Cox Texaco 0.49 advice

Hi Coxfledgling,

Thanks for your reply.
Snowden will provide some stunning backdrops for your flying I am sure!
I am just pondering the possibility of getting the Texaco up and running again and so will keep in mind your proposal of a collaboration should it come to it.
For now it seems I could get a head conversion from Den's but at a probable loss of 500 rpm.
I was wondering a 3 fin head would work if I run a smaller prop and a 3 minute tank (thinking control line) ?

The Texaco isn't a control line engine. The engine is a duration engine which is designed around torque and fuel economy. You want consistent high rpm's with 1/2A control line. It's much easier to detune a higher performance engine vs extracting blood from a stone. The Texaco utilizes a very small venturi which is where the fuel economy comes from. The 5 fin head is mythical and it really isn't needed or required. The engine runs essentially the same. I know some guys that were running ispropyl alcohol vs methanol. I have no experience in doing so and I will not embarrass myself by offering advice as to the why and what it does choosing the alternative. What I have seen is the Texaco running the standard glow head. I have dozens of the Cox 8x4 gray props and I tried it on one. I can't say that I was overly impressed with it's performance. I fly sport free flight and in no way would the Texaco really suit my taste.

          There's a great article somewhere on the net in regards to the large tanked Texaco and the smaller. The free flight guys made many suggestions as to how to achieve more but at the same time not compromising too much airtime. I will have to do some digging to find it again.

Hi mccoyboy,
Yes you can run a standard 3 fin head with no problems.
The 5 fin glow head was "if" you used a prop up to 8x4.
With the 3 fin head, just run it the same as you would a Golden Bee with the same fuel.
Not really that much difference besides the 5 fin head.

I really didn't use the 5 fin head when using a 8x4 prop because using 0% to 5% nitro and the slow speed of the turning prop
the head would cool down too much and quit. I would use a muffler with the 5 fin head to keep the head warm while spinning the large prop.
I then changed to the 3 fin head and never went back to the 5 fin head and was able to run without the muffler.
(one of the rules changes --- see below) (another rules change had to use 5 fin head --- see below)

The object for the "Texaco" engine was for the SAM (Society of Antique Models) events which was 1/2a and Scale 1/2a duration.
You try to get the engine run as long as you can ( I was able to get them to run for for about 10 minutes on the 8cc tank)
and fly the 1/2a old timer airplane for a total of 15 minutes (motor run and gliding back down to a landing)

SAM changed the rules when too many people were over the 15 minutes flying time.
So, the rules changed to use the 5cc tank (reason Cox Texaco Jr. was made), with the still 15 minutes flying time.
Next problem, we made the planes smaller ( from about 350sq in. wing area to 250 to 300sq.in wing area)
Smaller lighter planes up farther but also harder to see.
The following year another rules changed. The plane had to weight a minimum of 16 oz. ready to fly.
I quit entering that event as they kept tinkering with the rules and I got tired of making different planes every other year!

All of the Cox Texaco engines I have are illegal one way or another because it's not "stock".
No Kern fine needle valves, have to use 5 fin head, can't remove some of the flashing inside the fuel tank, no mufflers, or restrictors of any kind, no props over 8 inches, etc.)
And each winner had to strip down their engine to verify that they were using "stock" engines.

Was it the engine they were using, or a stock engine they had available if asked to strip it down their winning engine?
I wanted in the rules, winner's engine can be sold to any contestant for what a "normal" Texaco engine would sell for.
That rule never passed?

So, I have a total 18 Texaco engines (Texaco  Jr.  included)
Here is only a photo of some of them:


My avatar photo has the all.
Now a photo of the 5 fin heads I have (14 heads in all -- which I don't use):




I would order from kamtechnik head adapters and use easily purchased glow plugs in the U.K.?
https://kamtechnik.com/
Or get the glow plug adapters from:
Ex Model Engines:
http://www.exmodelengines.com/product.php?productid=17676&cat=267&page=1

or Cox International:
https://coxengines.ca/cox-.049-glow-plug-adapter-with-plug.html

Both of those are good but will reduce your RPM by about 500RPMs over the Cox original and kamtechnik heads.
Sorry for the long answer. I just wanted to let you know why there was a "Texaco" engine made by Cox.
Long story short.
Use a 3 fin head, and use regular fuel, 6x3 prop (good size to use) and think of it as a Standard Bee or Golden Bee.

If you want to really use it for U-control get a different back plate from a Baby Bee and swap out the Texaco back plate for the Baby Bee back plate.

Ken cook and sosam117,
Thanks for the informative replies. I remembered it was something to do with bigger prop and longer run times but your posts have really cleared things up for me.
It is good to know I can use a 3 fin/conversion head and 6x3 prop. I can get these from Den's when the time comes.

sosam117 - the Texaco in the box on the right hand side is the same as mine. The box is gone now but I still have the leaflet and the decals.

mccoyboy wrote:Ken cook and sosam117,
Thanks for the informative replies. I remembered it was something to do with bigger prop and longer run times but your posts have really cleared things up for me.
It is good to know I can use a 3 fin/conversion head and 6x3 prop. I can get these from Den's when the time comes.

sosam117 - the Texaco in the box on the right hand side is the same as mine. The box is gone now but I still have the leaflet and the decals.

The Texaco engine isn't a screamer, but if you just want to fly around in circles (no loops or any stunts) the engine should work.
Use no more than 15% nitro and you'll do fine.
Fly it on short lines and move the fuel pickup from the bottom of the tank (probably where it is now) to the right side on the back plate. There are little nubs inside the back plate that will hold the fuel line where it should be until you get it back together.

The fuel pick up has to be on the side (outside of the circle) to pick up all of the fuel because of the centrifugal forces
inside the tank, If it's at the bottom you'll have 1/2 a tank of fuel left (and a short motor run).

sosam117 wrote:

mccoyboy wrote:Ken cook and sosam117,
Thanks for the informative replies. I remembered it was something to do with bigger prop and longer run times but your posts have really cleared things up for me.
It is good to know I can use a 3 fin/conversion head and 6x3 prop. I can get these from Den's when the time comes.

sosam117 - the Texaco in the box on the right hand side is the same as mine. The box is gone now but I still have the leaflet and the decals.

The Texaco engine isn't a screamer, but if you just want to fly around in circles (no loops or any stunts) the engine should work.
Use no more than 15% nitro and you'll do fine.
Fly it on short lines and move the fuel pickup from the bottom of the tank (probably where it is now) to the right side on the back plate. There are little nubs inside the back plate that will hold the fuel line where it should be until you get it back together.

The fuel pick up has to be on the side (outside of the circle) to pick up all of the fuel because of the centrifugal forces
inside the tank, If it's at the bottom you'll have 1/2 a tank of fuel left (and a short motor run).

Thanks sosam117,
It is good to know I can make it work for c/l if I decide to.

Texaco 5 fins work Good for cars engine extra cooling is Good y use now mutch larger

Ha ha! Good option! There is a tethered race track not too far from me. You never know!

I love the small engine so much to use it in is amazing what it can do if build correct its posible To fit on Several rtf model I have success build  comvert aircraft motorized wit 250 brushless To .049 nitro engine i made one Mitsubishi zero a6m5 from efligh