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Tornado fuel, need advice

Tornado fuel, need advice

Old 10-15-2007, 03:03 PM
  #166  
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Originally Posted by Serpentd
Yes I did. I used 30% Blue Thunder "Race Blend". This is the fuel that I have ran for those 10 years I was telling you about. This is the more popular fuel for Colorado (Where I live) becaude of the Hobby Towns and our Race Club not associated with HT. I've always been very happy with this fuel as far as performance. I know it's good because the "fast" guys at our club have used it forever and they can stay right up there with the "Swagers" of the US and like I said before, I have NEVER had an issue with killing an engine. My engines usually get about 6-7 gallons through them on the same Piston and sleve. They never die, but they definately loose their power. although they still run good. Just not great!

The only "wierd" thing with this fuel is it makes your parts turn a little blue inside the engine. But this has no effect on the parts. Also, it doesn't say, but I think it uses a 12% castor/synthetic oil blend. But don't quote me on that. I also mention that I live in Colorado because of our altitude, which is around 5000 ft above sea level. So I am use to having to retune my engines when I travel. This is obviously the very first thing I do. And this race was at the 301 raceway in Maryland which I believe is pretty much sea level or maybe 500 ft. Just a guess.

And yes, I did shim my head clearence apropriately for the altitude and Nitro percentage I ran. I think I ran either 20 or 25% tornado. This was the ONLY fuel available for this race at the track.

The other thing to note about the engine that died, was the top of the piston was pitted very severly. This has me a bit stumped. It was fine after the qualifiers, as the engine died during the main. So maybe I did have a shimming issue, but I honestly don't think that was it. I would have to get that engine and measure the shims. I believe I used two silver (thick) and two copper (thin). I know that probably doesn't mean anything to you, but since I always run RB, this is how I have learned to do it. I don't know the "actuall" head clearence including the head button and all. But I have all the parts in a bag still, because I someday want to understand what happen to that engine. I'm still guessing it was the fuel.

So any ideas there Wally bro? Thanks for taking the time here. OH yea, SAM...if you read this again, maybe you can shed some light here since you were pitting for me when this happened. This was the Capital Classic race in Maryland.
Yup, I was indeed the one pitting for you at that time, all I notice is when I richen it an hour the engine just don't have enough power that is why we did lean it out 1/2 an hour at a time up to the point where it has decent power, but still have smoke trail, but about at the 12 minute mark your motor just died leaving no compression at all, it feels like spinning only the crankshaft on ball bearings, but I don't know what head clearance you have on that engine.
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Old 10-15-2007, 03:17 PM
  #167  
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Originally Posted by Team Kamikaze
Yup, I was indeed the one pitting for you at that time, all I notice is when I richen it an hour the engine just don't have enough power that is why we did lean it out 1/2 an hour at a time up to the point where it has decent power, but still have smoke trail, but about at the 12 minute mark your motor just died leaving no compression at all, it feels like spinning only the crankshaft on ball bearings, but I don't know what head clearance you have on that engine.
what did the engine sound like when it did not have much power.
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Old 10-19-2007, 08:47 AM
  #168  
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I think it is all because of the head clearance, that is why there is this problem.
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Old 10-20-2007, 12:16 AM
  #169  
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Originally Posted by hkboy
I think it is all because of the head clearance, that is why there is this problem.
yes and more.
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Old 10-20-2007, 10:09 AM
  #170  
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Originally Posted by wallyedmonds
yes and more.
Yes about head clearence I do believe. I think I overlooked and presumed I had already made the head clearence alterations, however this appears to not be the case. I will post pics soon here.
Unfortunateley I cannot be 100% sure what my clearence was, because I ALWAYS have 1 thick (silver) shim and 2 of the thinner (copper) shims. In my bag where I put the dissasembled engine, I noticed only the 2 copper shims. I'm not sure if I took out the silver one for another engine or not? But I will lay out the parts and take some close ups and also be more specific on the shim thicknesses. Rather then 1 silver, 2 copper etc, no one knows what the heck that means without #'s. I still appreciate your guys input and am curious to hear what you have to say after you see the pics. Yes, head clearence is the most obvious, especially if I only had the 2 thin shims in that thing. Anyway, check back soon please for your feedback. Thanks guys. The ONLY thing I am certain about, well at least 99.9% is that I did not run lean. Pleanty of smoke and temps 220-240 max. Not even sure if I hit the 240 mark, but I only use the temp as a secondary tunining guide It's easier to tell if your lean or rich by the "feel", "sound" and smoke. But nevertheless, I like to check temps regardless.

