hard to pull start

[Mikester311]

The screw for my throttle worked it's way out today so i replaced it with a new one and used a little thredloc to keep in it place. I also did some cleaning around the outside of the engine. Now all of the sudden my pull starter is really hard to pull. If I loosen the glow plug, it's easier again. So this tells me that it may have something do do with the compression?? I can start the engine fine and it runs but it sounds like it running a little rough. Any ideas?

 

[RaCinJason399]

is it rich? when its rich or "flooded" it will pull hard... but my ideas is to lean it out a little/:coffee

 

[Mayhem]

How many gallons what engine? Could be in Hydrolock or your piston may be worn.

 

[Mikester311]

I'm pretty sure it's not flooded only because I just started it a little while ago even though I had to use some force ont he pull start. It's a hpi .12 on a rs4. I was running it earlier today and it was running great until the end of about the second tank it started puttering real bad. I thought it was just air in the fuel lines. If I gave it full throttle it would stop puttering. It's wierd because it was running fine and the pull start was real smooth only a few hours ago.

 

[Mayhem]

Could be time for anew engine a re-build.

What would I know I could be wrong!

Check the piston and sleeve to you see any peices of metel?

 

[Mikester311]

I hope I wouldn't have to rebuild the engine. I mean, why would it run so good one earlier? What's involved in a rebuild?

 

[RaCinJason399]

is it cold out? it sounds like it could even be too lean now that I'm trying to think of what could be wrong. try to give it a wee bit of gas...

 

[Mikester311]

I'm in Florida and the weather is awsome!! It was like 80° today. There was a lot of pollon in the air and the car was covered with it. I don't think that would have anything to do with anything though. I did give the car some gas when I started it a little while ago. I gave it full throttle just holding in my hand. It just sounded kinda rough? I think.. Or at least it seemed that way.
I'm wondering if I have to replace the engine if i can upgrade it to a hpi .15? I guess that would give me a little more punch anyways.

 

[M@xximillion]

First, you can hydro-lock you engine with as little as two pulls.
Second, it sounds to me like your running rich. Try leaning out the setting and take it from there. Also check to see if your glo-plug is glowing bright.

 

[SkyMaxx]

I wouldn't rule out damage to the piston and sleeve. An engine that runs good one minute and then not so good the next could be suffering fuel issues or hardware problems.

Follow the steps for getting through a flooded engine and see what you have with the pull start. If the engine remains a bear to pull, then check the internals for damage.

 

[AoD]

Hey, that happened to me... I found out that my idle screw was open way to far on the carb. It would hydrolock itself and become VERY irritating. So finally I adjusted it perfectly and didn't have a problem since. Though, I didn't have the "stuttering" as you're saying. But I will say, that little idle screw gave me a hassle and a half. AE must have forgot to set my idle screw correctly when I bought the car. heheh See if that helps the starting problems. As for the stuttering... I'd say to rich. Is there too much smoke coming out of it in mid-high range RPM's? Or even at low-mid RPM's?

I may be wrong about it. Though leave nothing to chance. Hopefully it's not a piston/sleeve problem. But if it is, just remember. It happens. hehe I say a BRAND NEW T-maxx with the 2.5 and it had less than 10 tanks of fuel through it. Sleeve and piston were shot. So... In my little experience so far, I'd say it's a win or lose situation, just like a real car. hehe Specially fords. (Nothing against fords, just I hate my escort )

 

[NitroWannabe]

A friend of mine had a similiar problem. It turned out to be old fuel which wasn't stored properly.

An easy way to tell if your fuel has gone bad....poor a little on your skin (away from any open wounds of course). If its cool and light, kinda like alcohol, its good. If it feels room temp and doesn't have that sense of evaporation, its bad.

 

[Candyman]

Ok...which screw came out? If it was the HSN, you may need to readjust your carb. And did you take the carb off to fix it? May be an airleak around the body of the carb. If the pull start is hard to pull, I'll agree with everyone else. Flooded or internal damage. May need to disassemble the engine, clean it and look for damage.

 

[mcvickj]

If it comes down to having to rebuild your engine don't worry about that. It is extreamly easy. HPI has some nice instructions that I followed for my first time tearing into my engine. If you go to HPI's site, click on the Instructions link, scroll down a lil bit and you will see a link for "How to rebuild a nitro engine".

 

[Mike c.]

did you break it in right?

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

Originally posted by Mikester311
I'm wondering if I have to replace the engine if i can upgrade it to a hpi .15? I guess that would give me a little more punch anyways.

the .12ss has 1.1BHP
the .15ss has .75 BHP
just cuz its got more cc's dosent meen it has more power. Look into another manufaturer if you want a .15 engine with more punch. Fantom and OS make really good affordable engines that will fit your car.