Hi there All

I was out bashing today and all was going well and I was having loads of fun. Then when I whent to start my buggie again it sounded like the one way bearing was slipping, but it then started and run a full tank off fuel without any probs. The next time I tryed to start it it seemed that the one way bearing had gone and it would not start the engine, but when I got home I had a look at the bearing and it seems to be ok. So I tryed to turn the flywheel and it turned to easy as thought there was no compresion ? so I took the glow plug off and turned it while looking and the piston dose not move at all ? I then took the rotor start off the back of the engine and truned the flywheel again and the shaft at the rear off the engine dos not turn eather ? So I turned the rear shaft and the same happend the piston did not move and the flywheel did not move.

I have only had the buggie 3 weeks and it has run without a problem untill today ? I have run 1 1/2 gallons of Blue Thunder 20%

I have taken the engine out of the Buggie to have a good look at it. When I turned the engine over there is damage to the bottom of the engine from the inside, it looks like something has blown in there and tried to punch through the bottom of the engine, plus there is also a rattle inside the engine DOH. Well since I have only had the Buggie for 3 weeks I will take the engine back and see if they will replace it as I am sure that the engines are not meant to come apart like that on the inside ?

Oh dear You may be out of luck in getting a new engine....they will try to say you blew it by not running it in properly/running it too lean. As you cant prove you did everything right...

On the other had you may be lucky...

Good luck on this one!

David

Hi there M8

Only thing about running it to lean is that Blue Thunder fuel will not burn if the engine gets to hot and will cut out so you cant run to lean and I get my fuel from the shop that I got the buggie from. So I will have to see what they say tommorow when i phone up.

Hi there All

Ok have had a bit of a look and it seems the crank has snaped in half is this normal for a 3 week old engine with only 1 1/2 gallons of fuel run throught it or dose it sound like an engine fault.

That would be an engine fault lol. I dont think any amount of thrashing would do that. I should think there was a crack in the crank shaft. As they dont crack test them at the factory afaik. A crack in a shaft is dangerous due to the high torsional loadings on it, so it would fail quite easily. (i would go into the maths but i cant be ar$ed).

Sounds like a manufacturing fault, just hope the hobby shop understands...

Cheers,
David

Hi there M8

I will keep this thread updated as it go`s along just to see what the after sales is like on the Lightning2rr

Hi there All

I have been to work today and took my engine back plate off and had a look and this is what I found.

I have tryed moving the Piston and it is free and moves ok, So all I can think of is that there was a fualt in the crank. Which cursed it to fail ? If anyone out there has a better idear on what could have happened? Plz can you put a post here as I am taking the engine into my LHS tommorow to see what they say.

If everything is free to move then i would just say that there was a fault (crack) in the crankshaft. Like i said the loadings on the shaft are large. I didnt realise it was the pin that was broken, the forces on this are different but again large.

There is no reason why that should happen on a good crank shaft, you would have to give it some hell of abuse! I would certainly say its a manufacturing fault...IMO

Cheers,
David

Hi there All

Well I took the eninge into the LHS that I got my Lightning2rr RTR from and the first thing he said was "where was the rest of the buggie" as I had taken only the engine with me. He then told me that the warrenty might be void since I had taken the engine off myself and he had not ?

Thats a bit stupid....

Does he think you cant do anything? People always have their cars to bits. The first thing i did when i got my semi built CEN was to dismantle it and rebuild it... If it doesnt say in the instructions that you can take it to bits (which it wont) hes talking crud....

I see no reason at all why it should void it. Just a silly excuse to save him having to deal with the problem?

Cheers,
David

Hi m8

Well I dont think it will be a problem as the rep for the dealer is going to his shop tommorow and he is going to pick the engine up while he is there. But I am starting to get the felling that the shop I got my Lightning2rr from dosnt seem to know much about Nitro engines and things DOH. As most people say they strip there Nitro Vchs down for cleaning and stuff and I have already striped mine once for cleaning after going to the beach (Fitted double air filtter for that trip).

As for stripping it down, I am a trained Vch fitter lol. I also ride my bike to work 6 miles a day and 6 miles back and I cant carry a hole 1/8 buggie yet on my bike [X(]

LOL you sound like a handy person to know then [:P]

Cool. as long as you are getting it sorted thats the main thing. Lets hope you have better luck next time! Some places know about nitro...some dont. I would say if you are a trained fitter then you ought to be ok anyway mate.

