jhigga15

I just got a Fantom Engine.12 It is still in the package and I do not know how they are (I trust the hobby shop guy), are they good engines?
Thanks

jhigga15

Since no one has tried one...I will tell every one how it was and update them...The Engine was around 150.00 at the hobby shop. I am still trying to get in my car...but work gets in the way

Team-RTR

for what you pay the fantom is an excellent engine. a decent amount of power and highly reliable.

jhigga15

I payed 150.00
I broke in the engine this weekend and it was great...I still need to tune it, and get may car set-up.

T-BirdJunkie

iTrader: (10)

which .12 did you get? the 03 or 05?

squarehead

iTrader: (75)

Is there any other feedback out there on these engines? They look great, have a nice price, the carbs look really trick, and they are a US company, so parts availability shouldn't be an issue. Why are these not more popular?

Solara

iTrader: (17)

It is a good beginner engine....for serious racing, they are not up to par. Far from it.....

squarehead

iTrader: (75)

I'm honestly not being a smartass, but I'd like to know what quantifies that statement? Low on power compared to what? Compared to $350 modifieds or factory turbo 5-ports? Well, that is to be expected.

It seems to be a matter of opinion without anything to back up the comment. I know that many things in these forums wind up being opinions and nothing else, but those who have purchased these engines have good things to say about them. Advertised output numbers show as much power as many other .12s out there, so I just wonder how they can be so far behind?

I'm not trying to be a wanker, it just seemed like a vague comment without any supporting facts in it.

Fsturbo15

He is right, its a good begginer engine like the OS TZR but compared to Nova engines for racing, its nothing much.


And NO, you dont need a $350 modified to kill it, a $300 Novarossi Mugen X-12 or Novarossi LL would be faster as well. A lot faster.

The $250 dollar RB V12's and Novs NSR's are probably gonna be faster as well.


As stated above, its a good begginer engine and "bang for the buck" engine but not on par with race engines.

T-BirdJunkie

iTrader: (10)

that's hilarious, considering i've been racing competitively with a .12CV-R in my GT for a couple years now. I'm not a beginner, either
I'm now runnin a 12TR in my XXXNT, fear me

caggers

Fsturbo15 the OS TZ is not a begginer engine. Powerwise it is on par with the top italian mills. Do you seriously think that an engine cranking out 1.5bhp is for a begginer? I wouldn't even consider the CV-R a begginer engine.

M7H

Advertising output numbers are there for you to buy the engine.....
Did you ever found any of these numbers for a R&B engine?.......

I've seen Horsepower figures of engines way higher then NR based engines, but they are NOT driven in the championships....
Why?, because the given numbers are not correct, but just a trick so that you will buy it........

squarehead

iTrader: (75)

I'm not naive, they all use marketing hype in calculating HP figures. They all wind up being somewhere between 1.3 and 1.7 hp, so why would a claim by Fantom of 1.4hp be any different than RB claiming 1.5hp out of a motor? How really down on power can it be? What I am saying is, it is a completely unquantified statement to make that it is down on power unless either A) you have used many different engines in the same car, including the Fantom FR12, or B) you have access to a NitroDyne engine dyno.

Honestly, all you ever hear is hyperbole when it comes to opinions about how fast something is. I just wanted to know how someone can quantify how fast or strong a motor is if they have never used it?

I have gone to watch local nitro TC races recently, and it seems like with half the horsepower some of these motors put out, most guys would be better off because they can't keep off the boards, can't keep the cars from flaming out, and can't finish a race without breaking things. Lots of driver's would benefit from an engine that was easy to tune, ran consistently, was cheap to buy and replace parts in and was relatively strong, and didn't overpower the car so much.

Ok, let me re-phrase my original question... to anyone who has used one of these motors, how did it compare to other motors you have used in similar circumstances? How easy was it to break in and tune? Did it last and run consistently?

I don't care about HP, I want to know if the motor is reliable and competent.

Fsturbo15

To me, the OS TZR is nothing special, it was a good begginer engine........



Going to a X-12, or somthing like a Nova LL, Novamax Modified, the OS seems like an OKAY engine.

If your a begginer and want a good engine, get the OS.

If your serious aboiut racing, get the NovaMax, Mugen, LL.





I have a buddy who puts all these egnines on a dyno and I can confirm the correct HP ratings for each of these motors.


IMO, the OS is kind of like the MR-12, a good engine but nothing like the higher end models.

Fsturbo15

I can confirm all my statments, my friend puts all these engines on a dyno on a weekly basis and has had most of them (OS TZR, X-12, Novamax, Nova LL, NSR, RB V12)

How easy was it to break in? All high end engines have a tight pinch, thats probably the only thing you need to worry about.

How did it compare? Well the OS was an okay engine like I said before, probably for someone just starting 200mm, the LL and Mugen were a lot better, long stroke turbo engine, and the modified engines like the Novamax blew them all away.

Tunning is not hard at all if you know what your doing, that applies for all of those engines.

All the engines last 8 gallons on Byrons fuel.