Tax return engine time for MTXL

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John Parks

John Parks

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Ok fellas, with tax returns right around the corner I'm looking to upgrade my engine in my Losi MTXL. I am trying to stick around the $600 price range for just the engine. It is only a bashing truck but I want it to have balls lol. I see OBR, and zenoah are really popular so I'll likely do one of those. Right now I'm looking at this one and would like some input on what people are running and how they like it. Or if they wish they would have gone bigger etc. Let's hear it!

http://www.oneillbrothers.com/rc-ca...34cc-2mm-stroker-tr-obr-reed-case-engine.html
 
I'm new so I have no input but I do wanna follow this thread because I know that I want to upgrade to a bigger engine in my Baja 5T in the future. I bought it used and I am currently working out all the kinks but I am sure I will be doing a bigger motor in the future.
 
I see they are very popular, but at the same time I don't want something with just a little upgrade in power. I figure I might as well put the biggest motor I can find in there at a reasonable cost and do that and only have to do it once. The one I linked is almost 10hp, and has a lot of low end grunt and they can do a few mods to it to add to the top end without hurting the low end. I had him quote me a price, and with engine, pipe, carb, filter, engine mount, throttle linkage, and a little billet for it comes to $860. Which isnt bad for what it is. But if someone has something close to that or has ran a reed case motor I would like to hear some feedback
 
From what i hear you cant go wrong with any OBR engine. Ive watched vids on the one you are considering and it looks like a beast
 
You should also consider Gizmomotors full mod RCMK 30.5. Its also a beast at 7.5hp and at $395 its considerably cheaper than the OBR engine
 
ALX, Oddified and Contrast Dragon engines is among the absolute cream crop of the top end. Oddifid and contrast is racer engines. This is why the largest engine Contrast offers is 26cc. Oddified build engines with nitro ejection build into them and they build to spec. Alx is a basher engine for when enough is not enough. They offer up to behemoth 100cc engines that will bend and twist your RC and make it look like a rubber band.

Honorable mentions, also basher engines, is RCMAX and Detroit Performance. Which offer a bitching kit for the MTXL at a whooping 71cc (protip, get the 46cc the 71 will tear your truck apart even if you hop up the diffs. There are currently no diff upgrade for the MTXL strong enough to support such an agressive and potent engine. Aluminium wont cut it, it needs to be steel incl the housing. Same goes for all ALX engines beyond 40cc.)

OBR have a good reputation with bashers. I have never tried one, but in such a small hobby like ours, you rarely get a name like that without having done something right. Why mention these engines when a lot of them are more expensive than 600? Because I know RC hobbyists. Enough is never enough hehe and if you see the perfect engine at twice that ,I bet you will drop it on that engine in a heartbeat.

The difference between Zenoah and the CY engine found in the MTXL is not big enough to warrant an upgrade unless you go for something that is markedly bigger than the 29cc CY in the truck now. I would not even recommend a 36cc but rather than you get a good pipe. Losi and Bartalone made one together for the DBXL which can be retrofitted to MTXL and it gives it a big kick. I don't know if they have made one for the MTXL yet, but the DBXL needs modification to fit. Cutting and welding it back together.

ALX/RCMAX

MTXL/RCMAX

Why racing engines matter. Keep en eye on the Losi 5ive B. It lets the others get a headstart and catch in a lap.

ALX 100cc Just too much. He can barely touch the throttle before the Baja its in wants to flip over.
 
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Scruffy said:
You should also consider Gizmomotors full mod RCMK 30.5. Its also a beast at 7.5hp and at $395 its considerably cheaper than the OBR engine
Click to expand...
Well my budget is 600 for an engine, so I'm going to use it lol. I've though about staying cheaper, but I know I won't be happy with it. I only want to do this once for the most part lol.
 
Thrasher, I would love a 46cc relax engine but $2000 is a little out of my budget. They have a complete drop in for the mtxl bujt again it's a little pricey.

Most of the exhaust manufacturers offer pipes now for the mtxl.
 
They do? That's great. Bartalones products are legendary and in corporation with the people who actually designed the MTXL is a good match. I was shocked at how much more punch (not power) mine got from their pipe,I started out using wrap, I had to remove it as the pipe got so hot it melted that heat resistent plastic shock absorber you place between the pipe and the metal bit on the engine where you attach the pipe. Now I only have wrap in strategic places on the pipe lol. So, heres my reccomendation for Losi's pipe. also, its not too steep so theres that. Instead of buying a new engine you could also give your current engine to a skilled tuner and get their take. In the hands of a skilled tuner 29cc is more than enough to bring a 5th scale over on the funny side of 100 km/h with plenty of punch to make it fun.
 
