Manufacturer Cipolla Country Italy Type MC 21 RE BUGGY POWER BOX

* factory supplied numbers

Cipolla engine are designed and produced in Italy. These former world champions are already bringing for years engine we hardly see in races.
Reason for that is that the main company AUM is making devices for measuring horizontal level as main business.
The model car and flight engines are just less important but are now taken care of by one of the sons of the guy who founded Cipolla years ago.
As we do not have any real information about this engine we can have a much closer look.

THE BOX
We received the engine from the Dutch distributor RACING-PLUS.COM. There is no factory seal.
When you buy an engine be sure that is there is a seal it is intact. If not, ask the shop owner to check together the contents before buying it.

The engine comes in a plastic bag but is not airtight sealed. Further in this box we found an English/Italian user guide with instructions for safety, maintaining and break-in the engine.
We can discuss about the fact these engines are only purchased by experienced users. 
Some distributors seem to forget that these engines might fall into the hands of non experienced users. 
So break in and users instructions are a need. 
The manual states much information about safety precautions but also:
Break in (If you like to have more info about breaking in engines for general break in click here)
Head clearance
Fuel to be used
Maintenance and air filter

Further in the box we have:
*The round barrel aluminum carburator with 7 mm air restrictor type II.
*A sheet with decals

THE ENGINE
The crank case has no special feature to be seen from the outside and looks to be well and sturdy designed. 
We could optically not find any abnormalities in the housing.

Although Cipolla also makes AAC engines this version uses the more known full ABC piston-liner. 
An aluminum piston runs in a brass sleeve that is coated with chrome layer that is lapped and rectified.
The top of the piston is a little curved and in the middle is a small ditch to provide better performance of burning the fuel.
Also a small oil groove is placed near the top
No extra ports are made in the piston itself.
The chromed sleeve has 6 real ports be side the inlet and exhaust port.
No dramatic things to mention over here.

The conrod is nicely v- shaped and has a bronze bushing in the bottom of the conrod.

The engine is a long stroke one and the crankshaft measures 14 m/m.
 It has a carved TURBO cutout at the end near the crank pin (big end). This is to better the fuel flow to the combustion chamber.

The large fuchsia cooling head makes it looks nice and also efficient for the right amount of cooling without making it too heavy. 
Constructed with an aluminum  head insert the cooling head accepts only normal glow plugs.

This engine comes with what some will describe as useless and is called a POWER BOX. 
The aluminum power box is pressed in the rear plate of the crankcase cover.
By means of a piece of silicone tube the power box is connected to two fuel nipples to the inlet underneath carburator throat and the POWER BOX itself.
The power box would provide a better pick up from low to medium RPM's and lower the fuel usage when not using full throttle all the time.

THE CARBURATOR
The version used on this engine is a round barrel one made out of aluminum. Around the throat of the carburetor that goes into the crankcase there is a nylon isolation bushing with a sealing O-ring. This nylon thermal isolation bushing is to prevent the full metal carburator getting hot by transporting directly the heat from the crankcase to the carburator and causing "vapor lock" in the fuel system.
Three needles in total for adjusting high speed, bottom speed and idle speed at one side of the carburator. The angle of the idle needle is horizontal and can easily be accessed from the left side of the car. No hassle with mufflers in the way.
The carburator has an adjustable air intake version that does accept inserts varying from 6 to 9 mm.
Standard the engine has  7 mm insert.
Two O-ring sealed clamps will hold the carburator neck to the crankcase securely.

A rubber shielded "SIS" bearing is sealing the front. A large 14 mm inside main bearing does its job inside.

THE FIRST OPINION
The first impression of this engine out of the box is OK. 
Parts and engine are nicely machined and assembled no debris where found during disassembling.
A manual that is sufficient and clear.
Break in period advised by the manual is 20 minutes heat cycled
No  torque rating available.
The real engine performance and fuel economy can not be judged by looking at it. So we will track test this engine and compare it with others and if possible dyno test it.

TWF8 rating **** stars
five stars is maximum

Paco Raap 26-01-2004

	The box with the engine inside
	The engine in the plastic bag
	The engine on top of the box
	The label clearly shows (with an Italian writing error) that this is a BUGGY engine
	The engine with carburator and instruction manual and decal sheet
	The user instructions are in Italian/English and are sufficient
	The decals sheet
	All the parts of the engine
	The engine with the piece of silicone fuel tube that has to be connected between the power box and the nipple on the left side of the engine
	The full aluminum carburator with the air intake replaceable restrictor of 7 mm
	The black bottom part of the carburator is made of steel and has nylon insulation bushing with a sealing O-ring
	The side where all the needles are located for high, bottom speed and idle speed
	The rear of the carburator
	The side where the connection ball is located that can eb adjusted by means of a ?? mm hexagon tool.
	The engine in front view without the carburator
	The left side view of the engine
	The right side view of the engine
	The rear view of the engine
	The front view of the engine
	Right top view of the engine
	The left top view of the engine
	The 14 mm crank shaft with one TURBO groove
	There 14 mm crank shaft looks nicely machined
	The piston with the flowed conrod with a bronze bushing in the bottom and little oil hole.
	The top of the piston is a little curved and in the middle is a small ditch to provide better performance of burning the fuel
	The power box
	The fuchsia colored cooling head top viewed
	The 15 fin cooling head viewed from the side
	The brass sleeve with chromed inner side
	The brass sleeve with chromed inner side
	The brass sleeve with chromed inner side
	The brass sleeve with chromed inner side
	The2 x 0.2 mm aluminum head gaskets the engine comes with
	The glow plug insert accepts normal glow plugs
	The glow plug insert accepts normal glow plugs
	The two O-ring sealed clamps to keep the carburator fixed to the engine
	The sleeve in the engine is pinned to prevent rotation of the sleeve

