OS 46LA NVA

[Jack Mulinix]

GOOD DAY ALL, I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED, BUT COULD NOT FIND. LOOKING TO MOVE NEEDLE VALVE TO VENTURI, WHERE TO PURCHASE? ALSO, A GOOD BACKING PLATE? THANKS.

[Leo Mehl]

Backplate from Joe Just and needle valve assembly from Tower Hobbies. I think Joes e-mail is on the Hanger roster.

[Steve Helmick]

Randy Smith's NV Assy. is superior in many ways...but a few $ more. I'll use them exclusively, when the others are adequately broken. That goal is approaching fast. 

Curtiss Shipp makes CNC machined aluminum backplates for the OS .25, .40 and .46LA's. He's a member here, and  you can contact him by finding him under "profiles" and then email or private message. You can also search the swap meets for FP, Tower .40, or Thunder Tiger GP .40 parts, which will all fit.  I think this is a solid improvement in reliability.

While you're at it, get a pack of 3mm x .5 x 8mm, and a pack of 3mm x .5 x 12mm  socket head machine screws and replace the stock screws. You'll be glad you did.

I ran my .46 one tank on the ground and flew it. No regrets! The first gallon of fuel was 10-29GMA Powermaster. After that, I changed to 10-22. The 11.5 x 4 APC is the best "baseline" prop, IMO. Others like the 12.25 x 3.75 full, or clipped, so try both. Some sort of carbon prop may well work better, but I haven't found it yet. 
Steve 

[Jack Mulinix]

THANKS FOR THE INFO, ON IT RIGHT NOW

[Mark Scarborough]

Steve,
agreed for the most part,,
of course somewhere the logic of putting a 55$ carbon fiber prop on a 50$ engine just makes me chuckle,, 

[Garf]

Steve,
agreed for the most part,,
of course somewhere the logic of putting a 55$ carbon fiber prop on a 50$ engine just makes me chuckle,, 

Try the Thunder Tigre Cyclone 11-4.5 prop. Works well and is reasonable.

[Steve Helmick]

Steve,
agreed for the most part,,
of course somewhere the logic of putting a 55$ carbon fiber prop on a 50$ engine just makes me chuckle,, 

Letsee...the most spendy CF prop I've used on the .46LA was $30. That was a "Majik" 10.5 x 4.5 that didn't seem to work. I got some $40 CF 3 bladers from Bill Lee (at VSC) to try, and a couple of Eliminator CF props that were pretty reasonable, tho I can't recall the exact price right now. I don't know where to get these $55 ones. Please fill me in!  And I think the .46LA is more like $70 at normal street price. The prop that works best is a bit of insurance that you won't crash and wipe out much more than a $70 engine. So is trimming to maximize performance. The better it flies, the longer it will last.

I haven't tried the TT Cyclone 11 x 4.5 on the .46, but it's my standard prop on the Magnum XLS .36, and it works well on the B.40 and .40LA. I'll use whatever works, cost is no object, but cheap is best! Having a good paved flying site makes CF props easier to justify. I've had very little positive results from wood props, but I did get some RSM props, so I have some of those to try, too. The 11-6 might work. I'm very big on trying different props...a lot of performance to be gained there. The nice thing about CF and FG props is that they can be adjusted with a quick blast of heatgun or soak in boiling water.  Steve

[Joejust]

I have the venturis,back plates and nva's for OS .46 in stock.  PM me for prices.

Joe Just

J & J Sales Co.

[Garf]

I've had very little positive results from wood props, but I did get some RSM props, so I have some of those to try, too. The 11-6 might work.

I have tried the RSM 11-6 on my ST 46 with plasma P&C. It works very well.

[Geoff Goodworth]

Jack

The Randy Smith and ST NVAs are 4mm dia and you will probably have to drill out the crankcase of the LA and get a ventrui with a 4mm hole in it. The OS NVA is 3.5mm dia and is a straight slip in. If you can drill the crankcase, fine and some people prefer the infinite adjust ment that is available from the 4mm NVAs. I have not had problems with the click lock of the spring on the OS NVA and have used them in all my FP 40 conversions. I also use the OS venturi from the FP 20/25. Again straight drop in. The venturi may be a little small for the LA 46, but I don't have any to try. Tower part numbers are OS venturi, LXCW99; OS NVA LXCR49. Both are listed as in stock.

Cheers, Geoff

[Jack Mulinix]

Thanks for all the input. As always, good info for the newbie

[Mark Scarborough]

Jack,
keep in mind, that beetween the supertigre needles and similar, versus the OS needle you can impact the actual throat available for air intake dramatically. On my LA 46 I have had spectacular success using a venturi that is .278 with a ST needle, spinning the APC 12.25 x 3.75 prop tacked about 9800 rpm on the ground. oh and 10 x 22 fuel. the ST or randy smith needles are thicker than the OS

[Geoff Goodworth]

Interesting Mark, your .278 with the 4mm NVA equates to .258 with the OS NVA and that is the ID that Tower has supplied to me for the last few years.

Cheers, Geoff

[Phil Spillman]

Hi All, I have been using the Pro Zinger 11 X 5 props only on my LA .46's for several years now and I like the way this prop has worked for me! On one engine in particular which I have been running since 1998 on the same plane it runs better on this than it has ever run before! And I thought that it was the best ever since I started using it! Back then it liked the Top Flite padel blade 11 X 6 props. They are much harder to find now. Glad to have found a modern substitute.

Phil Spillman

[Will Hinton]

call me lucky - or not - I'm running a 10 1/2" carbon fiber three blade on my LA46 in a Tutor II.  I nicked the darned thing on pavement in my big ship and wiped out the first 1/2" as far as structural strength goes.  I pitched it up to a 5" and tried it and so far it's the best I've used for this combo.  I have yet to try the APC 12 1/4 by 3.75 and hear great things about them for this combo.
Will

[Steve Helmick]

Just back from flying with the TNA gang. Dane Covey was flying his NoblARF with a .46LA/11.5 x 4 APC and was whining about the lap times being too fast for him. Pete Ferguson forced him to try a Thunder Tiger Cyclone 11 x 4.5 and launch at 10.2k...worked pretty well...slower with good tug. Try 'em and see.  Steve