My first nitro rc just doesn't want to start. Any sort of help is needed...!

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Darnrightdifficult

RC Newbie
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I just got my first nitro rc 3 days ago (it's a HSP nitro rc monster truck 1:10 second hand) (with a SH 18 engine) and it basically looks new and is visually in great condition. Tho i haven't been able to start it yet (according to the previous owner he last started it in December and it should work) and he has always run it on 25% nitro and I'm using the exact same fuel that he used.

Pros/things that i know are fine:

New glow plug (i bought it 1 day ago).
Aftermarket glow plug and charger.
It primes super easily and gets the fuel to the carburettor without any hassle.
The pull cord/string isn't that hard to pull so i don't think it's flodded.
The controller.
New batteries for the car.
After run oil that i bought 1 day ago aswell.

Cons/the i suspect or know are bad/broken:

The glow plug that the car had when i bought it was broken for some reason.
He has never bought or applied after run oil if I'm correct.
He left the tank half full of fuel and there was a bit fuel att the end of the fuel line right infront of/inside the carburettor when i bought it.
The weather here (outside) is about 5°c (40°f).

So honestly i have no idea why it won't start but honestly i would really appreciate any help that i could get😃👍 (i could send pictures/videos of it if yuz want)

Ps this is my first thread on this forum🥳🤯
 
Welcome in! Does the engine have compression? You'll definitely need to clean out all of the old fuel in the carb and engine.
 
A couple of things I would do. @pug mentioned cleaning the carb and after sitting for a while, it may be gummed up with oil.
40f is a bit cool so I would use either a hair dryer or heat gun "they make a heat sock just for this" and heat up the head before you try to start it. Nitro is very temperamental when it comes to cold weather. Also, I would move the needles back to factory settings. Usually needles flush with the needle housing will get you close.
 
As @pug was saying, check the compression, if it was very easy to pull the pull start without much resistance, then no compression. You can take out the glow plug and then prime the engine, make sure there are lot of fuel coming out, so that the engine is not clog up, then pinch the line and continue to pull the starter until almost no fuel is coming out.
 
Welcome in! Does the engine have compression? You'll definitely need to clean out all of the old fuel in the carb and engine.
How do i check if it has compression?
A couple of things I would do. @pug mentioned cleaning the carb and after sitting for a while, it may be gummed up with oil.
40f is a bit cool so I would use either a hair dryer or heat gun "they make a heat sock just for this" and heat up the head before you try to start it. Nitro is very temperamental when it comes to cold weather. Also, I would move the needles back to factory settings. Usually needles flush with the needle housing will get you close.
I've tried using a hair dryer but only for like half a minute to a minute. And i can't find the stock needle settings...😬
As @pug was saying, check the compression, if it was very easy to pull the pull start without much resistance, then no compression. You can take out the glow plug and then prime the engine, make sure there are lot of fuel coming out, so that the engine is not clog up, then pinch the line and continue to pull the starter until almost no fuel is coming out.
It wasn't very easy to pull and it wasn't very hard either... it feels about right, tho i don't know how much resistance it's supposed to have. And where do you mean that the fuel will be comming out?
 
Most of the time if I don't know what is the factory setting is, I would close the HSN completely and open up 3 turns. If there is a LSN, I would at least open it flat to the throttle body, a little more out would not hurt it. You want to get at least some fuel into the engine when you prime it. If no fuel get in, you will never get it started. Follow what I said before, you should at least get some explosions. Then go from there.
 
My advice is to carefully use a heat gun for several minutes, until you get the engine temp up to 150-180F. If all you have is a hair dryer, you will need to use it for a lot longer than that. If you don't have a temp gun, I would suggest getting one. You will need it to check engine temps to make sure you are not overheating it down the road, after you get it started and are trying to tune it. I had the same starting problem on my Losi until I realized I needed to heat my engine before hand. After that, my starting problems disappeared. Good luck!
 
Welcome. First thing first you need to clean the fuel tank and carb completely. Got to get rid of the gelled fuel. You definitely need a heat gun and temp gun. The engine should be up near 150° at the plug. Cold starts are a bit*h. But also need to reset the needles. We can't tell by looking at the HSN. The LSN should be flush with the inner ring of the carb slide. Or the carb slide air gap to 1.5mm. The LSN on the sh .18 doesn't have a true factory setting. The HSN should be turned out from flush 3.5-4 turns out from closed. You say it's easy to pull is the any resistance at all. When you pull cord does the engine putt putt spit. If really easy might need a new one way bearing. And I never used after run oil once in 20+ yrs of running nitro so your aware. Unless the rc will be sitting for months on end with no movement then yea maybe. But for a couple week no need.. you can read this below it will help you. It's about your engine

