Need advice on leaning savage so it will start

[FORDSVTTHUNDER]

Most of you have read my thread about my new savage not starting. It's spraying a lot of raw nitro out of the exhaust when I'm trying to crank it. I understand the x4.6 comes with extreme rich factory settings. Tater suggested I lean out the hsn. How much should I lean it? Till there's little raw fuel coming out or none? Complete noob at nitro as you can see. Brand new truck and still haven't got it to crank.

 

[TaterX]

That wasn't me. I just explained the clutch bell and one way bearing. Did you get this savage new? If so read the manual at least look it over and familiarize yourself with the exploded views and tuning guides and upkeep chart. If you think you want to lean it out a little then you would turn the hsn clockwise in 1/8 turn increments. Don't lean it out very much.

 

[FORDSVTTHUNDER]

Sorry. I just reread that post and it was someone else. Yes it's brand new out of the box. I read the manual several times and watched videos online for almost a week before I attempted to start it. I heated it with a hair dryer and still no success. Glow plug is glowing hot but it won't even start to fire. So lean the hsn like the book says and leave the idle adj alone?

 

[MotoGod]

You may need to play with the idle adjustment to keep it running (or use the throttle trim on your radio instead)...you may need to lean BOTH needles, but start with the HSN. Lean it a few hours....see if it runs. If you find yourself leaning the HSN more than @ half a turn from factory settings....then something else might wrong. Even if it's pig rich (like most factory settings) it should still fire up. It may die as soon as you give it some gas....but it should still fire up and idle.

 

[Racer 1966]

It's not unusual for an engine to be way too rich from the factory so I'd start with 1/2 turn on the HSN.

But first let's go over a couple of items. Do you have a temp gun ready to use? Have you removed the air filter to visually check the idle gap and throttle movement? Make sure it has a gap of 1-1.5mm to start with and make sure that it does not close up when you apply the brakes. You can test this with the electronics on and filter off.

Then if that's good,use the throttle trim on you radio to open the carb a little more(do not start it with the filter off!),secure the filter back in place,preheat with a hairdryer and try to start it. If it does not start then,lean it the 1/2 turn mentioned. Have your temp gun handy and watch the temps. Try to keep it under 220*F. Also remember to use the trim to lower the idle once running.

 

[FORDSVTTHUNDER]

I'm getting ready to remove air filter and check the carb. I took out the glow plug and turned the flywheel and man the pinch on this 4.6 is tight when the piston gets near and to the top. But all seems good. It's got a good compression "gulp" when the piston is going back down and gets easier to turn the flywheel. I've never ran nitro as you can all see so I was afraid I'd screwed something up. I'll go over the things listed above and make sure everything looks good with the carb setting. I'll repost after. Thanks for the patience guys. I know my questions are getting old

 

[FORDSVTTHUNDER]

Ok. Carb gap is at the 1-1.5mm range. Heated engine to 120 and glow plug was hot. Did everything and it will not crank. It tried this time...I could hear the little roar from the exhaust just enough to think it was running. I tried over and over. Primed carb again,new glow igniter battery and nothing. Didn't ever get it to the point that it would spray fuel out the glow hole today when removed. I'm stumped. The glow plugs I have are R5. Does that have anything to do with it?

 

[joshman1204]

I would just keep leaning it in very small increments and crank it a few times. If it doesn't start lean it a little more.

Have you screwed the needles all the way in and reset them back to factory specs? Maybe one of them just didnt get set right from the factory.

 

[FORDSVTTHUNDER]

Have not touched the needles. Gonna wait till tomorrow and call HPI. This is a bad introduction to nitro for a newbie like me. Maybe the roto pack they included is weak(battery). I had the "new" unopened aa batteries in my Rx and when I turned the wheels on hardwood floors,they would move half an inch in either direction. I swapped them for energizers and the wheels will now turn left and right on the floor. I'm new to nitro and lost:\

 

[joshman1204]

ok so just checked the manual for the 4.6 and it says for break-in all needles should be flush with the carb body. Are yours flush?

