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Engine spins but will not start:
If the engine is spinning but will not start, first check to make
sure that both the motor and glow plug LEDs on the EZ-Start
controller light when the button is depressed. If the glow plug
LED does not light, make sure the blue glow plug wire is
tightly connected and is not damaged in any way. If the wire is
good, then replace the glow plug. It is normal for glow plugs to
require periodic replacement. Only use Traxxas heavy-duty
long glow plugs (part #3231).
Check to make sure the fuel is getting to the carburetor.
Remove the fuel line where it connects to the carburetor to
see if there is fuel in it. If not, you may need to prime the
engine. Reconnect the fuel line and then refer to page 32 for
instructions on priming the engine.
Check your fuel mixture settings. It may be necessary to adjust
the fuel mixture if the outside temperature or barometric
pressure has changed significantly since
the last time the engine was run (see Fine Tuning the Carburetor
on page 36).Turn the high-speed needle out
(rich/counterclockwise) 1/4 turn, hold the throttle trigger at
about 1/2 throttle and try again to start the engine. Once
started, retune the engine for performance (see page 35).
The engine could be worn. If the fit between the piston and
sleeve is loose, compression is reduced and the engine will be
difficult to start when it is warm, and may tend to stall when
running and when the throttle is closed suddenly to idle.
Engine life depends on many factors including fuel type, air
filter maintenance, needle settings, and how the engine was
used. For example, if the engine was allowed to ingest dirt
from lack of air filter maintenance or running through water,
then the internal engine components could wear out
extremely fast.
Engine performance sluggish:
Engine performance depends mostly on the fuel mixture
settings and how they compensate for the current
atmospheric conditions. Before you suspect other failures with
the engine, richen the high-speed needle at least 1/4 turn and
then retune the engine for performance (see page 35).
Try a new Traxxas 3231 glow plug. Sometimes a glow plug will
work well enough to start the engine but not be able to
deliver the engine's full performance potential.
Troubleshooting Your Nitro 4-Tec
If the fuel mixture seems to be set correctly, make sure the fuel
is fresh. If the fuel is old, or was left uncapped for a long period,
then some of the important fuel components could have
evaporated.Try new, fresh, Traxxas Top Fuel
Check to make sure there is no binding in the driveline that
would cause excessive loads on the engine.
Clearing a Flooded Engine:
If the engine is primed for too long during startup, then it can
become flooded with fuel.When the engine is flooded it will no
longer turn due to excess fuel in the combustion chamber
preventing upward movement of the piston. Use the following
procedure to clear a flooded engine.
1. Remove the blue glow plug wire.
2. Remove the glow plug and gasket with the glow plug wrench
supplied with your model. A 5/16 nut driver will also work.
3. Turn the model upside down and plug in the EZ-Start controller.
4. Push the EZ-Start button for several seconds to clear the engine
of excess fuel
5. Turn the model over and reinstall the glow plug and gasket.
6. Reconnect the blue glow plug wire to the glow plug.
7. Reconnect the EZ-Start controller
8. Do not prime the engine. Pull the throttle to 1/2 throttle and
push the EZ-Start button.The engine should start immediately.
Piston Stuck at Top Dead Center (TDC):
A new engine will typically have a tight fit between the piston and
the top of the sleeve.This is a tapered fit.The fit should not be too
tight to start the engine, however a weak starter battery or one
that has not been charged fully may not deliver enough power to
crank the engine over at the appropriate RPM to keep the piston
from sticking. Make sure that you are using a good quality battery
pack that is fully charged.This is especially important with a new
engine that needs to be broken-in. If the engine is stuck at TDC,
then use a pair of needle nose pliers to grasp the flywheel from
the bottom of the engine. Rotate the flywheel counter-clockwise
when viewed from the front of the engine.You should see the
flywheel turn and you should feel the piston become unstuck
from the sleeve. Before trying to restart the engine replace the
starter battery with a freshly charged pack or a freshly charged
battery pack of better quality.
43
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