Removing Paint from Lexan body

Dot-3 brake fluid from your local auto supply store makes a phenomenal cleansing bath for lexan bodies. Have a terrible paint job and want to start over again? Bathe it in this stuff overnight, and the paint will dissolve and slide right off. Be sure not to get brake fluid on clothes or carpet, and use rubber gloves while handling it.


Get your piston to BDC FAST - And EASY - Everytime : Saving your Engine From seizing on cool-down.
One you simply rotate the engine via the flywheel or pull-start until you hear or feel full compression. Some engines let out a tap sound. Some get the full compressed feel either way just listen and feel around for a bit.......then rotate it for full-compress and try a tad more and you might hear a click as it goes a bit tighter......you have found TDC. Now what you do is simply get a black marker of any kind , i try not to use permanent since the flywheel might be removed and a new mark will need to be made....so i use a water based marker. And go directly under your r/c and make a mark right in the center at the very bottom. You then rotate the flywheel over and when you see that mark at top , that means the piston is now @ BDC....which is where you always want an engine when cooling down. I also like the mark this way since you dont have to look under your vehicle to see if its at bdc , even though the filter is kinda blocking the view , looking at it from an angle you can easily distinguish if you've got it set at bdc for cool-down. This prevents your engine from getting seized as the skirt constricts on cool-down.

Or two ....which is kinda more work , but could be more exact if you dont know the tell-tale sounds and feeling of TDC. But just remove the head / heat-sink and simply eyeball it , once the piston goes as high as it can , go underneath , mark the flywheel right at the center....and your done. Then back on goes the heat-sink and your ready to run.

Then when you shut off your r/c engine, basically get down and start eyeballing and moving it towards bdc, i normally just slowly move it after tdc , cause sometimes it can spin right back up into the skirt. And once the mark is at the very top.....im done for the day.

This makes it real easy to keep track of , and you dont have to worry if you got it right. Also you want to make sure you immediately move the engine to bdc right after shutting off , the engine will start to cool the instant you shut it off. As to why this is a good thing to do , so you can quickly and easy place the piston as far away from the skirt as possible.

EXTRA TIP: This tip also is a great way to tell if your flywheel is slipping , just watch for tdc , and if the mark isnt centered at the bottom anymore....then you know youve got flywheel slip



Storing your R/C & R/C Equipment- Tips to save your r/c while its sitting around.
While your storing your r/c , for really any amount of time. You need to either take off the wheels , or support the car in the air with a stand , or anything that gets the chassis off the ground....which will then suspend the wheels in air. This will help keep the weight of the rc from warping/compressing your tires and foam inserts.

Also for a nitro engine you will want to squirt some extra after-run oil in the carb and in through the glow plug area. If you know your not going to run it for awhile. To help prevent corrosion since nitro fuel turns turns into water and will corrode your engine if you dont do this. People use quite a few different kinds of after run oils , both home-made blends of oils. Some half marvels mystery oil and a combo of other things.

You also want to watch out for nitro cleaners , they clean well of course , but they also take away the natural oils that need to be there to help prevent corrosion. So get some WD-40 (WD stands for water displacement) and use a q-tip and hit any rust prone areas........since you dont want to get any wd-40 on plastic since it will make it not as stiff and wont perform as well.

You also want to drain all fuel from the gas-tank , and fuel lines to also prevent that from sending any water vapors into the engine or pipe......again trying to prevent corrosion.


Engine Tuning and Troubleshooting

It's a fact of nitro life: sooner or later, your engine won't want to start or stay running long enough for you to get up on the drivers' stand. Don't shelve your piston-pounder and start charging batteries just yet hard-starting woes aren't usually tough to fix. Follow these steps, and you'll reach nitro nirvana again in no time.
Got pinch?
Before we start troubleshooting, let's first make sure the piston and sleeve aren't toast. Remove the engine's glow plug, and rotate the flywheel with your finger. As the piston reaches top dead center, you should at least feel resistance as the piston is “pinched” by the sleeve. This tight fit seals the combustion chamber and is critical to engine performance. If you don't feel any pinch, you probably need to replace your piston and sleeve.
Check out the glow system
Even rank novices know to check out the glow plug when starting problems occur, but few remember to check the other half of the glow system—glow starter! Make sure that your glow starter is fully charged (or has a fresh battery), and its contacts are clean. Press the glow plug into the glow starter and watch the coil it should almost instantly glow bright orange, and the entire coil should glow. If the coil glows dull red, or it doesn't glow at all (and you're certain the glow starter is charged and making good contact), you need a new plug.

