A new engine and excitement! K&B Sportster 20
For those that follow my blog you might be surprised by this news. I just bought my FIRST K&B engine! I purchased a K&B Sportster 20 from a fellow member here. Yes, after 28 years in the hobby, this is the first time I have ever owned a K&B engine. I cannot say that there was ever really a reason for that other than personal choice. I have always favored the Japanese made engines but have owned numerous Chinese made engine too. I cannot say that I am on the K&B 'band wagon' or anything. This choice was really one of needing to try something new, and timing. I would never buy a used K&B engine but a NIB one was worth the risk. Being a Made in the USA engine I wasn't expecting Japanese quality externally, and I wasn't disappointed. Sure it isn't the same high quality casting as seen from overseas, but it is pretty nice. I have no complaints about it. Judging by the date on the documentation this looks to be a vintage 1997 engine. I wasn't all that thrilled about the simple brass remote needle valve holder, but it should work fine. The two piece exhaust system should be interesting. I think I will put a drop of semi-permanent loctite on the screws to keep this thing together. The real test will come when I get around to running it. I will use the supplied glow plug and either Morgan's Omega 10% or FAI 0% for fuel. Another reason I chose this particular engine as my first K&B dates back to my entrance into the hobby in 1988. My next door neighbor and fellow Airman at Whiteman AFB were getting into the hobby at the same time. His first engine was this one, a K&B Sportster 20, while my first was an OS 40 FP. I always loved how quiet his engine was and he seemed to really love it. He installed it in a Florio Nifty Fifty airplane. he flew the crap out of that airplane and engine.
