Is there a Tamiya nitro engines identification guide out there?

[RCRLMichael]

Hi all,

I'm just curious - is there a Tamiya nitro engines identification guide out there that someone knows about?

There seems to have been so many different variants that all looks extremely similar to the untrained eye - FS12SS, FS12LT, FS12FT, etc... that it would be nice to have a definitive guide to help identify an engine at first glance.

 

[scoobybooster]

Not sure if there is a guide for this, but i know a guy instead.

Ask TC mod acprc here. I'm sure he can help you with anything Tamiya Nitro related. 

[Collin]

8 hours ago, RCRLMichael said:

Hi all,

I'm just curious - is there a Tamiya nitro engines identification guide out there that someone knows about?

Yes, there is a human version of it called @acprc

[acprc]

LOL, thanks all. There isnt a guide but I can ID all of them by look. Tamiya have made a few subtle hints in the model designation to help. For instance on the NDF-01 chassis there are two different engines. The FR-15S is used on all of them except the Nitro Crusher which uses the FS-15S. The only difference is the exhaust outlet and the FR stands for Rear and the FS stands for Side. That is common across all engines Tamiya "make". They actually dont make any engines.

If you need help, please ask.

[Collin]

2 hours ago, acprc said:

LOL, thanks all. There isnt a guide but I can ID all of them by look

Wouldnt that be a nice "homework" for long winter evenings? I just think about @juls1 damper topic which is pure gold of informations...

Just n idear

[acprc]

12 hours ago, Collin said:

Wouldnt that be a nice "homework" for long winter evenings? I just think about @juls1 damper topic which is pure gold of informations...

Just n idear

Lol, I have a few excel sheets it’s getting the time to organise them!

[RichieRich]

On 10/29/2020 at 8:14 AM, acprc said:

LOL, thanks all. There isnt a guide but I can ID all of them by look.

Ha! You learn a new thing about someone every day.  

[acprc]

40 minutes ago, RichieRich said:

Ha! You learn a new thing about someone every day.  

LOL, we all need to be good at something!

[RCRLMichael]

On 10/29/2020 at 11:14 AM, acprc said:

LOL, thanks all. There isnt a guide but I can ID all of them by look. Tamiya have made a few subtle hints in the model designation to help. For instance on the NDF-01 chassis there are two different engines. The FR-15S is used on all of them except the Nitro Crusher which uses the FS-15S. The only difference is the exhaust outlet and the FR stands for Rear and the FS stands for Side. That is common across all engines Tamiya "make". They actually dont make any engines.

If you need help, please ask.

Since this is the case, do you think you can you help me identify this Tamiya nitro engine?

I bought it off eBay not too long ago, and it arrived today.  It was cheap so I figured what's the harm?  The seller had it listed as a vx .16 engine, which I believe is a mistake.

Obviously it's missing a carb, and there's no glow plug and the pull-starter isn't a genuine Tamiya unit (like hens teeth those things).  But it spins freely when I pull the pull-start cord so I won't have to deal with the pain of getting it spinning.

But I'd really like to know what engine this is.

That way I can spend MORE money to find a car to put it in.

You know, the a$$-backwards way?

[acprc]

15 hours ago, RCRLMichael said:

Since this is the case, do you think you can you help me identify this Tamiya nitro engine?

I bought it off eBay not too long ago, and it arrived today.  It was cheap so I figured what's the harm?  The seller had it listed as a vx .16 engine, which I believe is a mistake.

Obviously it's missing a carb, and there's no glow plug and the pull-starter isn't a genuine Tamiya unit (like hens teeth those things).  But it spins freely when I pull the pull-start cord so I won't have to deal with the pain of getting it spinning.

But I'd really like to know what engine this is.

That way I can spend MORE money to find a car to put it in.

You know, the a$$-backwards way?

Its a Tamiya FS-12LT with the wrong heatsink head on it and the wrong recoil starter. When I say wrong recoil though the recoil fitted was made by Mecoa and is the same as the both the FS-12LT and FS-15LT recoil but with a HPI label. The FS12 is grey/silver and the FS-15 is black.

 

[RCRLMichael]

1 hour ago, acprc said:

Its a Tamiya FS-12LT with the wrong heatsink head on it and the wrong recoil starter. When I say wrong recoil though the recoil fitted was made by Mecoa and is the same as the FS-15LT recoil but with a HPI label.

