Hello Guys
I've just bought the newest buggy from CEN RACING, MATRIX.
Ok, but because this is my first rc car, and i've never been working with one of theese, and i have some problems that maybe you will laught at me...
so first of all
i have problems with starting up the engine, my glow plug is fully charged,... yesterday i had the chance to see it working but, today i can't start it again.. i have fuel and everything..
and the other prolblem is with the remote control... it doesn't work with the car
i've loaded brand new batteries in the remote but the remote is not controling the car...
the other thing is that i've opened the reciever on the car and i saw there is a place for somekind of battery, probably thats why the remote is not working with the car

so my questions are ...
can you tell me the steps how to start the car
because probably i've got something wrong
and tell me about how the remote is working with the car
basiclly if you have some info for noobs with cas rc car give it to me because i don't know nothing


THANK YOU

well sounds like you need a receiver pack,(5cell battery pack) to go in the battery box and a reaciver pack charger. make sure you have a glow ignighter and a charger for it and that its charged. if you have a local habby shop near bye you may whant to go there and get some help from them so you can see what they are telling you to do. you will need help getting into nitro rc. and it really helps to have some mechanical skills to. you may whant to try buying a dvd on nitro rc like a traxxos tuning vidio. the cen matrix you bought is a nice car. i warn you be VRRY patiencent getting into niro rc can and will be a headace at first. its a learning curve on engine tuning and truoble shooting and probley throwing the buggy across the room a couple times and so forth in abouth 3-5 months you should be well set and have a good head on youre shoulders and having lots of fun.

i suggest reading the manual first then try to run your new car

Well I've checked the manual and all the papers that comes with the buggy, but there is nothing that says how to start.
allright i have finally start the car. have the battery have the glow plug fully charged, but now there is another problem
i wanna know why is it so hard to start the car
i'm pulling the starter a lot times before it starts run and after a few second the engine is stop working...
can you explane me why is that.. the other thing is i have this little screw on the engine right there where the fuel hose is going to the engine
so i guess i can modify this screw and maybe the car will stop dying after few seconds.
and is it normal for rc car to not start from the first pull
and is it bad to pull the starter to many times, is this bad for something in the engine
please if you know let me know how to fix this problem
and sorry for the stupid questions but i'm noob and i really wanna know everything about this amazing hobby,

thank and glhf.

P.S if you know sites with basics of rc cars stuff let me know

im not sure where to begin with you ....and i dont mean that sound rude....my best advice to you would go to your local hobbyshop or better yet a track a get some help...new motors require a break in procedure that must be used .....it should all be in the manual if not then call cen and ask themto mail you better instructions for breaking in your new motor.....

dobreff try this web site ( http://www.customrccars.com/tips.asp or this one http://www.cenracing.com/frame.html ) go to FAQ tells you all about the why to break your engine in and how it works.

Hey just call CEN and they'll go through everything with you on the phone I remember when I was just like you and my first car was a CEN I think the manager or whoever it was helped me start the car through the phone so if you just ask and be patient im sure they will help you start your car through the phone. He'll most likely tell you what to do.

Just my 2 cents

yeah the car is runing good now, i've tried this and that and finaly the car works, but 10 minues ago while i was driving it something wierd hapend, i was going 20-30 mph and i press the brakes but the car went faster and faster, i've crashed to the curb the car flipped and the wheels were spining faster and faster and faster, it was like the car was goind to explode any second, the remote was kind of uncontrolable, i went to the car by that time probablly the car was going 15000-20000 rpm and stoped just like that, since that my trigger for the acc. and stop is no functioning, but the steering wheel is working, i didn't try to start it again, because i'm on my lunch at work right now and i don't have that time.
can you tell me did i wreck it, i don't have time now to look at it but after work i'll be back and see what is going on
just wanted to know what are you thinking
and something else this
btw how long after the engine is started i have to remove the glow plug, because sometimes when i remove it the engine stop working

thank you again really appreciate it

btw this thing is so LOUD maybe next time when i go test on the street somebody will call cops, it is really nuts

check your throttle linkage....it sounds like it might not be set correctly and when you apply the brake then let of the trigger it pulls the carb back open a little...

dudes my motor for the acceleration and stopping is not functioning
the steering motor is working just fine but the other one is not responding.
what can i do ?

