I have been using the O'Donnell plug and runs great, the plug is cheaper and no problems! I used the Nova plug for break in and switched it out after break in, so I can not comment on how the plugs compare!

I just replaced mine after almost 2 gallons plus the break in ( maybe 2.5-2 3/4 gallons total)... I had a ghost flame after a pit stop and couldn't find anything else wrong so thru a plug at it. Looking at the old plug, it was a touch shinney brownish black from carbon build up/ oil burning on the inside of the cone and just at a touch grey on the coil but not distorted at all. Engine was running great before and continued to run great after the plug change.

Thank you very much for the comment...

While on the topic of the P5XLT...what are people running for a manifold and pipe on this motor? I'm new to this.

The track we run at doesn't have huge long straight aways, more corners to get out of with jumps to gain speed on. Looking for more Low/Mid range power.

Sounds like the 9853/41005 combo is what you're looking for.

There's also the cheaper 053 versions by Ofna and Dynamite.

I'm currently running the Ofna 053 in my mbx7t and have nothing bad to say about it. However, I've heard the Dynamite 053 pipe set is a little more rugged so you may want to go that route instead.

Been running the new ODonnell V2 plugs (#288T medium) for 2.5 months now and couldn't be happier- still on the same plug, hasn't flamed, broken or acted funny yet. Its very consistent and helps to provide tons of power!

hey guys, i hope you can clear up some of my confusion. i'm looking around at different nova engines and i see some list a reverse style carb. is it just the low side needle is on the other side or does the slide actually push in to accelerate or both?

From my understanding, its where the Idle/Air Gap needle is located. For us Off Road types and the way the engine sits in the chassis, the non-reverse carbs had the idle adjustment under the carb next to the flywheel. The "reverse" moved it to the top next to the head.

Someone correct me if Im wrong. ( I know you will anyways)

You got it.

Yes, it is

Oh, well that's cool. I'm so new to nitro that what I thought was regular is the reverse style. Thanks for clearing that up for me. Just got my elite 5 all mounted up, can't wait to hit the track Saturday.

Nice, that looks to be a bad arse mill!! Really curious on its performance keep us posted

Fired it up tonight but was giving me a hard time. I think the idle gap was too small so. I opened it up some and put the needles back to factory. Kids went sleep before I could try it again. If the weather holds out I'm going to go to the track tomorrow and I know a few guys that run nova engine so hopefully get a race review for it.

Lean lsn 15-30mins, usuall.

Do not count needle turns...that ruins the O-rings on the needles...

the HSN should be flush and the LSN should be flush with a 0.6 mm idle gap....this is a ideal starting point.......

Also the engine was not broken in with that carb, so the needles were 100% at factory settings...which usually means pig rich with a slightly too large idle gap........very unlikely it needs an even bigger idle gap, the issue is most likely the LSN is way too rich for the engine to run........

I'll double check the idle gap but I couldn't get my .5 gauge in the opening. I was able to get it to idle but as it would transition from lsn to hs it would ping and pulse as if it was super lean then bog from the super rich hs setting before cutting off. Will try again today weather permitting.