Are the Novarossi,Top and Rex engines all the same as each other?

Is it anything to do with whether the engines are to be used for on road or off road?
They're all on the Novarossi web site and all the figures and dimensions are the same.

Allan

they are made by the same people.... there are differences in some of the parts
some of the part arm the same

They are tuned differently. (Port timing)

I have debated the differences a few times, and I admit I have not had these different engines side by side. If they have different timings then explain why they all have the same part numbers. The only parts that have different part numbers are the case and the carb. The only reason for that is because they have the name Top or Rex etc on the case and the carb. Piston, sleeve, rod, crank all have the same part number. It is possible that Top or Rex does some extra machine work after they receive the engine from Novarossi, but liek I said they all have the same part numbers. You can look that up right on Novarossi's website.

I cant say I have lined them all up & done a direct comparison & measured the timing. They seem to have different powerbands, so it would be fair to assume the port timing is different. Maybe someone like Motorman or Topgun777 could verify either way.

If you compare apples to apples between the three brands, for example Top TSR 12 S3, Rex RER 12 S3 and Novarossi NSR 12 S3, then they are absolutely identical when it comes to the internals and the timing of crank and sleeve. All the internal parts of these engines have the same part numbers and are interchangeable.

Same goes for: TS 12 S3, RE 12 S3, NS 12 S3 and also the new generation N12LS3 and R12LR3. There's no Top version of this one yet

The different brands are used for marketing reasons and to enable Novarossi to have several importers/distributors per country...

I think that is the most logical reason if they all have the same part No.'s.

I've got a Novarossi C12 and have seen a new Top version of the same engine at the right price,it would be cheaper than buying spares I think.

Thanks to everyone for the replies,very helpful to a novice like me.

Allan

it goes like this

Top quality fit and finish parts go into genuine Novarossi's
2nd level into Top
3rd level into Rex

All good parts just different levels of tolerance control. Even though those tolerance levels are extremly small (smaller than 90% of the rc racing world has the equipment to measure even if they knew what they were looking for)there is a difference in performance. Hence the reason the durability and performance of the true Novarossi is superior as is the price. you get what you pay for in many cases.

Motorman, are you sure about this, what different levels of tolerance control are you talking about,

Top and Rex does not have Long stroke for .12 engine and Plus 21-3C,Plus 21-5T, 35Plus21

this is certainly an opinion as I don't work or have any involvement with novarossi. But I have been inside hundreds of novarossi made engines and I can only relate what I observe. all of their engines are the standard of quality but the best internal fitment and finish goes to the novas with purple heads. True novarossi branded engines. The pistons and sleeves fit better the crankshaft to bearing tolerances are better etc. three novarossi engines may use the same crank replacement part number but within that part number when engines are assembled the parts that fit the best go into novarossi engines. the tolerances between those three cranks is so small sorting them in many cases comes down to feel when the engine is initially assembled. This little variance can make a significant difference in how an engine runs. a big big difference. This is the same type of thing that seperates team engines from mass production engines. Ever wonder why a serio evo2 over the counter engine does not run like a limited edition worlds evo 2. there you go!
Go look at the last 1/8th scale worlds and tell me how many Novarossi factory sponsored teams ran Top and Rex, 0. There were alot of Max power engines but those are treated just like the novas as fantini has some type of ownership in novarossi as I have been told.

I've been jackin around with model engines 30 years so take my opinion as you wish. good bad or indefferent.

yes I believe some of this has merit to.

Dennis, Once again you make good logical sence. This is getting quite scary!

Well I got the Top engine,so I guess it'll be an interesting comparison.Although I didn't have the Novarossi from new.
At least I'll be able to measure the exhaust and transfer timing now without taking the Rossi out.

I've also got a new OS 12CV-R to try.

Allan

surikarn bumped up from 1/4 to the A-main at the 1/8 WC in Cincinatti with a ReX engine.......

Massimo Fantini, Stefano Colombini, Franck Bestel, Olliver Mack, LAMBERTO COLLARI, etc., used to run Rex and Top engines.........

REX Engines were 1st-2nd-3rd-8th-9th at 1989 1/8 WC
TOP Engines were 1st & 2nd (also 6th, REX were 4th-7th-10th) at 1991 1/8 WC

REX was 5th at 1993 1/8 WC
REX were 4th and 6th at 1995 1/8 WC
TOP was 7th at 1997 1/8 WC
TOP was 10th at 2001 1/8 WC
REX was 10th at 2003 1/8 WC............

needless to say that Novarossi had won some and also made almost all A-main at these 1/8 WC's.......
REX and TOP are usually classified as Nova engines, so when we see the number of drivers running Nova engines, there may be REX and TOP included in the list.........RB, JP, MAX, IDM, SHARK are classified as different brands but they're all manufactured by Novarossi.....

yeah but salvadori, at this level each and every engine that is given to a sponsored driver is checked and controlled personally. so att engines are at their peak at this point of the competition.

it is sort of like matched packs for electrics, the insanely high numbers are reserved for the super quick guys

where would RB be in this order of importance you theorised motorman?

i've laways like the nova based motors, but i picked up a OS Tz.12 for a mate today for about half the price of my LL12 nova....the OS looked awesome. Novarossi's arrogance in regards to pricing is creating some good competition