New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
11-23-2008, 11:05 PM
#26
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RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
Yea, I kind of hate pullstarts for their reliability. I can't tell you how many times I've driven all the way to my favorite bashing lot and then have a pull start not work[:@]. Hope it goes well tomorrow. Don't forget to record your first run!
[8D]
[8D]
11-23-2008, 11:26 PM
#27
Moderator
Thread Starter
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
I'll film it don't worry.
It's funny, I've NEVER had a 1/5 scale pullstart crap out on me until today - oh well [&:]
It's funny, I've NEVER had a 1/5 scale pullstart crap out on me until today - oh well [&:]
11-24-2008, 06:40 PM
#29
Moderator
Thread Starter
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
They have a break in period, but you as the driver don't really need to do much. In fact high speed running is encouraged to properly seat the piston ring. The first couple tanks are the break in, performance is generally a bit slower and you should refrain from messing with the needle settings unless you have to. After a couple tanks the engine really wakes up and you can tune it for performance.
As for cold weather they hold up far better than nitros. The engines are far less picky about temperatures, pressures, etc.
As for cold weather they hold up far better than nitros. The engines are far less picky about temperatures, pressures, etc.
[8D]
11-24-2008, 08:54 PM
#33
Senior Member
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
Some info about carb settings on the baja's
and this is all quote from a member on theother>>> forum>>
dont know if its ok to post the link but anyway here is my copy and paste:
My Carb and Me. How your Carb works and Tuning Guide
So your wondering what to do about all this carb stuff and engine tuning. Maybe your new to a gas motor, or you are used to an electric or nitro and all it's finickiness ways when running tuning ect....
After many, many questions, pms, and forum threads, I felt it was time to do a simple, easy to understand , "My Carb and Me" thread.
So, I will ASSuME you know where your carb is, and where the needles to tune it are. If you don't, I suggest finding a manual and get to reading it. lol
Look at the 3 screws on the pull start side of the carb. The top two are the High and Low needles.
The Low needle will handle the fuel flow for the lower rpm range, form idle to 1/3rd throttle or so. The High needle supplies additional fuel from there to the top end rpm range.
NOTE: the low needle continuously flows fuel thru the entire RPM Range, including up top at high rpm. The High needle then adds fuel flow to the Low fuel flow when your motor gets to about 1/3 rpm to the top rpm. Keep this in mind when tuning the Low needle, as it does serve an important purpose, and I suspect a portion of lean seizes we may be seeing is due to too lean settings on the low needle, not only the high needle. Though this is only an educated guess on my part.
The left screw on top is the High needle and the right screw is the Low needle on most carbs. BUT SOME CARBS APPEAR to be the opposite. Just look next to the needles for the H and L stamp. If your carb is dirty, clean the needle area with an old tooth brush and/or a carb cleaner so you can confirm your needle identifications.
The larger Bottom screw is Idle adjust screw. Just like on a nitro, this screw adjusts where the throttle plate stops when its closed, thus adjusting the amount of air flow coming into the motor. The more closed this needle is (counter clockwise), the lower the idle. The more open it is (clockwise), the more air coming in at idle, the higher idle you get.
NOTE: the idle screw does not adjust fuel flow, only air flow thru the throttle plate at idle. Do not confuse this with the H and L fuel needles.
When adjusting your carb (which should be basically set to stock conditions on a new motor, but is good to verify their positions on a new motor) you want to get a "BASE LINE" carb setting. This is a combination of the L and H needles to allow the motor to run, though maybe a bit rich to start with. Stock carb settings are 1 1/4 turns from closed on the Low Needle (right needle on top) and 1 1/2 turns from closed on the High Needle (left needle on top). Clockwise turns is Closing (leaning) the needle, and Counter-Clockwise tuns is Opening (richer) the needles.
