starting with a rotor starter

[novak]

i just got a warhead with a supertigre .27 engine - not a small car...it came with a Kwik-pit starter from Duratrax which has one 540 motor.
I am always having lots of trouble to start the engine.

I need advice on whether this rotor starter is the most adequate (enough power) or should I go with a more powerful dual 540 motor ?

when I try to start and it takes a while, the starter motor gets really hot...and then stop working whereas my battery is still fully cahrged or mostly.

Also, the more i try, the more i get floodingm which is annoying.

How do you efficiently get rod of a flooded engine ?

thank you.:surrender

 

[Racer 1966]

Sounds like you have some tuning issues to me. You say you just got this truck, Have you done a proper break-in on the engine? New engines can be a bit troublesome for the first few tanks.

The starter should be enough to do the job. Exactly how much is "it takes a while"? Running the starter too long and getting hot and quitting may not necessarily be the starters problem. If the engine is way off tune, it will be a pain to start. You could be set too rich on the carb settings which could also lead to the flooding. Could also be the pulg or igniter.

The best thing to do when it floods is first, pull the plug, then spin the engine over with the starter. Next make sure your glow igniter is charged or has a good battery and attach it to the plug to make sure it glows bright. If all is well, then you can re-install the plug and try to start it again

Do you have the owners manual? Read it for some info on intial break-in and tuning guide. If not,we need to know more specifics on what it does when it is running, like temp, how much smoke it produces and any bogging or sputtering etc....

Hope this helps some!

 

[Rolex]

Running the starter till it gets hot and then cuts out due to a thermal breaker is not good. You really need to read the manual. That starter is made for that engine. It will tell you in the booklet NOT to crank the starter for more than 10 seconds or so at a time. If it's not starting, you need to make some carb needle adjustments, or as Racer says, check the plug and igniter. When it's been broken in properly, and the carb is set correctly, it should start in a second or two.

 

[novak]

:yes:Hi and thank you for your quick replies.

It is a brand new duratrax warhead that is a Xmas gift. It's coming from California and I live in Massachusetts so there is no way I go there for free technical support.

The first two times I tried, after having thoroughly followed the manuel and viewed their CD rom 10 times, nothing happened.

SO, I went to an rc car store and the guy started the car using my kwik-pit, a new glow plug and his glow starter. It took him about 20 minutes of adjustments however to start. Once started, it made a nice sound and it did accelerate OK (the car was lifted up in the air because this was inside his store);
I was pretty sure to repeat the miracle of starting up the engine by myself once back home.
But, apparently I was wrong. I tried again last week, again yesterday: I made sure the engine was not flooded, the Kwik-pit was fully charged, the glow starter is fully charged, I checked the glow plug (it's red), I tried by loosening the glow plug a little, by pressing my finger from time to time against the exhaust pipe (like he did in the store), I tried everything.

So, to summarize, this car was started once for 5 minutes max, and never hit the road.

It is stored during the week in a shed outside (very humid these days), I did not apply any WD40 or any product on it (should I ?)

I'd love to break in my car please help ?

thank you again,

novak.

 

[miketroll357]

I would not store it outside. Nitro rigs like a controlled enviroment. Did you run some after run oil in the carb and engine after all these attempts to get it running? Whats the temp and humidity there? Are the carb settings at factory? What % fuel are you running? What type of plug? If you can give us some info everybody here can probably help you out further.

 

[novak]

I would not store it outside. Nitro rigs like a controlled enviroment. Did you run some after run oil in the carb and engine after all these attempts to get it running? Whats the temp and humidity there? Are the carb settings at factory? What % fuel are you running? What type of plug? If you can give us some info everybody here can probably help you out further.

The temperature is about 30-35 and 20-25 the night. Humidity is high (85% to 95% ?) and it's been raining a lot the pas week.
No, I did not run after run oil.
The carb settings are not any more at factory because I tried many things - but the DVD advices 41/2 turns of the High speed needle to start the break-in process then, add 1/2 turn after every full tank - do that 5 times (5 tanks).
it is Tower Hobbies TOWER Power 20% Car Fuel.
The glow plug is a LXJA89 Tower Power Glow Plug. It is a Medium Length Plug Designed for Two-Stroke Engines. I think it's the cheapest one (like 3.99 each - silver one ?).

I hope this helps.

 

[Rolex]

Sitting out in the cold sure doesn't do the engine any favors starting, especially when it's new. Breaking in an engine is all about heating and cooling properly, and again, that outside temperature is not good for a healthy break in.

 

[novak]

Actually, talking about temperature. I did run it this afternoon for 10-20 minutes ? (the equivalent of a full tank.
Although I am aware it should not exceed 270 F, very rapidly (like 3 minutes), I got temperatures close to 400 F - I am worried because I set the HSN at factory set which is 41/2 turns from fully closed. Is that really too rich ?
What's the problem ?
Anyone in the FORUM experience such high temperatures the first time you run your nitro car ?

I think my tempgun thermometer is working properly (brand new).

thanks again for your input.

 

[Zachary]

400 is way too high to be running any engine. I have had the same engine you have and what you need to do is adjust your low speed needle. needs to be at about 2 turns out from flush to break it in. the engine should not exceed 180 during your first couple tanks.

 

[novak]

which way is "from flush" ?

Do you think that having run the engine for maybe 4 times 5 minutes at that high temp. I already damaged the engine ?

 

[Zachary]

counterclock wise I believe. I do not know if you messed your engine but i had the same problem with the same engine and it ran fine after i got the lsn correct.

 

[Rolex]

https://www.rcnitrotalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32563