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Too cold to break in my 2.5???

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scr2000

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I live in Chicago and have been anxiously waiting for it to warm up a bit before I start my new Maxx up and do the cycle break-in method. Is there any reason I should wait for warmer temps? It is currently 32, but tomorrows high looks like it is only gonna be 14!!!
 
cold causes alot of excessive wear on the piston until it gets to normal operating temps. so just preheat the engines to like 100-120 degrees f using a blow dryer before turning the engine over. do not even crank the motor until its warm!!
 
Ditto...
I would not recomend it with the weather that cold.
 
you shoukld wait becaue the piston and sleeve won exspand correctly and will contract too quickly due to he cold unless you bring it inside to cool
 
just heat it up with a blow dryer and then go for it. i have been running my 24.7 out in the 15 degree f weather for the past 2 months. but i always make sure that i heat it with a blow dryer or i just start it inside my house next to the door so that right when she fires i take it outside

bryan
 
thats running it in the cold i hve also been running mie in 5-10 degree weher here even one day at -3 degrees but e wants to BREAK IT IN in the cold weather
 
ya i know, i would no way in heck go out and break my engine in without warming it up. OR, if u have a garage that stays heated and nice and warm with good ventalation, just use a break-in bench

bryan
 
Break-in of an engine is perhaps the most important thing for the engine. Properly breaking-in the engine is even more so.

Trying to break it in in really cold weather is asking for problems; even if you pre-heat it. I would recommend either breaking it in when the weather warms up (ie temps above 50) or trying to break it in inside your garage (if the temps are above 50 inside). Why 50? Just an arbitrary temp that shouldn't cause too many problems. Most engine manufacturers prep their engines for break in with ambient temps of around 60-80. This allows the metals to expand and/or contract as they would normally.

The caveat to this is your wallet and desire. If your wallet can afford the cost of a new engine, and your desire to run your RC outweighs your common sense towards preserving your engine...then go for it.
 
hey skymaxx got a Q for u, will it hurt an engine to break it in if the weather is too hot? cause my friend broke his in when it was 110f here. i dont think that it would but i was just wondering

bryan
 
Too hot? Only if the engine running gets a temperature that is way too hot.

Heat affects metal in much the same fashion as cold, but cold is more damaging. Why? The engine is designed to heat up, and therefore the metals usually can handle it. The cold causes the engine to work a little harder until it gets up to operating temps. From there the engine usually likes cold. Why? Makes it run more efficiently.

Then there is the shut down. When it is too cold, the engine cools down too rapidly. This can lead to warpage or other problems with the internals of the engine. When it is too hot, the engine may not cool down as rapidly. This means that you will want to wait longer than the standard five minutes between tanks.

Other than that, the engine will need a little extra attention in the tuning area when breaking it in under high heat. Why? Air is thinner when it is really hot. This will take that typically rich setting from the manufacturer turn the engine into a prime candidate for flooding.

Other than the above mentioned issues, I can not think of any real problems with breaking the engine in under high heat.
 
also when plastic is cold it becomes brittle and will break alot easier-Marc
 
just NEVER let the engine start when its cold i work at a hobby store and one kid tried to break his in at like 12degrees f one night and couldnt figure out why he could rotate the flywheel with ease with glowplug in stalled. he learned the hard way.realy cold temp has everything to do with your 70dollar piston and sleeve.
 
5 Min between tanks??? Is this your recommendation for break in or day to day running? I run mine for hours if possible without shutting it down. Granted, on the break in, i allow for cooling periods.
 
:trashed:

Yeah, if you have access to a garage, you can break it in there. Here is what you need to do. Go to any department store and pick up a little portable ceramic heater if you don't already have one.

Take the tires off of the truck and strap the truck to some kind of brace or stand.

Now turn the heater on and point it so the heat blows on the engine. Now you can go ahead and break in your truck. The truck is going to be getting the warm air from the heater so it will actually think it's summer time. Make sure the heat is blowing in the direction that the truck would be traveling. For example, the heater should be blowing on the front of the truck so the fresh warm air goes into the filter and blows across the motor.

Keep an eye on the distance your truck is from the heater, because if it's too close you can melt stuff, but if it's too far away then you won't be heating the engine up.

Also make sure that you, or anyone else is in the garage, because the fumes are toxious.

That's it......
 
Originally posted by olds97_lss
5 Min between tanks??? Is this your recommendation for break in or day to day running? I run mine for hours if possible without shutting it down. Granted, on the break in, i allow for cooling periods.

The five minutes between tanks is a recommendation by most engine manufacturers when breaking in the engine. This allows for the engine to "heat cycle". Once the engine is broken in, run it as long as you think the engine will tolerate or your wallet can afford.

I personally run at most three tanks worth of fuel in a row without stopping the engine. After that, I give the engine a chance to cool down.

This is just my technique when running (post break-in).

Originally posted by MpinPoint
they tell you to rap a paper towl around the engien at traxxas.,com to prevent it from cololing to fast.

this is a link full on info about breaking in your engian during winter.
http://www.traxxas.com/support/howto/winter_operating_tips.htm

:sniper:

Nice link, but I am thinking that wrapping the cooling head with a towel is not a wise idea. Wrapping anything that reaches a temperature of about 200 degrees with a paper towel or other flammable item is just asking for trouble. In the end, I think it more worthwhile to wait for warmer temps.
 
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