Intrested in engine life

[Scooby1doo1]

Just wounded what the typical life span of an align 50 engine, and what's likely to be needed for the rebuild, or is it best just to get a new engine.
When I first started out in nitro trucks many moons ago, I never had to replace nothing engine wise. Is this still the same as regards helis, my nitro engine was a .28 in a 1/8 scale stadium truck. Used to run 5-6 tanks through it every weekend, for a good yr before I move onto 1/5 scale proper petrol engine 29cc.

I have red on here about bearings, pistons and sleeves need doing. My thought was bigger engines should last longer before any major items need to be replaced.

[sacko]

Bearings seem to go every 5 or so gallons in my experience.

...but I have never replaced a piston/sleeve.

[steve_b]

I'm running 1 Redline 53 and 2 OS91's and so far I've only changed bearings on them, which I seem to be doing every 4 months or so in each engine. In that time I would expect to be putting around 150 - 200 flights on each engine so I don't think it's too bad, and only takes an hour or two to sort. I also use the bearing change as a reason for more thorough service of the heli so it servers a dual purpose.

You only need to change other parts if you have a failure, i.e. run it too lean and burn a hole in the piston, or have a failure that scores the liner.

[Scooby1doo1]

Seems good enough then, going fast lads some time this week. Need to buy some tools, so might as well buy some spares while I'm there. Already got 2 web orders coming today some time, and dint want to place another.

[steve_b]

I wouldn't buy the bearings from FL as you can get a full set of bearings inc P&P for the price or an OS rear bearing.

I use rc-bearings.com in the US for my engine bearings as they're cheap and the bearings arrive in a week or two, there is also simplybearings.co.uk, they do the metal not plastic cage bearings, but deliver in a day or so but are a bit more expensive, but still much cheaper than buying OS / Align original bearings.

[Scooby1doo1]

Must be a big difference in price then, there not cheapo nasty bearings that need replacing ever other flight are they. If not sounds like a bargin to be had, i will check erm out and order just for my needed spares box.

[zoombolt]

I've had my OS 50 engine in my T600 for two years now. The stock bearings did need changing after about 20-30 flights. I bought & still buy all my engine bearings from RC-bearings.com.
They're cheaper, but not cheap tat. Make sure you go for the stainless steel replacements to. The bearings I put in to replace the stock ones still seem to be going strong. That's after probably a year & half of use.

I've not had to replace anything else on the engine at all.

[steve_b]

Must be a big difference in price then, there not cheapo nasty bearings that need replacing ever other flight are they. If not sounds like a bargin to be had, i will check erm out and order just for my needed spares box.

They're not cheapo nasty bearings and seem to last at least as long as the OS bearings. I've gone for the Stainless bearings as well, they're a bit more expensive than the steel bearings but do seem to be in slightly better condition when I change them than the steel ones.

[debrooker]

i believe the bearings form rc-bearings.com are ABEC3 rated. I too have gone for a couple of sets of the stainless steel.

[zoombolt]

i believe the bearings form rc-bearings.com are ABEC3 rated. I too have gone for a couple of sets of the stainless steel.

Should I be happy or sad????

[steve_b]

Should I be happy or sad????

Happy as it means the bearing is made to finer tolerances than the standard ABEC1 bearings, so should last longer and run smoother.

You could go higher up the ABEC scale but the cost becomes a big factor and for our application doesn't warrant the additional expense.

[heliharry]

i have only changed the bearings after my engined leaned out i use opti after run oil my dad takes the back plate off and puts it in if we dont use the heli for a week or so

[trillian]

Since I have several helis and don't get to fly all of them every week I don't have one single engine that is getting run hard all the time. At the moment
I have three helis with OS50 Hypers (one is Align branded the other two are OS) and it seems they end up needing rear bearings somewhere
between 6 months and a year (running on Rapicon 15%). Two have been replaced with stainless steel bearings and both of those are still
going strong with a few months on them as yet. But I have other OS engines that are many years old and just keep going and going.

[Scooby1doo1]

Some good info here thanks very much to all, just got back from the field plus half hr cleaning it.

I bought a spare glow plug with some fuel, got os7. Just tuck the one out of the engine and it's os8, do I need to buy another 8 or will the 7 be fine.

[nightstalker]

My hyper in my gf trex 600 is 5 years old and has its bearings changed once a year when servicing it and its still going strong and runs like a dream