I have not removed any shims. I have no need to remove shims just yet. The D3R is just coming into its own power and is balistic at my races. Funny, I even had a Delta driver drive my car around and he liked the power it produced for a 1/10th scale
The D12x is not fully broken in yet, so it seems a bit sluggish compared to the D3R, but I think it will be much better. I am going to wait till the compression comes off a bit before I mess around with the shims. I run 30% Byrons and it is temping just right with great idle. I have raved about these engines around my local race clubs and more people are becoming aware of what car and engine is beating them around the track!
To all those in question to these engines.....the answer is YES. It will keep up or best the best. Most of the time, it is your driving skills, not your engines. Having the hp is just a bonus. Make the leap of faith, or wallet and get one for yourselves.

Running 30% you probably want to leave the shims. With 20% its ok to remove .1 if your looking for more power , but remember this will trade-off some of the engines life.

I have my motor with the stock shim on 20% , which I think is a .1 and a .3 shim. I have it tuned rich just to keep the power down and to keep myself in the safe zone. I ran 10minute main , came in at 4:30 to refuel...at the end of the 10 minutes. I had 25% tank left. Great fuel mileage.

I forgot you were running 30%.. I'm using 20% and think that .5 is a bit much for sea level....

I forgot to mention one thing. I had to thread lock my turbo glow plug to the head button. Wierd, but it did keep backing out, no matter how tight I used that wrench. Problem solved with just a bit of threadlock. I also found that the RB-7 worked as well as the OS-P7 here in Texas.....hehaw!

Do her up tighter sook Shes not tight unless you have broken glow spanners undoing the plug hehehe I have a Hudy glow spanner now, that one better not break.

ok, you got me.......ROTFLMAO!!!

hehe yeah I've broken two spanners on two different occasions to my amazement (Yes it was tight). That is why I am a little sus of anyone saying the STS head sucks (I say it rocks!). I think they must cross thread the poor thing and then wonder why the thread ends up damaged.

I use the HPI / Hot-Bodies ones. They seem to hold up pretty well. I like the hot-bodies one better since it includes one for the wheel lock nuts as well.

I think there is more to it than not being tight enough if we are both having the same problem..

don't get me wrong.....that was a general laugh about tightness. I have not said that the head sucks ......(man, this sounds bad!), the whole engine rocks. I have just had the glow plug work its way lose twice. After a little threadlock, it has not vibrated lose again.

One thing I notice is the button head doesnt give when you tighten on the STS. Normally you get to the tightness on other brands and you can torque it and move the wrench another 1/8th of a turn. Where as the STS button head it seems you can barely move it once you get it down. I think its just a harder metal, which is a good thing imo. I had some leaking by my glow-plug , but I didnt tighten it hard enough and knew it.....thats cause I tried to get away with just a slight tightening.

This time around I gave it a good torque. No leaks now. I think the same thing , just tighten it more. Like 35% torque than you usually do. Thatll get the plug to dig into the metal more and seal it tight.

Nah Was not talking about anyone recent on the fourms re: the head. The one in questin the head "stripped" yet my D5 lasted a long time and because of fuel I was changing plugs often and threads held up fine. Cross threading comes to mind .

As Artificial-I said, just turn it that little bit more

Your not going to believe me but check it out. The OS plug thread pattern is NOT compatible with STS engines. Change plugs and your loose plug issues should stop.
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you U.S. A. STS Distributor

Correct, and also the Picco, Mega, LRP, and all Picco Turbo based plugs are not thread compatible with STS. Only use Nova based Turbo plugs.

AFM
www.gppmodelracing.com
South American Distributor for STS

evidently you can add odonnel plugs to the list as well because thats
what I am using........