Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

<span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Hello All. First post.

I've tinkered in r/c for while, but nothing too serious. I recently came across thisold boatan Ithought it might be funto mess around with. It's a cat about 40 inches long. It has a small 2-stroke gas engine with aB.H Hanson sticker on it. The radiolooks nice, but I'm sure it's an older FM model. He said it wasnice oneback in the day.

The primer bulb is cracked, but Ihave a new one to replace it with. It looks like I may need to replace the fuel lines also as well as install a new receiver battery. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">I have 2 main questions before I get started:
1. How do Istop the engine once it is started? It has a black wire lead from the engine that isn't connected to anything. I could clamp the fuel line, but there has to be a better way.
2. How do I get fuel into the tank? It has a junction in the fuel lines with a white cap that covers some sort of aluminum valve. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">We do a lot of boating (big boats) on the weekends at a local lake and I'd like to take this along just for fun. I've seen other V-hull rc boats with similar motors and a good friend has a Spartan running 6Slipos.

Any tips and/or suggestions on what I should do or not do would be appreciated. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">JH<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p>
Photos:

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/o...C/IMAG0142.jpg</o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Calibri">
Do you see valve near the fuel tank? Is that the fuel fill?

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/o...C/IMAG0133.jpg


http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/o...C/IMAG0136.jpg


http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/o...C/IMAG0144.jpg

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/o...C/IMAG0135.jpg

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/o...C/IMAG0143.jpg</font></o:p></p>

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

Nice looking hull. killerbeeRC has a off switch that plugs into the black plug. ground to base on the other line. If you loose signal or you turn off your transmitter, shuts down the engine. Setup your receiver to back throttle the carb shut. end point adjust your throttle. When you come off pipe and start to slow down. She will stall out. practice come in at a angle until you get the feel. .

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

the black wire lead stays unplugged, you can on a later date add an ignition kill switch (Killer bee) that will connect to the black lead so you can turn it off with your remote (it also act has a failsafe in case of loss of signal, low battery and total battery loss).

to turn off the boat you need to setup your radio the same way you would for an on road vehicle, apply the brake. on your vehicle it would brake, but for your boat it will close the carb.
adjust your throttle so you have a nice idle and adjust your radio so when you hit the brake, you close the carb.

for refueling, the red valve with the white cap is your refueling valve, it is a Dubro Large-Scale Fuel Valve, you need the Fuel Valve Probe to use it, ask the person you got it from if he has it.
here is a link to the Fuel Valve Probe that you need:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXD750&P=7

I have been using that valve system for 5 years with zero problem.

Also I would get rid of the champion plug and replace it with an NGK CMR7H. Champions do not like water and are known for breaking and having pieces bouncing around with the piston.
make sure you do a good oil/fuel mix ratio.
your engine being a BH tells me it may be modified however, I suggest that you run no less than 8oz of good oil per gallon.
Don't worry, it is not too much and you will not have any power loss.

Dan.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

Thanks for the tips guys. I hope to get the boat running this weekend. This may be a silly question, but do you guys tape up the receiver box before running?

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

No question is a silly question,
the answer is yes.

Dan.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

Thanks Dan.

I found a broken wire connection on the radio. The local hobby shop guy told me it was old Airotronics, obsolete. I installed a new radio and servos and new fuel line. I set the throttle linkage to full closed when the controller is hands free. I haven't located the NGK plug yet. I primed fuel into the carb bulb. I yanked and yanked and no start. I pulled the plug and verified spark. Yanked on it until my sholder was on fire and motor mounts were loose. Iput my thumb over the carb to choke. My thumb was wet with fuel. I even shot a little starter fluid into it. I'm not sure where to go from here. The boat has set up for a while. Maybe I should take the carb apart and clean, new plug? It has plenty of compression.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

B. H. Hanson used to sell these boats RTR for around $1,495.00 but the engine could be one of his.
The plug can be ordered or they might have them in stock at a NAPA store. Auto Zone's or Advance Auto can get them too but they want more for them.

You could have a bad diaphragm. Take off the flat cover off the carb to see if it's wrinkled or damaged. It could be gunked up from storage.

There is radio box tape, generally 3M that hobby shops can get for you through Tower under the AquaCraft/Grimracer name.