Take a screwdriver and gently turn the Left High needle clockwise (Close) until it stops. While you are closing the H needle, count the number of complete revolutions it takes to close it. Now Reverse this process, counting the number of 360* revolutions out and stop and 1 and one half revaluations. Your High needle is now set to stock factory position.
Repeat this process with the Right Low needle, but count the revolutions out to 1 and one quarter turns. Your Low needle is now set to Stock factory position.
Don't tighten the screw when you close it or you may damage the end of the needle or the seat, just gently turn them until they stop.
This is your base line setting on your crab needles. IN MOST CASES, these crab needles are pretty sensitive to adjustments so when you are making adjustments, take care to work with 1/32s adjustments (about an 2 minute movement if the slot in the needle was a minute hand of a clock) to 1/12s Maximum (a 10 minute movement of the 2nd hand).
Personally, I try to stick with 1/32s to 1/18ths adjustments as these small needle adjustment really do make a BIG difference in the motors performance.
Now that you are armed with the basic information that you need to feel confident to play with a screwdriver and the carb needles, TTTT. Or Tis Time To Tune!
Now there are alot of ways to achieve a good tune, but they directly depend on ones understanding of how the motor/carb/pipes work in combination with each other, including your altitude above sea level, and the differences in the fuel needs with each of these possible combinations. And your own experience level. As you start to do more tuning, and seeing how the changes effect the way the motor runs, you'll better understand how to tune for not only performance, but motor life, and running conditions.
Another factor is Fuel Mix ratio. I recommend 25:1 to 32:1. Many folks run a thinner oil/gas ratio than this but I do not recommend you do this unless again, you have a Strong and Firm grasp of your motors performance and running ability.
So lets get to how to tune. Like I mentioned above, theres a few ways to end up with a good running motor. You can tune by sound as long as you know what your listening for. This is the toughest way to tune IMO, due to you really have to have a good in depth understanding of your motor/carb/air filter/pipe/oil mix ratio etc to get it right.
But for those that don't have this ability, the way I suggest to tune is most often by checking your plug condition and color. The color and condition of the plug can tell you Enormous amounts of information on your motors heath, running condition at any rpm range, and overall trouble shooting hints, should you find trouble down the road.
For the process to do your actual tuning, I will Defer to the Expert Doug Johns from Earth Surfer Products. Doug's experience is very well known in the 2 stroke arena with building these motors. In the GoPed Racing scene, he has sponsored a few National Championship Drivers. More Recently, a few of his Motors are starting to make Wins in the European On Road scene in the Sedan class and the ever tough F1 class. His motors are distributed thru DDM and their Distributor Network.
Before I post his tuning sheet, I want to be Clear that only you are responsible for making needle adjustments to your carb/motor. This is strictly a "GUIDE" to help you have a well running motor. YOU CAN MESS UP YOUR MOTOR IF YOU TURN YOUR NEEDLES TO LEAN, and this will result in needing a new topend in alot of cases. Unlike a nitro, where if you are too lean on the needles the motor just wont run, with a gas motor, too lean will result in parts and repair. KEEP THIS IN MIND PLEASE, and assume responsibility of your adjustments. It is easy to tune with the basic understanding I have layed out above, and with this guide from E.S.P., you should be on your way to loads of fun, and a well running motor that will run strong for a long time with good maintenance and proper care.
now on to the guide.
Quote:
Keep in mind that the low speed flows fuel from zero to about 1/3rd throttle opening. The high speed jets starts flowing from about 1/3rd throttle open to full throttle. Both jets flow fuel above 1/3rd throttle.
Set the high speed jet at least 2 turns out from bottom to start. Set the low speed jet at about 1&½ turns out. Warm the engine on the stand for a few minutes, rev the engine on the stand a bit while rough setting the low speed jet for idle to rev throttle response. Close the low speed too far, and the idle goes up from a lean condition. Open the low to far and the engine will run rich and die. Stay on the rich side, but make sure throttle response from idle is good.
