should a nitro rc car be hard to start?

[eggchaser1987]

The lovley father Christmas got me a nice nitro rc car and stuff to go with it. Great I thaught nice, fun and annoy the neighbours today .

Anyway got it out filed it all up and then realused I couldnt start the sodding thing .

Are they really that hard to start with the pull start? I had to put all my fource into holding it down so it didn't go flying through the air when it was pulled. So are they hard to start or have I just got a faulty one and not got the nack of it?

Did have one years ago and dont remember it being this hard. Thanks all in the scale model.

[Brother D]

1. Check flooding - remove glow plug and pull over.
2. Connect glow plug to battery heater and check you deg hot red color.
3. replace glow plug and try starting (electric starters are a god-send).
4. Check the neddle valve is correct setting - (have to look at instructions, all the way in 3 turns out etc).

P.s. I had a weird one where I couldn't start an engine - after ages troubleshooting the cylinder head was loose!

[S1_RS]

Some of my RC Nitro cars have been difficult to turn over from new, rather than trying to start it I just use the pull cord to turn it over one revolution at a time until it freed up enough to be able to turn it over easier.

[richtea78]

Nitro cars are a massive pain in the arse IMO.

I only buy brushless or 2 stroke ones now.

As to helping your situation the advice above is perfect. Once you have run it in properly it should get easier to start though. Then you can have all the fun dicking about with tuning the needles to get the right mixtures etc.

[eggchaser1987]

Thanks for the help all. Will give it a go tomorrow, already broken one rc thing today don't want to make it two!

Think as said an electric start will be invested in next, any recommendations for one?

Something like this?

www.modelsport.co.uk/fastrax-allstart-cool-flame-s...

Sorry for all the questions have a virtual pint on me for the help

[The_Jackal]

Watch some of the excellent videos on youtube, they will help massively.
DO NOT go fiddling with the needles yet as you havent even broke the engine in yet. If you do, you will be making a hard job ten times harder.
Nitro cars are not plug and play, and benefit greatly from reading how to do things properly.
If you apply the normal "i'm a bloke and dont need to read the manual" you will be selling it on eBay tomorrow because it doesnt work.

If it is very hard to turn over, just loosen the glow plug a tad and tighten it after it fires up.
Make sure the fuel is "primed" proplerly first and your glow plug starter is FULLY charged
Start it while it is up on a block so the wheels can turn freely.

[Rude-boy]

The above is so true.

I've been through 4 nitro cars and they are great fun but technical. If you've got 20 minutes for a blast forget it.

I'm going brushless next time.

[JaffaT]

90% of my starting issues have always been a lack of glow plug voltage.

I ended up making my own glow plug starter using a bigger battery and some home made connectors.

Follow your running in instructions by the book, I had running in fuel and a running in needle setting.

[eggchaser1987]

Thanks for the help all. Had it going today, not full pelt as still running it in. Gave the glow plug starter a good charge over night and left it on the plug a bit longer to ensure it was getting hot enough.

Seamed to work so assume that was the problem. Had fun with it today so full chat will be good, never know msy get good enough and get into racing it one say after a bit of modifying , just something else to be accused of wasting my money on.

Thanks again all.

[richtea78]

Be careful, you can spend serious money on them

I know one guy who raced large scale reckoned it was costing over £20k a year but he was travelling all over Europe to be fair!

[dimma205]

If its a brand new engine will be tight best way is to heat engine with hair dryer until hot to touch then try and start should be ok then just run it in.