My question is this. What makes this engine run so well right out of the box. It is not a custom engine or has it been worked on by an “expert.” Do all of these engines run this well or did I just get lucky?
Opinions/Suggestions?
Frank McCune
Opinion - this is exactly what I and several others have been trying to get across in almost every engine-based post you have made for the last 3-4 years. Now you begin to see a small indication of what we were trying to tell you. Note that the 46LA is also not really a competitive engine, either, but it's at least dead-nuts reliable and decently powerful by sport-flying standards.
Key takeaway:
It is not a custom engine or has it been worked on by an “expert.”
And, to add - you are going to *leave it alone from here out*, right? Don't take it apart to see what is in it, don't "modify" it, don't "adjust" it other than a few needle clicks. Don't send it to an "expert", don't let the locals tell you all the tricks you need to "improve it". Put in gas, put on battery, flip prop, fly.
That the 46LA is a pretty decent stunt engine seems mostly to be a coincidence, it is a low-ball RC sport engine, very inexpensively made and of relatively low performance by engine standards, that happens to give about the right power for running 4" or so pitch props at stunt settings. There are *many* much better engines than that - it's older brothers, the 40 and 46VF, are still "gold standard" and *much better engines* than a 46LA. They are not much better for an ARF Nobler, the 46LA is great overkill, but it is mild enough to make it work - *if left alone*.
If you are comparing it to an HP, it will indeed seem like a miracle, because even when there were few other options, and before piped engines, the HP was very rarely used and the ST46 - also now greatly exceeded - was a lot better and infinitely easier to deal with. Neither HP40 was every much good for stunt, and while they have had a few good moments in absolute expert hands, as a general purpose stunt/sport motor, they are terrible. As you have proven.
I am very glad someone took this issue in hand and showed you part of what you have been missing - basically demonstrating what I and a bunch of others have been trying to tell you now for years.
Brett