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Plug, Coil. Why?

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C

cozea

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ok so i have a trx pro .15 and i have finished break in like 8 tanks ago. and today i went through a tank. and then it started bogging about 1/2 way through the second tank. and eventually it died. i took out the plug because it wouldent start and when i looked inside of the plug there was no coil in it that gets hot.

I've been using O.S. A3 plugs in this engine. so i thought itr would be ok and i put a new one in. sure enough that lug dies within like 5 minutes or less. there goes another one. i put a new one in and that died. and now i have another one that i barly used and it seems ok now. but imn guessing if i run it for longer than 2 minutes it will break. so now i dont know what to do. I'm using 20% blue thunder and its been workind fine until now. and BTW i have been driving at high rpms on ice. if that helps for information.

if anyone can give me suggestions on how to solve this, that will be great. thanks
 
I have a pretty good idea on what the cause is, but need you to confirm it for me. Are you by chance tuning the engine with a temp gun?

If so, what temps are you tuning to?
 
no actaully i not right now. i need to get one.

I've just been following what traxxas says and putting water on the head and counting how long it takes to boil away. they says it should be 6 seconds but mines taking anywhere from 5-8 seconds so I'm not sure if its the right temp. if its too hot will it do that to a plug?
 
Here's the thought. You are running on ice, so I am assuming it is a bit colder than the normal temps these things run in (between 60 and 80 degrees Farenheit). You probably have the engine leaned out too far. The too lean condition causes the coils to burn themselves out (kind of like on a lightbulb).

This is causing two concerns at the moment:
1. Did the coil vaporize? Not likely. So where did it go? Into the internals of the engine (this is a bad thing). I would recommend taking the engine apart and checking the piston and sleeve for any kind of scoring that might have been caused by the coils being dropped into the engine and run for a little.
2. You need to richen up the HSN on the engine. The TRX Pro .15 is a hot running engine to begin with. If you lean it out too much, you only make the situation worse. I'd start with the factory preset for that engine and then go a hair richer for running in the cold of Alberta. You should see a healthy trail of bluish colored smoke when you nail the throttle.

The extra cold of winter cools these engines very well. The tendancy is too lean the engine to get the temps up. In the end, you over lean the engine and burn it up.

Since, I have learned from others that a temp gun is a good tool (I didn't always think so)...I recommend picking one up. The sizzling drop of spittle or water on the head trick will only go so far...and in the winter it doesn't work for...
 
oh i guess ill try richening it up. but i dont have a manual or anything. and would you happen to know the factory settings for the engine? if not where can i find out?
 
The factory needle settings for that engine are 2.5 turns open (counterclockwise) on the HSN and 1.75 turns open (counterclockwise) on the LSN.
 
ok thanks. ill try that out soon. after i manage to get some aluminum bulkheads... keep breaking the plastic ones.:depress:
 

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