Continue to rev the engine above half throttle, but not holding it in any one position for the last few minutes, to run the engine with the high speed jet flowing. Shut it down, and check the plug color. The plug should be a dark color like a dark brown or black. The rich settings we start with could possibly foul a spark plug, so you might want to have a new plug or two on hand for tuning. This plug color is good for now, it means we are getting plenty of fuelat least on the stand.
Now, it is time to run it and tune the high speed jet. Remove any body parts, or roll cage parts you need in order to access the plug easily ( you can take the plug cover off the roll cage on the Baja 5B for easy plug access. Note: If you roll over with this cover off, you very well may break the spark plug. Use care so you don't roll over and you ll be fine. Replace the plug cover on the roll cage when you are done)
You will want to keep a plug wrench and a glove (that plug will be hot) in your pocket while you are out in the field tuning, You want to be able to access your plug easily. Run the Buggy for about time minutes just to bring the motor up to a nice running temperature. Now, Run the buggy for 10 seconds at about ½ throttle after it is warmed up, and stop it at your feet. Quickly shut off the engine, and check the plug color. Don‘t let engine idle or use lower RPM‘s so the plug won‘t darken, and give you a false reading. If it is still dark in color, that is good for now. Now run the buggy again and use a little higher RPM. Check the plug again. Repeat this process while creeping up on full throttle, and check the plug often. Keep doing this until you are checking the plug with full throttle runs (you will need a lot of room), and the plug hopefully is on the dark side.
If the plug is white, or light in color at any RPM, and you cant get a safe color to it by turning out the HS jet (over 2 turns out approx does not make any difference on the jet), stop running the engine. You most likely have a air leak or a dirty carb/filters, which can also cause a lean condition and damage the top end.
If the plug is still dark after your going full throttle, you should be safe. You can start leaning out the high speed jet until the plug is a nice med chocolate brown color AT FULL THROTTLE. After that is done, you can fine set the low speed jet for best acceleration. Going richer on the low speed usually helps the jump off the line, but the idle may suffer.
Note: Make sure you use a tacky filter oil for the air filter or you will suck in dirt. A “Tacky foam air filter oil†can be purchased at any dirt bike shop. Fully saturate the filter element, and squeeze as much oil out of the filter as possible with paper towels. It makes no sense to tune the carb with a dirty filter, so use a clean one.
and this is all quote from a member on the
other>>> forum>> dont know if its ok to post the link but anyway here is my copy and paste:
My Carb and Me. How your Carb works and Tuning Guide
So your wondering what to do about all this carb stuff and engine tuning. Maybe your new to a gas motor, or you are used to an electric or nitro and all it's finickiness ways when running tuning ect....
After many, many questions, pms, and forum threads, I felt it was time to do a simple, easy to understand , "My Carb and Me" thread.
So, I will ASSuME you know where your carb is, and where the needles to tune it are. If you don't, I suggest finding a manual and get to reading it. lol
Look at the 3 screws on the pull start side of the carb. The top two are the High and Low needles.
The Low needle will handle the fuel flow for the lower rpm range, form idle to 1/3rd throttle or so. The High needle supplies additional fuel from there to the top end rpm range.
NOTE: the low needle continuously flows fuel thru the entire RPM Range, including up top at high rpm. The High needle then adds fuel flow to the Low fuel flow when your motor gets to about 1/3 rpm to the top rpm. Keep this in mind when tuning the Low needle, as it does serve an important purpose, and I suspect a portion of lean seizes we may be seeing is due to too lean settings on the low needle, not only the high needle. Though this is only an educated guess on my part.
The left screw on top is the High needle and the right screw is the Low needle on most carbs. BUT SOME CARBS APPEAR to be the opposite. Just look next to the needles for the H and L stamp. If your carb is dirty, clean the needle area with an old tooth brush and/or a carb cleaner so you can confirm your needle identifications.
