Whose engine has the most hours on it?

Enya 35 on a Falcon 56 built in 1982.

427 Flights, 74 hrs & 27 min run time. This was my second model and is still going. I have been flying for 21 years and have never wore out an engine. "Jim Stricklin" snipped-for-privacy@bright.net

I'm surprised nobody's bragged about their trusty ol' gas burner. Supposedly, they last forever in model airplane use (although I could be wrong).

I think they do last forever but they are a relatively new comer... That and I don't think many of them get the kind of flight time some .40's do... Just a guess.

Bill Vail

Hi,

I do so much swapping and selling that I have only two engines that have been with me for years and years. One is a very old OS .15 and the other is a OS FS .91. The OS .15 has about 100 hours - always on the nose of a Gentle Lady glider. The only thing I have ever done to the O.S. .15 is change the glow-plug a couple of times.

The O.S. FS.91is one of the first Surpass editions sold here. For years, I was lucky enough to be able to fly all day on Sat. & Sun. and one afternoon during the week. I always kept the FS .91mounted in some sort of "utility" aircraft that I was not too concerned about and would fly in high winds and even in light rain. It is always nice to have something to fly while you are building a new model or the weather is far from optimum.

I looked in my yearly flying journals and it appears that the total time on the engine must be in the neighborhood of 900 hours. I found a number of journal entries concerning maintenance on the engine and here is the break down (excuse the pun) for the engine.

Valve adjustments: Check or adjust every 20 flights (I use big tanks and 50 Mhz - fly 20 minutes per flight) De-carbon valve, head, piston, ring: 5 times (very little carbon except for around exhaust valve) Re-seat valves using tooth powder: 5 times Replace Ring and clean piston groove: 1 time Replace valve springs: 2 times* Replace rockers: 2 times* Replace valve push-rods: 2 times* Replace gaskets on push-rod tubes: 6 times Replace complete screw set: 1 time Replace head screws: 5 times (each time I remove the head for cleaning off carbon) Replace head after crash broke casting at the exhaust manifold (* replaced valve assy. parts with new head): 1 time Replaced thrust washer: 2 times Replace front and rear Bearing set: 1 time (No rust or pitting - just worn out) Replace Needle valve assembly: 1 time (Except for extreme WX temperature change - engine is "set-and don't fool with it" Replace Carb throttle arm: 1 time (a real chore - it is peened in place) Replace glow-plug: (guess) 5 or 6 times (used OS "F" as soon as available) Replaced Muffler: 1 time (my fault - didn't tighten it enough after cleaning and lost it in the air)

4-Cycle Fuel used during engine life: Byron 15% Nitro, Omega 15% Nitro, Cool-power 15% Nitro, and a couple of tanks of 30% Nito "Heli" fuel just to see the difference. Made for lower idle, but not to much gain at the high end. ALWAYS used a post-flying engine flush with a "after-run" oil made from 50% Marvel Mystery Oil and 50% Automatic Transmission Fluid. This is probably why there was no rust or pitting on the original bearings. Always used in-line fuel filter and filter on fuel jug line. Prop: 14-6 (started using APC as soon as they were available. "Ouch, Let go of my billfold!)

Looking now at the list, I see that there was probably more time and expense with the 4-cycle than would have been required with a 2-cycle. But, I do like the sound and the pull of the 4-cycle. This engine is currently on a Ultra-Stick 60 set-up with the crow function. The aircraft has the rudder and elevator servo mounted in the tail and the linear throttle servo mounted forward in the fuel tank bay. A 1.5oz header tank is right behind the firewall. The main fuel tank and 3000mah (7 servos) 4.8V NiMh battery is under the "CG". This old FS .91 provides vertical performance that is only limited by my eyeballs.

J

I'm not sure how many hours I have on it. But, my oldest and most used engine is an Enya SS40BB. I put it on my Kadet Senior back in '94. It has beeen regularly run ever since. The bearings are still the original ones, and I don't see how the bore will ever wear out. It seems to just get stronger with each run.

Jim - AMA 501383

Charlie Funk wrote: > How long have you been using your engine that has the greatest number > of flights on it? If possible, try to guesstimate the total number > of flights (for all the planes it may have been used on) and your > best guesstimate of how many total running hours the engine has on > it. And finally, please identify the engine manufacturer and the > model number and size. >

I have an OS .15 on the nose of a Gentle Lady too! Built a new fuse from

5/32" balsa, put a 4oz tank and l/g on it for my 4 year old to start flying. That motor isn;t going to win this challenge but it has a LOT of hours on it and still idles great and runs fine. I remember pulling the throttle all the way back to kill it and thermalling for 15-20 minutes. When I finally set up to land, as it floated by I noticed the motor was still idling at dead slow. Not bad for a small motor.

Mike D

I have an OK Cub .049 that I bought in 1955. I could not begin to guess how many hours I ran it when I was a teen. I retired it many years ago but just for grins cranked it up last Sunday. It still runs just like it always did-not very well-but it still runs. DDeadly

Most reliable?

I have been flying an Enya .53 four stroke in my Wild Thing 40 steadily since October of 1992 -- It was a retirement gift from a neighbor -- It now has 342 flights logged and is still going strong. A rough 'guesstimate' of time would be @ 10 mins/flight (some longer; some shorter) which would equal 57 hours.The model has survived many Fun Fly events, two mid-airs, and several gear removal 'arrivals'. I checked and adjusted the valves after the first hour or so, and checked them twice since then with no further adjustment. I can't recall the last time I touched the needle valve or changed the Enya plug, but I know for a fact that after every flying session it gets a good dose of Marvel Air Tool Oil through the breather.

I kept a flight log from 1990 to 2000. Had a SIG Kavalier with an OS FSR 45 in it (built and flown since 1986 with that engine). It logged 63 hours 55 minutes from 1990 to 1998 when it met it`s demise. I know I did a lot of flying before I started to record time also. The 45 still ran very good, but I would say it did not have all the power it had when new. rick markel

I once had an OS FP .25 with well over 1500 short flights on it. I estimated it had at least 100 hours on it.

Bob

Did you want to know about newer engines?

Since I'm a newbie and only been flying glow since last May, I'll have to say my Magnum .52 4-stroke has the most flights on it. It dragged around an LT-40 until this June when I moved to a SPA3D. I live close to the field and fly the 4-stroke a lot, with most flights around 15 to 20 minutes. It's easy on the fuel, so I've only used about 6 gallons. (no idea of the number of flights).

I like the SPA3D better then the QHOR with it's TT.46-Pro, so the .52 will get the most use until I move the TT to a hotter plane. The TT only has a couple gallons through it, but the extra zip of the 2-S is nice!

After break-in, both engines work very well. (Easy for a newbie to start and use). My new GMS .32 is on back-order (going on a small SPAD).

I'll have to report back here in another 20 gallons or so ;)

Rich

Fox .35 stunt (CL) I bought it in 1965, learned to fly with it. over 800

5 m> How long have you been using your engine that has the greatest number of

I'm not going to tell you anything about engines, Roger, other than to say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Ed Cregger

Lucky you added the LE sheeting... the stock central spar structure is a joke and we've stressed it a little too much on a few occasions! Lucky no terminal failures yet. Or is yours a different edition of the wing I don't know about?

I have in mind to build another but use a (real) Clark Y wing profile but all the same planforms. And sheeted LE of course..

MD