Redcat TT5 issues, need help.

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CallsignVega

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I just broke in my TT5 buggy and during my first run out two issues developed. The throttle/brake servo, E-9001 completely died. The OEM servos must be real cheap. I replaced it with an leftover airtronics 50 oz as a stop-gap solution and the car still ran fine.

After replacing the servo I took the car out and on the first track run it just completely dies. I go to restart but nothing, not even trying to turn over. It is a CY 28.5 stroker. What would make an engine die mid run and not even come close to re-starting? The H and L trims where good, the fuel selector is open or "on", the air filter is clean. I took off the spark plug and there was some oil/gas in there obviously from trying to start it and it not turning over. The spark plug looked ok, just a little bit of fuel. Could there be something wrong with the spark system?

Any thought appreciated.
 
I cant believe how well my stock servos have been holding up to the abuse. Not one problem with them as of yet. I hate to say this about your motor but if it just stopped running and it was not a fouled plug I would guess the ring has gone away from you. Check your compression. Work your pull starter a few times and if it just turns the motor over with no hang up at all I would say it your top end. No compression. I learned that you should run these redcats rich on the top end and keep the oil at least 32 to 1 mix. I thought I had Robs truck tunned right and then I smoked his ring.
 
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Phatdad, when I pull the starter I still get the resistance and pulsing as the piston goes up and down. Also, with the spark plug out I also get the pulsation of air coming out the top of the cylinder real strong. I don't thing it is a ring issue. Do you have any other thoughts?
 
Here is a few updates on my testing. I did the spark plug test and I do get a blue arc from the plug. So I assume that I have no ignition issues. I did turn the car upside down with the spark plug out and cleared the cylinder of fuel and cleaned the spark plug. Quite a bit of fuel came out. With the fuel purged and the spark plug back in, I still could not get it to even hint of kicking over. All I get is the normal air pulse resistance when I pull the starter. Obviously fuel is still getting into the engine seeing as when I try to start it and it doesn't turn over, it just keeps flooding. Another peculiarity I noticed before the engine died was that when I went to press the red "stop" button on the engine it didn't stop the engine. I had to use the choke to cut the fuel off. Also during the run, fuel overflowed out of the top of the fuel cap where the little air hole is. I have no idea why it would do that.
 
ok, if you had fuel coming out of the motor, its REALLY Flooded.
if you have ever unflooded a nitro motor, its similar to that process.

plug out, Flip upside down, Pull throatle wide open (use your controller) pull the starter rope 15 to 20 times, flip right side up, put down, let off throatle, look thru plug hole and then pull rope slowly until you see the piston at TDC (top dead center) and let it set for 20 minutes. be sure to shut off the electronics first.

after 20 minutes, do this same procedure. at the end, put a new plug in it. hold it wide open and give it a few pulls, and see if it fires up or blubbers at all. Hold on to the buggy incase it does fire up. but if its that flooded, i suspect it will blubber a bit and stall. just keep the throatle wide open (ofcourse making sure the choke plate is open or OFF (usually horizontal to the carb), and keep pulling it over. if its blubbering it will start.

if by chance after 10 or so pulls, and you get no signs of life at all, let off the wot and try to start it as you normally would if it was the first start. choke on, 2 to 3 pulls until the motor pops, choke off, two to 3 pulls till its running.

if it still don't fire up, it may still be flooded out, or there may be other things to check. ie fuel flow, linkages working properly and correctly adjusted, fuel lines are not cracked split ect.....
gas tank is venting thru the cap properly.

can you give us more details than "it just dies". was it running really good? was it running really studdery, sounding like it was gargleing mouthwash? how much fuel did you get thru. what oil and mix ratio are you using?
when it died, was it during a faster run? or did it die when it was at idle?

what is the carbs low and high needles set to?
stock settings in most cases are 1 1/2 out on the High needle and 1 1/4 out on the low needle.

a bit more information, adn we can narrow it down. just be sure you put in a new plug. just cuz you get spark outside the motor, don't mean the plug will fire once installed.
the original plug may well be fouled out and could be the only problem..
 