Performance

03-03-2004
After the manual suggested break in with 16% Modeltechnics fuel and a R&B 7 glow plug we went to the test track.
Sunny day but only 8 degrees Celsius. The engine was mounted in a Protech Enigma using the header and muffler that comes standard with this car.
We started the engine and adjusted the carburator for 90% race setting.
The correct carburator setting can easily be found. Plus point is that all setting screws can be reached at one side of the carburator.
When we shut down the engine and wanted to start it again it would not fire up again.
We checked and changed the glow plug to a number 6 R&B but it would not start with out giving some throttle.
Even raising the idle speed needle did not worked.
The engine ran fine before we stopped it. Temperature was around 90 degrees Celsius.
A harsh sound was produced when we started it. So we stopped for the day and swapped a CMB engine.
Just to be sure we did not had any problems with fuel, fuel tank or fuel lines. The CMB EVO 3 rally ran fine in the car.

21-03-2004

Testimonial:
Test track Purmerend, The Netherlands
Outside temperature 14 degrees Celsius
Protech Enigma XR
Speed II clutch white shoes 0.85/0.9 mm springs
Plug R&B 6
Odonnel RACE 20% Nitro
Pipe Enigma standard
Engine Cipolla MC 21 RE BUGGY POWER BOX
Carburator Original Cipolla

I checked the engine internal but could not find any thing wrong.
We changed to Odonnell 25% RACE fuel instead of the 16% Dynaglo from Modeltechnics I normally use.
So I started it again but it would not fire up.
I took out the glowplug and checked it on the ignitor pointing  upwards and it worked.
When placed it in the engine it did not start.
So I replaced the glowplug for a new one and the engine started direct.
When I checked the glowplug with the wire downwards it stopped to glow.
So it seems that the glowspiral had a loose connection! :-(
The engine further ran very nice and reliable only needed to retune due to other weather conditions.
Temperatures where around the 90 degrees Celsius again.
I have never used Odonnell  fuel before but it performed well.
It only has a special smell when burned coming from the exhaust.

25-04-2004

Testimonial:
Test track Purmerend, The Netherlands
Outside temperature 13 degrees Celsius
Protech Enigma XR
Speed II clutch white shoes 0.85 mm springs
Plug R&B 7
Modeltechnics DYNAGLO 25% Nitro
Pipe Sirio 2008
Engine Cipolla MC 21 RE BUGGY POWER BOX
Carburator Original Cipolla

The second Brother Cup 2004 race.
On Saturday training is blowed two glow plugs so I added again a 0.2 mm head shim and plugblowing was gone on the Cipolla MC 21 RE BUGGY POWER BOX
So this engine is very touchy when it comes to nitro content and head clearance.
We mounted a Sirio 2008 pipe and this also provided better fuel mileage as the Enigma pipe that comes standard with the car.
No real performs change was noticed.
I started with the RMV Speed II clutch set at 3.5 turns after last rework on it.
It did not had to change it afterwards.
The engine ran the whole day around 120 degrees Celsius on the plug measured.
Only slight readjusting on Saturday for the change of fuel was needed.

15-05-2004

Testimonial:
Track Elmpt, Germany
Outside temperature 17 degrees Celsius
Protech Enigma XR
Speed II clutch white shoes 0.85 mm springs
Plug R&B 7
Modeltechnics DNAGLO 25% Nitro
Pipe Sirio 2008
Engine Cipolla MC 21 RE BUGGY POWER BOX
Carburator Original Cipolla

During the 2 hours race in Elmpt the engine performed well on a average temp of 110 degree Celsius on the plug.
No adjusting was needed on the carb settings.
Engine ran fine in qualification. At the start of my turn of the 2 hours the engine did not fired up due to a blown plug.
Replaced a R&B7 and of it went.
Only frequent first stage air filter changes due to the dusty conditions were needed.
An other 1.5 liters of fuel through with out any real problem.

We ran the engine an other two competitions and some trainings days.
The last competition the slide barrel of the carburator fried it self.
At home I had to take it out and use fine grid policing paper to get it working again.
Further we had a rare flame out that was caused by a defective glowplug.

Conclusion:
For the 10 liters of fuel this engine has burned it a nice reliable engine.
Not a scream but enough low and high speed power.
I assume the carburator problem was an incident and will be one time problem.
Check the deck height if you are blowing plugs in the beginning.

14-04-2005
As our other STS test engine failed we build the Cipolla MC 21 RE BUGGY POWER BOX in the brand new TT S3.
The engine ran all day fine from 1/4 finale until the A-main finale we drove at 4 spot.
Engine stopped and when we checked the plug it was broken.
When arrived at home we dismantled the engine and found the pinch at the top was gone completely.
Reason for that the carburator had become loose from the crank case and dirt was sucked in.
So this means the end of this engine due to my mistake.

The time we used the engine it ran fine and reliable with a good linear power band.

Paco Raap for TEAM TWF8

The engine is provided by
RACING-PLUS.COM

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