TMaxx EZ Start problem - out of options

[nateb26]

Hi there, new to the site, my ez start system is causing me major headaches. I just got a new glow plug two days ago and my truck started up within seconds and was running fine. Today its a different story. It doesn't want to start at all. It keeps turning over but wont fire up. New glow plug, fresh gas, EZ start starter is fully charged up and both lights (glow plug and motor) are lighting up, there is fuel in the fuel line with no air bubbles, the flywheel has resistance at tdc when being turned, it is not flooded - (took all the steps that I know of to insure that it is not flooded), the HSN is set at 2.5 turns loose from the tightest point, LSN hasnt been touched since it was running three days ago. The carb has at least a mm of space when IAC is closed (or the brake is on) I put a link in here to a youtube video of what its doing if it helps diagnose this prob. I really dont know what else to do, any help is much appreciated.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wIpFHut_Ug&feature=youtu.be

 

[tmaxxman58]

sometimes the glow plug lighting wire dies. Invest in one of these and your headache should be gone and if not it will always fire right away. i have one fires almost right away.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HSP-80101-A...ccessories&hash=item43ad04b1b4#ht_2166wt_1037

 

[nateb26]

sometimes the glow plug lighting wire dies. Invest in one of these and your headache should be gone and if not it will always fire right away. i have one fires almost right away.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HSP-80101-A...ccessories&hash=item43ad04b1b4#ht_2166wt_1037

yea I've been thinking bout just going to a pull start system but i bought the truck with the ez start so.... however i tested the glow plug by taking it out, connecting it to the blue wire and holding it against the head to complete the connection and when i try to start it the glow plug lights up.... so the wire isnt dead - it is heating the glow plug.

 

[tmaxxman58]

make sure you have the throttle pushed about half way when you are trying to start it and make sure the engine is heated up.

 

[nateb26]

make sure you have the throttle pushed about half way when you are trying to start it and make sure the engine is heated up.

Ok, should i do that by the radio control or manually grab the throttle cable? also should i be covering the exhaust up with my finger to add backpressure or is that just to prime it?

 

[Rolex]

Plugging the exhaust is just to prime it till the fuel reaches the carb.
EZ starts work fine, but the more you crank it, the less voltage you have to heat the plug. Remember, the same battery is working hard to turn the engine over, and the glow plug suffers.
Get the separate igniter and keep the EZ starter. I'm sure you'll notice a big difference.

Try turning up the throttle trim on the radio while starting it, and as it warms up turn it back down.

 

[nateb26]

Plugging the exhaust is just to prime it till the fuel reaches the carb.
EZ starts work fine, but the more you crank it, the less voltage you have to heat the plug. Remember, the same battery is working hard to turn the engine over, and the glow plug suffers.
Get the separate igniter and keep the EZ starter. I'm sure you'll notice a big difference.

Try turning up the throttle trim on the radio while starting it, and as it warms up turn it back down.

hey thanks for the help, i have a feeling it may have been flooded.... got the glow plug sitting out right now maybe everything will dry out.... I'm going to pick up a glow plug igniter too. Do you guys think a pull start would generally be more reliable?

 

[Phins Fan]

I discarded the ez start on my Maxx just to cut weight and went with a pullstart system. Theres times where I used to get sore fingers from a new engine (tighter compression) but all in all I'm happy with the pullstart. Seems the OWB lasts longer to but it could be me

 

[nateb26]

so i went out and got a new glow plug igniter and still the exact same problem... just keeps turning and turning but will not start up. The glow plug is heating up. Is it possible my battery for my EZ Start wand has seen its last days and not giving it enough juice??:headscratch:

 

[rooster_442]

yes it could be possible that your battery is junk. Just as further notice i also got ride of my EZ start and went to a pull start. not to cut weight but just because it was alot less to worrie about when i would try and start my RC.

 

[SchrodeMode]

+1 on ditching EZ-Start, but until then.... How fast does it turn over with the EZ-Start?

 

[nateb26]

+1 on ditching EZ-Start, but until then.... How fast does it turn over with the EZ-Start?

not sure if i understand your question but the whole issue is it isnt starting with ez start.... its just doing what its doing in the video link at the top of the page. when it used to start up it would take about 10 -15 seconds to do so using the ez start.

 

[SchrodeMode]

Sorry, I missed the link when I first read it. It's spinning fast enough, I would just ditch the ez-start. Have you had it running well before? If not I would wait until you get it tuned right before swapping to pull start, that's just to save your fingers.

 

[Rolex]

Listening to the sound in your video, the problem is not in the starter. The speed it's turning should start it right up. Apparently you have a tuning issue to deal with, and as said above, don't blister yourself with a pull start if the carburetor isn't set right.

 

[SchrodeMode]

http://traxxas.com/sites/default/files/TRX2.5_manual_051219_0.pdf
Go to pg 16, it has the needle settings. I would reset to factory and go from there, 2.5 seems very lean for the hsn. IMO

 

[nateb26]

hey thanks for that link... so i reset it to factory settings (4 turns from closed for the HSN and flush with the sleeve for the LSN) and still no luck, just keeps turning but not firing up. I've tried starting it with both the blue wire connected to the glow plug for the EZ start and also using the glow plug igniter separately, not seeing any difference. are there any other tuning tips that i could try out?

 

[Racer 1966]

Are you sure fuel is getting to the engine? As stated above,it's spinning fast enough but the battery sounds like it died out at the end.

I would use the separate igniter,fully charged battery for the ez-start,use the trim on the transmitter to open the carb slightly and put a few drops of fuel in the engine(through the plug hole)and try it.

One other thing I can't see clearly in your video,do you have your fuel lines backward? They should run from the pipe to the tank cap and bottom of the tank to the carb.

 

[nateb26]

Are you sure fuel is getting to the engine? As stated above,it's spinning fast enough but the battery sounds like it died out at the end.

I would use the separate igniter,fully charged battery for the ez-start,use the trim on the transmitter to open the carb slightly and put a few drops of fuel in the engine(through the plug hole)and try it.

One other thing I can't see clearly in your video,do you have your fuel lines backward? They should run from the pipe to the tank cap and bottom of the tank to the carb.

no the fuel lines are not backwards. this whole issue is very strange because right after I got my new glow plug everything was working and then the next day it wouldnt turn on at all and its been like that since.
Is there some way that I could be blowing the glow plugs? i dont think that is the case however because when i test the glow plug it lights up and gets hot....

 

[Rolex]

Take off your air cleaner and drop a little fuel directly into the carb. If it starts right up, it's a tuning issue.

 

[nateb26]

Take off your air cleaner and drop a little fuel directly into the carb. If it starts right up, it's a tuning issue.

I have tried that as well to no avail, thats usually how I went about starting it if it wouldn't start up right away before. idk what else to do this starting to get really frustrating. So if its not a tuning issue what else is left? as i said in my first post the flywheel does have resistance at tdc with the glow plug in and it is definitely not stuck at tdc either. has to be either something with the ez start or my brand new glow plug is shot....