New to R/C World..Having motor problems

[cgilbert23]

Hey everyone, I recently purchased a used Savage 25. The motor runs, but it has its issues. I haven't done anything besides an aftermarket air filter to the truck. I reset the carb settings and retuned the motor. I can run the truck through maybe 2 tanks of fuel and it fouls a plug. It has been doing this since purchase. I run the truck again yesterday and it again fouled a plug, now this past weekend I took apart a portion of the motor to see if there was anything visibly wrong with the motor or if there were some signs of what it could be. Here are the pics before I cleaned it and the brand of plug I am running.

Anyone have any thoughts of why it is fouling plugs?

 

[pmp]

when you say your fouling plugs what do you meen by this? Are the glow plugs burning out? ie the filement in the tip is breaking or turning white and not lighting all the way anymore?

 

[cgilbert23]

The filliment in the tip is breaking.

 

[BMRbrnSNRbrd]

What kind of temps are you running once the plug fouls?

 

[cgilbert23]

Thats a good question that I don't have the exact answer to :-/ I don't have a temp gauge yet. I live in North Texas, and yesterday it was maybe 65 degrees, and pretty humid.

One thing I did notice yesterday is when I finished running it, there was very little fuel left in the tank and I could here it gurgling, or boiling, maybe not just kinda sounded like that. I know that is probably way too hot!! but I didnt run it for more that 25 minutes or so.

 

[jcam54]

You need a colder plug imo. I'm in Texas too and I run McCoys MC8 or MC9 (cold/med plugs) with 30 percent nitro. I think Oddonels cold plug is the #99 (but don't quote me on that one!) It also sounds like your running it too lean, how much smoke you have while running? Never tune to temp! Tune to smoke and sound! Temp guns are a good safe guard but are radicly misleading to what the real temp is--straight from purenitro himself. You can get several temp guns and use them all and each one will have a different reading on them...anywhere from 10-50 degrees off from each other. Tune to smoke and sound...temp is only safe gaurd a small safe guard and not to be used as the way to tune.

Now keep this in mind too even though a motor is running 280-310F but has excelent smoke and does not sound like it's trying to scream and puke it's guts out...it is most likely just a motor that performs at that range...same to be said about a motor that performs best at 225-250F.

These motors all differ between the variations in timeing (even between motors of the same make and brand) just because they are the same does not mean that they will perform at the same temp and needle settings.

 

[cgilbert23]

The truck always has a nice smoke, but I can lean it out a little more to see. In regards to sound, it sounds good, it does have a bit of a lug from the start. I have adjusted the lsn and it still lacks the power it should have imo. I will get a colder plug and see what that does.

Jcam...if my savage is not popping wheelies, u think it could be an airleak or maybe something else? (overall lack of power)

 

[cgilbert23]

oops, i meant richen it up a little

 

[Shaun]

if you don't have a temp gun u can use the "spit" test as well, if you spit on the head and it sizzles and rolls off its too hot.. i know this sounds grosse but i've heard of a few using this method...

 

[cgilbert23]

ok will do, so what should be done to prevent it from getting too hot? or what does it tell me if its running too hot?

 

[X]

ok will do, so what should be done to prevent it from getting too hot? or what does it tell me if its running too hot?

It usually means you're running lean. In those pictures you posted it does look like the piston is getting black, so that may be the case.

 

[cgilbert23]

ok, thanks i'll richen it up a bit and see what happens. But the truck always has a blue smoke, but its still too lean?

 

[X]

Just because you have blue smoke doesn't necessarily mean everything is perfect, it's usually a good sign though. Try richening it up and cross your fingers.

 

[cgilbert23]

thanks, i'm gonna get a cooler plug today too and hopefully that does the trick. thanks for your help guys, i'll keep ya posted

and if ya'll have any more thoughts, please chime in...the more information the better 🙂

 

[cgilbert23]

Hey everyone, good news!!! I picked up a colder plug yesterday and my savage is running better than I have seen so far. I need to do some more small adjustments to finish dialing it in but its running really good!! I'm gonna try tightening up the spur gear a little more and hopefully that will get me to popping wheelies...I hope. Thanks for your help from everyone that chimed in!!

 

[Jon]

hate to say it man but 21bb or that 3.5 u have wont do wheelies :/ atleast mine never did was a turd haha
glad to see u got it running better tho!

 

[cgilbert23]

LOL Thanks for the encouragement Baddasz 🙂 I watched a tuning vid on one identical to mine and it was doing wheelies...so I'm being hopeful that it will....and if it wont, then I'm gonna drop in a bigger motor as soon as I save up the funds. A buddy of mine just bought a Savage 4.6 RTR and I have to be able to keep up with him!!! if i do upgrade, what do ya think...4.6 or 5.9? I'm sure once the time gets close, i'll post another thread getting everyones opinion.

 

[Jon]

wouldn't go with a hpi motor. if your going to spend the money mine aswel get something worth it.
there 3 motors i like:
the axial 28
lrp 28
picco 28

the lrp is a good motor but parts are discountiued so that would be the only reason i say go to another motor. but theres a bunch of those "what motor should i get" threads just do a quick search and u will soon find what one is best for u.
wasnt trying to put ya down haha but motor just lacks so much, u can try and compensate with the gearing tho but no matter what it will be 100 steps behind the 4.6

 

[cgilbert23]

I got that feeling from the day i picked mine up, thats ok tho, I was honestly leaning towards the Axial 28. What about the bigger Axial? Is that too much motor for the truck?....i don't want to always be tearing the truck up due to too much power!

 

[Jon]

the axial 28 was enough for me got to becareful with the axials tho there a hit or miss motor, i just so happend to get a good one and man that thing ran like a champ, plenty of power to. also the 28 would have better top end then the 32 so its a better motor imo.

 

[cgilbert23]

is there a motor out there thats reliable, thats still affordable and provides plenty of power?