Hi,

Im totally new to nitro cars and any help would be appreciated. I havent used my car at all. I am currently reading the instructions about how to get the thing started, which are very confusing! How long should i take breaking in the engine and what is the best way to do this? This sounds stupid but how do I turn the engine off do I just let it run out of nitro or does it turn off from the electircs switch!! I spent alot of money on this car so dont want to mess it up!!!

Thanks

Blacksheep

heres a link on how break-in a engine
http://www.racernine.com/breakin.html

To turn off the engine you can pinch the fuel line going to the carb, you can stop the flywheel with the tip of your shoe if you can get to it, or you can take rag and cover your
finger to cover the tip of the pipe careful HOT!!!.

To start a motor all you do is put in the glow ignitor, and pull the string. But first you have to prime it: put your finger over the exhaust outlet and pull the string about 2-3 times.
It should take you about 7-8 tanks before you start to fine tune the engine but it really takes about a gallon to fully break-in an engine.
There are lots a ways to turn the engine off: put your finger over the exhaust outlet (it aint that hot be a man), pinch the fuel line, stop the flywheel with the tip of your shoe (wear your work shoes), and you could just let it run out of fuel.

I have tried many break in procedures and any seem fairly good other then the ones that tell you to idle tanks of fuel at a time.
http://www.rbmods.net/enginetempering.php

or just use RCUs own

[link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=397[/link]

The heat cycling method has always worked well for me. I would never try anything else.
As for stopping it I use a finger on the exhaust or pinching the fuel tube (I don't wear pointy shoes )

If your using a starter box make sure its spinning the right way.

I would definitely recommend the heat cycle method of break-in as opposed to idling tanks.

As you can see, I have a Hyper 7 Mach .28 like you do. Look at the sheet that came with your Hyper 7, it is a sheet about the Mach .28, and it tells you the break-in procedure. If you follow this, it will be fine. Just make sure that the piston is at bottom-dead-center (BDC) when you shut the engine down or when it shuts down after running out of fuel. You should also make sure the engine is at BDC after running your Hyper 7 anytime, even when break-in is finished. The Ofna manual also has a break-in procedure.

If you do not have a temperature gauge, Get one!! I can't emphasize how useful this tool is! Get an infra-red gauge like duratrax flash-point, HPI makes one, others make them. It's about $20 but it is worth ALOT when it comes to tuning and protecting your engine. You will want ur engine to get up to 210-225 degrees during break in. You never want your head-temp to be over 250 degrees as it says on the Mach .28 sheet. If you notice ur engine getting too hot during break in, ur mixture is too lean. If it is getting above 225 degrees or so, richen your mixture. IF you find the engine has gotten too hot, shut off the engine and let it cool for 10 min at BDC, just like you normally would if the engine had run out of fuel.

You can feel where BDC is when you pull the pullstarter and then suddenly pop! the piston goes down. Then it is a bottom-dead-center (BDC) Make a mark on the flywheel so you know where BDC is.

Switching off your car will only turn off your receiver = very bad idea if your motor is still running.
The best methods to turn off your engine are 1. Pinch the fuel line close to the carburator (like within an inch or 2 is fine). 2. Put a piece of wood against the flywheel (do this from the bottom of the buggy). The second method might be easier since ur hand isn't next to a hot motor and ur motor won't rev up some when you shut it off like with the 1st method.

If your still not sure what ur doing, then just take some time to read your manuals, read stuff online; there are plenty of how to's including motor break-in. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions, we are here to help.

Thanks for all your help. Gave it a go today and hadnt charged the glow plug ignitor long enough so miserably failed getting the car started! Do i screw the glow plug all the way in or leave it slightly loose?

Screw it down all the way unless your having trouble turning it over. You can loosen it but if you can turn it over you are just making more trouble for yourself. Ensure everything is completely charged up, If you have not got a zip tie round the airfilter remove it and add a few drops of fuel down the carb, then replace the filter and pull on the starter (with the igniter on of course). If the air filter is zip tied on, then cover the exhaust with your finger and pull 3-4 times to prime the carb (you should see the fuel enter the carb through the tubing). Now put on the igniter and start pulling. If it starts but dies on throttle you will need to lean the HSN a little (just 1/8th turn for a start) and try again.
I find a few drops of fuel in the carb works best though.

thanks for the advice I have now got it going! Only ran in two tanks cos got dark too quickly but I think the car is excellent so far. So what do I do now to maintain it? Do I need to strap the air filter on or can i just leave it?

