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HPI Star 15FE can't start

Old 02-04-2006, 03:01 AM
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flin1981
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Default HPI Star 15FE can't start

Got a used HPI Nitro RS4 2, hard to start. It has compression, fuel is running thru (will drip out from exhaust after pulling the starter for a while), needle set as manual says. Once put on the igniter, it's very hard to pull. Sometimes it fires, and stalls within a sec. When last time this happened, I took the engine off, cleaned it thoroughly, put it back and it started right away. Couple weeks later, it happens again, and cleaning doesn't work this time.
Please help me out, thanks.
Old 02-04-2006, 12:24 PM
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w8ye
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Default RE: HPI Star 15FE can't start

I would check that your igniter is actually making the glow plug glow red?

Enjoy,

Jim
Old 02-04-2006, 02:24 PM
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flin1981
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Default RE: HPI Star 15FE can't start

The igniter and the plug work fine.

Thanks for responsing.

ORIGINAL: w8ye

I would check that your igniter is actually making the glow plug glow red?

Enjoy,

Jim
Old 02-04-2006, 02:34 PM
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Default RE: HPI Star 15FE can't start

Are you where its warm. Glow fuel doesn't fire as well in lower temperatures, like if its in the 40's or colder where you are at the engine would be harder to start.

The engine may also be flooded?

Enjoy,

Jim
Old 02-05-2006, 09:12 PM
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flin1981
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Default RE: HPI Star 15FE can't start

Not that cold. But last time I fired it up in a day like 40's or lower. Pretty sure the fuel fired, since the resistance becomes much much greater once the igniter is on.
Flooded? Not sure. I didn't over prime. And I tried removing the plug and even the header to clean, made no differences. How easily can an engine be flooded? I am a newbie, this is my first rc and it was used and not well-tuned.
BTW: Yesterday, I fired it up after a few tries. So confused, it just seems so random.

Thanks again, Jim.

ORIGINAL: w8ye

Are you where its warm. Glow fuel doesn't fire as well in lower temperatures, like if its in the 40's or colder where you are at the engine would be harder to start.

The engine may also be flooded?

Enjoy,

Jim
Old 02-05-2006, 11:02 PM
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proptop
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Default RE: HPI Star 15FE can't start

It does sound like it's getting too much fuel. How many turns open is the needle valve? Is the engine fully broken in? These things come set from the factory very rich, and you usually wind up turning the needle valve in (leaner ) quite a bit. All the HPI products I've worked with have very rich carb settings from the factory.

You can try an easy check to see if it's flooded.
Next time it happens, take a clothespin and put it on the fuel line to temporarily pinch off the fuel supply.
Take the car and tip it on it's side, exhaust port facing down (without the battery on the plug ) and pull the engine over. Look to see if fuel comes out of the pipe. It sometimes works better if you take the glow plug out before you pull it over.

Put the plug battery on and try to start it...if it happens again, turn the needle valve in (clockwise ) about a quarter of a turn and try it again.
When it gets really flooded, the crankcase gets loaded with raw fuel, and by tipping it on it's side, you drain it.
If that keeps happening, you definitely need to lean it some.

You'll most likely have to adjust the needle vale a little bit each time you run it depending on weather conditions. The carb on that engine is a very simple single needle version, and they have a tendancy to load up on the low end.
Old 02-07-2006, 01:58 AM
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flin1981
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Default RE: HPI Star 15FE can't start

Thanks a lot, proptop. I'll try what you say next time.
Like I said, that is a used one, so I am not quite sure about its history. It was quite dirty, looks old, should be fully broken in. Needle is set 3 turns open (factory setting), sometimes a quarter of a turn in. Didn't really see differences brought by needle setting.
Can you make it more detailed about what you said last? Leaner for colder weather, or richer? And what do you mean by "load up on the low end".
Old 02-07-2006, 07:19 AM
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Default RE: HPI Star 15FE can't start

Usually you need to be richer when it gets colder.
Loading up means the mixture is too rich at idle and thru the transition to high speed. The engine will gurgle and stumble and sometimes spit raw fuel out the pipe.
If you can get it running, try pinching the fuel line to the carb for a second or two with your fingers. You want the engine to just speed up a little bit. If it dies, it's too lean...if it keeps revving up and up for more than a couple-three seconds, then it's more than likely too rich.

If that is the engine I think it is...the .15FE, it has no idle mixture adjustment, and that makes things worse when it comes to getting the thing to idle, transition, and run well at high speed, because you only have 1 means to control the fuel flow thru the carb.
I don't think it even has an air bleed adjustment?!

One of the most common mods to that car is a better engine...
Or, you might try the car forums and see if anyone can help ya with a different carb? There are a lot of guys in the car forums who like swapping parts, going for the "bling" or just wanting the latest/greatest, so they have their "previously owned " stuff available, ya know?
Old 02-07-2006, 12:30 PM
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Default RE: HPI Star 15FE can't start

I have an HPI Super Nitro with that engine. Never could get it to idle, and it didn't run great either. A friend gave me the carb off of a Kyosho Super 10 and I bolted it on to the FE. The carb bore was a bit bigger, but both engines were .15s so I figured I'd give the 2 needle carb a shot. It runs like a banshee now! The only problem I have is a slight fuel foaming problem, so it won't drink the last 1/4 tank of fuel. Replace the carb with any 2 needle 5-6mm bore carb and it should run. The stock carb is way too rich on the bottom, even if you lean the needle as much as possible for the top end.
Old 02-07-2006, 03:09 PM
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Default RE: HPI Star 15FE can't start

There's the old "file a V notch in the carb barrel" trick I suppose you could try if you really wanted to?

It's an old trick/mod that we sometimes used "back in the old days" () where you take a needle file and cut a V shaped notch in the upper leading edge of the barrel...that will lean the low speed and transition. It is a rather delicate operation though...

Could give you more details if you want?
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Old 10-11-2023, 12:57 PM
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This is old AF, but I would love to hear about the V-notch trick!

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