motoman8224

I just got a Duratrax Thunder Quake for christmass and im a beginner in nitro rc. I broke in the engine and then i started having trouble with the engine. I was running it on a cold day and then is started to sound like the engine wasn't there but it still moved. it sounded hollow. I thought it was no biggie so i kept running it. BAD IDEA! All of a sudden it stalled and i took the spark plug out a while later and it was black. I thought i overheated the engine so i richened the fuel to air mixture so that more oil goes into the engine to lube it to prevent it from heating up again. Now i can't get it started. Please help!

motoman8224

I got the engine running fer about an hour after the overheating now it doesn't want to work at all

MattLarson29

Sounds more like an over rich condition that an over lean one - this is good news.

I am not familiar with the exact truck you have - pull start or electric? What happens when you turn the engine over?

First, check the glow plug by removing it from the engine and connecting it to your glow igniter. It should glow brightly. If not, either the plug is bad or your battery is dead. A dark discoloration is often a sign of over-rich running. Overly lean either melts the element or makes it look a dull white color, IIRC.

You should probably just replace the plug, and use a new one to do the test above.

Then take the needles back to the factory break-in settings from the manual.

Try again and let us know what happens.

Matt

motoman8224

I'm running on a Torq .21 pull sart engine. I its attached to a 2 speed trans.

MattLarson29

OK. Hopefully some molre expereinced modelers will jump in here, but here is what I would suggest:

First, let's check a couple of things.

1. Get a new glow plug, and check your glow igniter as mentionned above. If you do not get a bright glow, change the battery (or charge it)

2. With the glow igniter off the engine, give the pull start a couple of pulls (don't do this too much - without fuel you have no lube). Does the engine give a pop when you turn it over. If it has no compression, it won't run.

3. Have you re-set the needles to the manufacturer's recommended starting posiitons? I found the manual on line, and they want the high speed needle opened 2 and 1/2 turns from fully closed.

Now try to start it and let us know what happens.

Matt

motoman8224

sorry that still didn't work
it sounds like it is gonna work but it won't
i tried warming up the engine before i start it and i reset and experiment with different needle settings

MattLarson29

Did you try a new glow plug?

What happens when you try to start the engine?

Matt

motoman8224

I have a new glow plug. When I try to start it it sounds like its ready or about to start but it won't. I'm goin to my hobby shop later this week. Maybe he can help.

huckster107

Hey, i just got a thunderquake too, i had the same problems, it ran for a while, then shut off. i couldnt get it started at all, so i took the glow plug out, turned the quake upside down and pulled the starter 6 times, cleard out the fuel, then put the plug back in, and give it a try, it worked for me, and i had to do it a bunch till i got the engine tuned to the right setting, now it fires all the time, i live in nothern michigan, since i got the car it hasn't been above 25 degrees, and that makes it hard to start too.
good luck,
and
cheers