Derek8819

My Feedback: (9)

Hey guys I am almost done with this bird and I am in a bind now. I was planning zdz 80 or DA100 for this bird, but I have the opportunity to purchase a NIB zenoah gt80 for 200$. I want this bird mainly for 3d. I am use to my da50 on a 16lb plane, but will this motor be enough to make me happy for hovering? I dont compete or anything, I just want the power to be safe. I know this is a reliable motor, and I know this is a light plane even with the heavy gt80. Also the mufflers are drilled for more power and the spring starter has been removed to save weight. What do you guys think? Worth it for the money. I have never even seen a gt 80 run, so I dont know what to expect.

Mike3579

My Feedback: (56)

First off for $200 even if you don't use it in this plane I would with out a doubt buy it! But for what you want to do with your plane I don't believe you will like this motor. I ZDZ 80 or da 100 would be perfect for your plane. I have the H9 extra (the newer one) with the da 100 and all I can say is WOW! With your plane being a little lighter than the extra it will blow your mind. My extra with the Da 100 makes me look like I've been hovering for years when in fact I just started!

3D ONdaEDGE

Heres the deal. The GT80 is a great reliable engine. I had mine on my H9 Sukhoi for 2 years. It could hover and pull out with some authority. Now I have put li-ions instead of Nimh, a carbon fiber gear, wing tube and tailwheel and removed the spring starter. It is a totally different animal. I dont know what the weight it right now but it is probably close to what the Edge already weighs. I had plenty of power. Now it is no 16 pound airplane with a DA 50. It does seem to pull out of a hover like a 18 pound plane on a 50. Im sure that if you have built it light already, then you should have no problem flying 3d or anything else with this plane. One suggestion though. Without the spring starter, you cannot hand start it. You cant swing it fast enough to fire. You have to use electric starters. What Im about to do is order a CH Ignition kit to convert it to electronic ignition. I cost about 120 buck plus the battery and you gain about 2 oz back, but you gain a hundered or 2 RPM and it makes it easy to start. That way you would have a 350 dollar engine that would be reliable, powerful (not like a DA100 or ZDZ 80, but Oh well), easy to start and you would save over 350 more bucks. Also alot of guys on here are saying that GT-80s dont have the power. Well several of these guys also live 3000 ft higher elevation that you probably do. So If I where you I would by the engine, covert it if you want to, and install it. If you dont like the way it flys the pull the engine off. Get the engine that you want and order the mount kit from chief aircraft and install the new engine. Good Luck.

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

Why is it $200? That's the real question.

crfabbro

My Feedback: (56)

I would buy the engine and then sell it . Aplpy the profits to what you
you really want. Resale will also be easier with the other two motors.chris

Derek8819

My Feedback: (9)

he really just wants to get rid of the motor, hes getting out of the hobby so thats not an issue. I do like the idea of a twin over the single cylinder and I also like the reliability of the zenoah. My da 50 has dead sticked NUMEROUS times for no reason and has been sent it and repaired more than once. But this is not the thread about DAs. I WOULD LOVE to put a DA 100 on the plane, but thats not really in my price range. The ZDZ is actually right at my price range, but I dont know how much power the motor would really offer in comparison with the zenoah. I plan to convert the zenoah to electronic ignition (more power) and drill out the crappy mufflers (more top end). I just have never seen one run and that worries me.

rmh

The Zenoah engines run well -but are quite heavy -you have to set em up to run in 7000+ rpm range .
Mike Mc used to put a tune up tip in the H9 instruction manual -regarding the mods and props to use.
I have done a slew of the H9 models -all of em-- and used DA100 and ZDZ80 on cans/pipes etc..
Frankly for the money, the ZDZ80 on a Supersonic muffler is a good working setup .
I am ordering yet another H9 today - this one for a tuned exhaust 80 .
We can't find any real difference in performance in the 100 DA powered models -vs a ZDZ80 on a tuned can.
Both work great .

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

The ZDZ is much more power than the Zenoah and mine is really very smooth. I have a Supersonic on the way... it should be like putting a supercharger on it compared to the POS Bisson I was running.

I looked up the market values of the zenoah motor on RCU... New In Box they sell for around $600 in 5-10 days. You would make a profit of $400. You were going to spend $350 on the motor total... take that $350 and put it with the $400 profit and you have $750. A new ZDZ-80RV will cost $805 WITH the NEW supersonic muffler from, all direct from RCS. So... you come out spending $55 more plus a few shipping costs. Personally I'd get the ZDZ.

If you want to wait a little while you can probably watch the RCU marketplace and find a NIB motor (only) for $100 cheaper than new... all said and done the ZDZ would be $45 cheaper than the Zenoah.

Finally, the Used Excellent motors are selling for $500. So, if you want to save the $55 (plus a few shipping charges) to try the Zenoah and are unhappy, it will be a $100 experiment. Maybe you can even sell it for a little more with the electronic ignition.

These are the facts... choose wisely young Skywalker.

luv2flyrc

My Feedback: (6)

Sillyness,

what's wrong with the Bisson muffler for the ZDZ80?

Mike

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

I got really crappy performance with it. It robs a ton of RPM. I talked to RCS and they recommend against using it. It has no radius or contour at the header section... there's simply a flat plate which "splashes" everyting coming out of the motor straight back into it, resulting in hotter running, fouling, lower power, etc... They said it robs 400-500 RPM... they also said that you need to get rid of any muffler which robs more than 200 RPM over open stack RPM. I got a supersonic on the way... it was redesigned 3 months ago and is supposed to keep most all of the open stack RPM. We'll see... it'll be nice to have a cooler running motor so I can lean it out.

Skyliner 300

buy the gt80 and sell it on ebay, then get a zdz 80 because this plane is ballistic with it. I have a H9 edge w/ zdz 80 and it is awesome!! If you sell that gt80 you might be able to pay for most of the zdz, it is worth ther trouble.

Derek8819

My Feedback: (9)

Is the supersonic an in cowl muffler? I will definetly do that. I also have a 24x10 melzik already how would this prop be on the zdz?

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

The supersonic is a Pitts Wraparound style.

The prop should be OK for Break-in... I've never used Mejliks so I'm not exactly sure how they load the motor. I know some people use Bamubla 24x10s without issue.

rmh

If you want best performance from the ZDZ80 -on this size plane --prop it to turn at least 6000 on the ground - preferrably 6500
A 26x12 MenzS on a tuned can will produce an honest 35 lbs of thrust - here -at 4350 ft.
Drop the pitch - the static thrust goes up -- drop the diameter the static thrust goes down.
The exhaust system makes more difference than any prop -seriously.
We just ran a series of test flights and bench runs using a std ZDZ80 and a highly modified one -looking for best rpm /thrust noise -etc..
Rpm was from 6300 to over 7000 --all on same prop MenzS 26x10-- all we changed were mufflers - All header/can types and pipes and tuned cans
Another ZDZ80 setup we did for a friend has an in cowl muffler -an older JPitts Style J&A as I recall and on a Mejzlic 26x10, he was only at 6100 rpm! That mufler really limited power - time for a lookee see.
For me, breakin is simply keeping heat down whilst flying - use lots of on off throttle and just don't load it .
I don't change props or fuel mix - just watch the temp control - gradually the engines do show more looseness and a very snappy flippity flip when propping - also compression feels tighter as it all beds in - but no changes are made to prop or fuel.

JBrannon

My Feedback: (3)

Dont waste your time and plane on a GT80. It will fly like a FAT overweight PIG.