 

[TK5310]

Don't get too frustrated, it's pretty common for a nitro engine to be a PITA to start first time when it's new & rich needle setting will make it impossible.
As suggested lean it off a little on the HSN, if it still won't fire then lean off the LSN 1/8 of a turn at a time until it does. Warmer weather can make factory rich settings even richer.

Mine won't fire if the weather changes significantly since last time I ran it, learning what the motor will want with weather changes to get it to fire is part of learning to tune a nitro, don't worry, you'll pick it up.

 

[MudSlinger33]

Not sure if this was mentioned, but try loosening the glow plug just enough to relive some of the compression. This will take some of the load off the roto start and help it spin faster.

 

[FORDSVTTHUNDER]

To my eyes they are all flush. I loosened the glow plug today when I was trying to crank. The glow plugs glow reddish bright orange. Using c energizer battery in glow starter. I'm clueless. I'll play with the hsn tomorrow and see what happens.

 

[Racer 1966]

Did you use the trim to open up the throttle a little more than the 1-1.5mm idle gap?
Hang in there,a new nitro can be a pain even for those of us with experience. Go ahead and lean the HSN by 1/2 turn,trim the throttle a little,loosen the plug and preheat the engine. People worry about leaning a new engine but you have to make it run first!

 

[FORDSVTTHUNDER]

No. I didn't open up the gap any farther. I'm just confused and frustrated. I was thinking if I opened up the gap it would make it even more rich. I'm gonna ....heck. I don't know what I'm gonna do...

 

[Racer 1966]

You need to open the throttle to allow more air into the mix and lean the HSN to take some fuel out. Even after break-in,on a first start of the day you will usually need to open the throttle a little to start it up.

 

[cwal1774]

First thing is throw that useless c battery golw warmer in the trash and get a good quality rechargable glow warmer. Two days into nitro and you're ready to give up? I know it can be frustrating but I think you're making it more complicated than it really is. These engines are very simple if you think about it. There are no valves to adjust or ingnition timing to mess with. They just run on fuel and air. The glow plug is what ignites the mixture. Don't give up just yet we will get you going and once you learn what to look and listen for they aren't that hard to tune. I have had to open some carbs up as much as 1/4 to get a new engine to start. I usually strap the truck to a block of wood with a bungee cord so the wheels are off the ground, open the carb up about 1/4 and crank it till it fires leave the glow warmer on it for a minute and them slowly idle it back down.

 

[Greywolf74]

Yeah dont loose hope bro...Nitros can always be a pain in the but for the best nitro guys. For new users with no one to show em the ropes there is a large learning curb but if you stick with it you will get it eventually and then once you get a feeling for how that nitro engine works the next one will be a little different lol

 

[FORDSVTTHUNDER]

Not at all ready to give up. Never quit anything unless I broke bones. Sometimes even then I went on. I've just been venting because I recently found out my lower back is wrecked. Missing 2 discs,1 bulging and 50% forward vertebrae slippage. On top of my degenerative bone disease in knees(13 x surgery). I'm 38. This truck was my way of coping I guess. I won't be able to stand on the front of my bass boat for 9 hours anymore. I use to make a living doing that and now I'm faced with giving it up all together. Sorry for the off topic.

I guess I expected the learning curve to start once it was running, not before. It's tough. I grew up motocrossing and by age 7 I was tuning carbs and changing jets/reeds. Rebuilt my 1st top end at age 12. I thought I would pick this up quick since in my mind it was just smaller scale. But I've already found out nitro is sooo different than gas powered 2 strokes. I can't tell you what it means to have you guys STILL helping me after all the noob questions. My wife is also amazed that "online strangers" keep helping. I tried to explain that just like another forum I have been a part of for years,when people have a common interest it doesn't seem like strangers for long. I'm sure in time you guys will be talking about when I was a noob driving you all nuts. Thanks for your continued help! I will no doubt keep you updated.

 

[SchrodeMode]

Have you tried heating the block up with a heat gun or hair dryer? This allows the piston sleeve to "loosen" up a bit and really helps with a new engine.