Starting a Fastrax Enduro .21 engine

[simonrhart]

Hi All,

I have recently bought a Fastrax Enduro .21 engine for my Losi 8ight EU but really struggling to get it started. It is really annoying as I want to race it as soon as possible.

I have a SMD starter box so twin motors but the engine gets stuck at top dead centre and refuses to turn over. It is actually quite hard to turn it by hand. I did hear they are hard engines to start and continue to have a pinch even after 10 or so tanks but I didn't think it would be this hard!

I am considering returning it and buying something else.

Anyone had this engine or offer any tips? I have tried heating the engine up using a hair dryer to around 75C - I don't have a heat gun.

On a side note, I just bought a Losi 8ight Mini and put some 2S LiPos in it and it flies! do you race these perhaps with the 10th scale buggies?

Cheers
Simon

[stumpiey]

a hairdryer wont get it hot enough, use a heat gun also wind the glow plug out a few turns

[Shaun_TLR]

I owned a hyper 8 nitro and had the same problem with it being stuck at TDC. At first and friend and I thought it must be a fault, but turns out it was just UBER UBER tight (and I'd maybe argue its at the cheaper end of the market for nitro toys).

In the end we took it into a local shop and he put it in a vice and just force it past TDC (obviously make sure the cylnder is clean if your opting for this). But of course we needed to do this alot whilst running it in, as every failed pull start attempted generally saw it stuck back at TDC.

The guy in the shop suggested the hairdryer but also said a soldering iron is a good way to warm it up if its particularly stubborn, but I recall we didn't mess about and just used the vice til she finally loosened up !

But don't take my word as gospel, as I'm a noob and someone will be along to shoot me out of the water v soon

[simonrhart]

I didn't think of using a soldering iron. I have a gas one with a blow torch end. The risk here is frying other components in the car. I guess I could place the tip of the iron on the engine block.

I'm wondering whether spending more money would prevent this kind of problem. i.e. I was debating on buying a novarossi - which is about twice the price of the Fastrax but as this is my first engine and I heard good reviews on the Fastrax, I opted for it as it's less of a issue if I screw it up.

I can turn the engine over by hand so no need for a vice which sounds slightly different in your case!

Cheers
Simon

[Shaun_TLR]

Originally Posted by simonrhart

I didn't think of using a soldering iron. I have a gas one with a blow torch end. The risk here is frying other components in the car. I guess I could place the tip of the iron on the engine block.

I'm wondering whether spending more money would prevent this kind of problem. i.e. I was debating on buying a novarossi - which is about twice the price of the Fastrax but as this is my first engine and I heard good reviews on the Fastrax, I opted for it as it's less of a issue if I screw it up.

I can turn the engine over by hand so no need for a vice which sounds slightly different in your case!

Cheers
Simon

Ah, well if you can turn it by hand then you have no where near the magnitude of issue we encountered. It was literally jammed fast and wouldnt move, let alone with a pullstart.

Soldering on the head is exactly what he suggested, but we didnt bothered as it wouldnt have been enough as would have just jammed again the next time id let it go cold and eturn to it after a few days. The guy said with cheaper tight engines, the only way to free them up is to run them in with hours and hours. I converted to electric, as Im lazy and like tp put toys away after playing with them and not have the issue of cleaning and actually "looking after" any of the mechanicals

[simonrhart]

Originally Posted by Shaun_TLR

Ah, well if you can turn it by hand then you have no where near the magnitude of issue we encountered. It was literally jammed fast and wouldnt move, let alone with a pullstart.

Soldering on the head is exactly what he suggested, but we didnt bothered as it wouldnt have been enough as would have just jammed again the next time id let it go cold and eturn to it after a few days. The guy said with cheaper tight engines, the only way to free them up is to run them in with hours and hours. I converted to electric, as Im lazy and like tp put toys away after playing with them and not have the issue of cleaning and actually "looking after" any of the mechanicals

Well I guess that sounds like its good for me then and doable.

I will try and use a soldering iron when I'm back. In the middle east right now.

Cheers
Simon