mercfocus

iTrader: (3)

OFNA's engines just seem so damn crappy.

I love their cars: have 4 and soon, a couple more.

But their engines are complete crap. Getting back into this January, I've now had a chance to experience quite a few different engines. Most of them the OFNA Force and my latest issue, a Hyper 21 8 port.

I've been trying to solve an idle issue and tuning problems that just never seem to get any better.

I have yet to see any OFNA engine last past 2 gallons.

Now I do have a Nova Rossi Beat 5 and a Reedy 121 VR-ST and both of those seem to be getting better all the time, but the OFNAs just seem to be complete garbage.

Anybody have any better opinions than this? Any opinions?

As many opinions/input as possible is much appreciated.

I've spent way too much money on these things to not at least get some kind of learning lesson out of it.

Chris Reilly

I say just say no to ofna engines. Stay with the Nova Rossi stuff and enjoy them.

underway

iTrader: (56)

What ofna engine. There were folks that I trust that raved about the Force JL .21, not sure what u got going on but I think the thread needs more detail to help u "diagnose" the issue. Idling issues can be something as simple as fuel or an airleak on a carb.

mercfocus

iTrader: (3)

If this was Facebook, I would totally click "Like" on this.

After hassling with my Hyper 21 all afternoon today, at least I have my Nova Rossi ready for tomorrow.

I had a sticky front brake to fix and some squeaky steering that are all fixed up now.

mercfocus

iTrader: (3)

Well let's see here.

Where do I start?

Every OFNA engine I've tried to do anything with has been problems after problems and hassles and more hassles and still more problems.

I come on here, call people, talk to other people, ask questions, get certain answers to try this or that and it still just always gets worse.

I had 2 XTMs that didn't give me a tenth of the problems the OFNA engines have.

I fix this and I fix that. Buy this, buy that: new O-rings, needles, rods, other carb parts, and more parts. Seal this, seal that. AND still never ending problems, problems, problems.

I've learned how to test tanks, take apart and rebuild, and especially tuning. Still more problems but only with the OFNA engines: wasted fuel and wasted time.

I'd have to say the only thing I've really gotten from OFNA engines is lots of practice. I suppose that's something.

Tug Driver

My .28 is still running like a champ. It's probably 5 years old so maybe it came from a different batch.

Roelof

The Force engines are world wide used by many brands, even by HPI (F-series). They are good engines but for sure not the quality and performance of the Italian made engines.

The only thing Force engines do not like is a bad usage, to lean and it is over quickly.

mercfocus

iTrader: (3)

My 28 blew up again. The wrist pin was not getting any oil and broke along with some pieces of the piston.

Now my Hyper 21 is running like crap.

It's got plenty of compression. It is really tight.

I'm getting sick and tired wasting my fuel and my time on these worthless pieces of sh*t. I might throw em all in the trash.

I don't get how anybody can say their Force engines are so great. I've done everything right according to instructions and what I've read on here and still, they're nothing but problems.

I've done all the same stuff with my Nova Rossi and my Reedy and no problems with those. Between the 2 of those, I'm on my 3rd gallon of fuel.

I wonder about the fuel. How can you tell if it's too old? Or just bad in general?

What color is Losi NitroTane supposed to be?

My 30% was completely clear but my 20% I have right now has a little color to it.

Tug Driver

I started with blue thunder 20% and now I'm running odonnell race blend 20%. I barely even have to touch it with a tuning screwdriver anymore, just a little tweak at the start of every day.

Plopes

Here's my two cents.

I am fairly new to nitro rc car engines and I don't race.
I have a Tamiya TNX & Nitrage, Both come equipped with OFNA Force .32 engines.
Both have been very easy to start and tune.
They run like RAPED APES... Seriously I have been waiting for for them to die because of all the negative opinions about them but they keep on going and going.
Maybe the ones fitted by Tamiya have been tinkered with?

Hardly scientific but that's my experience.

Jerm13

iTrader: (36)

A little common sense here. The Force and Hyper series of engines are made for the RTR line of vehicles. The maybe cost the manufacturer of the car 30-40 bucks. When you buy the entire vehicle, you may be paying the price point of 2-3 times that, as well as buying a replacement of the same type. These engines are made to very raw specs as well as using inferior materials. The process is the same as the top of the line engines but not as in depth to keep the cost down. Unfortunetly, its all about the all mighty dollar. I had a Force .28 that lasted 3 1/2 gallons until it became a spectacular fire ball down the back stretch. It came from an RTR and I bought it from the guy who already had an engine for $50 just as a back-up. You cant expect a $100 engine to perform, last and act like a $300 one. You get what you pay for.

Like you said, the Nova and Reedy are just fine. Hence the higher price tag. More design and manufacturing work go into those motors to get them to perform well.

At the end of the day, you got to ask yourself something....
Speed cost money... how fast do you want to go.

mercfocus

iTrader: (3)

I'm well aware of the "you get what you pay for" thing but I was really hoping for at least a little more than what I'm getting.

My Hyper 21 cost me $160 on Ebay after a little "best offer" haggling and my Beat 5 cost me $179 + shipping on sale.

The Force 28 is right around $150 and I can find various Nova Rossis for around 200 every where. So only right around 25% more in cost but generally, my experience is showing 100% better.

You saw 3 1/5 gallons out of a Force 28? That's amazing.

Someone else has 2 JL 32s and still going strong?

That is a very valuable 2 cents there.

I must be doing something but I have no idea what it is.

And it doesn't help being the only person within a 30 mile radius that runs nitro.

mercfocus

iTrader: (3)

I'm constantly having to play around with the tuning. Especially the Hyper 21.

If it's even just lightly too rich, it starts running to cold and no power at all so I have to lean it a little; like a clockwise turn not even 1 hour but I have to pay attention to it and check it in maybe 10 seconds it's already getting too how. Like at 260 - 270 real quick.

That engine ran really good for maybe 3/4 gallon but always needed an early adj when it was cold and then a warmed up adj to keep it from over heating.

My Force 28 ran fine for a gallon and then mysteriously just over heated and lost compression. I ran a few tanks that day it was always around 230ish that day but then just started fowling plugs. I rebuilt it and it never went over 240 ever and then just crapped out with a broken wrist pin.

Jerm13

iTrader: (36)

1st.So we know the problems are with the Force and Hyper motors. My honest opinion would be just to stop using them all together. Its ludicrous to continue to pour money into something that doesn't work. But thats just me.

2nd. The JL motors are Ofna badged Picco's. Some of the best Italian motors out there. Right up there with Nova and others. My son ran a Picco 3 port base model for 3 years ( yes 3 whole seasons of racing probably 15 or so gallons) learning to drive nitro. Yes it was tuned a little rich to keep it drivable for him but he was still pitting at 8-9 minutes. When I finally pulled it and installed him a good race motor, it was soooooo worn out that you could spin the flywheel and it would turn over 3-4 times, but still ran.

If you want to try and fix your Hypers and Force motors, here is what I would do/suggest.
You said your Nova runs right. Pull the carb off and install it on the other engine. Be carefull, we dont want to break the good Nova.
Run it and get it to tune. If it works well, you know there is a problem in the other carb. If it doesnt, its the motor. Simple and easy.

And come to think of it, is this all happening in the same vehicle, same pipe, same fuel? These are veriables that cause weird tuning issues too.

Jaz240

iTrader: (52)

Unless things have changed, Force produces the Ofna JL engine in Taiwan