stupid v spec

[powder_king]

i was running my v spec the other night and i had just put a new P3 glow plug in. after about 4 tanks the glow plug was burned out, does anybody no the reason for this. I knoe the glow plug was burned out because i tested it out of the engind and it glowed a dull orange. i also knew it was bad because the engine wouldnt idle without the glow ignitor on.

 

[PiErow]

Dont feel bad, i have gone through 6 in 3 tanks, I'm sending mine back to O.S.

 

[CorradoPsi]

man i dont know what you guys are doing. my original p3 plug lasted me through breakin and 1.5 gallons of fuel. I'm on my second one now with just over 2 gallons through the motor.

what method of breakin are you using, just how rich are you running the engine, what temps are you seeing?

 

[powder_king]

i was a half gallon past the break in and running rich enough to see smoke but maybe i was running lean could this cause the glow plug to burn out?

 

[jcongerton]

what color is it?

what is the color of the wire on the glow plug, pleas read this article below taken from rchobbies.org

http://www.rchobbies.org/cars_eng-tuning.htm

"Reading” the glow plug is a tuning technique advanced by Ron Paris. It suggests that looking at the glow plug tells you something about how your engine is running. The element in a glow plug will turn gray in an engine that is close to the optimum fuel mixture. This method requires a new glow plug, as the element will eventually turn gray regardless of the needle settings; the length of time it takes to turn gray is the issue. Plugs that turn gray in just a tank or two of fuel (running at race pace, not diddling around) indicate a fuel mixture close to ideal—but also close to trouble. If the plug stays wet and shiny for a few tanks of fuel, you’re in the safe zone; a little rich but safe. When the plug wire gets distorted or broken, however, you’re in real trouble. It’s a sure sign that the mixture is way too lean, or that there is too much compression and the engine is detonating.

hope this helps

 

[CorradoPsi]

reading the plug only works with new plugs, with use all plugs turn grey no matter how they are tuned. so in this instance, his blown plug will tell him nothing by color.

 

[jcongerton]

it was a new plug

i thought he said it was a new plug??

 

[CorradoPsi]

it sounds to me like you may be too rich still and fouled out the plug. try putting the plug in your ignitor, as it glows orange blow on it gently and see if it gets brighter. this helps burn off residue if your plug is fouled and may bring it back to life, its a trick thats saved me a few plugs.

what temp is your engine running? how long does it idle when you pinch the fuel line? i like my spec to idle about 5 seconds before it dies, it will rev up slightly before it dies too.

 

[jcongerton]

hi corrado

just reading you last line, about idle for 5 secs before dying. i have a picco p7r which seems to idle forever bit boggy when pulling away, runs around 190 - 200 degrees. I have read elsewhere that the car should die if left to idle and your obviously well versed in nitro cars, do i need to do anything. sorry for robbing the topic

 

[CorradoPsi]

yes, you need to lean out your LSN. some engines like a richer LSN than others, specifically novarossi based engines. however even they should be set to die in about 6 seconds when pinching the line.

you will know if your LSN is too lean in race conditions, as the race progresses, if you loose some of your low end punch, your lsn is too lean. as long as it holds your ok, if the engine is boggy, its too rich.

 

[jcongerton]

i must be a numpty, i misread the advice. i thought you was talking about normal idle, not pinching the fuel line. i will try that though.

 

[PiErow]

How rich on the hsn are you guys for break in on the v-spec?

 

[jcongerton]

with my p7r i took it out a full one turn from factory settings, bubbled and bogged quite a bit, it kept it around the 150 -160 mark

 

[Plaidfish]

with my p7r i took it out a full one turn from factory settings, bubbled and bogged quite a bit, it kept it around the 150 -160 mark

unless you bring the temp up to 200F at least you are doing nothing but burning fuel...the temps need to get up to a specific range during break in...if it does not you are not "mating" the piston & sleeve properly......

 

[vbgagnon]

break in temps should be up around 210 like stated above, if not your just wasteing your time.

 

[jcongerton]

have i cattle trucked my engine then?

 

[Plaidfish]

not totally but when you break em in at lower temps you shorten the life of the Piston/sleeve.....if you did a lot of tanks where you took it easy you're probably fine...if you did say 6-8 tanks at low temps and then started hammering it you shortened it some.....I think it's more dependent on how well you keep it tuned from then on.....I have a friend who just idles his P5 for 2-3 tanks and lets it cool in between starts then just hammers it...he is the guy to beat at mills pond and his mills last a long time cause they have to......but when it comes to tuning his poop is on point all the time....then there's me and I have em broken in on a stand by the pro and I can't get more than 5 gallons from most of my mills...but my temps are all over the place every time I start a new day of running...tune for 30 mins and I'm good.....I make really small adjustments though......takes me long time to get it right.....