How about replacing it?

yep sounds like a throttle servo fried

You didn't happen to get the reciever wet did you. I just got a Matrix and some snow got into mine and did the same thing. I took my reviever out of its case and left it dry now it works fine. Had to buy a new motor though, she blew while laying on its back.

guys i think this matrix buggy will be on ebay or in the garbage very soon! LOL!

no like i told you while i was driving it suddenly the car went faster and faster, without my command, crashed in to curb, flipped over start going faster and faster, and while was going probably at max rpm's, the engine stopped
i've wait few minutes so the engine can cool down, after that started but the throttle servo was not working, and still is not working

maybe the throttle servo is blown
what do you think

dudes can you tell me why my car engine stops when i take out the glow plug?

does the sterring work? if nothing works i'd say check the batteries.both in the car and the radio. if the batteries are all good and the sterring works but not the throttle then it could be the servo. check that you don't have a wire pinched somwhere in the reciever box and that the servo is plugged into the reciever correctly. good luck. and a local hobby shop would really help if you have one ot go to. just go there with a list of questions and they should be happy to show you and help you with your problems. it might save you from replacing parts that don't need it. but good luck and keep at it. it isn't easy to get started without somone who can help you get started. i did and i had a hell of time getting my frist nitro( a monster truck) to run worth a ****. keep at it and eventually you will start having fun.

wish i had a dollar for every time ive heard a cen owner say that.....lol....worse than a thunder tiger

Congruaualtion on the purchase. I have a Matrix myself. It is defintely the best RTR buggy in the market. I am kicking butt with it every weekend. YOu made the right decision.

If the remote stop working and car run off, you might wanna give airtronics a call about their MX3 radio. Mine works perfectly. Regardless, it is pretty common that servo / motor will be fried after a run off. Try to contact CEN too, they have very good service. I call Andy almost every other day and ask for his race setup.

also, definitely use a receiver pack instad of AA. AA wont last long with the stock servos. I remember i was like that when i first started years ago and we dont have such communicatin channel like now and it was a lot harder but i made it so can you.

Hey Guys I'm gonna need some help with "breakin-in" engine
if somebody have the time to write me down what is this how to do it, "do's", "dont's"
basicly everything about breking-in engine

thank you

Dobreff- Give me your email and i can email you teh complete instruction.

Please follow the steps below to prepare, start and break-in your nitro engine. If you have any questions at any time please give your local CEN authorized retailers a call or E-mail us at [email protected] for technical support.

Step 1. Charge Glow Ignitor
The nitro engine requires a glow ignitor to light the glow plug when starting the engine. The ignitor takes approximately 12 hours to fully charge. You should always make sure the ignitor is fully charged when starting your engine.
Step 2. Install 12 AA Batteries
The transmitter and receiver pack both need to have batteries installed into them before doing anything else to the buggy, eight batteries in the transmitter and four batteries in the buggy. If you start the buggy before installing the batteries, it may run away from you. You may use NiMh or NiCd in addition to alkaline batteries. Be sure to completely charge rechargeable batteries before installing.
Step 3. Check your Fuel
Make sure you are using proper high quality fuel with the correct nitro percentage (20-30% Nitro). Fuel that is left in an open bottle will go bad quickly. Always keep fuel in an airtight container.
Step 4. Install your Air Filter
Some models may already have the air filter installed. If yours has not, find it in the box and install it onto the carburetor. It comes with a zip tie to use to secure it to the engine.


