to prove em wrong!
 

Whats your method of shutting down ur engines?

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

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.

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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.

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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.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

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.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

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.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

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.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

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.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

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.

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

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

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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.

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

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just dont do it when the flywheel is already chewed up


Because it really acts like a saw blade after bumping it ;)

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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.

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

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

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.

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

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

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i like what i'm seeing for results ;).

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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.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

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.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

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.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

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.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

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

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see, i've got a guide from rc nitro that even states pinching the line is the most devastating thing you can do to an engine as far as shutting it down goes.

The little chart states to kill the engine by bumping it, dump the fuel left in the tank, then either pull the plug and turn the engine over to drain it, or try to restart it. With the engine running rpms THAT LOW, it can't damage the engine.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

Why would the RPM's be vastly different whether you pinch or restart?

Ed M.

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Seems like much ado about nothing to me.

There are contrasting opinions about almost everything RC. Even the so-called experts disagree on many things. There are still pro divers out there that feel the need to tune by temperature. Just because one guide says something is so, does not make it true. Doesn't make it false either, I'd just take it with a grain of salt. After all, I don't see any difference in pinching the fuel line and just plain running out of fuel.

This is straight out of my OS manual:


To stop the engine, fully retard the
throttle stick and trim lever on the
trans-mitter, or, in an emergency, cut
off the fuel supply by pinching the fuel
delivery line from the tank.

Since you can't move the carb past the idle stop, I'd like to know how you are supposed to kill the engine with the throttle trim. That has always bothered me.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

Its a shame OS gets their air and surface engines messed up in their manuals.

Ed M.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

So that is where that comes from? Now it makes more sense. Thanks Ed. I was hoping you would post a reply!

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

Let me ask this question how many here besides Kemo has hurt or messed up and engine by either plugging the stinger or pinching the fuel line? All so how many gallons of run time on the engine. Was it from pinching the fuel or plugging the stinger or the fact the engine was just ware out?

May articles and manuals tell you to check your low speed setting to pinch the fuel line. All so I do not see what the difference between pinching the fuel line and running out of fuel. I have read many places that say after a day of running with the fuel tank empty try to start your engine to make sure all the fuel is burnt off. When ever I do any of the above there is still plenty of lubrication in the engine so I do not see the harm. Good lubricant does not burn all off that is why so much comes out the pipe after running if you turn the vehicle on its side. I have many engines with over 5 gallons on them that I stop by plugging the stinger with out a problem.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

You are correct....but they don't cut the igntion until after the engine has quit from the lack of fuel. Trust me I have been in drag racing for many year,


KX..... You have seen the inside of our little 2 strokes after being run... COATED with oil. I HIGHLY doubt 2 seconds of a lean condition at idle will ever hurt anything.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

I mostly stop mine with the Flywheel.
But it is by choice, not for any other reason except for that it is the easiest for me. I do the LSN pinch test for tuning the LSN and have a Dura-Trax exhaust tool.
At the end of a day of racing I idle it on the starter box till all the fuel has been burnt through and run my tank dry. I've never ruined any engine and all have gone over 8-10 gallons with no problems.

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How much oil is in your fuel? Most of what I use is always burned off. Because if there was that much oil in there, there would be no need for after run oil :eek:

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Let it idle until it just stalls if you're afraid of any of the methods here.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

Hey how about this:

start turning out your idle-speed adjustment until it just dies!!;) No lean condition, no over-rich condition, not going to sieze a con-rod. Just make sure you know how many turns you had to go and you're set.

Try that if you're really that anal about shutting down your engine.

I pinch the line with no problems.

RE: to prove em wrong!
 

my engines will idle until the tanks are empty [:-]

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I pinch my Vspec, when its idling, the motor revs up for 1 second then dies. Also a good way to test the motors fuel richness. In a emergency I plug the pipe, only done that once or twice though.

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I do not know about others but I run O’Donnell Race blend. Now being O’Donnell never have published their oil content I am guessing it is around 10 to 12%.

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i'm one of those guys who wont run the fuel unless its stated on the lable.