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Standard 29cc CY engine with a bartolone pipe. Can you spot the difference

Victory

Bartolone

Bartolone

And here is a 34cc engine. My point is that with a larger engine you get a stronger truck, but I feel that what you are really looking for is more punch. I really think you should try out a good pipe, mess with gearing (Buy a few 1/5 pinion/spur gears to try out. I cant remember but I think its mod 0.5, right?) before you fork over for a new engine. And if it shows that it is a new engine you really need, then you still have a phat pipe to put in it.

And this is what my modified pipe looks like
bil_losi_mtxl.jpg
 
It is both those things Al, and we want John to be in on it. It's a real shame that he apparently got a lemon but it is fixable, I bet.

The tires are surprsingly sturdy but I wouldnt run it street to much. It almost looks like they rub off on the asphalt. They are semi soft. And they are so "#¤& expensive its not even funny but if you get smaller wheels (all other wheels for RC's) you loose speed, obviously. So until another maker takes up the gaunlet we are stuck with them =/
 
ALso, I can't remember if I hav said this already but I cannot stress enough how much difference it makes to put in 500.000 silicone in the center diff and 100.000-200.000 in the front and back diff. t 500.000 you are practically running it "dry" so it is a good idea to get a metal cup. Its a cheap hop up. It is not a must have but if you run it for very long and very hard wiht 500k in it, it can melt. Its a place where its a dice roll with losi. Some got theirs without any lubricant at all. Needless to say, thats too dry and not smart. Others got something that looked like duck grease which took from performance.
 
I will try a pipe first. Don't get me wrong, by no means is it a slouch but I like more power ijn general. It runs very good, I just feel it's a bit under powered is all. I actually have the aluminum diffs, right now I just have the center one ijn with 500k. I plan on doing the other 2 next week with 50k and 30k if you think that would be fine? Also the mtxl in the pic with the swamper tires I will be adding to mine as well. Weight difference per tire is 7oz. So it will affect power but not terrible.

Is there a big difference between silenced and not? I would like a silenced pipe due to noise but if it's a huge difference I'll get a unsilenced one.

Right now it has upgraded servos, aluminum clutch carrier, outerwear on everything, skid plates, 5000cst oil in shocks, aluminum top brace plate and aluminum steering bellcrank upgrade. Next I'm doing chassis braces, exhaust, and what ever else is recommended?

pic of it received_2357217020970760.webp
 

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Right, gotcha. yeah I think youre going to be golden with those diff and that size of silicone granules. You have done right by your truck is for certain, I have not upgraded mine as much and I don't think I am going to beyond replacing broken parts. As long as the diamter of the tires are roughly the same youre not going to lose speed and its not enough extra eight to really cause slower accelerator imo. I love those tires where did you find them and how much are they?

Silenced, not silenced, it depends on brand and design. In Bartalones pipes people say its minimal. I am mostly with racers so all ours sound like the trumpets of doom. I can physically feel mine on my body when I start it. So im not the right person to ask.
 
They are the rc4wd super swamper 40 series tired. There about $180 for all 4, as far as size they are about 1" bigger in diameter and a little wider as well. A little power loss is worth it to make it look like that lol. The tires have to be cut to fit, as they are a 40 series (3.8") wheel diameter.

I'll look more onto the pipe and power loss. I'm really looking at the jet-pro. I like the sound of it compared to most of the others. Seems the fit/ finish is on par with the others, just Not sure about power.
 
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Regardless of how much you spend, this will not be your last engine lol. The truck will way outlast the engine. You gave me the bug so im ordering a new OBR full mod 30.5 next week lol
 
I have a Jetpro pipe on my DBXL. If you get the silenced Jetpro pipe, make sure you go out and get a rivet gun(unless he changed the way he connects the silencerhead). The silencer head is held in place by rivets. After enough use, they will come out. Easy fix though. You can ship it back to Jetpro and he will fix it free of charge..you just have to pay for shipping. Or you can fix it yourself...just need some fiberglass insulation(from your attic) to re-stuff the silencer and rivet the head back in place.upload_2018-2-3_21-19-35.webp upload_2018-2-3_21-20-19.webp
 
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