Jato won't start - help diagnosing?

[jazzbuckeye]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum. So my situation is as follows:

About two years ago I bought a Jato 3.3 (my second nitro car, I would consider myself to still be beginner-intermediate). I let it sit for about a year with fuel in the tank (oops ).

I've tried starting it now and I can't get it to start. A guy at my local hobby shop recommended dumping the fuel, taking out the glow plug, and running rubbing alcohol through the engine like I would if I were priming the engine. I did that and cleared out the fuel lines also. Still won't start. I also tried putting in the other glow plug that came with the car. I reset the high speed needle and everything to factory settings also.

I should note that I am trying to start it with old fuel, but it's been capped, and I can't imagine it wouldn't start at all with old fuel (correct me if I'm wrong). I've just gotten the idea that it won't run well with old fuel.

A tech guy at Traxxas told me over the phone that I would need to rebuild the engine. I don't know if that was only to intimidate me to get me to just buy a replacement engine, which he also suggested.

So are there any other options you all can suggest/recommend? I should also note that fuel is definitely going through the engine, as evidenced by it spraying out when I removed the glow plug.

Thanks in advance.

 

[craig911]

you would be lucky if it would start with year old fuel especially if it was left in the tank ( if it starts it will run like crap ) dump the fuel & go get some new stuff - I'm sure some one will comment under me with a fuel recommendation,

for now get some new fuel - reset engine to factory and tune once you get it running with the new fuel.

never leave fuel in the tank for extended periods of time more than 2 days, altho i have left it in there for over a week, if I'm not using my rig for a few days i tend to drain the tank & put it back in the fuel bottle.

 

[Snook Man]

Fuel stored for a year with the lid/cap on shouldn’t be a problem.

If the engine sat for a year without any after run procedure (most likely not since you left fuel in the tank) I would completely disassemble the engine for a good cleaning. Chances are the internals (crank and bearings) have accumulated rust and if you did manage to get it started the rust will/can become dislodged and run through the combustion chamber which is not a good thing.
Clean it up, purchase a new plug if the one you’re using is not brand new, verify the plug is glowing and give it another go.

 

[jazzbuckeye]

Other than the green glow plug light on my EZ starter, how do I verify that a plug is glowing?

 

[Snook Man]

Remove the plug, attach the blue wire back on the plug, ground the plug against the engine head or engine mount firmly and push the ez start wand button. If working properly the plug coil will glow.

 

[SchrodeMode]

I would also suggest replacing the fuel line, they could be gummed up. I worked on a few Revos that sat for 4 yrs, I flushed the tanks and engines with WD-40, then new fuel, and the engines still wouldn't start. I could see fuel was getting to the carb, but I still replaced the lines and they fired right up. I'd also suggest running them a little rich at first, like break in, just to help "flush" any gunk out.

 

[srusinek]

I'm surprised this has not been stated already but maybe you should ditch the blue ez start wire for a glow warmer. Numerous people on here that have traxxas rigs definitely say the blue wire for the glow plug is a pos. So you would cut the blue wire and use the ez start to turn over the engine. A lot of the other suggestions on here were excellent as well but imho it seems like you're not getting that glow plug to glow enough.

 

[mrbones]

Don't listen to Traxxas tech support. I think they are probably paying some teenager in China to take calls and give bad advice. Get you a new plug, use a glow plug ignitor instead of the blue wire, and put new fuel in it.

 

[hulkmaxx]

Everything seemed to covered in this posting. The only other thing that has worked for me in the past is as follows. Pull the fuel tank flush it with rubbing alchole. Replace the fuel lines. Fill the carb with PB Blaster, let it sit over night, dump the Pb blaster out of the carb. Pull the glow plug and fill the engine with WD-40. let it sit over night. Pull glow plug turn engine over to pump WD-40 through the engine. Install new glow plug. Put in new fuel. I have had fuel go bad in the past in less time than a year. Also the best thing you can do is buy a glow igniter the traxxas glow warmeer suks.
And no the PB blaster will not hurt the engine I have done this with prob 10 trucks that I have purchased in the past that have had fuel left in them over a long period of time.





High Speed Low Drag:whhooo:

 

[Childresshunt]

One other thing that can be done to help with starting is to take a heat gun or a hair dryer and get the motor up to w.e u can with a hair dryer or use a heat gun and warm it up to like 150 i always do this on account of the motor starting so much easier my firestorm i run if you dont warm it up some for the initial start you gotta pull on it a good bit but i warm it up and it cranks on 1st or 2nd pull every time it def wont hurt anything to try it

 

[jazzbuckeye]

Thanks for all the replies. I tested both my plugs, and neither of them glow. Even the extra one Traxxas includes. So I'm not sure if it's the EZ start igniter that's busted, or the plugs. Either way, I won't be able to make it to the hobby shop for a few days.

Question: If a plug is good, can I rig it to ignite with a 1.5V battery by connecting the positive end to the top of the plug and the negative end to the outside of the plug (with wires)?

Thanks again!

 

[Rolex]

The plugs only require 1.2V to heat up, which is the output of a rechargeable battery. You can also get ignitors that take C or D cells.

 

[Guardog]

Don't listen to Traxxas tech support. I think they are probably paying some teenager in China to take calls and give bad advice. Get you a new plug, use a glow plug ignitor instead of the blue wire, and put new fuel in it.

Amen.... Glo ignitor ( rechargeable ) is the easy way to go and use a " hot" plug with new fuel


Beatings will continue until compliance is gained

 

[Mn Monster]

ditch the blue and yellow wire, and go with an ignitor. best thing i ever did to both of my maxx's.

 

[moe7404]

rolex says it right. i have found that AA bats drop the amps to fast. i keep a batch of at least 6 bats ready all the time. go with a D or C cell if you can