Hello again. This is exactly what happened right before and when it died. After heat cycling it three times and getting it broke in (in which it started on the first or second pull every time and ran great), I then started to run it around a small track for about ten minutes. On a jump it rolled over and was running upside down. It took about six seconds for me to get out there and flip it over. After I put it right side up, I ran it around the course for another ~30 seconds, in which it still ran good. Still sounded and ran normal then during a turn with partial throttle, it bogged quietly for a couple of seconds, then died. I have not been able to get it to kick over once since then. The engine only has about a half of a tank total through it at this point. I have been using a 1:25 ratio Klotz R50 Racing Synthetic Lube to gasoline.

These are the things I have tried/checked:

Spark plug outside cylinder gives spark, enough for it to shock me.
Coil gap checked and re-adjusted. Coil gap was pretty good, but I fine tuned it to about one business card gap.
Took off JetPro pipe and it was not plugged, engine still did not start.
Every time it would flood I would take de-flood measures as you guys described. I even left the plug out over night to let any fuel evaporate.
The carb H and L screws are stock, worry more about the L of course seeing as the H is not used during starting.
There is fuel in the "prime bubble".
I tried stating it using the normal choke off position with full throttle, choke on and no throttle, and pretty much many combinations there-of. I could not get it to even burble, pop, or make any sounds whatsoever that would indicate it is trying to start.
Fuel lines look good.
There is quite a bit of resistance like normal when the piston goes up and down. Air comes rushing out of the cylinder top and exhaust with the spark plug and exhaust out like it is suppose to. Ring, piston and walls look new.

The pretty much only thing I haven’t done is change the spark plug because I do not have any extra's at the moment. The plug looks ok, it's a little black from oil. I cleaned it with a wire brush and got more of a metal shine to it now. I have seen some pretty bad spark plugs but this doesn't look bad at all. I can even send a pic for you guys to see what it looks like if you want.

The only abnormality during the whole run after the break in was the fuel coming out of the pinhole in the gas cap here in the hot Iraqi sun. I guess the fuel expanded so much in the heat that it overflowed. Is that normal or is air just suppose to come out?

So where do you suggest I go from here? It is just a little disappointing after shelling out almost $1300 for an upgraded buggy and ten minutes of fun and the thing is completely dead. One of the reasons I went with gas over nitro was the ease of use and lack of large/tuning maintenance. Was this a mistake? Your input is greatly appreciated.
 
Did you oil the air filter before you ran it? Did you over-oil it before this problem started? I found dirt in my carb, even after taking care to make sure the filter was oiled. I have to switch to a billet air fitler this weekend, before I run the new TGN pipe.
 
i would start out with a new plug. the bogged when you turned has me thinking maybe the fuel line has gotten cracked, check it out reallly good. my neighbor had a small pin hole in his fuel line, and ever time he turned left it would bog out or stall on him. i told him to check for a pinhole in his fuel line, but he swore it was ok. so after some tuning and a few toher things checked with no luck, he decided he was gonna pull the motor and send it back to the builder. in the process of pulling the motor out, he grabbed the full line to take it off and low n behold seen a big mouth open up in the line when he went to pull it off. cut the bad spot off and now its running great again.

just check over the stuff very well, small fuel line holes can play havoc.

i would put in a new plug, and go thru a few of the unflooding processes first to help be sure its dry inside the motor.

no mistake going form Nitro to Gasser, there are a few more pssible things to go wrong like the coil, or such. but for the most part, a gasser is much easier to work on, maintain and run than a nitro. but no less fustrating when its not running.
 
Those pics are after the cleaning. I checked the fuel lines, seem ok. Took the carb apart, seemed ok. Checked air filter, very little oil and even tried turning it over with no air filter, still wont start. I have a couple of spark plugs on the way but I doubt that will resolve the issue. Does anyone else have any suggestions to try while I wait for the spark plugs to be shipped in? I am just amazed at how cheap of a design/finiky these engines are. I get really pissed off with these "mystery" problems that do not make any logical sense.
 
