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Carb rebuild kit or replacement?

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pitbull14218

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  1. Bashing
So its been awhile since i used my HPI nitro MT its an old model with the .15 FE

It ran good before i put it away, i pulled it out years later and i couldnt get it to stay running. I pulled the carb apart cleaned it put it back together, and it almost ran good, it idled the longest i could get it to, maybe 30seconds.

Mostly what I've noticed is bubbles appearing in the fuel line, i have to prime the crap out of it to fill the line, then i get it idling irratically and then it stalls and bubbles in the line.

Almost like maybe a vacuum leak. Idk, I'm about to swap the engine or maybe carb?

Recommendations?
 
Have you replaced the fuel lines?
There should be no reason why you can't get that to run good if you've
had it to run before!
The fuel lines are clear, and i blew through them, but i guess i should cut the ends off to have them tighter but i think the carb is leaky.
 
You get bubbles in the line after the engine has been running for a few? If that is correct, I would have a look at the fuel tank. Do a visual check to be sure that the seal on the filler looks in good shape, no cracks etc... Make sure there is nothing broken off inside. The pick up tube hasn't snapped off.
You can check the tank further by pulling it with the fuel line. Plug one end of the fuel line with a screw. Hold the whole system under water (in a sink or bucket). Blow into the other end and see if you get bubbles anywhere.
I would replace the lines anyways. They are cheap enough and having replaced them, you know for fact that it's DEF not the issue.
I have also heard of even the tiniest pieces of o-ring slivers breaking off from the needle seals causing all sorts of badness.
(Just to add to cbaker65 's comment)
In another thread here (couldn't find it to link to you), ppl have recommended associated green slime and a few other similar products to get the rings to go in smooth, seal up properly and operate correctly (preventing leaks internally). I think he actually had mentioned the use of a Napa product.
Sealing the base of the carb with a 'sensor safe, petroleum resistant' type automotive RTV is a good idea as well. Be super careful to keep the sealer out of the intake, so it can't get into the engine! I think it's a good idea as it's another cheap fix and you'll have the peace of mind knowing it's been done.
I hope some of this helps you out! Please, if you fixed it, let us know what you've found.
 
Thanks for the help guys. I'm gonna call my local hobby shop and see if theyhave a sealer for the carb,maybe ill at least pick up fuel line.

What about a cheap replacement engine? Any recommendations? People never just replace the carb?

Sucks i dont have a manual so i dont know the factory settings for the HSN
 
The sealer I was talking about can be purchased at any new auto parts store. I would think it would be cheaper there than at a hobby shop (if a hobby shop even carries it) Def pick up the fuel line. We can help you thru all the set up etc, no prob. No need to pick up an engine or a carb yet IMO. Just trying to get you set up to the point where the carb will operate properly so it can be set up.

You may want to check out the fuel tank before you head to the shop too??? In case you need to replace it.
 
You've got a leak in the fuel system. Just replace fuel lines, they're most likely stretched and gummed up, check or replace the seal in the fuel tank, and check the fuel filter for air leaks if you have one.
 
So i fixed it, i pulled the tank, bubble tested it, no leaks. Changed fuel lines, actually hooked up the top fuel line to the exhaust... Some how it was connected to the idle screw..

Its running ok, moves decent once and awhile it stalls and i have to run up to it and pull the body and start it again lol.

I think i spend more time starting it then running it.

I need to get a better battery charger for the ignitors because I'm affraid to overcharge them and ruin them so i have to keep alternating and charging them because theyre never charged all the way. Good thing i have 3 of them!
 
So now i think i blew up the transfer case, unless its just the rear diff.. I'm tired from kneeling and starting it like 40 times today, new gas helps too lol
 
Yeah I'm hoping its just a set screw thay came loose and is preventing my 4x4 from working. But i suppose the diff wouldnt be hard to fix either, just gotta find the parts.
 
Thanks to flea-bay, even really tough to find parts are out there. Hopefully you'll find something simple tho. When you're rolling again, we can get you thru trimming out the carb right so hopefully you'll spend more time driving than starting!

Don't forget... Blue loc-tite is your friend! Wherever you've got metal to metal threads, Def use some! The blue will let you get the screws back out when you need to where the red is too much.
 
It maybe a set screw on the drive cups ,also make sure the wheels are tight ,they will ocassionly loosen up
an requires frequent tightening!
Check all minor stuff before you just tear into things!...:thumbs-up:
 
DEF a good point! K.I.S.S. is the way to go ALWAYS as far as I'm concerned! Keep it simple, inspect and do every repair as thouroughly as possible.
Since you've pulled this truckout of storage for a good amount of time, I would spend some time going thru it. Take the time to clean up and lube the bearings, diffs, joints etc... The usual suspects. Certainly inspect and replace any of the worn, wear items or anything that may have deteriorated over time.
This is a perfect time to nail down a good source for parts. If the budget allows, stock up on likely breakable parts too. Control arms, dogbones (paint the dogbones a bright color so they'll be easy to find if one comes loose in a collision) any other parts you may have replaced from crashing in the past that have become rare over time. Be sure to check for upgraded parts too. Like if you're gonna pick up control arms, see if RPM arms are avail (for example).
Def keep a few glow plugs with you until it's dialed and running right. A fresh air filter and oil will help too. At the very least, it's another one of those things that is cheap money and gives peace of mind knowing it's done.
I would check out the shocks too. Make sure the shafts are smooth and rust free and that they travel smoothly. Pick up some new o-rings, new bladders, whatever else you need to rebuild and some oil that best suits your requirements. Another fairly inexpensive repair that will have a big payoff.
I actually dl'd the manual by mistake... Here's the link.
http://oldrc.com/OLDRC/HPI_Manuals.html
That's for the truck.
Does your carb have a single needle or high and low speed needles?
 
