RC car engine does not start
 

Hello. I got a FTX Torro yesterday and since then I've been trying to start the engine. I followed all the instructions on the manual, primed the engine, tried to warm up the engine with a blow dryer, but it won't start. I thought it could be flooded, so I removed the fuel from under the glow plug, but this didn't solve the problem. The pullstarter is now pretty hard to pull, but warming up the engine with the blow dryer made it a little better. I don't know if I should keep trying to fix it or if I should stop because I might break something, or if I have already broken something inside the engine. I am new to RC cars and the shop I bought it from is closed because of the corona virus, so I cant bring it there so someone can help me.
Any tips on how I should proceed?
Also I watched a lot of YouTube videos but no luck.

What fuel are you using?
Does the glowplug light up?

Thanks for the reply. The brand of fuel I'm using is Rapicon, it's 16% RC Nitro fuel. And yes, the glowplug lights up strong orange.

It’s probably still just really hard to start because its brand new, and has a very tight pinch. Plus, you haven’t been able to run it yet to see how the needles are acting. You just gotta keep trying, and it will most likely start running. It’s very rare that an engine that’s new out of the box has a defect so severe that it will never start. Just make sure that you ALWAYS heat up prior to starting. I would suggest a heat gun, and not a hair dryer. A hair dryer will work, but it doesn’t get as hot as a heat gun. So if you can find one, use that. Especially with the amount of pinch your new engine has. More heat might be precisely what you need. Also, prior to your first pull after heating, make sure your piston is at full Bottom Dead Center. This will assist only your initial pull not being hard to pull, and get that crank to fully rotate that first pull. Always check your glow plug after every couple unsuccessful attempts to start. Never know when it goes out and then you are trying to start an engine with a bad glow plug. Keep at it, man. I’m sure you will get it running.

While starting, keep the finger for a moment on the exhaust tail pipe, it will push the fuel arround.

Thanks for the reply. Is there any possibility that if I keep trying to start it with the pullstarter this hard I'll break something? If the pullstarter is too hard will it break something inside the engine or is it just the string that will snap? I'm a bit scared that I might break something because I've been trying to start it all day yesterday and the pullstarter seems to be only getting harder to pull. Using the hair dryer to heat the engine did make the pullstarter a bit easier to pull though.

Thanks for the reply. I will try that.

no, it shouldn’t break anything internally in the engine. The string would be the first thing to go. Again, try to find a heat gun if you can. You should try to get the engine up to about 160-180 before trying to start it. That would be hard to do with a hair dryer.
will make pulling starter and starting engine much easier.

Thanks, I will try that.

Keep us posted!

Turn up the throttle trim so it opens the carb about a mm to get it started and warmed up then turn it back down once its warm.

Any luck today??

yes I got it started yesterday, just heated the engine up a lot and then it worked. I have another question though: I live in Ireland and it's a bit cold over here. Every time I want to turn on the engine I have to spend 5-10 minutes warming it up with the hair dryer. And this morning it was cold and I didn't have the blow dryer available so I had to start the engine without it, and it took me around 15 minutes of pulling the pullstarter to get the engine started. That is very tiring and it hurts your hand a lot. I'd like to either the engine be hot enough so I can start the engine easily using the pullstarter, or to not have to worry about temperatures and just use the Roto Starter. To fix this problem should I get a heating bag that goes around the engine and heats it faster, or should I get a Roto Starter? which one will be better for winters?

When you did break in the engine, found a better tuning and gained more experience it will go much easier.

glad you got it going! I don’t think you need to invest in a heating bag. But definitely a reliable and hot heat gun, or “hair dryer”! Yes, the extra 5 to 10 minutes spent heating up the engine, is a bit of a time killer. But, it will make it easier to start, this saving the pain in your hands, a lot! Not only that, warming the engine prior to starting will add some extra life to your engine, meaning it will even last a few extra gallons doing so. So you will thank yourself in the long run for taking the time to warm up your engine each time you start. Also, now that you’ve got the engine running, I’m assuming your broke it in properly. This will help take away from that initial “pinch” the engine has, and also make it easier to start. You’ll prolly notice that the more fuel you put through the engine, the easier and easier it will get to start. Just have to “wear” it in a little. But, definitely heat before starting! Saves a lot of headache!