detroit69

I have gone through 6 glow plugs in 2 weeks..
I'm using Traxxas #3232X (super-duty) long - medium plugs.
Outside temp adv is 50 - 60 F .
Temp of motor (not sure) Just ordered a temp gun.
Traxxas nitro fuel 33%
Average Run time - 2-3 minutes.. then loss of power.. Then stalls

I have attempted to tune this thing many times.. I screw my High in all the way, then back it out 4 full turns.. then 1/16 till satisfied with high end
I tune the low end by screwing in all the way and backing it out 1 1/2 turns. (i've read you want the screw flush with the screw housing this is about 2 full turns)

I've had 1 day it ran great for about 4 tanks of gas. Now i only get a half tank if i'm lucky.

Now for the jacked up part... sometimes my plug shows no signs of use (clean!!!!!) then sometimes it's burnt (oil burns) Then sometimes the wire inside the plug is melted into a ball of solder and sometimes it looks perfect.. So many variations it's driving me crazy..

I understand when the plug looks clean it means i'm running too lean.. and dirty (oily) running to rich.. Burnt to a crisp means the motor got way too hot..

I guess i'm just looking for a law of averages.. how many turns out for the high and low is a good starting point? What is my sign too look for when it's just right.. (the low is simple.. i have excellent acceleration) It seems the high end is my main problem.. too lean it runs great but burns plugs?

I'm new to gas rc.. I've ran electric for years.. so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time

pinky2252s

umm how many gallons have you ran through?

detroit69

less than a gallon.. about 3/4 of a gallon.. the truck is a month old

detroit69

everything on the motor is stock.. air cleaner gets cleaned all the time.. compression in the motor is great.. I'm staring to think i got a faulty carb.. anyone heard of this? I know it's possible.. but does it sound like this could be my issue? or am i just being an ignorant rookie ;-)

pinky2252s

ok ok umm thinking...... if it loses power then.... arrrggggg are you SURE your not running to lean
OOOOO whats your engine?

pinky2252s

evrey one has to be noob DUH dont degrade your self your just new and yes there can be faulty carbs do you have a hobbytown or hobby shop near you?

ttoks

the reverse is true with glow plugs then to spark plugs, if the wire is shiny and looks wet then your running very rich, if the wire is wet but starting to go grey your getting close to the best the power you can get without running to lean, if the wire is grey and it doesn't look wet your at the best possible tune you could have and if the wire gets distorted at all your running to lean, you say your wires are melting meaning you have basically cooked your engine.

you might have an air leak, could be why it seems to be running lean then rich then lean then rich.

credit to hpi apollo for the info on the glow plugs.

detroit69

thanks guys... i'm gonna start digging into it this weekend..

ttoks your information was great.. Never thought glow plugs would show signs opposite of spark plugs..

Thanks

rustynutzz

I had a similar problem with my tmaxx 3.3. I zip tied each end of the fuel line and that helped tremendously!! Also, factory setting for the HSN is 4 turns out from closed, and the LSN factory setting is flush with the screw housing just like you said. One thing that helped me was tune the HSN first, then the LSN, then idle screw.

slayerphonics

Your engine is blowing glow plugs because there is an AIR LEAK THAT IS COMMON ON TRX
take the crap 3.3 trx engine out and piiss on it,
Then buy an OS

jarett 92

almost what i did. without the pissing part.

ttoks

please don't spread misinformation slayerphonics, the trx engines are as good as there operator, i'd guess 90% of the trx engine failure's are caused by either running to lean, or over revving, particularly considering a majority of trx owners are new to the nitro scene, the trx engines are not bad engines, just there operators are.

-edit- here a link showing you how to seal your engine: [link=http://www.savage-central.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=54465]How to seal your engine[/link]

detroit69

Thank you to everyone that added a reply.. i have since blown my engine.. i think this was a good thing.. i'm gonna get a new motor and start fresh with a much better understanding.

Here are some pics of my latest disaster

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../102_3763.jpg][/URL]
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../102_3762.jpg][/URL]
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../102_3761.jpg][/URL]
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../102_3760.jpg][/URL]
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../102_3759.jpg][/URL]
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../102_3758.jpg][/URL]
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../102_3751.jpg][/URL]
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../102_3748.jpg][/URL]
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../102_3747.jpg][/URL]
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../102_3746.jpg][/URL]
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../102_3745.jpg][/URL]
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../102_3744.jpg][/URL]

detroit69

The sleeve looks to be good.. no scratches or gouges.. but the piston and rod are shot.. I dropped from 33% to 20% and it seemed to run good.. then 4 tanks later it just had enough.. and stalled like it was out of fuel. That was all she wrote.. couldn't even turn it over.. so i disassembled and found broken pieces in the motor.. the glow plug was melted down..

This is just prior to it's death.. exuse the ignorant excitement of a small jump.. ;-)

http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ofthenight.flv

This is it's death

http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...t=102_3741.flv

ttoks

she was run VERY lean, theres carbon build up on the top of your piston, and you melted to glow plug, everything is black in there, no offense but your tuning skills suck lol, you killed it!

now that you'v done that time to spend money lol, thats the fun part, O.S .18 TM, picco .26 or (my favorite) the RB TM523, best three engines that are practicly one buy items, so you dont have to go out and buy a heap of things (pipes, engines mounts, ect ect) to get it to fit.

considering the scene of the death of your trx, i think the O.S is the best for you, it's easy to tune lol, and holds it's tune very well, the RB can be a pain to tune if you don't see the signs of it running lean/rich because it's a 9 port and runs a turbo plug, and the picco is easier but not as easy as the O.S, the RB is without a doubt the best performer though, it's like a car with a turbo on it, low end it's like a small car with a old lady at the wheel (well compared to the picco anyway, it will still pull the front wheels off the ground), but once it hits mid rpm it takes off like a cat with a bottle rocket up it's ass.

detroit69

Now that i'm getting a new engine.. should i follow the tutorial on how to seal the motor?

thanks again for the info..

Dankfrog76

you said you were running 33% Nitro fuel the manual says for that motor recommends 20% so the factory needle settings would be different if you're running a higher percent Nitro I would recommend running 20% and then trying Factory break in settings and tune from there
and I'm just realizing this is a hella old forum so maybe this information can help somebody else with the same problem