Torpedo 40 Engine

What can you tell me about this Torpedo 40 engine?

[photo not recovered: torped40.jpg]

It has a ton of compression. I compaired compression to other engines and it seems like it has twice the compression of an OS Max 40 or 46 engine. It looks like it has one piston ring. It started easy and it runs great. I think this engine has not been used much. What RPM is the engine designed to run at? Will this engine work for a stunt engine with a different prop?

Gary Weaver [email protected]

I believe these have a Dykes ring which means they often don't show a lot of compression when being turned over by hand, but obviously this isn't always the case. That your's shows a lot of compression must mean you have a very good ring. I think they were designed as more of a speed engine so using one in stunt would probably be a case of running a lower pitched prop at higher RPM's. They are an iron piston motor so would need fuel with a good oil content. A bit of synthetic oil in the mix might help keep the ring from gumming up.

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-04 AT 07:59 PM (CDT)
 
In addition to what Elwin said, The engine was used widely in Rat Race during the height of that event's popularity. They had a perpencity for breaking the shaft just behind the thrust washer collar. especially if the small set screw got loose. RPM in the 18,000 range with an 8X8 prop, depending on nitro content. One dead overlean run and the ring would need replacing and that was a hard job to get the Dykes ring on without deforming it. They were king of the RR circles about the time that metal pans became popular in RR.

Bigiron

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-04 AT 11:35 PM (CDT)
 
I have two of these monsters. One I used in Carrier 1 and the other in a free flight plane @1,000 squares (Satellite 1000). Climbed like a home sick angel. This is NOT an engine for stunt, period. I ran them on 25% nitro, 25% castor fuel. It is a high performance speed engine and runs at top rpms. The ring is a form of "Dykes" ring and usually has compression only with oil from the fuel causing it to seal when the prop is flipped hard and fast. The giveaway on the ring is the exhaust ports in the sleeve, vs one big opening. These keep the ring from hanging up in the port.

Gary,

These are beasts. I, like Ty, used them for Free Flight, 1300 squares and the engines act like they don't know they're working.

I have a proposition for you. I have a new (older model) Stalker .40 SE I'll trade you for this Torp. I love these engines and with the new Classic Power F/F events I'm wanting some runners again. Wadaya say?

Randy; If you can't work a deal there I have 2 Torpedo 40's. One is a rear rotor but is missing the the ventura and needle assy.. The other one is a front rotor. I dont believe either one has been run. I think I may have an extra piston, front case and shaft with brg's. and maybe some other stuff.Been a while since I looked.

Gary,

I withdraw my offer, I've changed my mind.

Thanks anyway,

Hi, I have one of these motors execpt it has a rear cover and a front roter intake for a carb or venturi. It runs strong. Does anybody know how old this ol torp is? thanks scott dinger;)

K&B made 40's of the same basic design from about 1965 or 66 to the day it closed its doors in 1999 or 2000. From the early 1990's (late 1980's, maybe?), the front ends were a lot stronger and rather heavier. The RISE version was out of production after the mid-1970's, I think. George Aldrich claimned that the ABC version was enough different that the P&C sets were not interchangeable, and I never tried to see how different the ABC one actually was inside.

.

Kiwi

I've flown the 4011, the last Dykes ring model, and a couple of earlier iterations in stunt and like them very much. In fact I am almost finished with another airplane for one. I've always run 11 x 5 APC's on them but will do some experimenting around with this one.

As Jim T. said, K&B .40's were used for stunt engines. They were competitive if the ring was good.