So i fixed it, i pulled the tank, bubble tested it, no leaks. Changed fuel lines, actually hooked up the top fuel line to the exhaust... Some how it was connected to the idle screw..

Its running ok, moves decent once and awhile it stalls and i have to run up to it and pull the body and start it again lol.

I think i spend more time starting it then running it.

I need to get a better battery charger for the igniters because I'm afraid to overcharge them and ruin them so i have to keep alternating and charging them because they're never charged all the way. Good thing i have 3 of them!
For the igniters, use this to enter the details and work out charge time:
http://www.csgnetwork.com/batterychgcalc.html

Also test your priming system is working. Remove (and clean, and re-oil the air filter), take the glow igniter out, turn everything off, and open it wide open throttle (the slide completely disappears) then look at the opening opposite the golden needle and prime the engine. Does fuel (not bubbly) come out of the opening? If so, it is priming properly and fuel is getting into the engine. Then move onto the glow plug, take it out and put it against a fully charge glow igniter. Does it glow bright bright red/ even white? Also check whether the wire and bottom are black (this means it is worn out) Also see whether the actual coil is bent or damaged. Follow this:
glowplugs1.webp

It should look like 2, 3 is too rich, 1 is too lean, 4 is healthy, but worn out.

Then we can move onto the clutch. Remove the engine, take the clutch bell off. Inspect the shoes. Are they worn? Is there a groove on the inside of the clutch bell, if so it needs replacing. Then check clutch springs, do any of the shoes flap about when you shake the engine, are they free. If so, they need replacing since they have broken.

Then check drive train, lift the car up while its all together, and spin 1 wheel, do all the other wheels move, even slightly? If so then good. Then check center diff, place the two front wheels on the ground and hold and spin the two back wheels, the front wheels shouldn't move, however the back wheels should be movable with a little but more resistance, but the movement should be quiet and smooth. Then do the same the other way. Once you've done this hold the two front wheels, one in each hand. Move them in the opposite direction. Is the movement smooth, do the same but this time keep the one wheel still. Repeat for rear. If your diffs are in good condition, then all of the tests should give smooth, noise free results.

Then we'll check brakes, turn the car on, with the air filter off. First, is there a 1-2mm gap as is? This is your idle gap, just enough to let air through to keep it at a low rpm, adjust the idle screw to set this correctly. Then put on full brakes, do they work, is the car very difficult to push forward, if at all. This should be the case, if it isn;t, then tighten the screws on the brake "calipers":
hpi-trophy-buggy-3.5-centre-diff-17065-p.jpg

Those two black screws that sandwich the disc.

Then, look at the slide, and put on full brakes again, does this idle gap change? If so, then your linkages are incorrect.

Now, steering, go full lock one way, does the servo whine and twist, if so, then you need to lower your endpoints. If not, then good.

Now we can try and start, set needles (LSN, HSN) so they're flush with their housings.
images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTvKkctLaeEArUD94-s6Op0KD2HHMJD7hjhtXQjMOOscbZGyKP5.webp


Now, put in some fresh fuel, prime it, don't over prime, (locking it up, this is bad, if you do, remove the glow plug, pull it over quickly a few times and then put it back in) and pull the pull start. It should start. If it sounds like it's about to stall, use the throttle trim on the remote to turn up the idle. Leave it to warm up for a minute or two, then very, very slowly, go up to about quarter throttle, if it sounds like it's going to stall, let go, and try again, then, move up to half throttle, then up to 3/4 throttle, then do a few full throttle passes. The engine will most likely be very rich, even too rich, if you can't go full throttle, and it dies, then lean out the HSN so you can warm it up at least. Then, to actually tune the engine, keep on leaning out (clockwise turns in) of the high speed needle, until you reach higher and higher rpm, and performance gets better and better, stop once you have no performance improvements. Your engine should be running in the 200-240f range. If you don't have a temp gun, put some spit on top of the cooling head, if it evaporates instantly and boils away it is too lean. Now turn throttle trim back down, if it is still to low, turn up the idle screw on the carburettor. Now move onto the LSN, the lsn affects the mixture during acceleration, whereas the HSN affected the mixture during higher rpms. Do the same with the LSN but in 1/16th of a turn. Keep leaning it so that you get faster and faster acceleration, if your engine bogs down when you go full throttle, then it is too lean. Now do the pinch test, whilst idling, pinch the fuel line close to the carb, the engine should die within the 4-6 second range, the idle should go up suddenly before it shuts off. But remember, this is a rough estimate, and is not entirely accurate. You'll also need to readjust the idle speed once again, now the final step is to top it up with fuel and have fun :)

Please read this and follow this through, if you follow this, you're pretty much guaranteed to have a perfect running nitro rc.
 
@ninnon Thanks for the charge time calculator. Def bookmarked!
That covers pretty much anything and everything that an hpi engine manual would cover (that I could think of, and then some!)
@pitbull14218 Please post how you made out, what you find etc... Always looking to learn more!
 
@ninnon Thanks for the charge time calculator. Def bookmarked!
That covers pretty much anything and everything that an hpi engine manual would cover (that I could think of, and then some!)
@pitbull14218 Please post how you made out, what you find etc... Always looking to learn more!
Well, I shortened it down a bit so you don't have to sift through all the chinese :D Go through everything I mentioned and you should be good to go :)
 
So i believe i fixed my 4wd issues, i did find a backed out set screw. I then removed both and blue lock tighted them.

Now all 4 spin if both front spin or both rear spin. While i was in therei greased the dog bones for the transfer case.

But i do feel a bit of drag, it when i spin both front or rear tires engaging the 4wd not as smooth as i thought it would feel but i never paid attention to it before.

Not sure if its a problem, tomorrow ill try it out.
 
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