yes. you will need to wire tie the air filter on.
or else it will fall off.
you will want to put after run oil in the engine if you don`t plan to
run the engine for a week or so.

couple of things not to do:-

- take youre air filter off ( if a piece of mud or dirt or anything like water gets in there you might aswell send ure engine to the graveyard) only take it off if youre seeing if youre carb is open or youre pooring fuel into the engine.
-insert after run oil through the carb - i herd it can cause air leaks but im not sure. take the glow plug out and insert it via the engine head
-run youre engine lean - this can damage the engine seriously and cause broken internal parts happened to me on the first run of my nitro colt i started it up without radio gear on and it went full throttle had to pay 50 pounds for a new piston
-run youre car 100 mile away - the range is normally 300 metres which is long

Things to do -

Air Filter Oil - rinse youre air filter ever 7-10 tanks with fuel and then place after run oil on normally tornado.
After Run Oil - these keeps youre engine lubed and clean insert via the engine head not the carb as it causes air leaks
Maintanance - regulary maintain youre car cleaning the transmission area mainly as this is where stuff wears but very occasionally do i strip down the whole engine, i normally just take the engine off and clean with cotton bods.
Batteries - charge youre batteries regulary as if youre car battieres go flat it wil lgo full throttle all the way until it hits summit solid.
failsafe - buy one to prevent the above.

So far have run only 4 tanks cos of weather This is a lengthy breaking in process to say the least!! When I eventually tune the engine (probably after 2-3 more tanks) do I have to turn it off when adjusting the screws? How many 1/8th adjustments should i do to make it accelerate better and improve top speed? Is it a 1/8th adjustment per tank?

keep the engine running whilst adjusting lean it out for better speed but dnt go to lean as this is bad for the engine adjust 1/8th of a turn drive it then keep going bk if need b to adjust 1/8 th of a turn. do u mind if i ask what glow plug are u using in ur mach 28?

once you've got 6-7 tanks through it start leaning the HSN. 1/8th turn at a time. You don't need to do it per tank, just run it in an open space full throttle and see what it goes like. If it splutters and doesnt accelerate cleanly then turn it another 1/8th. At its best tune it sould scream like a banshee and be leaving a faint trail of white smoke. As you sound quite new to the hobby I reccomend at this point richening it a little to be on the safe side. In time you will get used to the sounds a well tuned engine makes and it will all become easier. When the HSN needle is tuned you then want to tune the LSN. Do this in 1/12th turns and to check it squeeze the fuel line and the engine should idle for about 5 seconds before dying and the revs will pick up slightly before it cuts out.
Thats your engine tuned now thrash the pants off it

Its a McCoy glowplug. Do I just adjust the main screw or the low-medium speed screw aswell?

adjust the main first then after u can adjust the low needle to increase acceleration.

Sorry just read the above post after sending the last one! Thanks jonnymac

Im totally new to these types of cars so thanks for all the advice. Next question...how can I adjust the breaks to make them more responsive?

Sorry brakes not breaks!! LOL

To adjust the brakes you pretty much just look in your manual. There are some grubscrews on the end of the brake rods that you can loosen and adjust but I think you mean how can you make the brakes stronger yes? If so there are 2 ways. You can upgrade to the 4 disc setup from the hyper 7 pro or you can get a stronger servo for your throttle/ brake. To be honest the servos that come on the RTR are rubbish and you should think of upgrading them pretty quickly (the steering servo will not last long). The 2 shoe setup will be good enough with a good servo or you can upgrade both and have wonder brakes.

Is it necessary to take the air filter out and put it in a bag after every run? I've ran about 7-8 tanks now and have adjust the MSN by 2/8th. When it accelerates thick amounts of blue smoke pour out!!

You want to be cleaning the air filter and re-oiling regularly (like after every decent run), You can even just bin them and replace them as you can buy bags of them for not a lot of cash. Either way do it regular and often.
If you've got thick blue smoke coming out you not near tuned yet. It should be faint white at full throttle. you will know when its tuned because it will take off like crazy and sound superb at high revs. Try not to lean it too much for a start though until you're more used to it. I wouldn't wantyou burning out your engine

hey I wouldn;t be too concerned with the cloour of the exhaust! as long as there is plenty of smoke you should be fine. Every fuel burns differently so to say to tune it till its produces white smoke is extremely wrong