A few problems with my Nitrage.

[alhope34]

I think I killed my .32, but I'd like to list the problems as they happened and see if anyone has any advice on what I should do to fix it.

- Lately my truck has been very hard to start and would shut down within a couple seconds after taking off the ignitor, then eventually wouldn't start at all.

- I got a new glow plug, put it in. It started up within 2 seconds just fine. It was -7c that night but I had it room temperature when I started it. It was running great, I leaned it out a bit to try and keep it hot because the last time I ran it at ~+15c. It eventually started making funny noises (1/2 way through the first tank of the night) I can best describe as 'gargling'. I thought it wasn't right, shut it off. I felt the top of the cooling head and it was cold. I then touched the bottom fin of the cooling head and it almost burnt me. I ran it with no body. I waited till it cooled so it was warm to the touch, and it wouldn't start. I took the brand new glow plug out, put it in both of my ignitors which were just charged earlier that day and it wouldn't glow.

- I then got another new plug today, put it in, enriched it a bit, it started up within 4-5 seconds at room temperature. Was +3c today. It was still making the gargling noises. I revved it a bit, and it wouldn't move an inch. I lifted it up, revved it, and the wheels barely moved. I then thought my clutch shoes were gone again. I took the motor out, I tried to take the bell housing off the crank shaft but then I noticed the fly wheel was spinning freely, which it shouldn't do. I managed to get the bell housing off and sure enough, after I took off the nut holding the flywheel on, it just slipped off. Nothing was holding the flywheel to the crank shaft anymore, so the clutch shoes (which were still fine) obviously wouldn't spin at all, hence why the truck wouldn't move.

- I put it all back together, I tried to start the motor again to see if it would still work and it wouldn't. There was plenty of fuel, the ignitor was fully charged, the glow plug worked, it just wouldn't start. At all. The only thing I can really think of right now is that somehow it's losing compression and needs a rebuild.

It's on the last tank of the 3rd gallon of fuel. Also today I took off the cooling head and cleaned all the gunk off everything and I put it back together properly, I didn't forget anything, and I put the cooling head back on pretty tight.

So, I'm kind of stumped. Does anyone with TNX/Nitrage experience know the specific parts I would have to replace to get the flywheel to stay attached to the crank shaft again? I looked at pictures of the replacement flywheel package, but there was only the flywheel in it. Didn't see any other parts with it to help it attach in any way.

Also, anyone have any ideas why my engine won't start?

 

[Scrogg]

You have to use loctite on flywheel nuts, they need to be tightened pretty good too. Let the loctite dry for a few hours.
3 gallons on the engine, it probably needs bearings. When the bearings go sloppy, the piston and rod move up and down too far. This makes tuning impossible. Running in cold weather you need a body ON with no cooling holes, maybe even a small sock on the cooling headl. You leaned the engine too much on the LSN and ran it lean to bring the heat up. Not the way to run it. A set of new bearings will run the 30=50 buxks, then you also need to know how to remove and install them. Buy yourself a new engine and wait for warmer weather.
If you disassemble the engine completley, clean it up. Then put the piston in the sleeve and see how far it goes up. If it can go up to the top of the sleeve it's not going to have compression. If it stops before the top of the sleeve, then a set of bearings will put you back in business. check the rod by putting it on to the crankshaft and see if it has any major up and down or side to side movement. Anything more than 3/4's mm of slop, just buy a new engine. Rods and bearings will pretty much make it not worth the cost to rebuild.

 

[alhope34]

You have to use loctite on flywheel nuts, they need to be tightened pretty good too. Let the loctite dry for a few hours.
3 gallons on the engine, it probably needs bearings. When the bearings go sloppy, the piston and rod move up and down too far. This makes tuning impossible. Running in cold weather you need a body ON with no cooling holes, maybe even a small sock on the cooling headl. You leaned the engine too much on the LSN and ran it lean to bring the heat up. Not the way to run it. A set of new bearings will run the 30=50 buxks, then you also need to know how to remove and install them. Buy yourself a new engine and wait for warmer weather.
If you disassemble the engine completley, clean it up. Then put the piston in the sleeve and see how far it goes up. If it can go up to the top of the sleeve it's not going to have compression. If it stops before the top of the sleeve, then a set of bearings will put you back in business. check the rod by putting it on to the crankshaft and see if it has any major up and down or side to side movement. Anything more than 3/4's mm of slop, just buy a new engine. Rods and bearings will pretty much make it not worth the cost to rebuild.

