Cant start hpi Rs4 3 after 5 years of no use
01-08-2017, 02:12 PM
#1
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Cant start hpi Rs4 3 after 5 years of no use
I just bought the nitro car and the owner before hadn't used it in 5 years or more. I am a novice at this and can't get it started no matter what i do. I think the carb needs setting back to factory but don't know to do this. And I don't know if there's a routine for starting them after so long of sitting around. I have put new fuel in. The glow plug works fine. And I always try with a fully charged glow starter. There seems to be good compression and the piston moves well. I know fuel is getting to the carb and pretty sure it's making it to the engine as I think I flooded it once. If anyone knows how to factory reset and get it started I would be great full
01-09-2017, 08:53 AM
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If its flooded then close the low speed needle all the way, clean the glow plug, flip the engine to dump any excess fuel and crank again.
Of course it will show is flooded by the g plug covered in nitro fuel. You say it has a lot of compression, get a hair dryer or a heat gun, and heat up that block, (some people cover the heatsink with aluminum foil at least at the beginning), and then crank it up. If it starts remove the aluminum foil. There are engine variations in the RS4 platform.
Please check the manual database and follow the instructions depending on the model you got.
http://www.competitionx.com/hpi-racing-manuals/
Can you please post pictures of the engine?
There should be a minimal gap in the carb, about 1mm or so.
And count how many turns is on the low and high needle...
Of course it will show is flooded by the g plug covered in nitro fuel. You say it has a lot of compression, get a hair dryer or a heat gun, and heat up that block, (some people cover the heatsink with aluminum foil at least at the beginning), and then crank it up. If it starts remove the aluminum foil. There are engine variations in the RS4 platform.
Please check the manual database and follow the instructions depending on the model you got.
http://www.competitionx.com/hpi-racing-manuals/
Can you please post pictures of the engine?
There should be a minimal gap in the carb, about 1mm or so.
And count how many turns is on the low and high needle...
01-09-2017, 09:41 AM
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How do I post pics? The top of the engine is purple if that's any help. I keep dumping the fuel when it feels flooded but still to no effect. I will try the hair dryer or foil and let you know how it goes. I have tried reseting the high speed needle by putting it all the way in and Turning it 2 1/2 turns out again but still didn't work. I don't think the carb has a low speed needle.
01-09-2017, 01:06 PM
#6
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1. First take the line off the muffler and the carberator. Apply some air pressure through the muffler line, fuel should freely flow out the other line. See if the first stuff out is thicker and kinda gunky (technical term). It should flow with clean new fuel. Clean tank or whatever till you have to do to get it right.
2. Put the line back on the carb and and put some air pressure to the tank again. You will need to have the throttle open full. Some small amount of fuel should flow. take air cleaner off for this visual check so you can see the travel on the barrel opening. You may need to Open the needle lots of turns and blow harder to push out the gunkies. If fuel flow is good, then set the needle three turns out. Three to 3-1/2 is a general starting point for most engines.
3. Keep the air cleaner off for now. Set you throttle opening at about 25% throttle. Now take your glow pug out and pull your starter a few times. If lots of fuel spit out of the pug hole, then tip it up and around and get it out. Take the line off the carb for this too and find something to pinch it with to avoid spillage. You should keep pulling it through until only a small misty vapor is seen coming out of the plug hole.
4. Put the plug back in, carb line on, glow on, throttle at 25% and start it. Be careful 25% may be a lot when it starts and be ready to throttle down if it is.
If you have compression, speedy start cranking, glow heat, fuel and the right air in the combustion chamber, They all run!
Good Luck
2. Put the line back on the carb and and put some air pressure to the tank again. You will need to have the throttle open full. Some small amount of fuel should flow. take air cleaner off for this visual check so you can see the travel on the barrel opening. You may need to Open the needle lots of turns and blow harder to push out the gunkies. If fuel flow is good, then set the needle three turns out. Three to 3-1/2 is a general starting point for most engines.
3. Keep the air cleaner off for now. Set you throttle opening at about 25% throttle. Now take your glow pug out and pull your starter a few times. If lots of fuel spit out of the pug hole, then tip it up and around and get it out. Take the line off the carb for this too and find something to pinch it with to avoid spillage. You should keep pulling it through until only a small misty vapor is seen coming out of the plug hole.
4. Put the plug back in, carb line on, glow on, throttle at 25% and start it. Be careful 25% may be a lot when it starts and be ready to throttle down if it is.
If you have compression, speedy start cranking, glow heat, fuel and the right air in the combustion chamber, They all run!
Good Luck
01-09-2017, 05:37 PM
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Please follow up the manual database, find your model. If one thing HPI shines above other RC companies is on their manuals. It will have the instructions on how to set the needle.
What I meant is to dump the fuel, close the needle, clean the glow plug, the engine should start with the needle closed because the fuel in the engine is more than enough.
In all reality, and the proper way is to pull that engine out and do a complete teardown. You should be able to at least access the engine from the rear plate. Not sure how is set in your chassis, but on my RS4 mini it is facing out so easy to open the back portion of the engine.
Have you attempted to remove the crown? To check if their is any scuffing, some sellers will pinch the sleeve to make it show it has compression, but if that engine is scuffed on the inner walls there is no tuning that will do.
You sure are patient, I would have taken the engine out and clean all across, checking clutch, bearings, linkage. If you do so, I highly advice to take pictures. They are worth in gold when you are in doubt about what goes where.
To upload pictures select Go Advanced near the reply box. Follow one of the icons to upload attachments. May be some trial and error.
FYI, to immediately turn off the engine if you cant throttle down or whatever... have a rag handy and cover the exhaust tip, engine will die. If to be safe have gloves on.
The other way is to jam a screwdriver into the flywheel, I only do so as a last resort.
What I meant is to dump the fuel, close the needle, clean the glow plug, the engine should start with the needle closed because the fuel in the engine is more than enough.
In all reality, and the proper way is to pull that engine out and do a complete teardown. You should be able to at least access the engine from the rear plate. Not sure how is set in your chassis, but on my RS4 mini it is facing out so easy to open the back portion of the engine.
Have you attempted to remove the crown? To check if their is any scuffing, some sellers will pinch the sleeve to make it show it has compression, but if that engine is scuffed on the inner walls there is no tuning that will do.
You sure are patient, I would have taken the engine out and clean all across, checking clutch, bearings, linkage. If you do so, I highly advice to take pictures. They are worth in gold when you are in doubt about what goes where.
To upload pictures select Go Advanced near the reply box. Follow one of the icons to upload attachments. May be some trial and error.
FYI, to immediately turn off the engine if you cant throttle down or whatever... have a rag handy and cover the exhaust tip, engine will die. If to be safe have gloves on.
The other way is to jam a screwdriver into the flywheel, I only do so as a last resort.
Last edited by mazpr; 01-09-2017 at 05:40 PM.