Thank you very much good sir!  At least this gives me something to go on in order to hunt down a carb and appropriate heatsink.  Cheers!

BTW - any ideas what engine the heatsink is from?  It certainly looks like a Tamiya unit and not some aftermarket one.

[futureworks]

4 hours ago, RCRLMichael said:

At least this gives me something to go on in order to hunt down a carb and appropriate heatsink.  Cheers!

I’ve got an mage showing a diagrammatic breakdown and parts listing for the FS-12LT on an entry in my showroom on the main TC site: https://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=134838&id=16836

[RCRLMichael]

6 hours ago, futureworks said:

I’ve got an mage showing a diagrammatic breakdown and parts listing for the FS-12LT on an entry in my showroom on the main TC site: https://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=134838&id=16836

Thanks so much for the link!  Very valuable information there.

 

Cheers!

[acprc]

17 hours ago, RCRLMichael said:

Thank you very much good sir!  At least this gives me something to go on in order to hunt down a carb and appropriate heatsink.  Cheers!

BTW - any ideas what engine the heatsink is from?  It certainly looks like a Tamiya unit and not some aftermarket one.

Its a head from a Tamiya FS-15S or FR-15S used on the NDF-01 range of buggies.

[RCRLMichael]

On 11/30/2020 at 3:54 AM, acprc said:

Its a head from a Tamiya FS-15S or FR-15S used on the NDF-01 range of buggies.

Thank you again for the info.

The search now begins for a correct heat sink, and carb.

Cheers!

[futureworks]

4 hours ago, RCRLMichael said:

The search now begins for a correct heat sink, and carb.

You could also consider the hop up 41037 heatsink designed specifically for the FS-12LT, as well as the standard one.

[Siclick33]

Following my post about Tamiya nitros, and me toying with the idea of trying to gather parts together to try rebuild one or 2 of the older touring cars, I have been looking at whether I might be able to source engines.

I understand the FR and FS as mentioned in this thread, but what do the suffixes refer to? i.e. What is the difference between a S,R, LT, SW, FE etc?

For example, will all of the FS variants fit a TG10 Mk1?

I see that the hop-up heatsink heads have different part numbers for different engines. Presumably that mean they will only fit one specific engine variant? e.g. will part 41083 only fit the FS-12FD?

[acprc]

1 hour ago, Siclick33 said:

Following my post about Tamiya nitros, and me toying with the idea of trying to gather parts together to try rebuild one or 2 of the older touring cars, I have been looking at whether I might be able to source engines.

I understand the FR and FS as mentioned in this thread, but what do the suffixes refer to? i.e. What is the difference between a S,R, LT, SW, FE etc?

For example, will all of the FS variants fit a TG10 Mk1?

I see that the hop-up heatsink heads have different part numbers for different engines. Presumably that mean they will only fit one specific engine variant? e.g. will part 41083 only fit the FS-12FD?

There is no rhyme or reason ref the suffix on the engines apart from FZ, FX, FD and CX in my mind. FD and FX denoting Force who made the original engines that were re branded as Tamiya and CX takes a nod to the Novarossi engine that was re branded to Tamiya. FZ seems to follow the chassis type of the TG10 Mk2 it was assigned to. I am sure that the Tamiya HQ would have some historical data as to why the first real engines in the majority of the kits (FS-12LT and FS-15LT) had the suffix LT however I dont know it. They were made by Shuwa a white label engine producer and maybe its just something from their model references. As far as I am aware LT does not stand for anything.

The OPS and OS engines are pretty much the original designations however the FS-12SS, FS-12SW and FS-12SWG engines are indeed made by OS. Again, the suffix does not really tie into the engines that they are copied from. Maybe the SWG is also designated that way as it was only used on the TG10 Mk2SG kits so they added a G onto the SW suffix.

41083 will indeed only fit the FS-12FD.

[Siclick33]

That's awesome.

Thanks very much for your help.

 

[Siclick33]

So, there's a TG10 Mk2 on the auction site that comes with a FR-12R. It also has a 'Handy Starter Gear Driven Unit B'.

This leads to a couple of questions.

Can the FR-12R be fitted with a recoil starter (I assume not but thought I'd ask)?

I assume that the gear driven unit is so you can use an electric starter. Does the Unit B fit the FR-12R (it doesn't show it as a compatible engine on the Tamiya USA website)?

Thanks,