Whats your method of shutting down ur engines?

I always pinch the fuel line. As long as it's not WOT when you are pinching it, it won't hurt anything- in most cases, I bring it in, let it idle for a second and pinch the fuel line.

Another method you didn't mention was to cover the stinger.

i've broken 3 engines via the pinch method, 2 doing the exhaust plug method. i'm doing just a poll to see how many other bumpers there are. I'll never pinch again.

Explain a little further... This might help educate me. For a bunch of trucks (monsters mostly) getting at the flywheel just isn't an option. Mostly only the 1/8 scales, STs and Truggys have easy access to the flywheels.

I have ran probably 15 nitro motors in 3 years and never had a problem with either method. I am very certain that if the truck is under throttle or idling too fast that it might damage it using the methods, but I just have never seen it.

well you know how they say it happens, but its not popular enough to change peoples minds? well its happened often enough to me to never pinch or plug again.

Normally when you pinch, the engine leans out and revs up and dies at a high rpm... with a lack of lubrication mind you!

And when you plug, you force fuel into the engine. From that pressure alone, i've broken 2 connection rods.

The other method to bump it is with a screwdriver handle, one u dont really care for . stick it in there and slow that flywheel down to a stop.

Ahhh, that would explain why the flywheel on the OS-21RG in my Hyper 7 I recently bought is so torn up... I couldn't figure out how the flywheel was so chewed up.

Wouldn't it be better to use something rubber or as soft as the aluminum of the flywheel to minimize damage to it?

True, pinching does lean it out for about 2-3 seconds before dying (if the LSN is tuned right), but I don't think many engines are going to seize in that time if they are at a low idle. As a matter of fact, most manufacturers recommend that method over others. I guess another method could be putting your thumb over the carb inlet, but then I am always too afraid to pull the cleaner base off before cleaning around it so dirt doesn't get in.

There are downsides to all three methods. If you shut the car down by pinching the fuel line, you run the engine lean temporarily. If you shut the engine down by bumping the flywheel, you are putting stress on the engine internals from the sudden stop. If you plug the exhaust, I have heard that it can send pipe ooze (which contains metal flakes, dirt, carbon and spent oil) backwards into the engine.

EDIT: If I am near where I keep my starter box when the car needs to die, I use my engine stopper (which plugs the pipe). If I am not, and the engine is idling, I pinch the fuel line. If its a runaway and running wide open, I stick the tip of my shoe against the flywheel.

see, when i bump it, i do it lightly to slow it down to a stop to avoid the stress. But yeah, there are good screwdriver handles that wont damage the flywheel. I used to tap it to a slow and stop it with my thumb... but big blocks take a little more than my thumb can offer.

I have been pinching the fuel line on every engine I have ever had..... to many to count.

How do you think alcohol power dragsters, funny cars, promods, ect ect kill their $100,000 engines. Turn the fuel supply off.

Those are 4 stroke engines. They don't get their lubrication from the fuel like two stroke engines do.

that and they have an ignition system that stops the second they shut down the vehicle.

Well since there really is no wrong way to shut down. I use the bump flywheel during my race day then at the end of the day Pinch off the fuel line dump any fuel left in the tank out try and star it to make sure carb and motor have no fuel left in it.

Thumb on the flywheel at idle. Come on, it's not a sawblade.

just dont do it when the flywheel is already chewed up


Because it really acts like a saw blade after bumping it

Normally on my small block plug the stinger with my finger. On my only big block right now that I have running is in my Savage and I have the cut that is like a wedge that rubs on the flywheel. If it were not for big blocks getting so much hotter I would plug the stinger on it. Now if pinching the fuel line is bad on it how about when it runs out of fuel? I run my vehicles out of fuel more times then not and knock on wood in MANY gallons I have not had a problem.

This is what I use on my Savage.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXJYM1&P=Z

what does that do exactly? i saw that engine kill switch thing on hpi's euro site, but now i see them available here.

i just pinch the exhaust deflector. the engine dies within a second and a half.as long as it runs fine, im not too converned.

if a manufacturer is recommending that product to stop the engine by the flywheel... makes sense eh? [sm=50_50.gif]

i always just use my shoe. lift the backend up by the wing and hit the fly with your shoe.

i like what i'm seeing for results .

That engine stop is an option and does not come on the truck. But the manual says you can pinch the fuel line or plug the exhaust. But being getting to the fuel line with the body on is not easy and the exhaust pipe gets to damn hot and the flywheel on a Savage is all most impossible to get to I like the optional stop and it works great. But on my small blocks I plug the stinger.

ur manual says to pinch? thats odd. Companies have been fazing that out because they are getting sick of eating engines (warranty out engines).

I'm suprised even HPI says to pinch.

Kemo, I guess you never run your enigne dry of fuel at the end of the day, run the tank dry while having fun, etc. Just like the multitude of other threads that have been started on this subject, folks are going to believe and do whatever they feel is best.

I still have not seen anyone bend or otherwise damage a rod by blocking off the exhaust. I have seen people burn themselves while plugging the stinger with a finger. I guess it might be possible if the idle screw is in too tight and the low speed needle is super rich to hold the idle low or maybe the exhaust system is leaking badly.

I have seen a few cut fingers from stopping the flywheel, especially on big blocks.

Have seen a damaged body from trying to get to the fuel line to pinch it off. If your enigne is reving so high when you pinch the fuel line that it damages it, the needles have got to be way out of whack to start with.

Trying to block off the carb intake can sometimes knock the filter off allowing dirt into the engine.

Take your pick, all can cause problems,

Ed M.

Cut my finger a few years back with a flywheel, I always pinch now, leaning the engine for 2-3 seconds will not damage it.

during the race day i use the toe of my shoe to touch the flywheel. at the end of the day i pinch.