The boat appears to be very clean so it doesn't have hardly any time on it.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

Glas,
you don't want to set the controller to full close when hands free or neutral, you won't be able to start it and it won't idle.
you want the butterfly slightly open when hands free, that way it will idle, than to shut off you apply the brake to fully close the butterfly.

was there spark????
best way to see spark, do it in the dark, most times it can be very hard to see spark in full light.

Dan.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

This is one heck of a forum.

Thanks Ron. That's a lot of money for this little boat. Definitely worth keeping it alive. I ordered 2 of the NGK plugs from Autozone. They should be here this afternoon. I'll pull the carb off and clean it and find the tape before I put it in the water.

Thanks Dan. I suspected that full closed on the throttle would most likely be the way to kill the engine. I figured the killerbeez part wasn't around when this boat was last used. But it looks like it would be a valuable addition for safety. It had spark, but it seemed weak and wasn't an audible snap. I have an old 2-stroke Lawn Boy mower that recently had starting and power problems. It had a weak spark. A new magnito made it run like new. I'm wondering if these Zenoha mags are prone to water damage? Especially if it was left upside down in the water, hot for any length of time. But I'm probably getting ahead of myself.

I'll clean the carb and adjust the linkage to slightly open and put a new plug in it. If that doesn't do it, I'm thinking I may need to pull the motor out and try starting it on the bench so that I don't damage the stringers/hull. Maybe figure out a way to spin it with my big drill.

The servo mounting brackets and radio box seem to have a lot of room for improvement.The brackets are held in the box with screws running up through the bottom of the box. half of the screws are striped and need nuts on the other side. But there isn't much room to get to them. Do you guys know of any good on-line examples of a better setup for mounting the servos? It would be nice to seal the holes in the bottom of the box and have a way to snap the servos/brackets in and out to adjust the linkage.

Thanks again for the tips. It is much appreciated. Hopefully I can post a video of this boat running soon.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

These little engines look like they're got a weak spark, that's why it was mentioned to check them in a dark area. You might have to take the gap down to .016".
www.zippkits.com has got some really cool billet aluminum servo mounts. I've been using these a lot lately as you only have to remove 2 screws to pull the servo out for adjusting or replacement.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

They do make a after market EZ-pull starter. I got one and no more tired arm. It reduces the pull. It also comes with a plug stop to screw into the spark plug hole and stops the piston. I use that tool lots.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

I opened up the carb and cleaned it out. The new NGK plug was to small. (This must be an older engine.) So I soaked the oldplug in cleaner,sanded the contacts andadjusted the throttle to about 25% open at idle. Pulled on it a few times and heard a pop. I used a twist tie to hold the throttle open about half way. Pulled on it again, it lit up and went to about 8k rpms!Ijust about jumped out of my pants.This thing sounds angry. I think the main problem was not having the throttle open enough at idle and a slightly fouled plug.

Success! Thanks guys for all of your help. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...eeth_smile.gif

Ron,
I looked at zippkits. They have some nice stuff.I may order their Easy Vee kitand build one up this winter.I looked around some and realized thatthis boat is different in that the servos are mounted on their sides. So I have to take moststuff apart to adjust the controls.Thanks for the link.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

glastronjohn I got a few of Joes hulls The EVee is a fun boat. I'm still in first place and I didn't run her this weekend. My engine had a piston skirt break loose and did damage. We have one more race of the season. She will be ready. What I like about the EVee is you can launch by yourself. A good choice of hulls

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">That sounds like fun AB. You have some nice boats. That Dumaslooks like a show piece.I've never been to a race, but I'll have to check it out. Good luck on keepingfirst place.And thanks again for your help. It&rsquo;s much appreciated.

I don't know if this boat will work for my purpose. I'm looking for something that can handle rough waterand be easy to operate. My idea was to get this motor running and eventually move it to a larger deep-v hull. Nothing too fast, just something for my son (13 years old) and Ito messaround with when we're out at the beach on the bigboat. We spend a good bit of time out on the lake socializing with friends and he gets bored when there are no other kids around. It would be nice to spend some time together building too. Get him away from the X-Box, if that&rsquo;s possible. Any ideas on a deep-v kit around 50&rdquo; long? </span><o:p></o:p></p>

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

CK out " ME TIME LIVE" You can watch a race anytime you want. That hull you have will do well in semi rough water. Add more flotation if your unsure. You can get a good Futaba 2.4 gig FASST radio system. you can add on any new hulls if needed. 6 volts 1200 amp hump pack will work inside the radio box. All from your local hobby shop. Joes servo mounts can be epoxy down into a pool of 30 min epoxy the longer the set time the stronger the epoxy