I've got the same exact problem. I am going to swtich out the carb today and see if that helps. I am now thinking I got dirt int he carb.
 
are you using the stock airfilter??? mabey a better filter too

this is the best one I have found for the price the firehammer airfilter $16

Look at the mud and dirt in these photos

Hf98650.jpg



Rp43838.jpg


......................................................................................................................................


now look at the inner filter.....clean as a whistle:)

Rp42240.jpg
 
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USABaja5 said:
I've got the same exact problem. I am going to swtich out the carb today and see if that helps. I am now thinking I got dirt int he carb.
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Baja, are you saying yours is having the same problem as mine now?

My air filter is super clean. The engine only ran around the track for about ten minutes before it died and subsequent no-restart.
 
Yes, exact problem. I installed a new 29cc head kit and can't get it started. I switched the carb yesterday and it finally is getting some life. It now runs for a few seconds!!!!!!!! It was too hot to fool around with it, but I'm going out again in a few minutes. The fuel cap may be the problem. I started mine without it for the last few pulls. I'm not sure if that is the problem though. More to come later.
 
upgrade/change your fuel lines mabey??? try adding a breather line to your tank/gas cap???

what about your red kill switch button......sometimes the wiring that goes to it or the button itself messes up..... that would keep it from starting too

My T-bolt had a vapor lock thing going on ... it would start to sputter, then I would unsrew the gas cap and retighten it ran better after that

Not saying thats the problem just flipping some ideas
 
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hellya said:
upgrade/change your fuel lines mabey??? try adding a breather line to your tank/gas cap???

what about your red kill switch button......sometimes the wiring that goes to it or the button itself messes up..... that would keep it from starting too

My T-bolt had a vapor lock thing going on ... it would start to sputter, then I would unsrew the gas cap and retighten it ran better after that

Not saying thats the problem just flipping some ideas
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USABaja5 said:
I'm thinking its the gas cap too. Trya nd start it without the gas cap on. I switched my gas caps and it helped.
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I really appreciate all of you guys help, but the friggin thing still wont start. I tried starting it with the gas cap off. No dice. I also tried starting it with the kill switch connected and disconnected. No Dice. I really dion't think it's my fuel system. When I press the prime bubble there is absolutely no issue and fuel fills up instantly. Also, when pulling the engine, gasoline gets into the cylinder, you can sure smell it.

I just don't get how a engine that started up instantly and with zero fuss then dies mid run and then isn't even in the ballpark of giving a hint it will start. No sputter, gargle, absolutely nothing. Just waiting for spark plugs in the mail is about the only thing I haven't tried. Unless my sparkplug had a complete meltdown inside, I am kinda doubtfull that is the problem. Yet it gives a spark outside the engine.. :no:
 
CallsignVega said:
I really appreciate all of you guys help, but the friggin thing still wont start. I tried starting it with the gas cap off. No dice. I also tried starting it with the kill switch connected and disconnected. No Dice. I really dion't think it's my fuel system. When I press the prime bubble there is absolutely no issue and fuel fills up instantly. Also, when pulling the engine, gasoline gets into the cylinder, you can sure smell it.

I just don't get how a engine that started up instantly and with zero fuss then dies mid run and then isn't even in the ballpark of giving a hint it will start. No sputter, gargle, absolutely nothing. Just waiting for spark plugs in the mail is about the only thing I haven't tried. Unless my sparkplug had a complete meltdown inside, I am kinda doubtfull that is the problem. Yet it gives a spark outside the engine.. :no:
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Try the new plug first..... you might want to try a new head kit...Wish you were closer I would get it started for ya... I got new carbs laying around and head kit

the kits arent that expensive

http://www.davesmotors.com/cgi-bin/...cgi?storeid=*1c430af680c00dda309247fa14dd4780


Make sure your idle screw gives you a idle.... you can screw it in a couple of extra turns just to be sure...if you don't have a idle it wont start
 
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My stroker was installed by innovativehobby.com. I wonder if they have any type of warranty. I will try the new spark plugs as soon as they come in. As for the "idle screw", do you mean the screw below the H and L screws that slightly adjusts the resting throttle position? I have tried in and out with no luck.
 
hellya you beat me to it, the killswich could be the prob, i had to drill a hole and put a screw in it to pull out to stop or start it, it took me a few days to fig out and it was a simple prob!
 
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