The larger Bottom screw is Idle adjust screw. Just like on a nitro, this screw adjusts where the throttle plate stops when its closed, thus adjusting the amount of air flow coming into the motor. The more closed this needle is (counter clockwise), the lower the idle. The more open it is (clockwise), the more air coming in at idle, the higher idle you get.
NOTE: the idle screw does not adjust fuel flow, only air flow thru the throttle plate at idle. Do not confuse this with the H and L fuel needles.
When adjusting your carb (which should be basically set to stock conditions on a new motor, but is good to verify their positions on a new motor) you want to get a "BASE LINE" carb setting. This is a combination of the L and H needles to allow the motor to run, though maybe a bit rich to start with. Stock carb settings are 1 1/4 turns from closed on the Low Needle (right needle on top) and 1 1/2 turns from closed on the High Needle (left needle on top). Clockwise turns is Closing (leaning) the needle, and Counter-Clockwise tuns is Opening (richer) the needles.
Take a screwdriver and gently turn the Left High needle clockwise (Close) until it stops. While you are closing the H needle, count the number of complete revolutions it takes to close it. Now Reverse this process, counting the number of 360* revolutions out and stop and 1 and one half revaluations. Your High needle is now set to stock factory position.
Repeat this process with the Right Low needle, but count the revolutions out to 1 and one quarter turns. Your Low needle is now set to Stock factory position.
Don't tighten the screw when you close it or you may damage the end of the needle or the seat, just gently turn them until they stop.
This is your base line setting on your crab needles. IN MOST CASES, these crab needles are pretty sensitive to adjustments so when you are making adjustments, take care to work with 1/32s adjustments (about an 2 minute movement if the slot in the needle was a minute hand of a clock) to 1/12s Maximum (a 10 minute movement of the 2nd hand).
Personally, I try to stick with 1/32s to 1/18ths adjustments as these small needle adjustment really do make a BIG difference in the motors performance.
Now that you are armed with the basic information that you need to feel confident to play with a screwdriver and the carb needles, TTTT. Or Tis Time To Tune!
Now there are alot of ways to achieve a good tune, but they directly depend on ones understanding of how the motor/carb/pipes work in combination with each other, including your altitude above sea level, and the differences in the fuel needs with each of these possible combinations. And your own experience level. As you start to do more tuning, and seeing how the changes effect the way the motor runs, you'll better understand how to tune for not only performance, but motor life, and running conditions.
Another factor is Fuel Mix ratio. I recommend 25:1 to 32:1. Many folks run a thinner oil/gas ratio than this but I do not recommend you do this unless again, you have a Strong and Firm grasp of your motors performance and running ability.
So lets get to how to tune. Like I mentioned above, theres a few ways to end up with a good running motor. You can tune by sound as long as you know what your listening for. This is the toughest way to tune IMO, due to you really have to have a good in depth understanding of your motor/carb/air filter/pipe/oil mix ratio etc to get it right.
But for those that don't have this ability, the way I suggest to tune is most often by checking your plug condition and color. The color and condition of the plug can tell you Enormous amounts of information on your motors heath, running condition at any rpm range, and overall trouble shooting hints, should you find trouble down the road.
For the process to do your actual tuning, I will Defer to the Expert Doug Johns from Earth Surfer Products. Doug's experience is very well known in the 2 stroke arena with building these motors. In the GoPed Racing scene, he has sponsored a few National Championship Drivers. More Recently, a few of his Motors are starting to make Wins in the European On Road scene in the Sedan class and the ever tough F1 class. His motors are distributed thru DDM and their Distributor Network.
Before I post his tuning sheet, I want to be Clear that only you are responsible for making needle adjustments to your carb/motor. This is strictly a "GUIDE" to help you have a well running motor. YOU CAN MESS UP YOUR MOTOR IF YOU TURN YOUR NEEDLES TO LEAN, and this will result in needing a new topend in alot of cases. Unlike a nitro, where if you are too lean on the needles the motor just wont run, with a gas motor, too lean will result in parts and repair. KEEP THIS IN MIND PLEASE, and assume responsibility of your adjustments. It is easy to tune with the basic understanding I have layed out above, and with this guide from E.S.P., you should be on your way to loads of fun, and a well running motor that will run strong for a long time with good maintenance and proper care.
now on to the guide.
