I have officially given up on getting my Matrix working.
I have finally killed the pullstarter after 983483 attempts at getting it running.
It starts sometimes, runs for a minute or 2, then cuts out (doesn't overheat) then it won't restart. Only been able to put 3 tanks through it in 2.5 weeks of trying.
I have spent $ on it as well...
-replaced ther Glowplug twice
-replaced the fuel lines
-cleaned fuel filter
-set needles to factory settings (many times) and 20 other 'recomended settings'.
-threatened it with violence
I have 2 other nitro cars and both start after the 3rd-5th pull using the same fuel (20%) and glowstarter.
A friend who has been into r/c cars/planes and boats for 20 years spent 2 hours on it yesterday using an Ofna starter box. He got it running for around 2 minutes before it died and wouldn't restart evening after cooling down. His final verdict 'this engine is stuffed mate'.

Such a shame as I really like the car, but I am starting to kick myself over buying this thing instead of a PBS Hyper 7 with starter box for the same price...

I have sent a email to Cen asking if the engine can be replaced seen the car is only a few weeks old.

let me make sure i get this straight... you are regertig buying matrix because you dont know how to or cant start it??? If it cuts off, your setting is simply off... your friend didnt sound liek he know what he is doing....

also, dont complaint here just to get attention, that somethign so minor that a phone call to CEN will slove the problem

yea that sounds like wrongness. i have the CT5 with the new NX15 motor, and even without yanking the primer bulb yet and NOT USEING IT, i can prime it by pluggin the exhaust, give it 2 or3 prime pulls, add glow ignigter, let it set for about 15 seconds and its fired on pull 2 or is running by pull 4, this is a new only on tank 4 of break in still. runs great and yet to need a tune and only stalled 4 time since ititial startup and very first run on motor. and all 4 stall we re due to dry fueltank!!!! love it..

No I don't regret buying it, I like the car, I think its design is excellent, I'm just fed up trying to get it working. The other cars I've had have started first go almost everytime, I'm lucky if this thing starts at all. Even using a starter box it was hit and miss. My friend has had 10+ nitro cars, and many other nitro toys, he knows what he is doing. Even pulled the motor apart and put it back together and we still could not get it running right (factory settings, then running it richer, then leaner and a bit of everything.) It runs, do a few up and down laps, then it dies.

Sorry my first post was a bit negative but seen my mate buy a Hyper 7 TQ sport RTR and watching him fill up the tank for the first time and it starting on the second pull really made me annoyed.

The only thing we haven't ruled out is a leaky fuel tank. He had a spare type but it wouldn't fit. The O ring on its fine and its a snug fit though, and fuel seems to flow into the carby ok.

hey mate ,you sure the idle gap is correct and you havent got any air leaks or anything , if it starts it must still be startable , do you have the factory needle settings to refer to ? just trying to throw ideas up for you , is this your first Nitro ? just looking to get a bit more info. ok just reread your post sorry dude you have tried these things hey , did it idle ok when you guys did get it going?

Idle gap seems fine. It idles ok a a good speed.
Just getting it to start is the biggest complaint.
Had another go just then.
Glow starter is fully charged, glowplug works.
Using a good fuel (Supercomp 20%)
I need a starter box as the pullstarts slips every 2nd-3rd pull but it still turns it over.

Prime the engine, fuel goings into the carby, there is 2 miniscule bubbles in the fuel line that you have to stare at for a while to locate.
prime the throttle, attach the warmer, give it 10secs to warm up. Pull away...keep pulling.. nothing, doesn't even show interest in starting...

Grab Touring car, put plug in, prime the engine, fires up first pull...

Maybe lack of compression? But i dont this it would start at all if that was the case. Check with CEN sounds like that motor, or carb has issues beyond your repair (and it only 2 weeks old you should have to work on it)

i had a very hard time starting, keeping mine running during breakin. i eventually just drove it around with the ignighter still attatched until the engine loosened up some. my problem was the glow plug would flame out. once i got about 5 tanks through it, that problem was gone.

check your fuel cell for leaks at the seams,I had the same problems with mine and after e-mailing cen and finding the leaks on my tank they replaced it free of charge and now it runs great

My FunFactor woudl do the same thing.. start and then stall.. and then wouldn't start all evening as the engine was flooded..