Step 5. Standing your Antenna Up
Insert the antenna wire through the antenna mount, through the antenna tube, then insert into tube mount. The antenna wire may be longer then the tubes, if so, DO NOT cut the wire. Let excess wire hang freely
Step 6. Turning on your Transmitter
ALWAYS turn on the transmitter first, followed by the receiver. Never turn off the transmitter or the reciever while the engine is running. Always turn off engine first then the receiver, followed by the radio.
• Remember… You should always turn the transmitter on first and turn it off last.
Step 7. Check for Proper Operation of Servos
With the transmitter and receiver all turned on (engine not running), make sure your steering, throttle and forward/reverse servos are working correctly. Make sure when you turn the wheel on the transmitter left the wheels turn left, and then check the right side. When you pull the throttle trigger the carburetor should open, when you push the trigger back the brakes should be applied. If your servos are moving / responding slowly, you need to check for weak batteries.
Step 8. Checking the Transmitters Range
Before driving your buggy, test the range of your radio system. Walk away from the buggy to equal the furthest distance you plan to drive your buggy. Make sure all the servos operate correctly. Do not operate the buggy if you notice any transmitter problems.
Step 9. Filling the Fuel Tank Up with Fuel
Using your fuel bottle, squeeze the bottle and insert it into your container of fuel, Let go of it and the suction will suck the fuel into your fuel bottle. Next lift the cap on the tank and fill of up with fuel.
Step 10. Prime the Engine with Fuel
To prime the fuel system, put your finger over the exhaust outlet on the exhaust pipe. Pull the pull cord a few times and watch for the fuel to fill the fuel line. Stop once the fuel reaches the carburetor. * If you notice the fuel line is not priming, you may need to open the carburetor to allow the fuel to flow through.
Step 11. Starting the Engine
Do not start the engine until you have read and understood all the directions. By starting the engine you have indicated that you have checked the transmitter and servos ECT. for proper operation. With transmitter and receiver all turned on, attach your fully charged glow ignitor onto the glow plug. With one hand holding the glow heater, use your other hand to give the pull starter quick short pulls. (Pulling the pull start cord too far will brake the spring inside and void the warranty) The engine will start much easier if you hold ÂĽ throttle on the transmitter.
Step 12. Keeps the Engine Running
A new engine may not idle smoothly until it’s correctly broken in
(Break-in procedures found in step 14). Use the transmitter to keep the engine reved up just enough to keep it running. If the engine stalls you may need to raise the idle slightly.
Step 13. Proper engine break-in is very important to achieve the highest possible performance and reliability
Allow yourself some time to properly break-in the engine. This is one of the most important steps to follow so take your time. Do not run the engine at high RPMs until it is completely broken in. It is usual for the engine to stall, run inconsistently, and even foul glow plugs during the first couple of tanks. If this is happening to yours, don’t worry about it too much. It is a normal step in running any nitro powered R/C car. All of this will go-away after your engine is broken in.

Step 14. Break-in Procedures
To begin break in procedures for your new engine, simply idle 3 tanks of fuel. Allow the engine to cool down completely between tanks. On the 4th and 5th tank start driving the buggy around slowly. On the 6th tank start leaning it out and making final tuning adjustments. After the engine is broken in, good starting carburetor settings are:
Top End – 3 & 1/3 turns out
Mid – ½ in from flush
Bottom- 3 ½ - 4 turns in from flush

* These settings are approximate due to the differences in climate, fuel nitro %, and fuel oil %.

Step 15. Running the First Tanks in the Buggy
By now you should have fully broken in your engine. Hopefully you took your time and broke the engine in correctly. When driving the buggy drive it on flat smooth surface like the street first. Make sure that your steering trim is adjusted correctly and that the buggy tracks straight. There is also a dual rate adjustment for the steering. This will adjust how much steering throw you have. (How much the wheels actually turn)
Step 16. Engine Tuning (adjusting the high-end needle)
Now your buggy and engine should be up and running well. The overall performance of the engine is determined by how lean you run the engine. The “leaner” the engine, the faster it will go, and the hotter it will run. You want to find the point where it’s running very well with lots of power, but not running too hot. If you don’t see a light stream of blue smoke from the exhaust it may be to lean. You then need to richen up the top end. (Screw with brass sleeve around it) All of the engine adjustments listed above is not certain because of variations in type of fuel, brand, %nitro, humidity, elevation, ECT. Engine life is varies on the operating temperate. Preferred engine temperature is around 220-240’F.

Step 17. Fine Tuning low-speed Mixture and Idle screw.
The low-end needle should be close to correct setting at 1 ½ turns in from flush. The best way to check the bottom end adjustment is by listening to the way the engine idles. If the engine idle rises the bottom end is lean, if the engine idle drops its too rich. When making any needle adjustments make sure you do it in small adjustments.

Step 18. Installing the Body Clips
Align the holes in the body with the body mounts. Then install the pins through the holes in the mounts. You may adjust the height of the body by lowering body clips.

Step 19. This is the most important step of all
Drive your new CEN Matrix. Have fun and drive safely. Show your model the same respect as you would driving your full size vehicle.

Steps to follow after operating.

Step 1. Burn all the fuel out of the engine by keep the engine running until the engine will not start.
Step 2. Take the glow plug out and put a few drops of after run oil into the engine. After run oil is available at most hobby shops.

