Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

I know others have to have run into this problem.
Run the FG in a loose pack dirt area and suddenly the throw out for the pull start will not work. I remember reading here some have put screening inside the housing, what has worked best for you if you have done something like this?

Anyone find different ways to keep the dirt from getting in there so easily? It is pretty simple to take the assembly off the Marder to clean, the MT is a whole other animal however.

Any ideas, help or pics is greatly appreciated.

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

Here is what I did and it took most of the problem away. Glue screen on the inside to keep grass out. Then take the starter apart right down to the spring and use a plastic safe solvent such as mineral spirits to get all the grease out. That is what holds the dirt in. Put it back together and lube it with dry graphite lock lube. That has helped alot and I rearly have starter problems now. Good luck and be careful of that spring. Its sharp.

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

There is NO way to keep dirt out. Remove the pullstart and using it to start buggy by holding it in place then remove after engines running...never a clogged starter again...screen doesn't stop dirt and doesn't work...try it you'll see :D

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

If you put in a screen, then also remember the holes under the engine...

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

Badz for the Marder that would work. I don't see how I could do that with the MT, one of the side rails mounts throught the starter housing. I have to find a way to at least slow down the dirt in the MT, it is a pain in the but to pull the housing out.

I did pull my sons out and cleaned it good with denatured alcohol, graphite lube sounds like a great idea.

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

Gluing in Tshirt type fabric or spandex will work as a much better screen for dust and dirt.

I notice my started sticking about once every seven or eight tanks. I just clean the started during normal cleaning and maintenance.

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

Thats a great idea, Im going to try an old T-shirt.

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

HPIguy, I was thinking about panty hose, I know the mesh is thin and allows adequate airflow. Just don't know about the durability.

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

panty hose is very durable, i used to have hell of a job ripping my girlfriends off:D

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

I've tried pantyhose and t-shirts and it still screwed the starter up...a outerwears is the finest mesh they make and even it allows enough dirt through to mess the starters up..NOTHING stops it other than removal. Ask anyone who runs in dusty conditions...not grass :eek:
It doesn't matter what RC you got or how the starters protected, the starter WILL fail in dirt. It's so simple keeping it off it's not even funny...but hey people wanna buy new starters at $20+ a shot...go for it :D

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

Right but badz, like stated above, removal of the starter with MT side rails isnt as simple as you describe. Myself I would rather run with an alternate solution then starter removal...Trial and error will find an answer.

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

Carry few cans of brake cleaner with ya then....it cleans it out enough to work again, Does it without removal too...these things really need some sort of rotostarter for them so we can eliminate the starter issue's.

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

Roto Start would be great. Wouldnt a Drill start it? I know I used to use a Cordless drill to start my Nitro, they dont however have as much compression. My Old gokart used to use a type of rotostart.

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

I can fire off my xtm with my airplane starter real easy...I'd imagine long as the dirll has some unf it'd fire it up

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

I don't have an experiance here, so this may be a silly question. Since you can't simply plug the holes of the pull-starter because they are required for ventilation, what is behind it when the pullstarter is removed? Is it alright for this area to get packed with mud/dust/dirt?

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

cart racers run them removed too....i've had mine removed for awhile no and have 0 issues...its just a fly wheel it doesnt get packed with anything cause it's spinning constantly

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

I will say it again and for the last time. Remove all grease. It requires total disassembly of the starter. Then use the dry graphite lock lube. I run in extreemly dusty conditions. My track is made of black dirt that is like silt when dry and I run in the sand dunes of Lake Michigan. This fix NEARLY eliminates the starter issues while allowing the starter to be left on. You have to clean and relube now and then but I can go many tanks before I need to do any thing to it. I personaly want my starter on to keep stones from entering the flywheel area and grass as I do run in those types of places sometimes too.

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

Do as above.:) The light grease on the starter now accumulates the dust and dirt if you use graphite it will by dryer and less apt to stick to the lubed parts. If you can use a can of compressed air it will blow it out just enough for it to work. Mine started to stick and fail I blew it out and wala it worked like new and I have not gone with the above - Yet - .:D

As for running without the starter:

Rocks, pebbles, stones + Rotor fins = BAD[:@]

Removal would be great if you will not be in any gravel or small stones but, if you are you will break the rotor fins.[&o]
And your right DOG if you remove it what will you do with the side shroud bolt?

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

removing the cover aint really a solution, it will just give you another problem instead as bigger the better said :(

Best bet use some sort od mesh. this will keep lumps out & only let the tiny pieces through which can easily be blown away :)

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

LOL you guys cannot be that dumb....the pullstart cover does nothing but start the engine...do you actually think we fly planes with them on? Also a rotor _if_ it should break is $10 a pullstart assembly is $20....whats cheaper? I've yet to break a rotor nor has anyone else doing it.....besides most of ya's run in grass and dont have a clue what dirt even does to the starters...it destroys them real quick....all I can say is your going to run dirt with the pullstarter....have 10 spares cause you'll need them.

You know guts...screen only works for grass....and you all know it...first off these are OFFROAD RC's not lawnmowers....nor do they belong being run in gravel...do whatever all I know is I'm not the one being laughed at when my $1200 gaser won't start cause I wasn't smart enough to apply a simple solution
As far as a rock jamming in it...well lets see...gears are exposed do you have rocks jamming those and breaking them?..Want starter issue's leave it on want a buggy that can ALWAYS be restarted...carry the pullstarter in your pocket.

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

Here is what I did with mine. I took some of the pre-filter material we use on our billet filters and glued it on my case and my pull start.

Works good but takes some time to do.

Hope this helps.

Mark Hull

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

You don't use starter-cover when flying your planes? im shocked[sm=eek.gif][sm=surprised.gif] ..well, that's exactly the same as driving on the ground :D [sm=lol.gif] Good point :)

Well, badz.... i can't understand your reasoning when saying that rocks cant jam or hurt the flywheel when the cover is removed, much easier then hurting the spur-gear at the side in my opinion. So the cover should stay on, and there should be a cover for the spur too, specially if it's a plastic one.

The net-cover on the starter and under the engine would be a good thing, but remember it will clog quite easy when driving in lot of grass, mud etc, so remember to check it from time to time. Net on the outside of the starter is a littlebit more efficient but not as good looking as placing it inside.

Do as jeepfreak1972 said, it will work out fine [sm=thumbup.gif] put those screens on and be happy.

edit: Nice work there TGNman !

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

I've put my trav thru dirt / mud /grass , ect ect, and it is very dry here, it hasn;t rained in 200 days. and i've had zero starter issues.

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

Aye but planes dont have the chance of getting rubble thrown into the fan blades (apart from birds!) as in the air theres no debris! :)

RE: Dirt in pull start housing, how do you keep it out?
 

Hey badz, do you run an open fan there when you take the starter off? Doesn't that make it super easy for grass to get sucked into the fully exposed fan?

I wonder if after taking the starter off you could attach a cover with mesh. It would keep grass out of the fan and cooling fins of the engine. You could use the starter housing as a template.

Do you use just one or two screws to hold the starter in place while pulling on the cord?