Quote:
Keep in mind that the low speed flows fuel from zero to about 1/3rd throttle opening. The high speed jets starts flowing from about 1/3rd throttle open to full throttle. Both jets flow fuel above 1/3rd throttle.
Set the high speed jet at least 2 turns out from bottom to start. Set the low speed jet at about 1&½ turns out. Warm the engine on the stand for a few minutes, rev the engine on the stand a bit while rough setting the low speed jet for idle to rev throttle response. Close the low speed too far, and the idle goes up from a lean condition. Open the low to far and the engine will run rich and die. Stay on the rich side, but make sure throttle response from idle is good.
Continue to rev the engine above half throttle, but not holding it in any one position for the last few minutes, to run the engine with the high speed jet flowing. Shut it down, and check the plug color. The plug should be a dark color like a dark brown or black. The rich settings we start with could possibly foul a spark plug, so you might want to have a new plug or two on hand for tuning. This plug color is good for now, it means we are getting plenty of fuelat least on the stand.
Now, it is time to run it and tune the high speed jet. Remove any body parts, or roll cage parts you need in order to access the plug easily ( you can take the plug cover off the roll cage on the Baja 5B for easy plug access. Note: If you roll over with this cover off, you very well may break the spark plug. Use care so you don't roll over and you ll be fine. Replace the plug cover on the roll cage when you are done)
You will want to keep a plug wrench and a glove (that plug will be hot) in your pocket while you are out in the field tuning, You want to be able to access your plug easily. Run the Buggy for about time minutes just to bring the motor up to a nice running temperature. Now, Run the buggy for 10 seconds at about ½ throttle after it is warmed up, and stop it at your feet. Quickly shut off the engine, and check the plug color. Don‘t let engine idle or use lower RPM‘s so the plug won‘t darken, and give you a false reading. If it is still dark in color, that is good for now. Now run the buggy again and use a little higher RPM. Check the plug again. Repeat this process while creeping up on full throttle, and check the plug often. Keep doing this until you are checking the plug with full throttle runs (you will need a lot of room), and the plug hopefully is on the dark side.
If the plug is white, or light in color at any RPM, and you cant get a safe color to it by turning out the HS jet (over 2 turns out approx does not make any difference on the jet), stop running the engine. You most likely have a air leak or a dirty carb/filters, which can also cause a lean condition and damage the top end.
If the plug is still dark after your going full throttle, you should be safe. You can start leaning out the high speed jet until the plug is a nice med chocolate brown color AT FULL THROTTLE. After that is done, you can fine set the low speed jet for best acceleration. Going richer on the low speed usually helps the jump off the line, but the idle may suffer.
Note: Make sure you use a tacky filter oil for the air filter or you will suck in dirt. A “Tacky foam air filter oil†can be purchased at any dirt bike shop. Fully saturate the filter element, and squeeze as much oil out of the filter as possible with paper towels. It makes no sense to tune the carb with a dirty filter, so use a clean one.
11-24-2008, 09:03 PM
#35
Senior Member
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
yup.....and Im trying..., TRYING VERY HARD to stay away from all the good reports from members about the 5T.
I almost bought one today [&o]
but the angel side of my brain kept telling me not to
I almost bought one today [&o]
but the angel side of my brain kept telling me not to
11-24-2008, 09:06 PM
#36
Moderator
Thread Starter
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
You must give in [&:]
It's a really cool truck, I still haven't driven mine yet (too lazy to fix the pullstart today) - but I love the way it looks, and its huge too.
