Good/Bad Fuel?

[TeeWX]

Been noticing lately that my axial .28 and trx 3.3 take awhile to start, sometimes a minute or two of pulling, and sometimes not even starting at all. Plugs are good, no air leaks, getting fuel, ignitor fully charged, engine turning over. All seems to be good. Accept neither wants to start right now. It's cold out but a lot of people seem to say their engines start within the first 3 pulls or so. I think the problem is my fuel. I have a few gallons of werks 30% that I hadn't used up from a year ago. It's been sitting in my basement which is around 60-70 degrees and definately out of the sunlight. It's also up on a shelf about 5ft off the ground. They are in the werks plastic gallon jugs. One has been opened and the others have not. I have only been trying to run with the opened one. It still smells like nitro fuel to me and I don't see any condensation inside the jug, just fuel.

Is there any way to check if the fuel is bad or good? I run OS #8 plugs and never really had a problem in the past on other fuels. One thing to note with the werks 30% is that it seems like I am literally squirting 1/4th of my fuel tank's capacity onto the ground through my tuned pipe before i give up trying to start the engine. Maybe it's just the engines?

 

[Bankrupter]

Hows the caps seal tee? The other's will be fine for the record. Cool dark off the concrete its good. I'm running fuel from August that has been in my car and on the table in front of a window and it has been fine. How I don't know! I have seen the condensation in the bottle on many occasions but still fires 3ish pulls at room temp or better. Are you tuning on the rich side? More than 3-4 drops of aro? Is that why you asked Robin what plug tonight? try a medium plug with the old nitro till its burnt up. It may help "May" and I know its cold there so wont hurt..

 

[TeeWX]

Nah i wasn't sure about the plug for the picco, but I don't even plan on breaking that in until it's comfortable outside. For now I'm just gunna run the axial here and there.

As for the tuning I'm at factory according to the book. sometimes i play with the high speed a little bit to see if it will fire. Earlier today it was popping like it was going to fire but it would not completely start up. After the first pull with no igniter and finger on the exhaust tip I can see fuel go straight for the carb with no hesitation. It's just that I seem to be sitting there pulling away with fuel pouring out my pipe but no starting right now. As for performance when it does start it seems to be running great.

The only other thing I was thinking as a possibility because I have heard bad things about it is that I've still go the stock hpi header and the hpi "ribbed" pipe on the axial for now. I have a brand new 086 pipe but didn't know if it was worth putting it on the axial and then using it again with the picco later on. Would the pipe have anything to do with it?

Otherwise what plug should I pick up to try and fix the problem? The OS #8 has always been what i've used and during the summer months I always get a fast start-up and consistant run.

As for ARO I have never used it before. Alot of the guys I had talked to around here do not use it and when i first got into nitro I was told I didn't really need it. Any thoughts on that? I know there are a lot of varied opinions about ARO.

 

[Bankrupter]

I'll try and help here if I can...

As for the tuning I'm at factory according to the-book. sometimes i play with the high speed a little bit to see if it will fire. Earlier today it was popping like it was going to fire but it would not completely start up. After the first pull with no igniter and finger on the exhaust tip I can see fuel go straight for the carb with no hesitation. It's just that I seem to be sitting there pulling away with fuel pouring out my pipe but no starting right now. As for performance when it does start it seems to be running great.

OK on this are you making it Fat after your last run? If so leave it be after its tuned. At most I'll back mine up 1/4 turn from full tune on the next start.

The only other thing I was thinking as a possibility because I have heard bad things about it is that I've still go the stock hpi header and the hpi "ribbed" pipe on the axial for now. I have a brand new 086 pipe but didn't know if it was worth putting it on the axial and then using it again with the picco later on. Would the pipe have anything to do with it?

I don't have one or have ever run one to be forward and honest. I know its not a tuned pipe its just a can. I don't think it is the problem with starting but get that 086 on there! you may as well see how much better the Ax can run!

Otherwise what plug should I pick up to try and fix the problem? The OS #8 has always been what I've used and during the summer months I always get a fast start-up and consistent run.

This can be debated. I don't have that mill or that nitro so ?? I run cold plugs all year but like I said above try a OS#3 if thats the brand you like. With the sub 0 temps I don't this a med plug would hurt!

