Argess

I'm helping a friend out with some used RCs, and one of them is a NTC3, which I thought would be easy as I have one of my own. However his has an OS 18CVR in it. Never run from the look of it, and very high compression and pinch. It's a bump-start engine and there was a homemade starter box, which was made nicely and has an aircraft starter inside with a soft rubber wheel protruding out of it.

Now there is no way this starter box will turn over the engine. It hooks to a car battery and appears to be running properly, but thre's some issues.

The rubber wheel is so soft, it seems to just tear and rip (rubber dust flys off) against the flywheel.

Additionally, the NCT3 chassis doesn't have a very large hole below the flywheel, so I think the rubber wheel may also be catching on the edge of the chassis.

Now I've never used a starter box before, just pull-starts and roto-starts for ground models.

Based on my description, what's the best direction to go in? Install the old AE 12 (if it's any good)and forget about the OS engine? Get a new starter box (the friend won't like that)? Open up the hole in the chassis? Get a larger diameter flywheel for the engine (if they make such a thing)? Modify the existing starter box, although I don't think it has the power even if it wasn't slipping? Various combinations of some of the preceding?

Opinions please. Thank-you.

Fuel Crazy

My Feedback: (1)

could always just convert it to pullstart... the parts are available to do it

Argess

Oddly enough, the original OS box is in with the stuff and says it's a 18CV-R (P) which indicates a pull-start. There's a ton of parts for all this RC stuff, but no crank, backplate, starter shaft, pull-start, etc., that one would need to make the conversion. Probably better to sell the engine and put the money towards the proper one.

He got a deal, two Savages andthe NTC3 and more parts and pieces than you can shake a stick at, all for $300. But some people who get deals, do so and exhaust their current budget, ... if you catch my drift.

So as he's new to the hobby, I"m helping him, but I have to admit, I know nothing about starter boxes.

Fuel Crazy

My Feedback: (1)

Well if hes interested...i have a spare OS 18 CVR pullstart engine... i will swap him his backplate for everything he needs to switch to pullstart.

im curious...how are you trying to start it on the bumpbox?Are you letting it spin first, then bumping the flywheel against the wheel? or are you just pushing the car down onto the wheel starting up the bumpbox motor while the flywheel is already against the wheel?



btw..according to the OS website... the 18CV-R (P) wasnt a pullstart engine, parts listing only shows non PS backplate. The 18 CV-RX and CV-RX(S) are the pullstart versions.

Argess

Thank-you for the kind offer. I will let him know.

We're letting the starter box come up to speed first, and even setting the engine at end of its compression stroke so it gets a chance to move freely and pick up speed. No go. It will barely turn the engine over when I pull the glow-plug, but not a hope when the glow-plug is in.

Ahh, that explains it. I did look up the (P) version and though it said pull-start, but I must have been looking at the wrong engine. My mistake. Good to know as was even under the impression that all OS engines ending in P were pull-starts. Never pays to assume...LOL.

warnos16v

Also heat the OS motor before putting it on the starter.. I can't start my new TZ motors without getting a heatgun onto it 1st.. and like someone else said make sure the motor is not at top dead centre.. the NTC3 can be a pain in the butt even with a the proper starter box..

Argess

Yes, the access hole under the flywheel is small in the NTC3. And I didn't think of heating it up, although even with the glow-plug out, it was hard to get the engine to turn over with this home-made starter box.

I havn't seen the owner for some time, but in the meantime, I took apart the original AE 12, cleaned it all up, and installed it. Front bearing center race doesn't seem tight to the crank, but the engine runs like a jewel. So at least he can run the car and decide what he wants to do.

Oddly, the OS engine compression doesn't seem quite so tight once I had removed the enigne. It doesn't appear to have been run, and the compression is fine, but when it was in the car, it seemed tighter. Maybe it's all in my mind as I can get a better grip on teh flywheel to turn it over now that it's out. But maybe the mesh was way too tight, although with the CB bearings, it shouldn't have mattered just to turn it over.

I have a brand-new 18Cv-r for my NTC3 (or HPI 18SS), which ever vehicle has the stock engine die first. But it's a pull-start. So far, I'm not a fan of starter boxes, although I guess it's not fair to judge based on this home-made unit.