Bob Stalick on 8/21/99 writes:

Hi Guys:

I just had a chance to run my Bee engine. It is the production engine that Cox made and has the plastic backplate. It is a single port engine and I used a Cox high performance glo head on it.

I tested it using my sonic tachometer and two types of fuel. The first fuel is 15% Sig all castor fuel and what I use to break in most of my engines. It is also what I use in my old OK Cubs in Early Nos Gas.

The second fuel is Sig 35% "racing" fuel.

I also ran the engine using three different props. A Cox grey 5x3, a Cox grey 6x3 and a Top Flite Nylon 6x3.

The engine was not broken in and heated up easily at first, especially with the hotter fuel. I ran a couple of "tanks" of all castor fuel through it just to get a decent needle setting. The tank is a full sized eyedropper tank.

Then I tried the 5x3 and got 14.4K on all castor fuel and a shaky 15.0 K on the 35%.

After it cooled a bit, I tried the 6x3 Cox and got 14.0K on all castor and a pretty steady 14.2 on the 35%.

I ended the runs with the Top Flite. With all castor fuel, it ran 14.2K and the same on the 35% but the engine seemed to be running hot again.

I will try a few more runs on it before I go to the field to do the test flying. BTW: the engine ran out the full eyedropper tank in 25 seconds, so there is plenty of time to tune the engine and get a full 10 second or so run in the air.

We are having a collecto here in two weeks, and I will pick up a couple more of these engines to see if there is any real difference among them. If not, it would seem that this is a solid performer at around 14.0 K. And the prop doesn't seem to make much difference in the rpms, at least.

I would be interested in what others are discovering.

Cheers,

Bob Stalick

This page last updated October 1, 1999. Send Comments to: joemek@aol.com