Troubleshooting Flameouts....
09-10-2009, 08:09 PM
#1
Troubleshooting Flameouts....
I posted this to my local club forums as well, but since rctech gets a LOT more users....I figured I'd toss it out here as well ;-)
OK....so what's the best way to troubleshoot flame-outs? I did some more tuning on this Novarossi Plus 28-7 (running 25% Nitro and an O'Donnell 99 Turbo Plug) tonight and it seems pretty finicky. I adjusted only within a few hours on both the HSN and the LSN and it went from running at barely 200 degrees to pushing 250. It started to mis-fire a bit so I replaced the plug and that problem went away.
All in all it's very rich at the moment. I have the idle set to what I believe is medium high or so. It seems to get a tad higher as the motor warms up as well. No matter what I seem to do.....it will flame out here and there. Sometimes after half a lap....sometimes after 2 laps. Sometimes after a rollover.....sometimes not.
Earlier in the evening it was choking itself to death after landing off a big double in the back right after I hopped back on the throttle for the front straight. If I eased into the throttle.....it seemed to be OK, but if I went WFO right after I landed it would choke and die.
So just looking for some troubleshooting tips here. My LRP flames out far too often as well....and I know it's probably tuning related, but being a newbie...I'm stumped. The elusive "perfect tune" needs to become less elusive!
I may head back out to the track tomorrow midday to do some more tuning...or I may just wait till Sat morning and get there extra early to nail down a tune I can finish the main with.
OK....so what's the best way to troubleshoot flame-outs? I did some more tuning on this Novarossi Plus 28-7 (running 25% Nitro and an O'Donnell 99 Turbo Plug) tonight and it seems pretty finicky. I adjusted only within a few hours on both the HSN and the LSN and it went from running at barely 200 degrees to pushing 250. It started to mis-fire a bit so I replaced the plug and that problem went away.
All in all it's very rich at the moment. I have the idle set to what I believe is medium high or so. It seems to get a tad higher as the motor warms up as well. No matter what I seem to do.....it will flame out here and there. Sometimes after half a lap....sometimes after 2 laps. Sometimes after a rollover.....sometimes not.
Earlier in the evening it was choking itself to death after landing off a big double in the back right after I hopped back on the throttle for the front straight. If I eased into the throttle.....it seemed to be OK, but if I went WFO right after I landed it would choke and die.
So just looking for some troubleshooting tips here. My LRP flames out far too often as well....and I know it's probably tuning related, but being a newbie...I'm stumped. The elusive "perfect tune" needs to become less elusive!
I may head back out to the track tomorrow midday to do some more tuning...or I may just wait till Sat morning and get there extra early to nail down a tune I can finish the main with.
09-10-2009, 08:29 PM
#2
I posted this to my local club forums as well, but since rctech gets a LOT more users....I figured I'd toss it out here as well ;-)
OK....so what's the best way to troubleshoot flame-outs? I did some more tuning on this Novarossi Plus 28-7 (running 25% Nitro and an O'Donnell 99 Turbo Plug) tonight and it seems pretty finicky. I adjusted only within a few hours on both the HSN and the LSN and it went from running at barely 200 degrees to pushing 250. It started to mis-fire a bit so I replaced the plug and that problem went away.
All in all it's very rich at the moment. I have the idle set to what I believe is medium high or so. It seems to get a tad higher as the motor warms up as well. No matter what I seem to do.....it will flame out here and there. Sometimes after half a lap....sometimes after 2 laps. Sometimes after a rollover.....sometimes not.
Earlier in the evening it was choking itself to death after landing off a big double in the back right after I hopped back on the throttle for the front straight. If I eased into the throttle.....it seemed to be OK, but if I went WFO right after I landed it would choke and die.
So just looking for some troubleshooting tips here. My LRP flames out far too often as well....and I know it's probably tuning related, but being a newbie...I'm stumped. The elusive "perfect tune" needs to become less elusive!
I may head back out to the track tomorrow midday to do some more tuning...or I may just wait till Sat morning and get there extra early to nail down a tune I can finish the main with.
OK....so what's the best way to troubleshoot flame-outs? I did some more tuning on this Novarossi Plus 28-7 (running 25% Nitro and an O'Donnell 99 Turbo Plug) tonight and it seems pretty finicky. I adjusted only within a few hours on both the HSN and the LSN and it went from running at barely 200 degrees to pushing 250. It started to mis-fire a bit so I replaced the plug and that problem went away.
All in all it's very rich at the moment. I have the idle set to what I believe is medium high or so. It seems to get a tad higher as the motor warms up as well. No matter what I seem to do.....it will flame out here and there. Sometimes after half a lap....sometimes after 2 laps. Sometimes after a rollover.....sometimes not.