Oh yeah, Wally-bro, I don't recal totally as to the sound with lack of power. 10 cars on the field and my hearing sucks. But I don't recall it blubbery as too being way too rich, but it was very evident that it was only running at about 80-85% power. Felt slow and too much smoke like it wouldn't clear itself out. Make sence? Sorry, since this happened 3-4 months ago it's hard to remember the details. I might have to call upon SAM your "HUDY Truer" buddy to see if he recalls any specifics. That dude I swear has a photographic memory sometimes. And even if the 2 of you don't agree about stuff all the time, doesn't make either of you a bad guy. Sam has become a GREAT friend of mine over the coarse of a year and I have been very appreciative for his help on and off the track. Regardless, Thankyou to everyone!!

Now let me see if I can't get some pics up for all to poke at. Later all!
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Old 10-23-2007, 03:10 PM
  #171  
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Hey Serpentd

Not a problem. We did not do much. Glad that we can help out
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Old 10-23-2007, 04:15 PM
  #172  
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Originally Posted by Serpentd
Yes about head clearence I do believe. I think I overlooked and presumed I had already made the head clearence alterations, however this appears to not be the case. I will post pics soon here.
Unfortunateley I cannot be 100% sure what my clearence was, because I ALWAYS have 1 thick (silver) shim and 2 of the thinner (copper) shims. In my bag where I put the dissasembled engine, I noticed only the 2 copper shims. I'm not sure if I took out the silver one for another engine or not? But I will lay out the parts and take some close ups and also be more specific on the shim thicknesses. Rather then 1 silver, 2 copper etc, no one knows what the heck that means without #'s. I still appreciate your guys input and am curious to hear what you have to say after you see the pics. Yes, head clearence is the most obvious, especially if I only had the 2 thin shims in that thing. Anyway, check back soon please for your feedback. Thanks guys. The ONLY thing I am certain about, well at least 99.9% is that I did not run lean. Pleanty of smoke and temps 220-240 max. Not even sure if I hit the 240 mark, but I only use the temp as a secondary tunining guide It's easier to tell if your lean or rich by the "feel", "sound" and smoke. But nevertheless, I like to check temps regardless.

Oh yeah, Wally-bro, I don't recal totally as to the sound with lack of power. 10 cars on the field and my hearing sucks. But I don't recall it blubbery as too being way too rich, but it was very evident that it was only running at about 80-85% power. Felt slow and too much smoke like it wouldn't clear itself out. Make sence? Sorry, since this happened 3-4 months ago it's hard to remember the details. I might have to call upon SAM your "HUDY Truer" buddy to see if he recalls any specifics. That dude I swear has a photographic memory sometimes. And even if the 2 of you don't agree about stuff all the time, doesn't make either of you a bad guy. Sam has become a GREAT friend of mine over the coarse of a year and I have been very appreciative for his help on and off the track. Regardless, Thankyou to everyone!!

Now let me see if I can't get some pics up for all to poke at. Later all!
As far as I can recall, during the main the motor sounds normal not screaming lean, it has smoke coming out of the exhaust with a nice grunt everytime it passes in front of the pits, all of the sudden the motor flamed out at the middle of the infield and it won't restart again, and when I check the compression by spinning the flywheel, I did not feel any compression at all, it was so smooth that I even made a joke to Darren by asking him "does this motor have a ceramic bearing in it"? I also did checked the temp reading and it is at 207 degrees.
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Old 10-23-2007, 05:14 PM
  #173  
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i had this years ago
my motor was running slow and with alot of smoke,so i thought it was rich so i leaned it up a bit.
it sounded like it was not cleaning out but then it just died and the same thing,the flywheel just spun free.
the motor was a novarossi
the piston did have pitting so i think the head clearance was not right or something.
and i was running that evil blue thunder stuff.
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Old 11-13-2007, 09:51 AM
  #174  
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Josh and Scott,

We thank you very much for a good results at the Sedan Nat.
We are all very happy here. Thank you.

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