"Factory Carb Settings For .18 SH Engine : Nitrotek LTD" https://nitrotek.freshdesk.com/supp...092734-factory-carb-settings-for-18-sh-engine
If your truly using a hair dryer. You will need to hold in on engine till you can't touch the engine. WAY LONGER THEN A MIN OR SO
 

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Can you take some photos please of the car, and also each needle so we can see where they are at?
Yeah here you go
Most of the time if I don't know what is the factory setting is, I would close the HSN completely and open up 3 turns. If there is a LSN, I would at least open it flat to the throttle body, a little more out would not hurt it. You want to get at least some fuel into the engine when you prime it. If no fuel get in, you will never get it started. Follow what I said before, you should at least get some explosions. Then go from there.
That's what i did before with the HSN and i don't know which one is the LSN. And should the fuel be coming out from under the glow plugs position?
My advice is to carefully use a heat gun for several minutes, until you get the engine temp up to 150-180F. If all you have is a hair dryer, you will need to use it for a lot longer than that. If you don't have a temp gun, I would suggest getting one. You will need it to check engine temps to make sure you are not overheating it down the road, after you get it started and are trying to tune it. I had the same starting problem on my Losi until I realized I needed to heat my engine before hand. After that, my starting problems disappeared. Good luck!
Well all i have is a hair dryer and right now I'm trying to avoid spending as much money as possible but I'll buy a heat gun when possible. So you think that all i should do is heat upp the engine abit more?
Welcome. First thing first you need to clean the fuel tank and carb completely. Got to get rid of the gelled fuel. You definitely need a heat gun and temp gun. The engine should be up near 150° at the plug. Cold starts are a bit*h. But also need to reset the needles. We can't tell by looking at the HSN. The LSN should be flush with the inner ring of the carb slide. Or the carb slide air gap to 1.5mm. The LSN on the sh .18 doesn't have a true factory setting. The HSN should be turned out from flush 3.5-4 turns out from closed. You say it's easy to pull is the any resistance at all. When you pull cord does the engine putt putt spit. If really easy might need a new one way bearing. And I never used after run oil once in 20+ yrs of running nitro so your aware. Unless the rc will be sitting for months on end with no movement then yea maybe. But for a couple week no need.. you can read this below it will help you. It's about your engine

"Factory Carb Settings For .18 SH Engine : Nitrotek LTD" https://nitrotek.freshdesk.com/supp...092734-factory-carb-settings-for-18-sh-engine
If your truly using a hair dryer. You will need to hold in on engine till you can't touch the engine. WAY LONGER THEN A MIN OR SO
How do i clean the fuel tank and carb?and what do you mean with the LSN being "flush" with the inner ring...? (Besides i don't know where the LSN and carb slide is😬) and yes there's resistance when i pull all i was trying to say was that it wasn't SUPER hard to pull. And when i pull the cord it makes a standard sound or whatever, but it still sounds like something missing. Like it sounds like if it's not trying to burn fuel/doesn't have any to burn.
 

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it looks like its in good condition. as others have said, clean everything up and check for clogs in the fuel lines/gummed up fuel. it would be best to take the whole engine apart, clean/lube/seal, then reassemble knowing everything is correct. the idle gap in the picture is way too big. take a paper clip and close the gap enough so it just touches the paper clip. should be close enough to get you going. also, while your engine is apart you will be able to check the clutch spring, a broken one can prevent it from starting.
 
Yeah here you go

That's what i did before with the HSN and i don't know which one is the LSN. And should the fuel be coming out from under the glow plugs position?

Well all i have is a hair dryer and right now I'm trying to avoid spending as much money as possible but I'll buy a heat gun when possible. So you think that all i should do is heat upp the engine abit more?

How do i clean the fuel tank and carb?and what do you mean with the LSN being "flush" with the inner ring...? (Besides i don't know where the LSN and carb slide is😬) and yes there's resistance when i pull all i was trying to say was that it wasn't SUPER hard to pull. And when i pull the cord it makes a standard sound or whatever, but it still sounds like something missing. Like it sounds like if it's not trying to burn fuel/doesn't have any to burn.
On picture 3, where the throttle control arm is, you see the screw head, that is your LSN, it does looks it is set normally. If you see fuel coming out from under the glow plug, it is probably flooded and you glow plug is not tightened enough. But I will remove the plug and get rid of the extra fuel.
 
Needles all look normal for a break in. Idle gap needs to be smaller, but should start regardless, just be careful, with a gap that big, it might take off as soon as it fires up.
As others have said, I would first just clean the tank and fuel lines, then try to start it again.
Spray some CRC into the carb if you have, and leave it overnight.

