helicrazedout

well i just got a brand new thundercT 31 and all i can say is wow!!!!!! its a great boat. i broke in the engine then took her up to full speed and it handled very nicely. but i am a total noobie to rc nitro boats so any help suggestions maintence help on this boat would be appreaciated. also any upgrades i should do to this boat?? also whats this hydro lock thingy?? i heard it can break your engine so im a bit scared how do i avoid this?

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Hydrolock is filling the combustion chamber with water or flooding the engine with fuel really bad. With the TC-31 I really wouldn't worry about it much. If you see it heading for a flip, shut the engine down ASAP.
We've got a huge thread in here pertaining to this boat. In brief, an Octura M-445 prop seems to be the way to go for speed. You can port match the exhaust to help it breathe better.
OK, you're going to ask something like "Hey Ron, what's port matching?" so I might as well tell you now. Pull off the exhaust header and you'll see where the exhaust gases are being blocked by the header flange which is a lot more visible now that you've already run it. Where you see the oil stain is where the flow is being blocked. You want to use something like a Dremel tool with a short stack of cut-off wheels to make a smooth transition from the flange to the header tube being careful not to cut through to improve the flow. This alone can be worth up to 1,600 almost free RPM.
It's a little nose heavy so you can free up the hull by placing an 8 oz. fuel tank in the rear of the right sponson but you can leave the stock tank in place but empty.

helicrazedout

Thanks Ron! i will check my exhust. please would someone explain the story to me about glow plugs/drivers?? how often do you need to replace them and how do you know when???

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Glow plugs can last from mere seconds to years but always have some extras around. Lean mixture conditions fry them quickly. When they fail to glow or the engine dies after unhooking the driver it's time to change it.
Glow drivers can last a varying amount of time. Look for one with the highest amount of Milli-amp hours but one with as low as 1,400 mah will last you all day easily.

helicrazedout

hmmm good to know...thanks again for the help Ron you really are very helpful now i feel more confident for tomorow hahaha!

res3567

If I were you I would take the time to read the ENTIRE Thundercat 31 thread which provides a wealth of knowledge and may ansewr A LOT of future questions. But still feel free to ask anyhow as there are a lot of vets, like Ron, who can help you along. There is a guy on that thread now that is prepping his TC 31.......

digerman

Hi i have had mine about two months now and having a blast with it.I had it beside my big boat and its going about 38mph went across the lake and back melted the Exhaust
coupler so after reading the forms i did the dremal thing and added a manafold cooler took it to a pond by my place. Now it was running great. sad thing the pond had weeds just below the surface i didnt see. Hit them and rolled. One other thing i read was the canapy doesnt float there right it dosnt. I now have one on order cant wate should be here 2 or 3 days so you might want to try some flotation and a cooler
Thanks
digerman


here is vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH2xqdC93BU

res3567

Hi! I can totally relate....please read post #1306 of this thread and this should help......

Check it:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_56...53/key_/tm.htm

helicrazedout

thanks for the info! man of man this boat rocks!! i just bought a tool kit an extra glow plug and driver think im ready for today im amped!