First-time start troubleshooting

[nordenad]

Hello! I am fairly experienced with electric cars and just built my first nitro - a Kyosho Inferno MP10T with a Reds 521 Sport 0.21 engine.

The issue is....I can't start it. At the time I tried to start it, the flywheel was only able to turn one full revolution or so before it stops. I primed the engine with fuel using the blow method (Morgan Fuel Sidewinder On-Road Nitro Fuel 16% - because I read this is a good fuel for initial break-in), put in a brand new charged glow plug igniter, and fired up my ProTek starter box. The starter wheel rubber gets totally shaved off and smokes against the stuck flywheel....so clearly something ain't right. I also heard that perhaps I should heat the engine. I heated it with a heat gun that didn't help at all. I don't know how hot it got because I didn't have an infrared thermometer at the time. Just bought one of those so I can be sure the temp is hot enough. 200 degrees?

I guess my main question is whether the fact that the flywheel doesn't turn freely means that I assembled something incorrectly or that there's a problem with the brand new engine. By the way I did try removing the glow plug and that had no impact. At this point, the flywheel is just stuck and I think the piston is at the top of its travel and won't come down. Any advice for this novice??

 

[CertifiedMike]

Much better!!!

Ok, so you need to buy a thermometer before you take another step into the break in process.
Temps are very important to watch.
Being a noob, more so that you have a real number and not just how long you can touch you finger to the head before you are branded for life.
Your issue is the pinch of the motor, these new motors are tighter than my old nitros I guess too

The compression is a secondary concern.

I am not really sure what temp is ideal but I'd GUESS somewhere around 200 is close.

I am not at all sure about the fuel you have picked. I know VP is a favorite. Even at that, not sure which you'd be best to use.

I am out of the loop so to speak. Restoring an Optima Mid for the track.
(I bought one decades ago and raced it.)
I ran nitro for some years, some years back.

@Littlemotor and @tudordewolf are both very active in nitro, both very smart.
Littlemotor is a nitro racing guru. Check out his threads and be amazed!!!
Even tho it might be a Tekno, read anyway!!! You WILL learn stuff!!!:

Tudorwolf is into a lot of aircraft and surface, def knows nitro!!!

Learn from these guys if you want good info!!!

 

[Littlemotor]

I wouldn’t run ANY Morgan fuel. Seen too many rods sling apart on that stuff first hand, and it’s a consistent issue-not once in a while.. That engine is also not shimmed for 16% fuel. It is shimmed for 25-30% out of the box, and with a hot, or ultra hot plug. It’s a requirement, and you cannot just do this because somebody said it’s “good for break in”.. I recommend NitroPro, or VP Lutz Blend, and both in 30%.

You NEED to be heating that block to 230deg, and wrapping your head so that you can MAINTAIN that temp during a pig rich, blubbery break in setting on those needles.

The Protek box has numerous issues right out of the package. You will need to order up a Mugen Seki box wheel for it first and foremost. The factory wheel is made of bouncy balls, and will be smoked (literally) long before you ever finish your break-in procedure. The LAST thing you want to be focusing on during this procedure is garbage equipment. Also you will for sure need to remove the motor stands, and shim the entire assembly UP to make better contact with your flywheel. This needs to be done with your engine removed from the vehicle just like you should have done to align your posts with your chassis. This is on EVERY ProTek box, and for EVERY vehicle. It must be done, period.

Be sure your infrared thermometer (again-requirement, not suggestion) is a solid piece (NOT the ProTek offering), and that you are temping the motor in the correct spot. Do not temp the cooling fins on the head, nor your glow plug. Ratech makes a nice one, but they’re around $100. The EcoPower on Amain is a good one for minimal dollars, and it’s consistent, and easy to keep an hold of.

Also crack your plug to ease in rotating your engine the first few tanks. You already have a TON of metal pinch being a Reds engine. The metal pinch is WHY you are doing a break-in procedure to begin with, and it will calm down as you properly complete this process. The compression on top of that makes it even more difficult. When your flywheel sticks at TDC (top dead center), simply use your tuning driver against the flywheel slot in your chassis to rotate the motor back down to BDC (bottom dead center).

Watch this ENTIRE video from JQ MULTIPLE times, and familiarize yourself with everything he says. You do NOT want to break-in your high dollar, Italian race engine based off of a few sentences from the peanut gallery on a discussion forum, or fakebook RC group. LEARN the fundamentals, and apply the knowledge. This will be the best recipe for success IMO.

Also THE most important-ALWAYS rotate your engine so that the piston is at BOTTOM DEAD CENTER every single time the engine stops running. This is not a suggestion-it is a requirement. If you do not, you will have a $250 paper weight.

 

[nordenad]

Much better!!!

Ok, so you need to buy a thermometer before you take another step into the break in process.
Temps are very important to watch.
Being a noob, more so that you have a real number and not just how long you can touch you finger to the head before you are branded for life.
Your issue is the pinch of the motor, these new motors are tighter than my old nitros I guess too

The compression is a secondary concern.

I am not really sure what temp is ideal but I'd GUESS somewhere around 200 is close.

I am not at all sure about the fuel you have picked. I inow VIP is a favorite. Even at that, not sure which you'd be best to use.

I am out of the loop so to speak. Restoring an Optima Mid for the track.
(I bought one decades ago and raced it.)
I ran nitro for some years, some years back.

@Littlemotor and @tudordewolf are both very active in nitro, both very smart.
Littlemotor is a nitro racing guru. Check out his threads and be amazed!!!
Even tho it might be a Tekno, read anyway!!! You WILL learn stuff!!!:

Tudorwolf is into a lot of aircraft and surface, def knows nitro!!!

Learn from these guys if you want good info!!!

Thank you so much - thermometer just arrived so I will give that a go and see what I can do..... I will review posts from these other gurus in the meantime.

 

[Littlemotor]

Thank you so much - thermometer just arrived so I will give that a go and see what I can do..... I will review posts from these other gurus in the meantime.

You’re very welcome. Start with that YouTube video. It is absolutely invaluable, and the most beneficial help you will receive.