zackesch

i have the trx 2.5 engine, and i am learning to tune it. so far, i know some on how to check if it is tuned right, like the coloration on the bottom of your glow plug. my problem is i think my engine is running too hot. what i mean is since i dont have a temp gun, i use the spit test. since it is supost to take a few seconds to boil, it boiled instantly. that happoned after the warm up and after a few laps around my drive way, bout 5 laps. the coloration on my glow plug is a clear golden brown. i know that means im running rich, its alot better then what it was earlier though "clear." i also did the test to see if my idle setting is right, being pinch the line and 4 seconds the engine dies. when my engine is at idle, it donst sound how it should, it idles normaly then dips and goes back to the normal idle sound. when i hit the throttle from a dead stop, there is a occasional dip, not when i hit the throttle right away but more like twards the end when i throttle when comming out of a turn. more like i hit the throttle when exiting my turn. what am i doing wrong? is there a better way to tune?

doogie494

being where you are and the temp changes is like me here where i am, you have to tune constantly!! try settig your hsn back to default and re-tuning you shouldnt have to mess with your LSN but test it after you get your hsn close. also keep an eye on your idle setting. hope this helps and good luck

avg_joe

The 2.5 has a tendency to run hot. Especially for noobs.
I recommend getting a temp gun ASAP!!
I have never heard anything about using the color of the glow plug as a tuning tool. Doesn't make sense to me...
Temp and amount of smoke from the stinger, and the way it runs, are much better guages of tune.
If it's overheating, richen the hsn 1/4 turn, and start tuning from there. It's much easier to tune an engine from rich to lean, than the other way.

zackesch

what the colorations on the glow plug stand for is that if it is clear, it is running rich and if it is a brownish black color, ur burning your fuel at the max.

another problem i saw is that some steam was commin off the motor, but i think that was just some dried fuel burning off, but if it was the engine i stoped it asap. what else would cause the smokeing?

hockey101

I would get a temp gun (duratrax flashpoints are cheap and easy to use point and shoot).. But from what it sounds like, you are running way too hot. Dont go by the glow plug color.. you wont know if you are running too hot until you have blown engine... richen your high speed needle... you have to tune your engine everyday. Need to see a trail of light blue smoke always out of your motor.

Hope this helps

Airpressure

I have put together some basic pointers on how to get your nitro engine running perfectly.

For the HSN (high speed needle)

This is the most commonly adjusted needle on any nitro engine. The HSN is what mainly controls the high speed. It is critical to get the HSN as perfect as you can. So this is what helps to get it adjusted just right.

Always have a good trail of blue smoke coming from the stinger of the exhaust pipe when you hammer the throttle. During a high speed run you should see blue smoke coming from the exhaust through the entire powerband. If there isn’t any blue smoke coming from the stinger or very little than that means your too lean. It is important to not get the HSN to rich or it will flood out the engine when you hit the throttle. One good way to tune the HSN is start off real rich and then lean it every few minutes of run time until you get it to run just perfectly then back off a 6th of a turn, that will keep it in a good condition for running everyday and having good engine life. If you lean the high speed needle (clockwise) and it started overheating that means you need to richen it a 4th of a turn and try again, just try not to lean the needle that far in this time.

For the LSN (low speed needle) and idle

This is mainly going to affect the idle and acceleration. It is also important to get this needle set as good as you can.


If your idle decreases after running the nitro engine for a while than that is a sign of the LSN being to lean, fix it by richening the needle (spinning it counter clockwise). If you seem to have an unsteady idle (meaning the engine has an unsteady idle speed) that is a sign of the LSN being to rich. Remember when you lean the engine the idle will become faster than it was originally fix that by turning the idle screw counter clockwise. If you take a high speed run and then let it sit and idle for about 5 seconds and then when you hammer the throttle and it is kind of sluggish that is also a sign of the LSN being to rich

Airpressure’s tips & tricks

bib

It sounds like you are running too hot. I would also suggest you to pick up a temp gun. Another thing you might to do is reset your enigne back to factory settings. (turn the HSN completely closed and then open it back out about 4 full turns) and retune from there. As mentioned it is always advisable to tune from rich to lean.

Hope this helps