Precautions that Must be Taken
• Because there are electrical components on the buggy it should not be ran through water, wet grass, mud or anything else that may get water inside the electronics.
• Avoid leaving the glow heater on the glow plug any longer then needed to start. The heater will burn the glow plug out if left on too long.
• Do not drive the buggy when your radio is showing low battery voltage.
• Do not drive your buggy at night, on public streets, or in large crowds.
• Do not drive if the servos are slow or unresponsive, this usually means your batteries are low, replace with new
• Always use common sense when driving your Matrix 1/8 Buggy. Abusive driving will only result in poor performance and many broken parts.
• User accepts full responsibility for the use of this product.

Most common mistakes made by beginners:
1. Most beginners pull the pull starts out too far and bend the spring. Pull the cord no more then 8 inches out. If you get to the end of the cord you will bend the spring and it will not recoil correctly.
2. Avoid pulling the pull starter if you engine is flooded. You know your engine is flooded when the cord becomes very difficult to pull. To get excess fuel out of the engine simply remove the glow plug and turn the engine upside down. Give the pull starter a couple of pulls and excess fuel will come out.
3. If you leave your glow heater on you glow plug when you not trying to start it the glow plug will burn out very quickly. Only put the heater on when you’re ready to start the engine.
4. Make sure you unbundled the antenna wire and stand it up using the supplied antenna straw.

General information

High-end Mixture Controls the fuel mixture at high R.P.Ms

Low-End Mixture Controls the fuel mixture at low R.P.M.s

Lean This term is used to describe the amount of fuel entering the carburetor. Lean means less fuel. Turn carburetor needles clockwise for a leaner setting. Running too lean will damage your engine.

Rich Setting This term is used to describe the amount of fuel entering the carburetor. Rich means more fuel. Turn the carburetor needles counter-clockwise for a richer setting.

Glow plugs CEN engines come standard with a CEN G70429 glow plug. You may also use most standard or short glow plugs. Always make sure you are using the copper washer that is supplied with each glow plug.

Air Filter The air filter is very important to an engines life. Keeping it clean and oiled will increase performance and engine life.

Pull Starter When removing the pull starter be careful with the spool, which is spring loaded. Use a small screwdriver to gently push the spool off the output shaft.

Roto-Tech Starter CEN Racing offers a Roto-Tech Starter (G70358) for the NX.26 engine. CEN recommends you don’t install the starter until you have properly broken in the engine.

allright because i'm newbie i didn't folow the steps and i've tried to start all by my self, well i did some mistakes like pulling the cord too much, and moving the screws on the carb. without knowing what am i doing, ive drove the car (2-3 tanks) without breking in, (i mean, just drive it and thats it) and now the car performance is not good. i will do the breking in process tomorrow, but my question is, the things that i've done without knowing anything, are they BAD for the engine and the car. because right now while i was driving it the car is like choked or i don't know, it's like when i press the throttle the car is not accelerating but its like first getting really noisy and after that start accelerating slowly.

by the way i'm gonna need some help with the screws on the engine, carb ect.
i don't know witch one is for the low and high speed
maybe some pics will help



thanks so much CEN RACING for the perfect breking-in engine post

thanks again

allright now my car runs, at last! after so much troubles and stuff.
but however there are still some problems, when i'm running it is feel how the car is not tuned yet,
i will need serios help with the screws for the high and low end mixtures
sometimes when i press the brakes the engine stops working, and i don't know about yours but mine is very loud i shoud say
also the car prety mich can not run without glow starter. when i take it out the car stops very easy, when i press the brakes
i don't know maybe its a way ot tuning up the screws but this is really annoying tomorrow i will shoot movie how the car runs and you may help me with this problems


thanks again

It sounds like your idle screw is set to low. Take of the air filter and look in the carb. Use your contoller and hit the brakes. If the small hole in the carb closes the whole way you need to adjust the idle stop screw in. If that is not the problem disregaurd my post and wait for CEN Racing to repost.

i just added one picture of my engine with some questions
you can check it in [link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/gallery/galleryCat.cfm?memID=223321[/link]
i have question about this screws, what they do when you turn them
because when i turn them there is not alot of difference of the car performance
but i know that i don't do it right
so if you know and think that you can help me, please do it
because i'm driving the car but i'm SURE that this is not the top performance of the car.