what RC car do i have?

[ninnon]

sounds good to me, ill learn on that and when it finally dies ill know what I'm doing hopefully. half of me kind of likes keeping old things that should have died out long ago running so who knows maybe this will work out like that too. thanks for your help!

It's ok Thats what were here to do.

 

[SMaxxin]

That pull start is from a nitro star engine, a long time ago the ss18 had a black head exactly like that and I'm almost positive the .15 also had a black head. I had an ss18 in an HPI nitro mt and it would scream!

Try to read the side of the engine block and let us know what is says.

 

[Nitrotrout]

I agree with SMaxxin. I'm almost certain the engine you have is a HPI Nitro Star .15SS with a Traxxas Pro .15 carb.
http://www.hobbycom.com/catalog/category/view/s/hpi-nitro-star-15-ss/id/363/
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Traxxas-TRA...772?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43c69edca4

IMO you're better off buying a new engine than trying to get an old engine with a mismatched carb to run properly.
You can find a new 12, 15, or 18 engine with rotary carb for less than $100.00 on ebay

As far as parts go, you'll find enough replacement parts to build a complete car from scratch on ebay, that includes bodies

 

[griff7373]

Well we think the car is a Losi RC10GT with a bucket chassis, and as I mentioned earlier a torq 3.5 engine from a duratrax. Other than that it looks pretty similar, but as with most old rc's, things get discontinued broken, and replaced with bits off other cars.

I didn't know LOSI made the RC10GT, I thought Associated made them.

 

[ninnon]

I didn't know LOSI made the RC10GT, I thought Associated made them.

My mistake was writing that 11pm last night...

Well you both look as though your right, it does also look like that- trouble is we can't see the side of the block, heres a picture of a torq 3.5:

They look similar, but on closer inspection of the picture, the cooling head doesn't look as curved in the OP's picture. I'm gonna agree with you guys, my mistake

 

[Nitrotrout]

Yeah, Better pics would help fo' sho'.

 

[Italianbonez718]

so i cleaned a little off the side, turns out the motors a HPI and the starter says nitro star (i know i should have looked harder). i still have the carb that was on when it was given to me but i was told the motor would never work with it and i got the used one on it now for a replacement. a fun fact, i did a little searching over the weekend and found another place that services the cars. i brought it to them and got a new glow plug and nitro and he tried to start it AND IT RAN!!!!. so i know after all this time it still screams. after charging the glowplug i had for 8 hours i tried to start it myself at home and it wouldnt stay running :-( and the one time i got it going as soon as the starter retracted i felt a little jerk in the cord and it died. any ideas guys? i would LOVE to get this working on my own and seeing it zip around again.

EDIT: i will take a picture of the side tonight and post it, ill show you what it is. I'm so psyched that it actually ran tho. even the guy was surprised it fired right up.

EDIT AGAIN: is this the Carb that should work with the engine? if so should i buy it (does it make that much of a diffrence to get it to run right?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HPI-Racing-...EW-/161760419123?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

 

[Nitrotrout]

The carb you listed is a slide carb. What you need is a rotary carb with 5.5mm carb opening like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HPI-15162-C...886?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5b0e410056

Check out the "specifications" on the first ad and you'll get all the part #'s and tuning instructions you'll need for your engine.
http://www.gravesrc.com/hpi1600-hpi-nitro-star-15ss.html
http://www.hobbiesr.com/hpi/hpi-204/hpi1601.htm
http://nitrocountryrc.com/nitro-star-15ss-engine-precut-rc10gt-p-328.html

 

[ninnon]

The carb you listed is a slide carb. What you need is a rotary carb with 5.5mm carb opening like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HPI-15162-C...886?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5b0e410056

Check out the "specifications" on the first ad and you'll get all the part #'s and tuning instructions you'll need for your engine.
http://www.gravesrc.com/hpi1600-hpi-nitro-star-15ss.html
http://www.hobbiesr.com/hpi/hpi-204/hpi1601.htm
http://nitrocountryrc.com/nitro-star-15ss-engine-precut-rc10gt-p-328.html

Agreed. Rotary carb is opened and closed via rotation, whereas slide is opened via a sliding action- they need slightly different linkages.

 

[Italianbonez718]

maybe thats the one that was on it before? i will take a picture of the carb that i had originally (its in one of the first ones but its really small, its black and I'm hoping its HPI) and show you guys along with the other picture. since it was running as is do i need to buy the carb or can i just leave on what was there? Also how do i tell if a carb is rotary or sliding?

 

[ninnon]

maybe thats the one that was on it before? i will take a picture of the carb that i had originally (its in one of the first ones but its really small, its black and I'm hoping its HPI) and show you guys along with the other picture. since it was running as is do i need to buy the carb or can i just leave on what was there? Also how do i tell if a carb is rotary or sliding?

If the one on there runs the engine fine- and has both a high and low speed needle, then you're fine- keep on trying to get it started and working, if it still doesn't then identify that it's definitely a carb issue and then buy a new carb (if unfixable)

A rotary carb looks like this:

As you can see it needs a pulling to rotating action to allow more air into the engine, whereas this, a slide carb:

has a slide in it which needs a pulling action to allow more air to enter the engine, also increasing the amount of fuel.

 

[Italianbonez718]

thanks for the info! ill double check that tonight for the needles and post all the pictures.

 

[ninnon]

thanks for the info! ill double check that tonight for the needles and post all the pictures.

Sounds good

 

[Italianbonez718]

i got it to run!!!! i took a picture of the carb that was originally on it (the "broken one") and the engine for you guys, its definitly a HPI. it was so nice to see it scream around the driveway again. but the carb is a single screw so i guess I'm buying the other one, can't wait to see what its like with the new one. any tips on cleaning this thing and is it worth it to eventually break down the motor to get the gunk out of it? (I'm thinking winter time project). id like to get this thing running as well as possible. also how do i tell if its a .15 or a .12? any tips on keeping this thing running as best as possible?

 

[griff7373]

your carb has a low and high end needle adjustment from what I can tell the high is where whe fuel line hooks to the carb and the low looks to be where the rotaty arm is in the middle of it.Your idle screw is right below the air filter.

 

[Italianbonez718]

didnt know that was where the low was. so if it runs but cuts out after a minute idling I'm guessing the idle screw has to be adjusted correct? or is it normal for them not to idle forever?

 

[Nitrotrout]

Engine should continue to idle until it runs out of fuel.
It could be more fine tuning is needed, you have an air leak or the piston and sleeve are worn out

BTW That's definitely a Traxxas Pro .15 carb you have. This might help with your tuning.
https://traxxas.com/support/TRX-Pro15-carburetor-settings

 

[Italianbonez718]

cool thanks. how could you tell its a traxxas? i couldnt find a marking on it. Also is the black carb i have the original carb for the engine?

 

[Nitrotrout]

The Pro .15 has a distinctive two screw cover plate under the high speed needle.
http://www.dollarhobbyz.com/traxxas-1-10-nitro-sport-trx-pro-15-carburetor-air-filter.html

The black carb you have came originally with the engine. Is there any noticeable damage to the black carb?
If it just needs a good cleaning, that's the one I'd use.

 

[Italianbonez718]

when i looked at it yesterday there wasn't a scratch on it. maybe it is a 1 screw and thats why they took it off?? i dont remember the low speed being where it is on the traxxas one.