and race planes. As far as I can see the known plating problem on older OS engines is history.

DarZeelon

Ron,


For those who don't learn from their history, [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4789257/anchors_4789257/mpage_1/key_46AX/anchor/tm.htm#4789257]it tends to repeat itself[/link]...

downunder

Yep, Modelflight and I was in there only a couple of hours ago. They're the Aussie importer for Enya.
http://www.modelflight.com.au/enya-e...io_control.htm

skypupmut

I own 142 engines. 23 of them OS all in running order from -099 pet to 1.08
never had one of mine peel
I fix engines for the guys
and have 3 in parts bin that pealed, 1 FX 46, 1 SF 46 and a FP 60 I have seen a few more at the field
never saw a pealed liner in other makes of model engines

FlynBuzz

I'm coming in a little late here, but let's call a spade a spade.

We have established a 50% peel rate yes, but so far few people have reported a failure. In fact most of the people have said they noticed no difference in their engine performance; would never have even looked if the question had not come up. What this tells me, is that OS engines are so good, they run true even when the Ni does peel. And that only happens 1/2 the time.

In terms of whether or not it's a problem... You're darn right it is!! But, it's what manufacturing lines call LTP, Less Than Perfect. They don't want the Ni peeling on their engines anymore than their customers do, but it still meets critical spec, and doesn't seem to have a large bearing on the performance of the engine so they let it go. When their plating engineer determines that of all the problems he has to fix today, that's the biggest one, he'll do something about it. Until then, they're just going to have to run LTP.

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

IMO I think the people who haven't noticed a drop in performance just haven't run the engine that long YET...
My .46FX is peeling and the change is noticable...it doesn't have quite the power it had at first (only has a couple gallons thru it ) and the transition is not as crisp.

Give the guys who are still running a currently peeling engine a little more time and see if they notice a change in performance.

Once the plating starts to flake off, usually just above the exh. port, it continues to do so...and as it continues upward, compression will be more adversly effected...then you know what happens after that.

My .46 has good pinch, but I can see scoring on the piston, and hear hissing as compression leaks past the grooves that are gradually getting worn deeper in the piston.

It kind of goes against my grain to continue to run it, but...I consider it an experiment...a sacrificial lamb? Besides, I don't feel like spending however much it cost now for a new P/L set.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

I take it that your engine is out of the warranty period?

buzzingb

My Feedback: (2)

Most people don't run their glow engines that much so it takes a while for the peeling to occur. I talk with many people who only use a couple gallons a year. Personally I run almost a gallon every week and I expect my engines to run a long time. My first OS 46FX lasted for 30 gallons before letting go. I was expecting much more to be honest.

daven

My Feedback: (1)

OS break in.

Nothing special really, I do the first several tanks with a prop 1" smaller in diameter than I intend to use and let it spin. I bring it up just shy of peak as quickly as possible, and then back it off about 1000 rpm. I pinch the line about every 10 seconds until the tank is dry. About 5-6 oz tanks on the ground and then I fly it about 600 rpm rich for the next 10 flights. At that point, I remove the head shim (OS .46 AX), its .008 thick and not needed and run another 5 tanks through it.

At that point, its ready to put on one of my race props, either a 9.5"x8N or a 10x7 and race. With these props I run about 400 rpm off peak. I've come in 1st or 2nd the past 6 years in our local club racing class, so I'm doing something right.

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

That's interesting Dave. Have you tried any other 46 engines, apart from OS?

Stoneweapon

I discussed the problem with other modelers and our opinion is, that the brass material of the sleeve corrodes and the accumulated oxide cuts the coating off.
Very often the peeling starts on scratches at the surface and then expands rapidly.

The non peeling Thunder Tigers may use a different brass material.

Under this perspective it may not be the coating but the brass alloying that causes the peeling.

What I do not understand is the fact, that skilled japanese engineers are not able to fix this problem.

bla bla

I've posted I link to this discussion in the OS engine forum.
Hopfully we can hear the official response.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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You just about cannot over rev a normal glow two-stroke while using a prop that will successfully fly a model airplane that is sized properly for the engine.

Overheating, yes. That will ruin an engine extremely fast.

Some of the newer engines that are ported to run much slower with larger prop loads than what we call normal might not run well and could lean out and overheat, according to the engine man at SK Engines in the USA. I have never experienced it, personally, but if Ray says so, I have to keep it within the realm of possibility.

Cyberwolf

My Feedback: (4)

Bax has already read this thread and stated in it, if anyone has a peeling problem with any OS engine to let them know about ASAP.It does not sound to me like there trying to hide it or get out of any warranty claims .

SamD

Hmm. I wonder how he'll respond when I send a box of peeled cylinders to him. Sure would love to get some of my old OS engines back to running condition.

daven

My Feedback: (1)

Rajul,

I've run Webras, Supertigres, Jetts, norvells, Cox, and Nelsons.

Don't think I've ever had a lemon except an OS 1.60 that I never did get to run right without going lean.

Cyberwolf

My Feedback: (4)

Since I am not Bax I can't answer that question ,my guess would be to send them in and see how its handled ,then report back here and let us know .