Good luck!
 
Yeah here you go

That's what i did before with the HSN and i don't know which one is the LSN. And should the fuel be coming out from under the glow plugs position?

Well all i have is a hair dryer and right now I'm trying to avoid spending as much money as possible but I'll buy a heat gun when possible. So you think that all i should do is heat upp the engine abit more?

How do i clean the fuel tank and carb?and what do you mean with the LSN being "flush" with the inner ring...? (Besides i don't know where the LSN and carb slide is😬) and yes there's resistance when i pull all i was trying to say was that it wasn't SUPER hard to pull. And when i pull the cord it makes a standard sound or whatever, but it still sounds like something missing. Like it sounds like if it's not trying to burn fuel/doesn't have any to burn.
Looks clean. To clean fuel tank dump fuel that's in it. And pour new fuel in and shake the car ir tank if you took it off. I posted pics showing you the carb LSN. It's the screw thats in the middle of the slide arm. Where your throttle servo connects too. To clean carb. I would disconnect it and take it off. Let soak in New fuel or some SG simple green. Or you can pull yhe plug and run new fuel threw the carb and engine. And let it just come out of the plug hole. Which is another quick way to un flood the engine as well
 
This probably won't help you but you can have a good laugh at my expense.

I recently acquired an very used Irvine .20 powered car. The engine hadn't been run for 10 years and it looked like a camel had pooped on it from, well camel height.
After a clean up, I wrapped a cord around the flywheel, gave it a bit of a squirt of fresh fuel connected the glow plug battery and within a dozen spins I had signs of life, so i connected up a temporary tank and added fuel. Same thing after many, many 10s of goes at starting I managed to get the thing to burst into life, but only the once and only for a couple of seconds! Demoralized I gave up for the day.

Came back to it the next day, I fitted a prop for convenience, cooling and load and tried again, this time with a gloved hand to flick the prop over, same issue even after a good hour of trying. Bugger!

Next day, I looked at the stationary engine lashed to a block of wood in the vice and realized that my temporary 'tank' didn't have a vent! Oh how I laughed. "Dim wit"

Tried a proper, (if leaky), tank this time ensuring it had a hole in the top and after some significant fettling "we have a runner".

Moral of the story is look for the obvious before fiddling with the twiddley bits.
 
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Welcome in! Does the engine have compression? You'll definitely need to clean out all of the old fuel in the carb and engine.
I just got my first nitro rc 3 days ago (it's a HSP nitro rc monster truck 1:10 second hand) (with a SH 18 engine) and it basically looks new and is visually in great condition. Tho i haven't been able to start it yet (according to the previous owner he last started it in December and it should work) and he has always run it on 25% nitro and I'm using the exact same fuel that he used.

Pros/things that i know are fine:

New glow plug (i bought it 1 day ago).
Aftermarket glow plug and charger.
It primes super easily and gets the fuel to the carburettor without any hassle.
The pull cord/string isn't that hard to pull so i don't think it's flodded.
The controller.
New batteries for the car.
After run oil that i bought 1 day ago aswell.

Cons/the i suspect or know are bad/broken:

The glow plug that the car had when i bought it was broken for some reason.
He has never bought or applied after run oil if I'm correct.
He left the tank half full of fuel and there was a bit fuel att the end of the fuel line right infront of/inside the carburettor when i bought it.
The weather here (outside) is about 5°c (40°f).

So honestly i have no idea why it won't start but honestly i would really appreciate any help that i could get😃👍 (i could send pictures/videos of it if yuz want)

Ps this is my first thread on this forum🥳🤯
I personally dont store my cars with gas in them. I always run the tank dry for storage + after run oil. Also turn your high speed needle all the way in counting the rotations. Then turn it back out to factory specs. This also helps clear any sludge or gunk from around the needle and seat.
 
Is there a way you can set a video of your problem because I'm thinking it might be a needle adjustment issue and the reason I'm saying is because maybe the last person that had it maybe their temperature was a lot hotter than your humidity area.


Sounds like there's something with the needles out of 10 if something doesn't start right or if it's stalls it's usually it should be between the low end and sometimes the idle screw.

In this case I think it'd be better if you show us the video or some type of a video if possible that is.
 
OP hasn't been here in over a year. Just FYI.
Oh I see what you're saying Old Post okay I wasn't paying attention I'm sorry. I'll not try to to spam nobody it's just I just like helping people that's all. I will be getting myself and so I kind of wanted to relate to people. I keep forgetting it's 2023 for some reason I don't know why. My bad.
 
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