If you have an electric starting system, the testing procedure is the same, but you must remember to touch the glow plug to the heat-sink head as you crank the engine if you don't, the glow plug won't light because the circuit is incomplete.

Do the tighten-up
Make sure that the engine's heat-sink head and backplate screws are fully tightened. Cinch them down in the pattern shown to ensure even tightness if you torque the screws down completely one at a time, you'll warp the parts and prevent them from sealing properly against the engine. Pull-start engines require the starter housing to be removed for backplate access be careful not to uncoil the starter spring in the process! Slip a screwdriver between the backplate and housing to prevent the spring from popping out, then tape or rubber-band the assembly after removal so it doesn't go “boing!” on your bench.

Speaking of sealing...
While you’re wrenching, take a look at the gaskets or O-rings that seal the carburetor base and backplate. If they’re damaged, replace them. A coat of Permatex Ultra Copper sealant (or similar sensor-safe automotive sealant) is also good insurance against air leaks.

Know your limits
If your engine seems to start easily enough but shuts down as soon as you let off the gas, check your idle-limit screw—the little guy just in front of the carburetor opening. Turn the screw so the carb still has a 1mm (or so) opening when full brake is applied. If the screw turns very easily, put a drop of thread-lock on it to prevent engine vibration from causing the setting to drift.

Needle needs
If you went nuts with your carb’s needle settings before your starting troubles began, you should reset them to factory specs. Lost your manual? For most engines, a good starting setup is “flush” for the low-end needle (adjust the needle so its screw head is level with the opening in the carb body the screw head sits in), and “two turns out” for the high-end needle (gently turn the needle clockwise until it bottoms out, then give it two full counterclockwise turns).

How’s that fuel tubing?
Even tiny pinhole leaks in your vehicle’s fuel and pressure lines can cause erratic engine operation and starting difficulties. When in doubt, replace the fuel tubing it’s inexpensive, and with all the color options available, it’s a cheap and easy way to give the chassis a new look.

Tanks for the memories
Your fuel tank isn't clogged, is it? Look for any crud in the tank where the fuel pickup line is, and get it out of there. Likewise, you should check your vehicle's in-line fuel filter (if so equipped) frequently it can become clogged with debris and impede fuel flow if not cleaned regularly. Finally, consider removing the tank's plunger-type primer, if so equipped such primers are prone to air leaks. After you've removed the primer, fill the hole with a machine-thread screw and some silicone sealant.

Freshen up your fuel
If your jug of fuel spent the winter on the garage floor, it has probably gone bad. Very bad. Dispose of it responsibly, and get yourself a new gallon. Store it in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and off the floor. If you like to race outside or go on extended-play missions outdoors, try to keep your fuel out of the sun and heat. Trinity's Nitro Kooler bags are the best way to prevent solar heating and protect fuel in clear containers from light exposure.

Now that you've ironed out any potential problems, you're ready for a first-pull startup. Here's how to make it happen:

1. Prime the carburetor. Remove the pressure line from the exhaust pipe, and blow into it you'll see a solid jet of fuel fill the fuel line up to the carburetor. When the fuel hits the carb, stop blowing. Reinstall the pressure line.

2. Install the glow igniter. If it's a cam-lock type, make sure it's secure. Is there a gauge on top? Make sure the needle is in the green.

3. Crack the throttle. Instead of triggering the radio, just turn the throttle-trim knob to open the carb another 1/2 millimeter or so.

4. Pull the starter cord! Give a sharp tug, and your engine should now be running. At the very least, it should pop on the first pull and start on the second or third (the extra tugs are usually only required if the carb wasn't fully primed).