funkyflyer

You know what? I have to say, I was complaining about my Savage. The Rotostart, the backplate, the carb being WAY WAY WAY off from the factory, the servo, the shock bolts being backward, the shocks not being full, yadda yadda yadda. I bought the RTR because my time is scarce. Getting this truck roadworthy has proved to be a pain in the *****.
Having said that, I love this thing. Don't have it dialed in right just yet, but having a blast anyway. Anybody being new to nitro is going to have a hard time getting it at first anyway, and I have to say the .25 is the touchiest engine I have tuned.
The only thing I would change is buying the kit instead. After being in this hobby for nearly 20 years, I can tell you everything has its quirks, and these are really minor.
Just annoying.

Deandome

My Feedback: (1)

Yes I do.

Flaws & defects are universally very different -re-read the post to see how so.

The motor leak defect may be easy to fix, but it should not be there to begin with. The RotoStart, well, the lack of a safety clutch seems to be a flaw, but the sticking switch is a defect.

The Maxx has, in varying opinion levels, LOTS of durability issues, but there's not a single part on the truck that isn't manufactured & installed exactly as Traxxas wants.

And how did this air leak become just a screw/loctite yawner? I read stuff about removing & cleaning the back plate, re-sealing (all the time ensuring that NO foreign matter remains in the engine!!). Now it's just a few loose screws.

And has Savage addressed & fixed the BIG fuel tank problem/mystery to their owners' satisfaction?? I don't think so.

So, YES, the Savage SS & S-25 are bigger stronger, and as fast as the T-Maxx. They seem to be better overall trucks that will be very affordable to run long term. But they DO have problems, many of which would be big-time deal-breakers for newbies & expeirenced owners alike (RotoStart & gas tank) were it not for HPIs customer service. I assume they're cheerfully replacing bad RotoStarts, and I guess people don't mind paying a few bucks extra for a proper gas tank.

But they aren't perfect, and it seems clear that the learning/frustration curve is steeper for Savages than it is for Traxxas, at least for the first few months (frustration-wise).

j-maxx

imo the only flaw twith the savage is one-way bearings. my friend split one in half on friday

TheMachine

Its simple !

The rotostarts crap out because of tring to start an hydrolocked engine....same reason you break a PS(but you usually lose skin first) and even a ezstart !... the HPI engine having very good compression adds to the problem more for the .25...its a bear even with a PS.

The gas tank thing isn`t a problem.... its all in your setup and fuel line lengths and a tune done with the engine at the right temp will make it a non issue. Other than that the complaints about the fuel tank display trhe exact symtoms as a leaking fuel system, put the tank under water and check for bubbles... HPI should probally remove the primer as it doesn`t really last long when it gets dirt in it.

Diagnosoing these sorts of problems should be considered a learning curve.... Nitro is just not a fill and go thing like the RTR advertising would like to depict...sorry its just not ! and you would be served well not to treat it like that. Its a marketing ploy !

TM

ZipZap

Deandome -

It changes air/fuel mix. Didn't believe it 'til I experienced it. Don't quite understand the physics of it. People talk about the pickup being up front being the cause for acceleration leaning, but I'm not getting the hesitations usually associated with air bubbles.

My initial thought involved the fuel level in relationship to the carb level, but I can't prove it. I'd really like to hear from "new" tank owners (Sav 25 folks) before I decide if they fixed it.

TheMachine

The issue with leaning when the tank gets low is called pressure soak. When there is more air in the tank it takes longer and more air to pressurise the tank to the same level where it feeds the fuel right, its mainly due to the tank being larger than most(160 opossed to 125cc). A larger fuel tank is always going to have this problem more than a smaller one.

The pick-up at the front of the tank is also an interesting issue.... I have in the past had more problems with fuel runninng away from the rear pickup`s under hard brakes...then when you go to nail it you have air in the line ! that was always a issue for me with the stock T-Max tank which most people(including me) solved by using the highly baffled Ofna tanks. My Savage even with a pretty fast engine(8 port Delta Force) can run the tank dry.. I get one hiccup to tell me the fuels low and when I check it theres usually less than a couple of mm of fuel left in it.

Deandome - I mentioned to people it may be a good idear to check the whole engine out(for debris) while they were fixing the backplate since the engine it already out, its a very good pratice and it may be scary at first...but the sooner you do that level of wreching the better, so you learn and can in the future deal with engine work without hesitation and fear ! All the serious racers/rc`ers I have ever talked too or gotten advise from, many of which use C5`s and JP black`s etc would not run an engine out of the box without first inspecting and sealing it !...its cheap/free insurance and debris is even found in $700USD engines. Its all part of the hobby and theres no use calling it anything but that.

TM

funkyflyer

I have the "new" fuel tank with the rear pick- up. I am adding a header tank due to air bubbles. I don't consider it a defect because it's not happening on a flat surface, only under a half tank when I'm rompin' and stompin'.

j-maxx

u can easily fix that if u put dual inlets on ur tank it work for this 1 guys savage

MYSAVAGESS

even though I have had all the same problems as everyone else with my 25 Im still happy with my purschace and if I went back In time to the day I bought it I would have still bought it being a newbie to the hobby this to me is what makes it a fun and intersting hobby in reality if it came oout of the box perfect and ran perfect and there was never anything wring with it how fun would that be? that would make a boring hobby IMO but I agree if you think that it sohuld be perfect and run perfect everytime mabye your in the wrong hobby for the month and a half that I have been involved the hobby keeps getting more and more intersting and plan to be around for a while (well as long as the woman dosent find the recipts anyway) thoes are just my $0.02
Aron

TheMachine

Just put those receipts striaght in the trash !.... geeze you can`t leave evidence like that lying around ! [X(]. And also make sure you delete those order conformation emails !..further evidence/amunition for wify poo.

TM

Plum Crazy

My Feedback: (5)

Boy the Machine has got that right. After reading all this all I can think of is the poor people that got the first batch of EK-4s. Now that had to hurt $500 and they blow up and eat diff's for lunch. I'm talking about months with no parts in sight this sounds a little trivial in comparison.