Let us know how it goes tomorrow,

David

Hi there M8

I am sticking with Speedy Modles fron now on as he knows what he is talking about. I will also look into getting a spare engine this week while I wait to hear about my broken engine as I dont think I can manage a long weekend without burning some Nitro up lol.

I am a bit low on funds (due to crash repairs LOL) so will look at a Hyper .21 4 port for a cheap and chearfull little run about engine, As I only bash at the moment and we have only just started to build a Bash/Track area near to where I live.

I have to ask? Where did you get the info telling you that you can't run your engine to lean when running Blue Thunder??

It has over-lean protection which makes your engine bog down and not run properly if the engine gets to hot.

If the engine gets to hot you have already done the damage! Don't let the "fuel" do the job of tunning, it's your job to make sure it does not over heat. Get a temp gauge. If you tuned your engine this way based on Blue Thunder's claim I am sure the reason your engine died was because it did not get enoung oil to the crank and piston. To lean = to hot no matter what fuel you are using![X(]

Hi m8

I did not just use the Blue Thunder fuel to tune the engine. I followed the Instrusions on tunning and use the Blue Thunder as a fail safe just in case I whent wrong. But you do make a good point and it could have been a fualt on my part, if that is the case I am sure they will tell me so and I will have learnt a very important lesson.

This is the Info about Blue Thunder Fuel


DYNAMITE BLUE THUNDER & RACE FORMULA FUEL

Everyday
The original Dynamite Blue Thunder fuel was
formulated by world-renowned engine expert Ron Paris nearly 6 years ago. The goal was to develop a car fuel that would quickly cause the engine to come up to operating temperature and allow correct tuning of the carburettor within just a few laps. It would then maintain that temperature throughout even the longest of mains.

In addition special temperature sensitive additives were used that actually vaporize at specific heat range thus giving Blue Thunder "over lean protection" preventing damage to your engine. With Blue Thunder's original formula, if the carburettor is adjusted to an overly lean setting, the engine will hesitate under hard acceleration, like off slow speed corners, indicating to the driver to pull into the pits and richen the needle settings avoiding damage to your engine.

This is Blue Thunder's unique Thermal Overload Protection at work making it the perfect fuel for sport racers. Thermal Overload Protection prevents racers from overheating their engines due to an overly lean needle setting which could cause damage to their engine.

Hi there all

Well I have given what R/C Madman posted, a good long hard think. I know that you should use a temp gun to make sure that the engine is not running to hot. But over here in the UK it dose not seem to be a practice that many people seem to do ? I have meet 10 people in my area that have nitro powered Vchs and not 1 of them has a temp gun ? So after seeing what you have writen and thinking about it, I have Ordered a new hot bodies .26 power house engine and I have also ordered a temp gun (if they do send me a new engine under warrenty then Ill have a spare one if not Ill still have one for my buggie).

Tks for all the replys

LOL...thats cos temp guns are silly money over here...and a lot of people dont need them.

I dont have one either....dont think i need one myself (*cough*bighead*cough*).

No but seriously you can tell if your engine is running too hot, and as long as you have that blue smoke trail you are usually fine . Besides i have a stupidly expensive temp measuring device at home....its called spit LOL

Hope your new engine is better than your new one anyway mate.

Cheers,
David

Hi there M8

Well I always had a nice amount of smoke with the old engine. The temp Gun is only £24 so I thought I would get one and let everyone else have a try of it lololol.

Your right about not needing one (I have been running Nitro R/C's for around 10 yr's and I just got one myself!LOL) but, they do come in handy when you are not sure what the temps are. The spit test is cheap and easy (just like some girls I know) but, it only tells you if it is "hot" or not. If it is running to cool that can be just as bad for the engine as running to hot. A good range for most engines is 205-265F. The range on my Fantom .27 is 205-290F. I also started running engines that cost a bit more then I have in the past so, $22 U.S. for a good piece of mind is worth it to me.

I agree it may be worth it with expensive aftermarket engines. But i dont bother for stockers. I do actually have a digitally calibrated thermocouple at home which could be used...though i have never used it on my nitros!

BTW nice avatar RC Madman |m|

Cheers,
David

Hi there All

I have just been told that my engine will be replaced under warenty butthey want to try and fix the old one first and if they cant they will send a new one.

Good news

Didnt need to buy that new engine after all hehehe

That's great! Most of the time you won't see them handing out new engines if you smoke one. I have not broke an engine yet (crosses fingers) but, I have broken parts on the engine like the needle valve and pullstarts. I just got a email today from the guys at Fantom and they are sending me a new pullstart for my FR .27. It broke after only 5 tanks![] Good luck with the new engine!