majatoi

I just got my Volcano today, was excited. Charged the glow plug heater up... did all the prep stuff, then.. when I put the glow plug heater on the glow plug and pull it off after like 10 secs, nothing is glowing. I did this multiple times with various pressure being applied. Even re-hooked the glow plug heater back up to the recharger and it gets has a light that comes on.. on the AC Adapter when the glow plug heater is plugged in and apparently it lights up. So there must be a circuit complete in there. So... is this most likely a glow plug issue or a glow plug heater issue? I am going to the hobby shop tomorrow to test out the glow plug and purchase a new glow plug just in case. Let me know of your experiences on this folks, thanks!

majatoi

UPDATE!

I took the glow plug out, then holding it with pliers, put it on the glow plug heater and the coils light up, except... the very top of the coil doesn't light up, nor does that little coil piece that comes in contact with the circular bottom of the glow plug... that doesn't glow either. So is this a damaged glow plug, is it suppose to have the whole entire coil light up? Thanks!

BTW, how long should I leave the glow plug heater on before removing it, thanks.

blackdogafd

your glow plug is good if it glows its good.. it might be weak.

did you leave the glo starter on it while you where starting it up?? i leave mine on for about 10 secs after it starts just to make sure it will stay running..

but make sure you charge your glo starter four about 10-12 hours for the first time, otherwise it wont work as good the first time you use it.

any other ??? just ask we are all here to help!!!

majatoi

so it doesn't necessarily have to glow all the way out to the outer coil then? The glow only occurs when I remove the glow plug, nothing glows when the plug is actually in place.

Is anything suppose to glow after I remove the glow plug? I am a newb to this, sorry.. I was under the impression that something should glow after I remove the glow plug igniter, like the copper ring or something? But nothing glows, unless I unscrew the glow plug and hold it with pliers and put it into the glow plug heater. Thanks again.

AJsToyz

Nope , Only glows inside the engine to ignite the fuel . Put the ignighter on , start the engine , remove the glow igniter. If it staals when you take it off , put it back on , restart , let it run a few seconds with the ignighter on , remove ignighter .

majatoi

tried everything. Still can't get the damn thing to start. I made sure the fuel line had fuel going to the carb... I plugged the exhaust pulled the cord a couple of times saw it feed into the carb... then plugged the glow plug heater on.. waited like 5-10 secs.. then started pulling on the cord 3-5 times. No avail, even waited longer, nothing. I put a few more drops where the air filter goes (after keeping the trigger pulled), nothing. So it's either the igniter or the glow plug ?? So confused considering this is my first rc car. :/

majatoi

Ah, finally got it to start. I am using the nitro fuel that has 16% lubrication in it. Breaking in the engine first, then I got to work on the idle needle. It's suppose to sit idle when I am in neutral right? Just making sure! :P

or is it suppose to just move forward slowly?

Last question, how long should a tank of gas generally last you? Or how long does it last you (survey!)

nitrosteve22

The car should be completely stationary while in idle,if its moving forward slowly the clutch spring could be weakening or the idle could be a little high. Not sure exactly on how long a tank of gas lasts,I get around 7-10 minutes but I cant say for sure till I fine tune it and use my stopwatch (which I will eventually just outta curiousity).

AJsToyz

I actually like high oil fuels such as 16 % or better. Morgan makes a 20% nitro with 16% oil for people that don't race , I think its called " Back yard basher" . Trinity also has a fuel with the same blend , and Trinity has a break in fuel 20% nitro 18% oil. I look at it this way , I'm not racing and I don't want to replace the engine. Its not like its a name brand where you just go get a piston and sleeve and your good to go. The chances are pretty slim of killing an engine but I'll give it all the help it needs to run for along time. I've got some Morgan "Omega" that I'm running 15% N / 17% O , I can run it in my car or planes and have no problems. I'd like to get it with a little more nitro but no one locally stocks it.

majatoi

so between the idle and the low gear needle, which should I be adjusting first to get the idle all tuned?

I don't think I have seen this mentioned in great detail. Thanks.

AJsToyz

Back the idle down , and if it doesn't stall or act funny don't mess with the low speed.

ehroof

first adjust the idle speed using the idle adjustment. Try to accelrate fast and see what happens, if its fine and has some blue smoke coming out your fine, if it bogs down and blows no smoke then you need to richen the low end, if it bogs and throws lots of smoke you need to lean it, adjust 1/8 turn at a time and drive it around. You can sometimes check the low end by pinching the fuel line while idleing, if it revs high then dies you need to lean it if it revs a little or not at all then it is usually fine. make sure you adjust your high end needle first before you adjust your low end.

majatoi

Okay... uhm, I got it so I can brake now and the engine don't die off by increasing the idle... but if I let off the brake the car still runs off on me, not hauling off but enough to make have to go fetch it after if I let it go for about 5 secs.

I am assuming I should adjust the max first then go back and adjust the low rpm needle? Will the low rpm needle allow this rc not to move once I adjust it? I have tried lowering the idle, but when I hit the brake it dies. So this is as close as it gets for the idle being lean I fear.

ehroof

needs new clutch spring, change it.

majatoi

Ah so after my edit, do you still think its the clutch spring? It's brand spanking new!! How can this be?

ehroof

if you can hold it still and it does not stall and the wheels do not turn then the clutch spring is ok, if you need to let the tires spin in order for it not to stop running then it sounds like a clutch spring. sounds like you need to lower the idle a little. you need to get it to idle first before you can adjust the needles, idle, high end , low end.

majatoi

I can hold the brake no problem, then the car holds still.... but if I let go of the brake it goes at a decent speed away. I just can't seem to adjust this darn idle to get it to sit still.

If I lower the idle from that point, and I hit the brake the engine turns off. *shrug* Regardless, I lost control of the darn thing and it ran into a wall busting the front left side into pieces. So I got to order some parts. Making another thread about that.

ehroof

First you have to make sure that the transmitter is in the neurtral position, then turn the small screw under the air cleaner in the front of the carb counterclockwise to lower the idle. if this doesnt work you will have to adjust the throttle linkage and collar nuts.

majatoi

I can get the car to run in neutral... and even fairly slow with the idle, but once I hit the brakes it dies. Or... I can increase the idle, make the car go faster when idling and get it to stop when I brake and not die. It seems like a trade off, there has to be another variable I can change here.

ehroof

turn idle down a little at a time until it idles and stops and idles. The only other thing is maybe your clutch spring is no good anymore. not broken completely just enough to not let it idle. or try to ajust it while its running and the break is on. Unless your low end it extremely rich and loading the engine up with fuel.

majatoi

ah will do, once I figure out all that has broken from my crash today.. after losing control of it.. darn radio transmitter didn't work for like 30 secs..

ehroof

sounds like you have interference or the notorious redcat radio problem, i had it with my tornado with the throttle, i had it for less that 30 days and they replaced it.