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

That motor is an Older 2 port 23cc zenoah.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

im no boat expert but i am a mechanic and i have a 2 stroke quad that i have maintained for ohhh say 16 years but 1/2 open doesnt sound right at all i would turn in your low needle or idle needle a bit  in it sounds like your way to rich on startup but there again thats my opinion i may be wrong im sure the pros missed that piece of info . im wondering if a ngk with the r which means  RESISTED should be closed a bit more . in my expierience if we use the resisted plugs in the newer forklifts we have to close the gap from a normal .30-.60 down to  .13-.16  it makes a huge differance especially on cold start ofcourse i told a clark tech he was "F O S" when he said close the gap on brand new resisted plugs(guys with 15 years + xp even said BS! ). anyways he was right on, a cold motor with the newer engines etc FORKLIFTS it would backfire not stay running hard starting  i closed gap to .13 and the engine started right up and ran like it was new. but truly it soums like your low needle is way to rich .

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">I figured the motor was older. The lhs guy thought it was a 23.

Morgan, I had it half open just get it started initially. I realize now that the idle stop screw is removed and the controller reverse is used to kill the engine. I’m learning. I’ll have to find the correct gap for the new plug I put in it. Also, Dan says to go with 16:1 premix. The batch I made was more like 38:1. That will make a huge difference with the fuel/air mix, much leaner and oily. </span></p>

</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""/></p>

</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">I plan to make a PVC work stand this weekend and figure out how to hook up a water line to the pipe. Does anyone here want to share a good method of hooking this small water line to the garden hose? HD and Lowes is right down the street.</span></p>

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

At HD look in the plumbing section and get a small brass hose barb to fit your hose. Bring a sample piece of hose with you. The other end of the barb should be male pipe thread, so you can screw it into a small valve. You may possibly need a bushing to go in between the two. You'll also need a Garden hose thread adapter. If you cant figure out how to hook this all up ask someone in the plumbing dept to help you. You need the valve to regulate the water flow. Its better if the valve is right there for easy adjustment so you're not running back to the hose bib to control it from there.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

Thanks John,

I dug around in the garage and found some old drip line parts to hook up water. The water jacket over the cylinder was leaking around the base and mounting bolts. Fixed it with some o-ring grease. Put some thread sealer on a few other fittings and Zip-tied the hoses. With the water running I was able to adjust the throttle so that it idles good and reverse kills the motor. Then I went over it and tightened a lot of loose hardware. Once I get a fail safe I should be ready to go.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

So I took this boat out last weekend. I think it may be a bit much for a beginner like me. It duck dived twice on me. Ifigured Iwas just driving it too slow, so I ran it harder, then Iflipped it upside down. Are there any setup or drivingsuggestions to help prevent the diving? Or do Ijust have to run it in very smooth water?

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

How high were the waves?

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

3-5 inches. I think maybe I need to rotate the prop up to lift the bow. It ran really flat.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

So you did a duck diving. You strut need to be even with the bottom sponson. Angle the strut. positive will lift the bow. I did notice the 2 auto bailer. you may want to remover them this winter and patch, add trim-tabs over the holes. If you can't get the hull to calm down. Re drill holes in the top of the transom. When you pick the hull up just pour out the water.

RE: Startup Questions, Gas CAT
 

Thanks. I didn't even know it was adjustable.

Here it is before, tucked all the way in:

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/o...C/IMAG0155.jpg


And after, aligned with the sponsons:

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/o...C/IMAG0161.jpg


Does the cable slide in/out at the strut or the motor when I adjust? I couldn't tell when Iwas moving it.

Also, it appears that the tube liner is sliding out of the bottom and drive cable is hitting the metal tube near the motor. Should I be concerned?

Sorry about the picture quality.

See the blue part:

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/o...C/IMAG0160.jpg


And the motor side. It looks like it has issues:

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/o...C/IMAG0159.jpg


I'll order some tabs and do the replacement when it gets colder. There's a gouge in the bow that needs to be cleaned up too.

I'm thinking about ordering an East-Vee kit and a new 26 Zenoah to tinker with this winter. But that's still a ways away. We're supposed to be back in the 100's again today and tomorrow. Still plenty of lake time here in Texas. Now if we could only get some rain...