kryczech
RC Newbie
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Hi all. I'm new to the forum and 1/8th scale buggies, and I've got a question about tuning my engine.
I recently finished building a Kyosho Inferno MP7.5 and since I'm new, I opted for the inexpensive OS RG engine. I've broken it in, but now it's time to tune the engine in. I know that performance is what tuning is about, so actually driving the car and seeing how it reacts is going to be the best measure of tuning. But I'm also afraid that I would end up running it too hot, and I don't feel like having my engine go bad too quickly. So, I went and got a $35 Duratrax IP temp gauge this afternoon, and I had a few questions about how to use that to make sure I'm not running too hot.
1) I've searched around and checked the OS manual (no mention of temperature), but I can't pin down where the temperature should be running on the engine. I've seen suggestions from 210-260 degrees. I've been trying to keep it around 220. Does that sound right, or should I heat it up just a little bit?
2) When should I take the temperature? I haven't run it at a track yet, just out in my yard and the road. It runs noticably cooler when I'm hopping around in the yard, and much hotter after a few WOT passes on the road. I'm guessing that has to do with the head losing the heat quickly. Running around in the yard, I'm running about 215, but three or four WOT runs and the temp gauge is showing me around 235. Should I be shooting for average temp or maximum temp?
3) Anyone have any tips on using the temp gauge? It's a Duratrax Flashpoint. I've been pretty much holding it directly over the top of the head pointing at the glow plug since that puts the glow plug itself about 1 inch from the end of the gauge. I still find that the readings vary a fair amount (+/- 5 degrees or so). I've just been making sure to take 4 or 6 readings and kind of eyeball average them. Does that sound about right?
Thanks for the help.
--Kryczech
I recently finished building a Kyosho Inferno MP7.5 and since I'm new, I opted for the inexpensive OS RG engine. I've broken it in, but now it's time to tune the engine in. I know that performance is what tuning is about, so actually driving the car and seeing how it reacts is going to be the best measure of tuning. But I'm also afraid that I would end up running it too hot, and I don't feel like having my engine go bad too quickly. So, I went and got a $35 Duratrax IP temp gauge this afternoon, and I had a few questions about how to use that to make sure I'm not running too hot.
1) I've searched around and checked the OS manual (no mention of temperature), but I can't pin down where the temperature should be running on the engine. I've seen suggestions from 210-260 degrees. I've been trying to keep it around 220. Does that sound right, or should I heat it up just a little bit?
2) When should I take the temperature? I haven't run it at a track yet, just out in my yard and the road. It runs noticably cooler when I'm hopping around in the yard, and much hotter after a few WOT passes on the road. I'm guessing that has to do with the head losing the heat quickly. Running around in the yard, I'm running about 215, but three or four WOT runs and the temp gauge is showing me around 235. Should I be shooting for average temp or maximum temp?
3) Anyone have any tips on using the temp gauge? It's a Duratrax Flashpoint. I've been pretty much holding it directly over the top of the head pointing at the glow plug since that puts the glow plug itself about 1 inch from the end of the gauge. I still find that the readings vary a fair amount (+/- 5 degrees or so). I've just been making sure to take 4 or 6 readings and kind of eyeball average them. Does that sound about right?
Thanks for the help.
--Kryczech