Help redcat caldera wont start

[Jazzminty]

I'm new to the RC world but I am totally hooked. I have a hpi nitro rush 1/8th scale. An hpi maverick desertwolf electric 1/8th scale. And I recently bought a new redcat caldera 3.0, 2 speed nitro monster truck 1/86th scale. The problem is with the redcat the Initial break in procedure went good now it doesn't start at all and for reason I can see.

 

[watertrucker]

Welcome to RCTalk! I have a Redcat Caldera 3.0 also. You might check your glow plug and your glow plug ignitor. I had to change the glow plug half way through break-in. Also if your ignitor is the type that uses a C or D cell battery you may need to replace battery. They don’t last very long at all.

 

[Jazzminty]

Brand new glow plug and igniter is fully charged

 

[watertrucker]

If you changed your high speed and low speed needle settings during break in, set them back to factory settings and try again.

 

[Jazzminty]

I've been trying to find out what the true factory needle settings are ever since I bought it. I've been told so many different carb settings and there is such a large gap between them that I was hoping to get it to start if I set them near the middle. The actual manual says 2 1/2 turns out from fully closed for the high speed needle, and as for the low end needle they don't give you a factory setting. There not very clear about any of the carb settings or where the start point is. I'm basically just setting them both to flush with the top and I have my carb opening set at around 1-2mm at idle, and it doesn't close more than that when I push the brakes. There was a couple times that it actually fired up but it was spitting out fuel and eventually stalled. Or it would fire and unless I kept pulling the throttle And giving it gas it would stall. And a couple times it wasn't doing one of those things. So I would think that it's going to fine and just needed to warm up but then it would stall. I forgot to explain how long it would take to start again after stalling each time. There was a couple times that it actually took me an hour or more to get it to start again. I need help please please please please

 

[watertrucker]

I have my high speed needle 2 1/2 turns out from closed. The low speed is just below flush with the collar. Seems to run well at this setting. Here’s a pic of my low speed needle.

 

[Jazzminty]

I'm going to go adjust my carb to these settings right now and then replace the glow plug and install new batteries in both the truck and the remote. Also I have a fully charged glow plug igniter. Thankyou so much and wish me luck and I will update you shortly.

 

[Jazzminty]

Ok so after 20 Or 30 pulls it finally fired up and came to life. I let it idle for a couple of min and it was spitting out unburned fuel and oil so I leaned out the high end an 1/8th of a turn at a time. I went almost a 1/2 turn and still spitting. So I did the same thing to low end and it started to idle really fast and the clutch was ingadging I think cause the tires started to spin faster and faster. So I tightened the idle screw making the idol gap smaller it's still spitting out fuel a but not nearly as bad. Thank you so much. I would still be popping blisters. But now the pull start is slipping. Its not catching to turn the engine over. When it does it starts but why so much problems

 

[watertrucker]

Glad you got it running. Your pull-start problem is probably just your one way bearing slipping on the starter shaft. Remove the pull start and you will see the one way bearing. Looks like a nut on the end of the shaft. Clean it with some de-natured alcahol and you should be good to go. Be sure to keep track which way it is facing when you remove it so you can put it back the same way. They’re designed to go just one way.

 

[Jazzminty]

Wow your the best!!!! I can't believe how fast you have been replying to all of my questions. Thankyou so much again, and once I get that taken care of I will update you again. I'm hoping that this was the last issue I have, cause I'm starting to get extremely frustrated and I don't know if I can keep fixing a brand new truck. That I still haven't been able to get it to run right and up until recently even start. But I am very pleased with your help. Thankyou again

 

[watertrucker]

You’re very welcome. Glad I could help. There’s a steep learning curve with Nitro, but stick with it, you’ll figure it all out.

 

[watertrucker]

Sorry, forgot to mention be sure to re-lube the bearing. Marvel Mystery Oil works well and should help avoid more issues with the one way bearing.

 

[Jazzminty]

Is there different types of oils? And is it possible to use regular vehicle oil?

 

[watertrucker]

You can use regular oil, such as 5w30. Will work just as well. The last one I did I forgot to lube it and it worked fine so you could probably get away without it, but I would just to be sure.

 

[Jazzminty]

Ok thank you once again. I'm going to do that right now. Just making sure I know what I'm doing. I have to take the engine out to get the pull start out right?

 

[watertrucker]

I looked at my Caldera to make sure. Looks like you can’t get to one of the bottom screws without removing the engine. When you put it back in, be sure to set the gear mesh between the spur gear (big gear) and the clutch bell(small gear) It’s real easy, just put a strip of notebook paper between the gears and move engine towards spur gear. Then pull the paper through the gears. You want to see the pattern of the gears on the paper but no holes. There are videos on YouTube that will show you exactly how to do it. Just search for setting gear mesh in a Nitro RC.

 

[Jazzminty]

Still not catching. Its like the cord is just slipping around the shaft or something it doesn't want to catch at all. Outta e 500-1000 times I pulled the cord I was able to get it to start 3 times. I think I have pretty much solved the problems with the needle settings and if it wasn't for you I probably still wouldn't have gotten it to start yet. Is there anything else that I could check That could be causing the pull start to be slipping like that??

 

[watertrucker]

The only thing I can think of is the one way bearing. Maybe as a last resort clean it again and put it back without lubing it. If it still slips you might have to replace it.

 

[Daniel J]

Still not catching. Its like the cord is just slipping around the shaft or something it doesn't want to catch at all. Outta e 500-1000 times I pulled the cord I was able to get it to start 3 times. I think I have pretty much solved the problems with the needle settings and if it wasn't for you I probably still wouldn't have gotten it to start yet. Is there anything else that I could check That could be causing the pull start to be slipping like that??

So did you fix it?

 

[Jazzminty]

You have been a tremendous help and I can't thank you enough. Id love to be able to say this is the last time I am going to be bothering you but considering all the previous issues i can't make no promises!! So I was just wondering if you could take another pic of your carb settings? If I can see the high end and low end needles it would be greatly appreciated. If you don't want to or if I'm asking too much I understand.