We have to run 16% nitro here, so I run 16% tornado fuel. I took out the copper shim from the head and left the alu one in. I currently use a #6 novarossi plug (didn't have anything else at the time...)

Well, sounds like to me youve done everything I would suggest. The #6 plug is good. If your on a high speed track you might try the #7 for some more top end. Also the motors like a slightly more rich than usual bottom end, you wont get more top end , but the midrange can be picked up quite a bit.

Also try gearing down the motor 1 range. Unless your sure your maxing rpm on the straight.

does anyone know if
a D.21D non-turbo insert
would fit in a P5 novarossi turbo....??
and reverse..

I was wondering if someone can help me? I am having issues with my d5r not seeling around the glow plug. I am only using RB glow plugs and I have tried tightening the crap out of it with no luck. The threads are not cross threaded (brand new head) and I have tried using high temp gasket sealent and various other things, when just tightening it didn't work. I didn't know if they make a long turbo plug and I need to use that? When I can get the motor right, it will absolutely murder anything else I have ran against. I hope someone can help.

Keith

Keith, just make sure you use a long body plug and it will seal just fine without over tightning. Currently I am using novarossi long body plugs and there is no leak at the top, it only leaks when using short body plugs. Good luck.

Thanks, does anyone know the part #'s for the long RB plugs. I checked their web page but they don't tell which is long and which is short.

Thanks
Keith

I started to break-in my engine today. I decided to us byrons race 2000 blend. I also used a dynamite #7 plug. I did the start and idle for 2 min 8 times. I kept the temp below 176 F while doing this. I also did anything else that the directions said to do. When i went to drive the car on the track i had a problem. When i hit the gas the wheels would spin for a second or two than the engine would seriously load up than when i let it idle for a couple seconds and hit the gas it would do it again. Since there was a lot of fuel coming out of the pipe I gradually leaned the low speed needle. As i leaned it out it got better. It took 3/4 to a full turn from factory to get almost completely better. When I realized how much i had turned the lsn I decided to turn the lsn back to the pre-set setting and pack up and go home and check here to see if this is normal. It was 100 degrees F out with a good amount of humidity so this could be the reason why. I am going away this weekend so I wont be racing, I wont be able to get to the track and finish breaking in the engine until after i get back next week. Next time I try should i lean the lsn till the problem is fixed than richen the high end some to regulate the temp? Or is it another problem?

I also did the 8 times idle on the starter box thing, and after that try to drive around the track slowly and encountered the same problem as you. I had to lean the LSN needle about half a turn and an entire turn on the HSN, just to get the car moving at walking speed. Still lots of fuel spitting out of the exhaust, and very little smoke (which, in combination with a *very* rich tuned engine means it's not getting up to normal working temperature, but it is flushing lots of fuel through, and any possible debris with it). I ran another two tanks that way, and then started to gradually lean it out to get the operating temperature close to 100 degrees celcius.

Now, the engine has about a liter of fuel through it and it is running fine. If I tune it for good performance, running temperatures are usually around 110 to 115 degrees celcius.

After i leaned the lsn about a half turn the temps got up to 205 just with me screwing with it. Probably since it was 100 degrees out.

I was able to get to the track today. I got the car moving. It took about 5/8 of a turn on the lsn and half turn on the hsn to get the temps where they should be. I only got about 8 tanks through at 195 degrees F. There is one thing that i noticed.

After the engine warms up, there seems to be fuel and air leaking out of the threads of the glow plug. This only happens after it warms up past 176. There is some fuel on the engine head from the leak. It doesnt seem to affect the engine performance at all. Only after idling a few seconds, the engine starts to sound like one that is seriouly overheating but only it isnt and the temps actually decrease during this. It also bubbles around the glow plug while doing this. It seems fine to finish breaking in the engine like this but i would think that this will rob me of performance when I fine tune the engine for speed. Is the engine head bad? Is there a sealent i need or is the it the glow plug? I also saw that someone else was having the same problem a few posts back and the advice to him was to get a long body plug. When i bought the plug for this engine I made sure that it was the longer body plug.

This was the 1of2 kind of plugs my lhs had. I am not totally sure if it is a short or long body as i couldnt find measurements. Its had more threads on it than the other plug though. Here is the plug i am using:
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=DYN2506

I had that too at first, but tightening the plug a bit more solved the problem for me. I am using novarossi plugs with the STS D3R engine and both the novarossi short and long bodied plugs fit properly. The thread in the head seems to be very slightly different than the one on the plugs though, since there is some resistance all the way when changing plugs.

Mine also did that a few times when I was breaking it in. The carbs adjustments also had to be changed every tank; the engine's properties and tune change while running in. Now that it has been broken in and properly adjusted, it runs great and so far very reliable. It is a bit slower than my mega ZX12 though. My serpent 720 tops at just over 80 km/hour with the STS at standard gearing on the MACH heemstede track, where the mega (also just broken in, with still some pinch at TDC) does just over 90km/hour. On a shorter more technical track I also visit the engines performance is nearly equal.

Look at this picture. These are from three of my engines, the rightmost one being the STS. If you look closely at the picture, you see that the chrome is missing near the red arrows. Are all STS engines manufactured like this, or did I just get slightly less pretty one?

The STS is great on technical track. It does tend to have more torque. If you want a higher rpm screamer. Thats where the d12x comes in. Just like d3r , but with more tricks for higher power at high rpm. Lightweight piston , epoxy filled high flow crank all help provide that screaming top.

Youll probably find the D3R will come into its own more and more as it continues to loosen up.

Also when tuning them it seems like the sts motors like a richer bottom end with a leaner top end.

You can also send in your motor to pro-hobby and get the stage II upgrade perform for $30 , this will take your motor beyond the zx12 on the infield and should match its top speed on the straight.

I solved that problem with using only glow plugs made for Novarossi turbo head engines. I actually run the Rossi turbo plugs that is designated with the last letters of TC, which stands for long body plugs. I believe that the short body plugs are designated with the letters FC. Since I switched over, I have not had a problem with the seal or over heated temps. When I looked at your choice of plugs from Dynamite, it did not look like a long bodied plug. You will be able to tell the difference in the seal when tightening the plug. I also noticed the color change at the tip of the plug, but that may just be me. I hope you find your solution.
On another note: If anyone is disatisfied with the carburator on the d3r, get the carb for the dx12 from Pro_Hobby and put it on the d3r......wow, it really does show performance gain. I replaced mine with the dx12 carb and use the air restrictor with it and it really gained some performance in tuning.

I will be able to get some novarossi long body plugs before sunday. Will it be ok to finish breaking in the engine with the dynamite plug the way it is? I wanna try to have it ready before this weekend. I will have to order a couple plugs.