Nlght-Hawk

I have a HPI RS3 and I just completed the break in. Running 6tanks through it at idle and slow speed. Tonight I pull it out and and go to start it up and after about 12 pulls it turns over. I take off and get it up to speed and start to take it to max ( big parking lot). I start to turn it and it stalls, thinking air in the line. I retrieve it and go to restart it and I can't. I give it a few pumps on the primer and still nothing. Pulled over 100 times and othing. Let sit for a while (no plug wrench) and it still wouldn't start.

At this point I load it up and head home. Put a new battery in the glow plug tool. I take the plug out and pull the rope a few times. I then put it all back together and the pull start is difficult to turn. I prime it once and still very tough to pull and its making a loose metal sound. Finally I pull it one time and it turns over. I put it down and let it run a little bit, slow figuere 8's and it stalls again. I am thinking ok I burned any excess gas so it should start back up. It doesn't, and I am trying to pull it again. Still not turning over, eventually I broke the pullstring's spring.

I am pretty frustrated with this thing. I took the pull starter apart and rewrapped the sping in there so it is working again.

Should it be this difficult to start? I have burned a half a tank and decided to put it away for the night after tinkering on it for almost 3 hours total tonight.

Please guide me, when it runs it is very fun but as a paper weight it's not fun at all. Is a starter box a more reliable way to start this engine or should I expect more from this car? My weedwhaker was NEVER this hard to start.

WhiskyVR-4

Is this the RTR or the SS? I don't know much about the 15fe engine, but my 12R SS is exceptionally easy to start. However, I also let it idle (exactly like the directions say) through the first 6 tanks, and I destroyed a piston and sleeve. I no longer idle engines at all during break-in, not enough heat. In any case, mine was hard to start and hard to keep running once it got warm after it lost all compression. New piston and sleeve, broken in at 200 F for 6 tanks, then standard break-in after that and it runs great.

You said "loose metal sound" and thats NEVER good. Pull the ehad and backplate and see if there is any sort of debris inside the combustion chamber or the crankcase. That could very well explain why you broke the pull-start. The only other reason would be a flooded engine, but a flooded engine doesn't make "loose metal" sounds.

dbow

My Feedback: (1)

I would reset the needle on the carb to what the manual says and try that. Replace the glow plug and make sure the heater is charge.
When you set it don't twist the needle back and forth, set it and leave it for a few minutes so the engine has a chance to see the effect.
When you twist the needle , the change does not happen immediately.
Yes a starter box will alleviate a lot of the frustration, you will also still be able to use the pull starter.

I would not suggest taking the engine apart and such at this point as you really have no idea what you are doing.
You will cause more harm than good.

If you think there is an internal problem with the engine, you need to take it to the hobby shop, or if you cant resolve the issue take it to the shop.

Let us know

Dbow

Nlght-Hawk

I will be tackling this again this evening to see if I can get anywhere with it. I still have a half a tank of gas in it I need to use up and I don't want to sifon it out. I will also look a new glow plug but it seems a little premature for this to be going out already.

Couple of questions though.

The Air/Oil needle: does it need to be tinkered with or is it, once it's set, leave it alone?

Is stalling because of air in the line common and is there anyway to minimize that?

Compression indicator: When you pull the rope it should "pop pop pop" as its going up, or the only way to tell by plugging in a compression tester?

thnx guys,

packfan88

My Feedback: (2)

in very worn engines you can turn the flywheel with your fingers.
that would say almost no compression. it should be very tough if not impossible to turn over with your fingers.

the air/oil (hi-speed?) needle does need to be adjusted for weather (humid-hot days) but thats small 1/8th turns at a time. so its pretty much set it and forget it (after break in ofcourse).

the stalling could be from air in the lines, but have you noticed ar in the lines? are you sure its not to lean and vaporizing the fuel?
check the gas take and carb for air leaks.

Unstable

sounds like the engine leaned out on you.

was the engine real hot afterwards.?

if so then it probably got to lean, the sleeve expanded and stalled the engine, this would also make it tough to turn over.

reset the needle to the factory setting (usually 2 1/2- 3 1/2 turns out from all the way in) and try it then.

I always gt my engine running rich first by backing out the needle till it sputters when I gas it then lean it out a touch at a time till it runs without hesitation but still has a nice with of smoke coming out of the truck.

and yes you should tune your engine every time you run it as the mixture needed varies with weather.

Nlght-Hawk

Ok, I just pulled it out again.

I primed it 3 times and gave it a few pulls of the rope. Nothing, and it seemed pretty tight. Gave it another prime and pulled it again and was as if the engine was seized, it was VERY difficult to pull. It looened up after a few pulls but seemed way to hard to pull.

I think I am just gonna take it to the LHS and see if they can get it going. I would feel better having someone look at it who knows what "Should" happen besides me guessing.

Just to top it all off, I was running my buggy and the motor leads came off and I am waiting for a soldering iron to come in the mail!! I am not winning with this hobby

Nlght-Hawk

For those following this thread, with any interest. I took it to the LHS and after taking the head off and going through the motions he determined it was the FlyWheel had come loose.

He explained the 2 types of Flywheel and the problems with both. I am gonna look itup to see what type I have and see if I can repair it.

Thank you for all the guidance everyone gave.