Are all Chinese kits created the same?

[jackofalltrades]

Looking at the many websites it appears that many of the kits from China seem to be very similar if not the same. Is this true? Do they all come from the same factory? I noticed that some dealers tout needle bearings, can be upgraded with a polished motor etc. So what is the real scoop? I have seen some members that love their China kits and others that loath them.

 

[GearNut]

There are 2 different factories that I know of.
There are also different grades of quality that they produce.
Each kit is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.
You can certainly tilt the odds in your favor by purchasing a kit from reputable vendors.
They seem to be able to get better quality kits, and if you do get a bad engine, they are willing to warranty it for you.

 

[GearNut]

To add, there seems to be 5 or 6 different engine designs out there. Each one is subtly different on the outside. There are enough differences in the engines that one cannot guarantee that parts from one engine will fit another engine perfectly. It is possible to build one good engine out of a few bad engines, but you will enjoy a few engineering surprises as you build it.