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I have no luck with the truckzilla

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K

kwong2001

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  1. Bashing
So first the break-in goes wrong on the .46. So I sent the engine in and got a brand new one replaced under warranty. Then I install the new one and start the break-in. I was careful this time. But on tank 4, my pullstart breaks. So after having the truck sit around for 3 months, I finally decide to get it running again. I ordered the pullstart and a few other things I needed. I take apart the truck to prep for the parts.

Get the backplate off and tore apart the engine. First off, the top of the piston is all jacked up. It's got bumps all over it where something rather large got in there. The piston goes straight through the sleeve. And on top off that, the little thing on the crankshaft that the connecting rod connects to is half broken off. I'd imagine that was what tore up the piston.

So basically, I have an engine that MAY run, but it'll probably break more and get torn the fiddlesticks up!

I guess i'm gonna have to call Hot Bodies one more time and see about getting a new engine...this really pisses me off
 
man i hate to hear that...i think hotbodies will help ya out...mabye you'll finally get an engine that will work for ya
 
Well what really pisses me off is that when I sent in the first engine, it took over a month to get the engine back. They kept giving me the run-around...and I really don't want to go through that again.

And I really can't afford a new engine.
 
I have never had a truckzilkla engine but I have heard it has a lot of problems with the engine.
 
yeah, that's what i've heard too...but I haven't gotten past break-in to really tell.

Anyhoo, yeah, I just got off the phone with Hot Bodies. I'm still under warranty. I gotta wait for my parts to come in so I can send the engine in. I'm not very excited about going through this again.

Maybe I should start saving up for a .27 of some kind and just stop dealing with these fuckers.
 
That's what i would suggest just what from I've heard. Mabey something like a FR27 would be a good choice.
 
Kwong you and I are on the same boat. The .46 was great, it was powerful and I did enjoy it for about 3 months. After that it started showing signs of tuning problems. Still I had fun with it, it was very torquey. When it broke down, I did not even think of rebuilding it, decided to settle for a Nitro Star 25.
 
I've been looking to upgrade to the truckzilla but after reading nothing but horror story after horror story i think all I want is the longer CVPs and dogbones. I'll keep my Picco .26 and be happy.

Kwong, got any part numbers for the CVPs and bones? I can't find them to buy them seperatly anywhere.
 
That seems like a lot of cash just to scrap it because of poor customer service. I would get the engine replaced under the warranty and then sell the kit on eBay. Then you can take the new funds and put them towards a Fantom 27. :)
 
You know, now that I think about it, i think the whole broke crankshaft thingie must have happened farely early on. I mean, that new engine I always had problem keeping it running at all. It was super finicky.

Robriquez, meganitro.com has the parts listing for the truckzilla kit and they sell the parts.

Mcvickj, see, that wouldn't actually be that bad of an idea. But I doubt I could get more than $150 for the kit on eBay, and that's being VERY optimistic. I dunno, i'll keep it and save up for a new engine. I'm not in a super hurry to get the truck running. I'm losing interest in the r/c cars
 
damn i guess I'm going to scratch that off my list...i really feel for you dude i guess the bottom line is them damn .46 engines are pure cheap taiwan crap!!!
 
I don't no anyone who has had good experiences with either HB products or customer service. I would stay away from them like the plague
 
Same thing on my Truckzilla. Went thru 2 motors with Hot Bodies and it never really ran the way I thought it should. I sold it and bought a new 25 to start over.
 
hb1111 said:
damn i guess I'm going to scratch that off my list...i really feel for you dude i guess the bottom line is them damn .46 engines are pure cheap taiwan crap!!!
Click to expand...
Sorry to disagree here............

I think you'll find that the Truckzilla engine is a FORCE engine, and they definitely are not cheap Taiwan crap!

I will admit that when mine came out of the box I had a tuning issue with it, when it got hot it was 4 stroking and screaming, a simple turn of the LSN sorted that out!

I am about 3 gallons into mine now and it is excellent! Phenomenal power and torque, I took it to one of the best Model shops in England last week and let the engine guru have a run of it, he said it was one of the best set up Savages he'd driven :)

So, all I'd say is persevere, be patient, follow the instructions to the letter and good luck!

