11039078

Hi all,
new to the rc scene and was hoping that someone would be able to help.

I have recently aquired a used savage 25 from my LHS. All seems in quite good condition but will not start.
I have checked the fuel line (and replaced them just to be sure), put fresh fuel in, new glow plug and all batterys are charged. I finaly got it to start up yesturday but 1) i have to hold the throttle a little bit but im guessing thats normal and 2) if i take the roto start out the back it dies instantly. The backplate is screwed on tight (i checked) so im not sure exactly what is going on.

I may be making a fuss over nothing and it just needs warming up (and it has been kept in a box for a few weeks, not overly long though), or maby just freeing up the engine again.
i did prime it (put finger over exhauset and turn it over till fuel reaches/goes into carb).

but, its mainly the bit about when i take the roto start out and it dies that kinda worries me, surly thats not right??

anyway, like i said, new to the rc scene (nitro anyway), so im not overly knoladgeble on these things..

thanks

Flaming Tire

If it dies when you take the roto out, its probably was not running in the first place. I don't know how long you've used rc's, but just because the engine is turning over doesn't mean its running.

Try leaning out the carb a bit. Take your glow plug out of the engine, put it in your glow ignitor with some pliers, and make sure that it glows birght orange. If it doesn't, you need to either charge or replace the glow ignitor batteries or buy a new glow plug.

Make sure your idle is set high enough. With the air cleaner off, the carb should be about 1/4 of the way open. I hope this helps!

11039078

Iv'e already tryed the glowplug test (on both plugs) and the glow starter and plugs are fine. I know when its started (higher pitch sound, smell of burnt glow fuel, wheels spinning etc) + i have a nitro plane so i lnow when its started. I blip the throttle to keeps it alive but i have to keep the roto plugged in and on for it to stay alive or it dies.

maybe its just cold?

But i honestly don't know what to do. do i keep it in there spinning for a while, or just keep on the throttle (its on a large brick when i start it so it wront go anywhare)???
like i said, if i take to roto out the back it dies (unless i have the throttle on like full!). + its hard to get it to start in the first place.

can you give me any advice on the best starting procedure, i do the following:
1-Prime engine
2-attach glow plug for 3 secs
3-Then put rotostart and blip throttle at same time

im fine up until 3 where it will just turn it over (and i hear a high pitched matallic sound, but im guessing this is the norm), and it will continue to turn over for what seems like agages (i do it in 5 sec bursts though)

Oh, and somtimes the roto will not turn it over at all (i dont thinks its flooded but may be wrong)

thanks

11039078

i did what you said Flaming Tire and managed to keep it going without the rotostart attached, but the clutch is engaging at idle (the wheels are going surprisingly quick) but it just needs fine tuning. It tends to still stall quite quickly if i dont keep on the gas but it hasn't been run in a while and i put the needle at factory settings so its running a bit rich.

i think i will turn the idle screw a fraction clockwise from what it was originally, just for starting purposes but not enoguh to engage the clutch. It somtimes cuts oout when i remove the roto but its awkward trying to start the thing whilst blipping the throttle...pluss at the moment its on a brick (wheels off ground), when i take it somewhare its gonna be even more difficault to do roto + throttle + hold truck to stop it running away the moment it fires up (like i said, the clutch engages at idle), but i guess its no down to fine tuning and use of the throttle trim

lol

DaveG55

Have you done anything with the carb needles yet? If not set the lsn and hsn back to their factory settings. You really need to have them at their base settings. To just say lean it or richen it w/o knowing where they are set doesn't really help you.
The factory settings are on the rich side but should not be so rich that the engine won't start. Now try to start the truck. If it treis to start and still dies, then lean the hsn. Turn it clockwise 1/8 turn and try again. Continue with that until the engine starts and runs. If you have to go much more than 1 - 1 1/4 full turn in then you may have other issues like maybe an air leak somewhere.
Once you get the engine started and runnng you'll have to tune it. You can do a search on this site or go to HPI's web site for instructions. But basically you set the idle screw for a 1mm opening, then you adjust the HSN for performance, good smoke and sound. Then you adjust the lsn for crisp throttle response.

SpikeX

Instead of having to blip the throttle every time you want to start it, set the throttle trim so the carburetor is 1/4 of the way open. Then, one it starts, turn it back down a little, so that it does not cut out at idle. Then, after it has warmed up, turn the throttle trim as far down as it will go.

This is what I do, and it is much easier to start because you have less things to do at once.

DaveG55

Not trying to hurt feelings here but if you have to have the throttle 25% open to strart it then you need to work on the tuning. Something's not right.

SpikeX

I know G55, I have always run my engine very rich, especially the LSN.

I have to re-tune my engine for the winter (colder temperatures), and I will richen it, but I will make it run the equivalemnt of a little "leaner" than now. I know it is confusing.

Basically, I will be really lean the next time I use it, because the temperature was drastically changed. So, I will have to richen it. I will richen it a bit so that the engine provides better performance than it does now.

11039078

All needles are at factory settings. the guy at my LHS told me to set the idle screw so that there is a 1.5mm gap.
I allways put the trim right up for starting but ocasionally (when really cold temps outside) i blip or squeeze the throttle ever so slightly.