Coopz I have a Matrix. I've had a lot of nitro buggies/cars in my time and it was without doubt a real ***** to get running sometimes. A pullstarter on a bigblock high compression motor is a bad thing to begin with (CEN electric starters should be included!). I stripped mine of the 5th tank. A Good starter box that I've had for 10 years was revived and it made things a lot lot better. After 5-10 tanks the motor losens up a fair bit and becomes easier to fire up.

Cen need to include PROPER information with the buggy on engine settings, thje online stuff seems to cater more for the road cars.

I was pulling my hair out in frustration as well the other month, ditch the pullstart and buy a good starter box. If it still fails to run properly ask CEN for a replacement engine.

Used a starter box on it yesterday. Still won't fire up (well it did, ran for 30 secs then stalled, woulnd't restart). Has fuel in the carb, pressure in the tank and good compression in the engine. Sigh story of my life, always get the model that has problems Now tried 5 different glow plugs...
The local importer will not cover repairs as it was bought overseas (as no one in Oz sells them) and Cen is not very enthusiastic about international warrenty work

A few things to think about if you havent already tried them.
Check needle settings against CEN's reccomendations http://www.cenracing.com/downloads/E...Doc%20NX26.doc

Have you been using the same glow ignitor the whole time or have you tried different ones? I know I have 5 glow ignitors and I've had times when none of them were charged enough to start my engine and I couldnt figure out what was going on. And I had one with a bad battery that wouldn't fully charge.

After you try starting it with no success, take out the glow plug and turn the car upside down with you hand on the cooling head. Give it a few pulls and see if fuel comes out to see if its flooding or starving.

If it is getting fuel, try removing the air filter and starting it in a clean dust free place(not outside in the wind) And check your exhaust for any blockages. Restricted air flow can easily cause flooding.

Check that your cooling head is tight, its hard to tell if its sealing or not. Take off your carb and check for dirt where it connects to the engine, and check the O ring that should be on there(I think the matrix should have one...). Make sure the carb gets put on sufficiantly tight.

If none of that works and as you've said you've tried different plugs(I'm assuming you've tried hot plugs). Then I guess just play with the needle settings, although im sure you've done that. If its flooding lean it out and vice versa. Probabaly not necessary to tell you that but sometimes things get overlooked when you get frustrated.


I have an OS .18 that had issues and eventually I found that it needed far leaner needle settings than what was reccomended just to get it started until i had about 15 tanks in it.

Good luck!

Ah thanks.
What about the Cen Rotostarter? theres one on special at my LHS. But Cen say you should put 1 gallon through the engine before using one, why? (only had 3 tanks so far thanks to this starting nightmare.)

For what its worth.. I bought a Hobao rebuild kit for the carby, car starts a lot lot better now (and I ditched its crappy pullstarter), just trying to get it running right now, seems to conk out after I give it some throttle. (yeah trying different low speed mixture settings atm)

Any better now coopz?

hey mate,
r u getting constant fuel flow?

Think I am, no bubbles or anthing.
I'm probably going to get another engine. Even using a starter box it fails to fire Or run properly.
Got no idea why not, fuel is entering the engine, glow plug works, it has compression.... its just won't start.

well if all those things work then try it again and just work the throttle wen cranking it over and if that dont work put ur carb back to factory settings

Does anyone know where I can purchase NT16 engine parts? My engine runs like dog... and it will not tune....I believe it is from the piston and sleeve being bad. I already have a TigerDrive on order for this engine, so I do need to make it work. I may just look at getting a new engine as long as it has the 6mm one-way bearing on the starting shaft.

NX26 has been thrown out (with much personal satisfaction) Stuck a O.S V-Spec in it, the Matrix is now a wall rocket! Man these engines are ####ing awesome!