Starting a 'barn find' nitro car

[_Fayaz]

Hello,

RC car novice here. Bit of context:

I've got my hands on one of those magazine build nitro cars. It was completed roughly a decade ago, but never filled with petrol or oil, and has never been started.

What will I need to do in order to get it running? Fill up and go or will gaskets etc need changing? I assume it'll need oil and various bits greasing up.

I think it's a Kyosho Alpha 2GP, and the motor is a GX-15.

[Bungleaio]

I would strip and rebuild everything. The engine should be ok if it turns over without a glow plug in the head.

Good luck getting it running, nitro's can be a right faff to get running right. Have you got the magazines from the build? They should assist.

[_Fayaz]

Bungleaio said:

I would strip and rebuild everything. The engine should be ok if it turns over without a glow plug in the head.

Good luck getting it running, nitro's can be a right faff to get running right. Have you got the magazines from the build? They should assist.

Thanks. Yes it comes with all the magazines. i've not got access to either at the moment, hopefully it'll all be more obvious once I do.

Does the rebuild mean simply reassembling the whole thing, or replacing things like pipes and rubbers? And Is there anything else I should be considering?

[Zombie]

Had a nitro car, hated it. The exhaust gases are evil and they're dirty horrible things that are completely outstripped (afaik) by electric cars. Plus, electric cars don't give you 1st degree burns if you happen to pick it up in the wrong place.

[AdamIndy]

They can be a pain the arse but great at the same time!

Just make sure the electrics work. Servo's, receiver etc. Make sure the throttle linkage is free too. Make sure the engine will turn over. If the engine is indeed new then it will be tight, that's normal. Being a pull start engine I find wearing a glove stops the cord ripping your hand to bits! Make sure the glow plug is ok. Just take it out and stick it in the glow battery. It should, err, glow. If it does then screw it back in.

If all the above is good, put some fresh fuel in, put your finger over the exhaust and pull it over a few times until you can see the fuel reach the carb. Not too much otherwise you will flood it. Just reaching the carb is enough. Close the high speed needle fully, not tight, just closed, then open about 3-3 1/2 turns. Open the throttle with the trim on the transmitter about 2mm. You will see down the neck of the carb. Now put the glow battery on the glow plug and pull the starter. If everything is good then it should start easily. DONT let it Rev it's nuts off straight away. Running them in is critical.(that's a whole other ball game though.) if it locks up, take out the glow plug and pull it over a few times. Now wipe the fuel out of your eyes and replace the glow plug. Screw in(lean) the high speed needle 1/4 turn and repeat.

Most nitro issues are down to people not knowing what they are doing(no offence intended to anyone) or the engine just being cheap st. All of my nitro kit has always been pretty much trouble free.

Also there are no gaskets as such to replace. Just one o ring, 2 bearings and a copper shim. All these will be fine.

Have fun!

[C.A.R.]

Remove the glow plug and turn the engine over with the pullstart. If it sounds like it's compressing then happy days. There shouldn't be much resistance on the pullstart.

Chances are the engine itself was a complete unit when originally supplied so I personally wouldn't strip it down. If no oil or fuel has been put in ever then there is no risk of contamination. Ensure movement of servos as suggested above (old servos which have been sat around can spontaneously stop working in my experience).

I would try to find someone with the equipment to fire it up (glow plug heater, glow fuel) before investing in any. Old fuel is no good (but works well as paint stripper). Then if you do get it started you can decide for yourself whether to keep it and buy the sundries or flog it on eBay.