3W Twin Spark, Worth the $$$?

[ben_beyer]

I've been looking/obsessing over engines for my Dalton 300. This would be my first 40% plane. I am not going to buy anything real soon necessarily but a 3W 170 is one of the motors I am seriously considering. They do offer a Twin Spark version and I can only wonder, is it worth the extra money?

I know it should add about 100 top end RPM and smoother idle, but I gotta think a 3W 170 CS should run great as is.

What cha got?

 

[aussiesteve]

I have both - the 170 CS and the 170 CSTS.
The TS has a little more power but the Single Spark is awesome as it is. Both are excellent choices of engine in my book.

I like the TS because of the redundancy in the ignition but to make the most of it, it is useful to have 2 seperate switches to incorporate an ignition check in your preflight (I switch each ignition off independently to make sure they are both working). The TS is also slightly narrower due to the slanted plugs.

Over here the price difference between the two is negligible so the TS is well worth getting. - I see in the US there is almost $400 difference in which case it is probably not worthwhile if the funds override the difference in width and reliability of a second ignition. (FWIW - the current 3W ignitions are very reliable if mounted with decent ventilation).

 

[Tired Old Man]

If money was not a serious issue, and you have the room to mount them, I would definitely purchase the TS engine. The benefits outweigh the negatives, which are limited to price and a second battery.

 

[ben_beyer]

Cool!

Like I said, I'm just curious what others think. I really like the idea of the redundancy, but the current price difference in the US between the two is almost $400. If that deal goes away from AI by the time I purchase, I'd probably just swallow the difference and get the TS. I have read of a few problems but those could be tied to a sensor or something. I'd still like to hear more comments on it though.

 

[Bunky f. knuckle]

Twin spark offers a more complete fuel burn, also. You will see close to 300rpm increase over a single spark. Also, you get a lower, more reliable idle, once ypu have it broke in and tuned up properly. Loved my 157 CSTS in my Dalton 300. The 157 ripped it around like a rag doll!!

If you have the money now or even later, buy one!!!!

 

[Super08]

I am so impressed with my 3W 170 CS with single ignition that if I ever buy another 170 engine it will be a 170 CS TS.

 

[ben_beyer]

For the extra power or are you having problems?

 

[Super08]

Zero problems, it is fantastic. So if I got one with two ignitions it would be twice as good, right?

 

[BVargas]

With either engine you can t go wrong! I have 2 of the 3W170 "Red Head" single sparks on ProFlows in a compy and an EF 300. The only better engine available is,,, a bigger engine :thumbsup:

BV

 

[Tired Old Man]

You guys are just liable to convert someone on the other side if you keep this up. Just think about what happens to that person when that happens. They have to change flying fields because none of their old friends will talk to them anymore. Generally that happens because after getting ribbed mercilessly by the old crowd you go ahead and fly there anyway. When you land you can't understand why the field is so quiet, usually there is a lot of gabbing going on after a flight. But you notice the old crowd is looking back and forth between your engine and theirs with a look of shock on their faces.

So rather than deal with whatever is obviously bothering them you go to a new field, but guess what? You are using a different radio than they are and the ribbing starts all over again. You're told how what you have can't possibly be as good as what they have and that you should get a different brand radio at the first opportunity. Then you fly and rip the clouds from the sky while doing so. You land and once again you can hear a pin drop among all the people behind you. You ask if you did anything wrong but they ignore you while they are fixated on the radio in your hands. You sit back to let someone else fly but they all start packing up to go home. You're left with an empty field thinking "here we go again".

So be careful with all this 3w engine talk because it's bound to cause someone a lot of heartache It could be worse. It could be GP engine talk and that would get all the big name players riled up.

 

[BVargas]

I must be lucky then,,, cuz out of the 2.5 big plane flyers at my field(including me) its normally when the wind sock moves with the wind that cause them FOG's to leave. The bad thing is I have to lock the gate to the field on my way out.


BV

 

[Super08]

LOL Pat. I started out with never wanting a 3W because of what they weigh. Then I decided to give one a try. What a person gains in performance far out weighs what little bit you may gain in weight. I was blown away with the in flight performance. When you crack the throttle it is like someone swatted your plane. It literally accelerates like it was shot out of a catapult. When compared to the GP 176 the rpm figures on the ground are very close, but when flying the identical 42% Pilot Edge in the air the 3W wins hands down. The GP didn't have the punch the 3W has. In the air I found the GP176 indiscernible from a DA170. With that said the GP is something like $800 less than the 3W 170CS I have.

 

[Super08]

I had to laugh when I read the GP 123 thread over on Giants today. Did Bunky ever stir things up over there.

 

[Bunky f. knuckle]

Hey, what can I say...............

then the dude posted a video of Fergie flying a TMM 106............. Surely he can't be seriously thinking that is a 123???

 

[Super08]

LMAO!!! Then he thought that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Fergie had nothing to do with the design of the 106 if I recall. He did tell me he gave them some recommendations to improve the design, but they were not interested in making the changes. TMM was a totally different company that had asked for his fathers assistance when they started out. TMM and GP have nothing in common.

 

[Bunky f. knuckle]

I know!! That dude is on something or what........ Not real sure...... But it sure is funny!!!

 

[Bunky f. knuckle]

Everyone over there is a real deal know it all.............

 

[ben_beyer]

You guys are just liable to convert someone on the other side if you keep this up. Just think about what happens to that person when that happens. They have to change flying fields because none of their old friends will talk to them anymore. Generally that happens because after getting ribbed mercilessly by the old crowd you go ahead and fly there anyway. When you land you can't understand why the field is so quiet, usually there is a lot of gabbing going on after a flight. But you notice the old crowd is looking back and forth between your engine and theirs with a look of shock on their faces.

So rather than deal with whatever is obviously bothering them you go to a new field, but guess what? You are using a different radio than they are and the ribbing starts all over again. You're told how what you have can't possibly be as good as what they have and that you should get a different brand radio at the first opportunity. Then you fly and rip the clouds from the sky while doing so. You land and once again you can hear a pin drop among all the people behind you. You ask if you did anything wrong but they ignore you while they are fixated on the radio in your hands. You sit back to let someone else fly but they all start packing up to go home. You're left with an empty field thinking "here we go again".

So be careful with all this 3w engine talk because it's bound to cause someone a lot of heartache It could be worse. It could be GP engine talk and that would get all the big name players riled up.

There are very few gas pilots at the club I'm in now so I doubt it will cause much stir

 

[Tired Old Man]

Looks like you can start them off right. The GP is a good engine too, as it should be considering what it was "modeled" after.

Ben,

As always, if you have the means go with what you KNOW will always get the job done. The TS engines do a great job of maximizing the fuel charge. No two stroke is at all efficient but the TS is about as close as a modeler will get. 3w has always had more torque for the displacement. I have yet to meet a "worn out" 3w and I've seen more than a few pretty high time engines. Unless something broke like a bearing (and that's very rare) or they hit the ground they just keep running.

Yes, the additional ignition adds a little more weight but in the engine size you are looking at a few hundred more RPM on a prop that size is quite a bit more power to more than offset the weight differential. BTW, my last engine purchase was a 3w and I had my choice of any engine on the planet.

 

[Classclown]

Is it just me, or is this thread out of whack? Earlier, Bill Vargas post #9 was showing as a new post on the Todays Post page, even though Pat had posted his reply, post #10. Now, It shows Pat as the last poster, with page 2 added, but when you click on it, it brings you to the opening post, post #1. WTF???