Mine now starts first time, never stalls and always performs, I doubt I've got magic fingers, but I am very patient.
 

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i guess you got a good one out of the bunch!all these guys got the bad apples i personaly dont have one so I'm not going to tell you diffrent but going by what these guys and lots others have told me i think ill stay away thanks hb1111 p.s hope that engine stays together for you!
 
Wow, guys now i'm really having no luck with my truckzilla. I still haven't sent in the engine. Anyhoo, to give you a small background of why...I was trying to remove some screws from the pullstart backplate and used the wrong hex screwdriver size and ended up stripping a screw really bad. So as a result, I had to destroy the backplate with my dremel. Seeing that HB probably wouldn't take the engine like it was, I had to get a new one.

First i go on meganitro.com's website and order HB28627 (rear engine cover). Turns out, it's a backplate, but a non-pullstart. Why anyone would need a non-pullstart .46 engine beats me. So I install it, then get to thinking, I really don't know if HB will take in the engine. So I should probably order the pullstart backplate.

I look through their parts listing one more time and find nothing that sounds like it'd be a pullstart backplate. So I e-mail them, they e-mail back a few hours later saying it's HB11316 (Jump-Start Back Plate Set with Screw (truckzilla)). So I'm thinking, this doesn't sound right, but they have the parts so they must have looked.

Turns out it's the thing from a jumpstart that actually attaches to the backplate. So now i'm really pissed and e-mailed them trying to get the right part number and try to return the one i've got.

You know, i really like meganitro.com, but seriously, they should know what their inventory is and it's application.
 
Savage_SAVAGE said:
I will admit that when mine came out of the box I had a tuning issue with it, when it got hot it was 4 stroking and screaming, a simple turn of the LSN sorted that out!
Click to expand...
Hello, it seems that you solved your tuning issue with the .46 engine.
Could you please let me know of your needle settings? I've tried the stock needle settings as described on the HB website, but the engine dies off when I add throttle, even after 6 tanks (I'm on the 7th tank now). I use 20% nitro fuel, as recommended by the instructions, by the way.

I've heard that the mid speed needle should be kept as it is, and only the LSN and HSN should be adjusted, but I'm not having any luck with it...
Thanks in advance for the help.
 
Erm.......

I think it was luck rather than good judgement that got my Truckzilla running right!
I am in no way even going to try and pretend that I know what I'm doing when it comes to engine tuning............... :shrug:
Seriously though, if it "bogs down" when you try to give it throttle, try leaning the LSN a little, by that I mean a very small amount, these engines do seem to be quite sensitive. Try and imagine you're turning the needle in like a clock face, only turn it one hour at a time. My mid needle is at the factory setting.
Good luck!
I hope you've got plenty of spare diff gears for when you get it running....... I have destroyed 4 rear ones so far, and yes, I am building them absolutely correctly with the 4 planetary gears and silicon oil. If it doesn't settle down soon, you'll see it on ebay!
 
Thanks for the warning, I also have the 4-spider gears mod installed on both front and rear, along with heavy duty cups, dogbones and titanium shaft. Wow, didn't expect the diffs to break first...

Anyways, I've just checked the fuel that I'm using, and it seems that it has 20% oil content. I wonder if it's just too much, because at the moment the pipe is spewing oil like diaorrhea instead of moist fart, even though I slightly leaned the HSN and LSN. I also wonder if it's the glowplug (I'm using the one that came with the engine, but I might try OS #8 as suggested by the HB website)
 
Yes, I think 20% OIL is too much, I believe that the fuel I use Tornado 25, has around 16 ish% oil, I did try Helicopter fuel as recommended by a lad in my local model shop, but it was too high in oil and the engine kept cutting out as a result of unburned oil from the fuel coming back up the pressure line from the exhaust and blocking it. I think it was only recommended because it was more expensive!!!!!!
As for the diffs, I'm not sure it's Truckzilla that causes them to strip or if there's a quality issue with them at the minute, bought 4 packs yesterday and 3 look like bad castings! Time to ask HPI I think, that's what I'm doing right now is taking photo's to send them. Hopefully they'll replace the bad ones.............
I've been using McCoys MC9 plugs, hope this helps!
 

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