Frustrated Nitro Rush Evo Newbie HELP

[Badsneaker]

Hi,

New Nitro owner, purchased Rush Evo. Have had only 2.5 weeks. Have run through 1 quart 20% fuel. Properly broke in engine. Was running fine. 2 days ago I was running it hard in my backyard, dirt/grass, no jumping. Running rich (I believe) blue-ish smoke when applying heavy throttle. Seemed to be running real pisser, very fast, no bogging down, etc. Got through about 3/4 tank, shut down.

Tried starting it 20 minutes later, no go. Still will not start. Not flooded, new plug, new fuel, new batteries in everything.

Called HPI, let them listen to it trying to start over the phone. He said they had some problems with cranks on early T15's. Told me to pull motor, pull Rotostart covers, and inspect end of crank where it mounts to con rod. Looked good, sent HPI dig pic via email, they said motor looks good. Got home tonite, put the whole damn thing back together, NO START! New plug, good charge on RotoStart, new battery in igniter, primed fuel tank. Just will not start.

Will call HPI again tomorrow, but for now very disappointed. I must say their customer service department in California is pretty helpful, I actually got a phone extension and email address for a fella named Fred over there. Very helpful. I purchased the Rush because the price was nice and I like the looks of the truck. My local hobby shop said I should have gone with Losi or Traxxas. Did I make a mistake with this truck?

It ran great at first but I don't have time to mess with problems, I don't mind tuning n stuff, but I just want to drive!!

HELP this newbie!! I'm in NH BTW.

-Jon

 

[Monkey Wrench]

Doesn't sound like you're getting any fire. I know you said you replaced the battery in the ignitor, but did you visually check to make sure it's working? May want to pull the plug and put it in the ignitor and make sure it glows bright.

Another possibility is it may be hydrolocking on you. You may want to try setting the HSN and LSN back to factory, then lean the HSN about 1/4 turn and try it. It's sometimes hard to tell when you hydrolock with the Rotostart.

 

[dougc]

Nope Hpi is a great company... You sound like you know what you are doing... i am there is nothing wrong with the motor. I know you said it was a new glow plug but You should pull it out and attach it to the glow ingintor and see if it lights bright red. You should also check your idle and maybe lean it out a little. Also Hpi has some great comstomer support.

 

[Badsneaker]

WOW!

You guys are great with quick responses. Jeez I had over 30 views on "another board" with no replies at all!

I did try the plug in the ignitor, definitely lights up good. I did get it to hydrolock by flooding the engine. No Rotostart hydrolock after pulling plug and getting all the fuel out. Even tried another new plug. I put the HSN all the way to flush, as per HPI, no go. I can try to lean the idle screw out. The LSN I believe is flush with carb body. Damn it was running so good I thought til yesterday.

 

[Monkey Wrench]

Hmmmm......I'd try leaning your HSN a bit more and, when you try to start it next time, open the carb up more using the trim on your TX (just make sure you hold onto your rig because when it starts, it's want to take off!) HPI mills, from the factory, come with their needles set way rich and even the factory settings (flush oh HSN and LSN) are rich. As it breaks in, you need to keep leaning it out. My guess is, since it's broken in, it's flooding on you. Lean the HSN until it starts then lean the LSN if it bogs when you throttle it up.

Good luck! Come back if it doesn't work!

 

[Clintd]

I would try holding the engine at part throttle to start it. just make sure you have control of it so it don't just take off when it starts.

 

[Badsneaker]

Still no start. Pulled the plug again. not flooded. Changed plug and glow igniter again. I guess I will have to call HPI tomorrow. I can't seem to adjust anything any other way to at least get it started. Seems it should at least start. Its started fine ever since I got it. Seemed to be running the best yet the other day before it died.

I even took the big plastic tranny gear off so the clutch bell was not turning the wheels and still no start, not even a little "catch". I'm stumped.

 

[Monkey Wrench]

Do you still have compression?

 

[Badsneaker]

Well you know I'm not sure Monkey Wrench. With the plug in its hard to turn, with the plug out, it has a slight pop as the piston comes up. Not sure if this means I have compression. I turned the throttle servo trim all the way up, and I always hold the truck by the handle, wheels off ground, when starting. Nothing. I haven't tried holding the throttle lever on the controller when tried to start. I'm running out of hands. And ideas. And patience. The truck is very fun to drive, although like I said this is my first " real R/C experience ", let alone Nitro. Shoot I'm 36 damn years old, I want to get my kids into this hobby.

Weirdest is the fact that it seemed to be running real good, wet plug, rich smoke when going hard, then shut down as it is has had before a few times (I hope this is normal, I thought Nitros do that when they get a little on the hot side, it always started right up before when it did this. I just would let it cool down a little.

 

[SuperMaxx83]

are you sure you are geting fuel i would try to put a few drops in your head and reinstall the plug and try it then i had a hpi carb gum up on a customer and thats why it wouldnt start but then all you have to do is clean the carb with some cleaner also make sure your fuel lines desnt have any holes in it and that would cause it not to start

 

[jon2]

Have you taken the air filter off to check that you have a 1mm gap? If you are not getting it to start, the three basic requirements to get an engine going are: Spark, fuel and air. You say you have a good glow on the plug and you say that you get fuel. Are you sure?

Have you checked to make sure the fuel cap is snug and the tank is pressurized? Are the lines routed properly? Get the basics all checked out first.


Jon

 

[Badsneaker]

I checked for fuel. I primed the carb enough to flood the engine, pulled the plug, fuel definitely came out of the cylinder head. Put a new plug back in. Still no start. New battery in igniter, carb definitely has the right opening size. Fuel cap is tight, lines are good. It does however take a moment to primew the carb. It seems it primed easier before. I even put fuel in the carb and it still didn't start. Doesn't even sound like it wants to start. Like I said it was running real great. It just shut off and hasn't started since. I have an email into Fred at HPI, hopefully he will get back to me with some help. I told him I would like to send the motor in or the whole truck. There really is nobody in my area (NH) to check it out for me.

 

[Monkey Wrench]

Well, you've got compression. If you could spin the flywheel with no resistance with the plug in, that'd tell ya the compression was gone.

When you are done running it, so you add a few drops of after run oil and make sure the fuel tank is empty? I'm thinking SuperMaxx83 is onto the problem. Take the carb off the engine, then take the needles out of the carb (the HSN and LSN). Soak them in denatured alcohol then blow it out with compressed air.

If you haven't been adding after run oil and emptying the tank after running it, start doing so. Nitro fuel attracts water and it will rust the innards of your engine. Also, nitromethane will gum an engine fast if you leave it in there.

Just make sure you empty all the fuel, add ARO, spin the engine over a few seconds to work the ARO around, then set the piston at BDC before putting it away. Do this and that engine will last a long time.

 

[Badsneaker]

Well I had a friend come over and take a look, he couldn't get it running either and he knows whats doing. We popped the motor out and he beleives there is not enough compression in the engine. I will be sending the engine to HPI on Monday. Hopefully they will warranty it. Its probably my fault even though it seemed the engine was broken in properly. I may have overheated it the night it shut down. Well we will see what HPI says, if I do need a motor and they won't warranty it, it looks like about 60 bucks to get a new engine.

In the meantime I picked up a used Associated RC10 truck with an OFNA starter box, radio, all kinds of hop-ups, and a plastice case full of hardware and stuff. This engine has not been run in two years and damn it runs awesome! The OFNA starter box blows away the stupid RotoStart my Rush has. I'm hoping to be able to line up the flywheel on the Rush and just use that OFNA when I get the Rush running again.