It's a really cool truck, I still haven't driven mine yet (too lazy to fix the pullstart today) - but I love the way it looks, and its huge too.
11-24-2008, 09:11 PM
#37
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RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
I can't wait till I become rich enough to afford giant scale. I'm sure the neighbors can wait though, I heard gassers were significantly louder than nitro. True?
11-24-2008, 09:12 PM
#38
Senior Member
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
ORIGINAL: sheograth
You must give in [&:]
You must give in [&:]
yeah, I knew it was a big truck... but when I saw it [X(] a beast!
love the black one, ony 1 in stock
11-24-2008, 09:12 PM
#39
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Thread Starter
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
They're far louder, and the sound is deeper making it carry farther. I don't run them in my neighborhood except for small tuning runs and stuff.
11-24-2008, 09:14 PM
#40
Senior Member
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
ORIGINAL: HJJFFFAA
I can't wait till I become rich enough to afford giant scale. I'm sure the neighbors can wait though, I heard gassers were significantly louder than nitro. True?
I can't wait till I become rich enough to afford giant scale. I'm sure the neighbors can wait though, I heard gassers were significantly louder than nitro. True?
and I also hear the the stock pipe on the baja is one of or the loudest of all pipes.
11-24-2008, 09:15 PM
#41
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RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
Oh, well I can always go to the many large open areas around here. Compared to say...a weedwacker, how loud?
11-24-2008, 09:37 PM
#42
Senior Member
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
a very loud weedwacker
reports are that some of the aftermarket pipes take out some of the "annoying sound" (I think is music)
and run smoother.
reports are that some of the aftermarket pipes take out some of the "annoying sound" (I think is music)
and run smoother.
11-24-2008, 09:56 PM
#44
Senior Member
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
true...
thats another thing that I always think about......how far do I have to drive to enjoy this beast and not having people giving me looks and faces [>:]
thats another thing that I always think about......how far do I have to drive to enjoy this beast and not having people giving me looks and faces [>:]
11-24-2008, 10:14 PM
#45
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RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
Yea I had to get used to the dirty looks I got from the neighbors and people in parks and such, I'm sure it's 10 times worse with one of these. I really want a gasser though just for when I don't want to mess with a nitro, just get out there and drive. Yea I could get electric, but then I wouldn't get to play with flammable liquids all day.
11-25-2008, 01:30 PM
#46
Senior Member
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
what can I say? [:-]
Yes I bought it! my first 1/5th ...and this thing is huge [X(]
here are some pics, next to my bike and IGT2 so you have an idea how big this thing is.
A question..., I'm not very good with batteries and all the electric stuff,[&o]
is this charger ok to use with the 5 cell battery on the 5t? should I set it to 1,2 or 4 amps?
Yes I bought it! my first 1/5th
...and this thing is huge [X(]here are some pics, next to my bike and IGT2 so you have an idea how big this thing is.
A question..., I'm not very good with batteries and all the electric stuff,[&o]
is this charger ok to use with the 5 cell battery on the 5t? should I set it to 1,2 or 4 amps?
11-25-2008, 02:28 PM
#47
Moderator
Thread Starter
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
Haha I knew you couldn't resist [&:]
Looks good next to the bike.
Anyway, yeah that charger will work. 2 amps should do.
Looks good next to the bike.
Anyway, yeah that charger will work. 2 amps should do.
11-25-2008, 02:39 PM
#48
Senior Member
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
thank you!
yeah take all the blame for it
yours was the last pic I saw before I made the decision [>:]
yeah take all the blame for it
yours was the last pic I saw before I made the decision [>:]
11-26-2008, 09:21 PM
#50
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Thread Starter
RE: New Toy, HPI Baja 5T 1/5 scale Gasoline Trophy Truck *updated*
Well, looks like the pullstart needs to be replaced. I thought it was just the knot in the handle that came undone but there seems to be some internal damage. I might have another engine lying around that can donate a starter otherwise I'll just order an HPI one.