As for ARO I have never used it before. Allot of the guys I had talked to around here do not use it and when i first got into nitro I was told I didn't really need it. Any thoughts on that? I know there are a lot of varied opinions about ARO.

You would be shocked at how fast a crank will rust with a lil nitro still in the mill. If your running every day naw don't use it. but I put 3 drops down the carb any time my mill will sit. then crank it over a few times to coat it all. Note I said down the carb allot of guys pull the glow plug all thats in there is a chrome sleeve and a aluminum piston... not much to rust.. all the steel parts are out front (bearings crank)

Hope any or all or some of this may help tee. Good luck!

 

[TeeWX]

Thanks a lot for the info. I will throw some fuel in my savage tomorrow afternoon and give it a go. I'll put that 086 on there as well and give it a try. The ribbed pipe sounds incredibly annoying anyways. I'll post results tomorrow after I try and get it up and going.

 

[Bankrupter]

cool my man! start it at least one turn in from stock setting on HSN. She should fire warm her up too. always helps.

 

[TeeWX]

warm her up too.

I'm always the only one who brings a hair dryer to the bashes 🙂

 

[Bankrupter]

I'm always the only one who brings a hair dryer to the bashes 🙂

yep heat gun and inverter here too. I like to watch the guys yank on the rope as mine fires. Ask fred he'll tell yea. I'll also use my car exhaust works just as good.

 

[TeeWX]

🙁

Completely unbelievable!

I preheated the engine, had the needles set at about where it ran last time but a little richer. I went to start it and it started popping away and not firing. Whats going on I wonder. Well after a bit of pulling I noticed little air bubbles were collecting in my main fuel line. Wait, why are there air bubbles after i have been pulling for awhile? Because, it may have taken a pull start chord ripped out of the housing to make me find it but I never expected to see this.

Please don't tell me this is normal. My rip chord is stained with fuel and my pull start housing has plenty in it as well. as soon as i moved the pull start the axial sticker slid off and some fuel dripped out of a small hole where the part of the rip chord pull is on.

Never in 4 years of nitro have I had some one or had a video tell me to put my finger over the pull start too

PICS

Could THIS be why it doesn't want to start?

 

[Jon]

mine did this aswel it never caused a problem tho just made a huge mess, i think its the design of the axial, cuz i used byrons fuel so it wasent a high oil content and i did not use afterrun oil.
honestly my axial was the best motor i owned (still havnt really run the lrp so cant say different) i could start that thing in the dead of cold with no warm up in like 3 secs, took one push of the button on the roto start..... man i miss it already. had 2 gallons on it and man it ran like a champ.
i never had a problem with the bearings nor the one way, in fact it had the origianal starter shaft and one way in it after 2 gallons and it still was like new AND i used a roto start, goes to show if u use it right you wont have problems with the one way.

 

[TeeWX]

mine did this aswel it never caused a problem tho just made a huge mess, i think its the design of the axial, cuz i used byrons fuel so it wasent a high oil content and i did not use afterrun oil.
honestly my axial was the best motor i owned (still havnt really run the lrp so cant say different) i could start that thing in the dead of cold with no warm up in like 3 secs, took one push of the button on the roto start..... man i miss it already. had 2 gallons on it and man it ran like a champ.
i never had a problem with the bearings nor the one way, in fact it had the origianal starter shaft and one way in it after 2 gallons and it still was like new AND i used a roto start, goes to show if u use it right you wont have problems with the one way.

My axial is the complete opposite, it refuses to start.

 

[Jon]

its funny to i got mine when the first came out so it wasnt a $100 motor, i paid much more the that (a shame i know) but still think it was worth it.

in this vid it shows how easy it was to start, it was very windy and this was from a dead cold start, and it had to be about 10* out with a windchill in the negs... started right up
axials are just like sts hit or miss i guess.

http://s550.photobucket.com/albums/ii427/badasssavage/?action=view&current=MOV00077.flv

another

http://s550.photobucket.com/albums/ii427/badasssavage/?action=view&current=MOV00017.flv

 

[Anti Bling]

your flooding it...

 

[wildchild27]

your fuel line might have a pin hole or a small slit in it that might be whats causing the bubbles. just my.02