Thanks for the advice. Know anywhere I can get the Tamiya fr-32 fx engine from online?

By the way, to be honest, I haven't touched the LSN at all since I've owned the truck. I've done 100% of tuning with the HSN. I was also told at my local hobby shop that this engine should be able to take 6 gallons with ease before a rebuild was needed, but I personally thought that was much too optimistic. Their reason for it being able to handle 6 gallons is that since it's a larger displacement motor, it eats through more fuel in the same RPM as other motors. I does go through fuel rather fast.

Also, I couldn't see any screws or anything on my flywheel. I looked at the install instructions that came with the truck and it shows a small cone-shape piece that goes on the crank shaft just behind the flywheel and wedges the flywheel tight onto the crank shaft. I couldn't find this piece I guess because it's completely inside the flywheel now and the flywheel has some side to side play on the crank shaft. If I got a new engine, would it also come with this wedge-like piece? I couldn't see it in the new flywheel package picture I found.

When I took the starter gears off the side of my engine, there was nothing really holding the rod to the crank shaft on that side. The connecting rod would slide side to side maybe 2-3mm or so to the point where it was about 1/2 way off the crank.

 

[Scrogg]

The rod is made to slide from front to back on the piston wristpin so that's normal. You have to remove the sleeve, then the piston and rod, then the crankshaft. Then place the rod on the crankshaft while evrything is out of the engine. See if it has any slop on the crank pin.
Most big displacement engines break sooner due to heavier internal parts, your LHS is wrong. All engines need the bearings replaced or inspected every two gallons. That's how you make an engine last4X longer than the average person's does. You always need to adjust the LSN during or after breakin, that's where acceleration comes from. If you don't, you'll lean the HSN too much and wear out the piston and sleeve, blow glow plugs left and right. It will take off slow then scream, then start to detonate tuning just the HSN. I've lost count of how many engines I've owned, every single one of them HAD to be adjusted on the LSN.
Go to the engine forum and read the thread " Performance Tuning"
by Exetreme RC Mods. He's a master engine modifier, I owe a lot of my knowledge to him. Watch HPI's tuning vids for the Savage on their website. also a good tuning tutorial.
RC Nitro Hobbies on E-Bay used to sell those engines and parts for the whole car, new for cheap. I can't find crap for your truck on E-Bay right now. If it is a standard big block SG style crank rear exhaust engine, put a QUALITY engine in it. A LRP .30 or Picco .28 will make that .32 feel like a joke. Frickenjoey is one of the few people on here I know and trust for engine info, he has one and said it is a monster. Wheelies on demand and stupid fast.

 

[alhope34]

Well, I visited a different hobby shop today, and the guy confirmed what you told me.

He told me it's not worth it to rebuild the engine and to just get a new one. He said a complete rebuild would run up about $200. He then showed me an OS engine, I believe a .21 but I could be wrong. He said it has comparable power to my original and it's a straight bolt-on. Best part was that it was only $130. I then asked if he had anything else with more power than the original motor that would bolt in, and he showed me another OS they had, a .28 this time. He said this one has more power for sure, as he put one in his TNX.

I think the choice is obvious. More power! I'll be getting it sometime in Jan or Feb. Thanks for the help!

 

[Metalhead Matt]

How good is the drivetrain in your vehicle? Make sure it can handle the extra power.

 

[alhope34]

It doesn't seem like the O.S. .28 would be THAT much more powerful. It's been fine so far, though. Stripped one of the gears after the first gallon because of the pin that holds the gear on that goes through the spindle. After I changed that I ran 2 gallons on the new gear and it's been fine.