Need help keeping engine running.

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cOLD

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14
first a little butter... Just want to say THANK YOU for all the help you guys give. I feel bad for always asking questions, but you guys are the best help desk I have had contact with :)

That being said, surprise! I need some help. I have a Savage X 4.6 that I bought used and I had a lot of trouble initially getting it running. I can get it started pretty easy now, but my main problem is that it dies constantly. When it is completely cold, like the first time I start it for the day, it will start almost instantly. Maybe 3 seconds of rotostart is all it takes to get it going. It almost always dies if I try to give it gas... after about 10-20 seconds of fast idle it will die, or if I give it gas it dies. After a little warming up, I can slowly start to pump the throttle and get it to rev up. I drive it around a Little bit and it runs great...wheelies...runs nice with a good amount of smoke.. BUT if I slow down too fast or brake hard it dies... there is a loud clicking sound when the motor shuts off. I fetch it and set it up with wheels off the ground and restart it only to repeat the steps above.. Runs great, but if I let off the gas very much or brake hard it dies instantly. When I slow down, I have to keep pumping the throttle to keep it going.
Last weekend I finally got fed up and just packed it all up after about 3 hours. I spent maybe 20 minutes driving and 2 hours and 40 minutes walking to fetch the truck or trying to start it. Seems like the hotter it gets the more I have to keep the rotostart on it to finally get it to start again. Also, after the first time I start it, I have to use my throttle to get it going again. It will usually sputter and putter and then finally catch and immediately rev to the moon. I let off the throttle and it dies and I repeat the process again until I get it started, keep pumping the throttle and get it on the ground and running. Then once again, if I let off the throttle too much...instantly dies.

I have messed with the HSN a lot and I have it running great, when it runs... It will wheelie like no ones business. Just will not idle for crap. I get a lot of oil on my stand from the exhaust when I am trying to start it but It really seems like it is running perfect from half throttle to full.
I was trying to use the LSN this weekend to get it to idle but to no avail. I set the LSN to flush, this seemed like it was too rich, I turned in 1/8 turns at a time and It would get to a point where it wouldn't start so I would reset to flush and try rich-ing it a little.. neither way made a difference to idle... It would die the second I removed the glow plug igniter or the second I would set it on the ground. I would start it 10 times only to have it die immediately or die right as I set it on the ground...when it would finally run I would get about 30 seconds of run time before it died again. It was like it would just die unless I was on the gas..when I slowed to turn it would die immediately, when i touched the brakes it would die immediately then it would take 3 minutes or more to get it going again.. VERY FRUSTRATING!

I know it's hard to troubleshoot over the internet, but do you guys think this is a tuning issue? Do i need a new piston and sleeve? new motor? any suggestions beside getting the .45 out for some target practice? ;)
 
I feel bad for always asking questions,


kk, i dint read ne further than this ^^^^ before i felt the need to do this -> :slapped:

lol, jj cOLD, help is what this place is all about. you'll be helpin peeps soon enough.

now lemme go back & read your post lol :punkrock:
 
from what you say it sounds rich to me. sounds like your loading up with fuel at idle & it bogs & dies. sounds like your giving it throttle & its choking on too much fuel & dies.

all that fuel coming out the exhaust is a tell-tale sign also.

to quote bank to me when i was new "watch this vid as many times as you can stand to paying close attention to the sound of the mill " https://www.hpisavageforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8833

reset to flush and start again cOLD, you'll get it. keep a spare glow plug handy also.
 
man.. i don't know other than change the plug tune the hsn a bit to lean it out so its not so rich maybe .. start with flush settings like frddy said then go from there might be flooding out but after it gets warm shouldnt be getting worse so I'm kinda lost .. maybe the mills about to die,,new piston sleeve con rod will make it a brand new mill again then you can run the break in mode right get it set good then your mill will scream...good luck wish i coulda helped more,,kinda stummped after trouble shooting with no luck on it..
 
Sounds like your idle or low speed needle is too rich. Try turning you idle screw 1/8 of a turn clockwise and repeat the process until your truck doesn't stall. This is a HARD hobby and the learning curve is super steep. You'll get the hang of all this with time and practice.
 
Do everything they said, and in addition, take the air filter off, look down the neck and apply the brakes. Make sure the carb slide is not fully shut with the brakes on. If the carb goes fully shut, adjust the idle screw so you approximately 1mm gap with brakes on. And since you are at it, go full throttle and let off so the trigger is neutral, the carb should go back resting on the idle screw. This is to make sure your linkage is moving nice and smooth. Good luck
 
I was messing with the truck tonight and I noticed I can turn the flywheel over with my middle finger while the motor is installed in the truck. I was reading the website of RayRacing that was recommended in the shoutbox and he was saying that his pinch service would restore idle. I think I am going to try him out, $20 would be worth it to have a near stock motor again for a few gallons. While I send the sleeve and piston out, I am going to get the motor ready to seal and do the carb. And order the parts to do the linkage mod too... Give me something to do while I wait for the sleeve and piston to return.
Thanks for the great suggestions too.

EDIT: Forgot to add that I played with the screws all over again and to no avail, would die under about half throttle no matter what i set them too.
 
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well, i did what you said Frddy and watched that video about 10 times today. When I got home I started at flush and I was turning both needles an 1/8 turn for about half a turn then concentrated on the HSN until I could tell it was too lean... was sputtering and bogging like crazy on 3/4 throttle. I turned the HSN back open about an 1/8, then started on the LSN... all the time I kept adjusting my idle to keep it running and got the LSN turned in until it started revving after I let off the gas, backed off 1/6th turn and ran a tank of gas through it. I got it where I can use the brakes and it only quit on me about 3 or 4 times total, but it would restart very quickly. I refilled the tank and ran it to 1/2 and it started getting a little too lean so I opened the HSN and then the LSN 1/8 and that did it... If I hit the throttle too hard it will literally flip over on its back instantly and I have a wheelie bar on it. It accelerates instantly... BUT I am still getting a lot of smoke and I still get fuel/oil spraying out the exhaust, if I leave it on my stand and rev it, there is a sheen of oily fuel on the table... If I go any leaner on the needles it will run like crap. I am stumped how it is rich and lean at the same time. But anyway, thanks for all the great suggestions. I just needed to take it slow and really take my time making adjustments... Of course working in the garage at 8pm is so very much nicer than standing in the 105 degree sun.
I also broke down my motor to seal it, I am going to get some nitro clean tomorrow and clean the motor and seal it up, Hopefully I can play this Sunday.

This is a HARD hobby and the learning curve is super steep. You'll get the hang of all this with time and practice.

Words of wisdom there :)

and thank you again for all the help.
 
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It accelerates instantly... BUT I am still getting a lot of smoke and I still get fuel/oil spraying out the exhaust, if I leave it on my stand and rev it, there is a sheen of oily fuel on the table... If I go any leaner on the needles it will run like crap. I am stumped how it is rich and lean at the same time.

Sounds like you got it tuned pretty well.

Hope i dint confuse you caz you "ALWAYS" want to see a good smoke trail. It is a sure sign that you are not runnin too rich & also that your mill is getting good lubrication.

Also, you will Always get some unburnt fuel spray from the exhaust. Not gonna get into 2-stroke & tuned pipe mechanics here, but just know that you are describing a good tune with smoke, a lil mist and good performance.


any more questions, just ask, make a thread or go to the shoutbox; always someone around to help you.
 

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