Earlier in the evening it was choking itself to death after landing off a big double in the back right after I hopped back on the throttle for the front straight. If I eased into the throttle.....it seemed to be OK, but if I went WFO right after I landed it would choke and die.
So just looking for some troubleshooting tips here. My LRP flames out far too often as well....and I know it's probably tuning related, but being a newbie...I'm stumped. The elusive "perfect tune" needs to become less elusive!
I may head back out to the track tomorrow midday to do some more tuning...or I may just wait till Sat morning and get there extra early to nail down a tune I can finish the main with.
09-10-2009, 08:50 PM
#3
I'm not a newbie but i too experience unexpected flame outs here and there ehen tuning seems fine. A few times it was my fault with low idle. But other...don't know. Tuning???, fuel/pressure lines???, fuel???(it's the same)...???
09-10-2009, 09:12 PM
#5
I've actually been reading the tuning bible since I made the post. I think my main problem is a too rich LSN. After reading and re-reading the start of the bible....I think I have all those symptoms! I think I may have found a starting point at least...
09-11-2009, 12:01 AM
#8
when you went WOT was this with lots of smoke and a vey rich sounding engine which caused the cut, TBH even if the engine is rich on the LSN it would still run just with poor performance and you would need a high idle to keep it running, for it to cut so quickly when going WOT it may well be the other way and be to lean have you done a pinch test on the fuel line
09-11-2009, 02:16 AM
#9
In my case i have major problems when refueling...engine sounds rich, not performing for a while and may cut out right after refueling...Tuning seems close but even if it wasn't an engine cutting out should require way off settings to do this...maybe it's something else that causes these than tuning...i'm lost on this.
09-11-2009, 05:59 AM
#11
Your best bet is to return the needles back to factory and re-tune. Tune your HSN first, once you have that right then start on the LSN. Put your temp gun away. Some engine prefer to run hotter than others, you can't tune by temps. My V-Spec is a bit of a dog at 225, which some would consider perfect temp wise, and hour leaner on the HSN puts me in the 235-240 range and the engine screams!
Also keep in mind to NEVER tune until your engine is warmed up for at least 3 minutes of hard running. You have to get heat not only in the engine but also in the chassis. An engine will lean out at bit as it comes up to temps, so where you may have a perfect tune when it's still cold, and once it heats up all of a sudden you find a big loss in power because it's over lean.
Also keep in mind to NEVER tune until your engine is warmed up for at least 3 minutes of hard running. You have to get heat not only in the engine but also in the chassis. An engine will lean out at bit as it comes up to temps, so where you may have a perfect tune when it's still cold, and once it heats up all of a sudden you find a big loss in power because it's over lean.
09-11-2009, 06:04 AM
#12
And if it's not the tune that's causing it, like the others have said above. Check your fuel lines, filter, air leaks, tank (make sure no cracks), and check your clutch too. You may also want to make sure the engine is shimmed correctly.
09-12-2009, 06:10 PM
#13
one other thing people try to do is run too cold of a plug,try the odonnel 97t its better to run a hotter plug and burn your fuel than too cold and have it load up its also easier to tune with a hotter plug,also excessive idling of your engine will cause the base to load up that is why its best to run on your track make adjustment safter reaching full operating temperature,that is why you see a lot of people idling fo rwarm up there motor runs very rich until full operating temp the base loads up with fuel and eventually burns out
09-12-2009, 09:19 PM
#14
Pretty sure I have it all sorted out now. I leaned out the bottom a good 3/4 turn and the top by @ 1/4 turn in the end. Bumped the idle down a tad and it ran GREAT all day. Temps were right @ the 240 mark...which I can accept. Still tinkering with it a bit...but I think the major part of the base tune is all set.
I agree on the O'Donnell 97T. I asked the LHS to recommend a plug...he handed me the 99T and I asked if it was a Medium plug...he said yes. I got home...looked online found out it was a cold plug. DOH! So I'll be bring the one new one I have left back for a 97T for sure. It tuned up just fine with a Cold plug though....
I agree on the O'Donnell 97T. I asked the LHS to recommend a plug...he handed me the 99T and I asked if it was a Medium plug...he said yes. I got home...looked online found out it was a cold plug. DOH! So I'll be bring the one new one I have left back for a 97T for sure. It tuned up just fine with a Cold plug though....
09-13-2009, 05:48 AM
#15
Are Odonnell plugs nearly the same a Novarossi plugs on either standard or turbo heads?
I know lots of people are useing Od plugs on NR engines, but I'm going to try to go back and forth to see which plugs work better for me.
It seems a hotter plug is better on tighter tracks, more time off power, so that extra heat for idle is handy. Right??
I know lots of people are useing Od plugs on NR engines, but I'm going to try to go back and forth to see which plugs work better for me.
It seems a hotter plug is better on tighter tracks, more time off power, so that extra heat for idle is handy. Right??