I recently recieved an Exceed Forza buggy and I'm still a total beginner.

So I'm breaking it in and, stupid me, I put the car up against a wall while still on the gound (so it wouldn't move around because the idle still needs tweaking) and I let it idle. It was the car's third tank so I decieded to rev the engine a little (not even thinking that something would happed cause the wheels can't move). After about 30 seconds of slight revs and then back to idle, I saw some smoke coming from (I'm pretty sure) somewhere in the engine. I immediatly pinched the fuel line to turn off the car. I haven't had time to start it since then, but do you guys think I might have fried/melted something? would it be bad to try starting the engine again?

If it was standing still I would say that it overheated. These engines need airflow for cooling. Check the piston to see if it is scored and burned looking. Also, compression would be low if you cooked it.

I,m not a car guy but did you burn up the clutch maybe?

i would say the smoke was comming from the clutch. if the car wont stay still at idle, you need to adjust the idle, whats ahppening is the engine is turning too fast and engaging the clutch, this by itself will wear out the clutch in short order. revving the engin will just make things way worse... the clutch is probably glazed at this point, if so you will need to take it apart and rough up the shoes and clutch bell with sandpaper.

or it could just be the normal smoke coming from th exhaust if it was at break in settings

Gotta be the clutch

he described it as :

its pretty easy to distinguish when smoke is comming from the exhaust stinger vs somewhere in the engine.... plus if he was on his third tank and just started seeing smoke from the exhaust, well the engine is toast anyway...

Did you buy this RC used? If so, it can be the VX engine is dirty and some caked-on nitro fuel that dried on head or exhaust header is simply cooking off.

If it is brand new o the VX is clean, dismount teh engine and inspect the engine, header, coupler, & exhaust pipe. More than likely, smoke coming from the engine area could be coming from the header where it meets the side exhaust. The gasket could be improperly installed by the HSP factory. Or, if used, that gasket could be work and/or the bolts that hold that header to the engine could be loose. A simple replacement of this gasket and/or tightening the bolts should fix this.

If the RC is brand new but you find something cracked (like the header or the block), call Exceed toget a replacement VX engine and/or header & pipe. If Exceed cannot help you, you can alternatively buy the exact same VX engine from Redcat and Himoto as well. Himoto, Exceed, Redcat, and even Acme all resell these HSP RCs, thsy just call them different names.

RCU has several sites dedicated to HSP resold RCs. The one for Exceed's HSPs is:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_472/tt.htm.
This is the site dedicated to Exceed-HSP customer service and support.

You can even check out the other HSP resellers sites (Himoto & Redcat). These guys too are very knowledgable of HSP products and can even tell you what Redcat and Himoto call their version of the Forza.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_493/tt.htm
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_427/tt.htm

So I started the engine and it works fine. Thanks for all your help, though

Just one thing, when I pull the gas and then let go, the trigger goes back to normal but it still revs the engine like I am holding the trigger. I'm pretty sure I just need to slide the rear collar on the throttle linkage up so it compresses the spring some more, is this true?
Here is what it looks like now:

First, before you mess with the linkages, make sure your idle stop screw is set properly. Refer to your manual that came with your HSP. If HSP (Exceed in this case) put the engine information on a separate manual or sheet, refer to that. In either case, the engine instructions will tell you how to set that idle screw.

Now, with yoru idle screw set properly, if it still revs when your trigger is at neutral, then check your linkages. Again your HSP manual that came with your Exceed should tell you how they should be positioned.

If the linkages are set according to instructions, try to adjust youe end points on your radio. I do not know if Exceed radios have that option, but if they do, try to adjust the throttle control buy using that.

If all else fails, try contacting Exceed or ask the support guys in the RCU link I posted above.

I am having the same issue with my matrix tr. A while ago it crashed due to signal loss and it ran wot into a car tire. by the time I ran over there the engine had been at wot for a couple seconds. I bench tested it the other day and after I gave it a little throttle it revved pretty fast for a while after I had already went to the brake position. Are you guys sure Its the linkage?

Thanks