Weed eater motor or Race motor

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flarcer

Well-Known Member
Messages
53
Location
Florida...70 degree winters
I've only been 1/5 since the summer. But I've heard a term used "theres only 2 types of 1/5 motors, weed eater motors and race motors". I guess its safe to say that Zenoah is a race motor. My question is where does the HPI 1/5motors rate, weed eater or race motor?
 
I am also fairly new to 1/5 gassers. In my opinion the HPI and Zen's are both race motors, when compared to a weed eater anyway!

A weed eater motor will be lucky to rev to 7,000rpm. A Zen in stock form will get 17,000 and with a pipe hit 20,000rpm.

I have no personal experience with the HPI but would have to say they are close or as good as the zen's.

My first 1/5 with a XRC buggy, going by ear it wouldnt have done much over 6,000rpm so I would classify that as a weed eater motor. But thats my opinion.

Hope this helps.
 
the hpi motors are made by cy. the hpi fuelie 26 is a cy26rc. from what ive read cy motors are basicly a copy of a zenoah.

as for a weedeater motor, hard to say. ive seen quite a few with govoners, not sure if all have them. they will only pull low rpm, but thats what they are designed for. remove the govoner and they will rev a lot higher.
 
well a work colleague of mine uses ryobi 31cc in a couple of his planes. He removes the governer and puts performance pipe on them. he also cuts off the fins on the fan because that takes power as well and not required in planes because the prop pushes back heaps of air anyway.

even with all this the max he can get out of it is 8,400rpm.

There's always going to be a big power difference between garden accessories and something designed for rc. Unless you modify them heaps ofcrourse.

When you can get a zen 26 for around $400 why would you bother modifying a ryobi or something like that.
 
But I've heard a term used "theres only 2 types of 1/5 motors, weed eater motors and race motors". QUOTE]

I understood that to be comparing just 5th scale rc engines throughout the range and not an actual weed eater motors, kinda like comparing the broad range of car engines from an indian build Tata to a Ferrari?? The Tata would be consider a hairdryer or weed eater by comparison.
 
But I've heard a term used "theres only 2 types of 1/5 motors, weed eater motors and race motors". QUOTE]

I understood that to be comparing just 5th scale rc engines throughout the range and not an actual weed eater motors, kinda like comparing the broad range of car engines from an indian build Tata to a Ferrari?? The Tata would be consider a hairdryer or weed eater by comparison.

You are correct, or at least thats how took it to mean, not a literal "weed eater motor". But I would still like to know where the HPI motors ranks on the 1/5 scale chart?
 
your always going to have motors that come beefed up by aftermarked like ddm,but in my opinion,if we're talking about stock zenoah motors(g230 or g260 and others)are at the top(thats a true popular name brand).they are extremely reliable and strong.heck i heard of them from the mid 80's...lol.the zenoah brand has been out for a longtime.might be longer than that.i classify the cy's and others lower due to the fact that they are more mass produced mainly seen in the cheaper 1/5th scales(which have tons of different names and models).but as for wondering which 1 being a race motor and 1 being a wead eater motor is simple.the weadeater you have in your shed or garage is a weadeater motor.the one thats in your 1/5th scale is a race motor....lol.
 
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