Nitro Star F.5.9

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Chris Down

Active Member
Messages
59
Hi all, I’m not a newb when it comes to nitro engines but I’ll go to the foot of our stairs if I can’t get the F5.9 engine running.
it is brand new and obviously tight. But I have an engine heater which I use twice before trying to start. Fuel is at the carb, the glow plug is good, glow plug charger fully charged. But the compression still beats me. Any tips on getting this beast running.
thanks,
Chris.
 
Try using a blow dryer to preheat then loosen plug just a little to ease compression. When it starts tighten the plug. Make sure you have the proper plug for the temp outside. Should crank on almost any plug but the right plug will run much better. Also I’m assuming you have the carb set to factory setting which will be rich. If no start on those settings lean it a little and try again. Also try a cordless drill instead of roto start. My dewalt on 2 speed works great.
 
Try using a blow dryer to preheat then loosen plug just a little to ease compression. When it starts tighten the plug. Make sure you have the proper plug for the temp outside. Should crank on almost any plug but the right plug will run much better. Also I’m assuming you have the carb set to factory setting which will be rich. If no start on those settings lean it a little and try again. Also try a cordless drill instead of roto start. My dewalt on 2 speed works great.
Hi yeah I have an genuine nitro engine heater which I use twice prior to starting. But the compression still beats me. But two people have now said undo the glow plug a bit soon will try that. I’ll let you know how it goes. Chris.
 
When you say the compression beats you , you mean you can’t spin the engine over ? To much compression ? Has your Roto starter got a new battery ?
 
When you say the compression beats you , you mean you can’t spin the engine over ? To much compression ? Has your Roto starter got a new battery ?
Hi no it is a pull start engine. I replaced the original. Which I still have. I wonder if I could convert this F5.9 to roto start?
 
Try using a blow dryer to preheat then loosen plug just a little to ease compression. When it starts tighten the plug. Make sure you have the proper plug for the temp outside. Should crank on almost any plug but the right plug will run much better. Also I’m assuming you have the carb set to factory setting which will be rich. If no start on those settings lean it a little and try again. Also try a cordless drill instead of roto start. My dewalt on 2 speed works great.
Yeah default factory settings, but it is a pull start!
 
When you say the compression beats you , you mean you can’t spin the engine over ? To much compression ? Has your Roto starter got a new battery ?
When you say the compression beats you , you mean you can’t spin the engine over ? To much compression ? Has your Roto starter got a new battery ?
Hi the replacement, bigger engine, came with a pull start!
 
So you just can’t pull it over with the pull start ? Or you can pull it over but won’t start . New tight engines are a bitch to start . They start way easier with a Roto starter . If this is the case then as the other guys said . All you can do is crack the glow plug loose . . After you primed the engine take the plug right out tip the truck on its side and pull it over to make sure you are not flooded . With a new engine it will not pull over it the least bit flooded
 
So you just can’t pull it over with the pull start ? Or you can pull it over but won’t start . New tight engines are a bitch to start . They start way easier with a Roto starter . If this is the case then as the other guys said . All you can do is crack the glow plug loose . . After you primed the engine take the plug right out tip the truck on its side and pull it over to make sure you are not flooded . With a new engine it will not pull over it the least bit flooded
Yeah it’s really tight, very difficult to get the engine cranking at the right speed with the pull start. Even using an engine heater. I have flooded it but am aware of this scenario so I use the procedure you describe to clear it. But I’ve ordered a 14mm owb HPI roto start back plate. To old to be working hard!!
 
Even with the Roto start you may find a cordless drill works best . Set the clutch to the lowest setting then slowly go up till engine turns over , when engine is not flooded .
 
Even with the Roto start you may find a cordless drill works best . Set the clutch to the lowest setting then slowly go up till engine turns over , when engine is not flooded .
Yeah I’ll fit the roto start back plate and try that first. If still no joy yeah a drill as you suggest. I have a Hobao hyper st Mach 28 and a Savage 25 I can start them ok although the Mach 28 is pull start and was a pig to start initially.
thanks for your advice.
 
Always be careful using cordless drills as their torque setting may over stress parts such as the one way bearing and conrod.

The whole crankcase needs to get up to temp for the pinch to reduce, do you know how hot the crankcase is getting with the heater?

I would persevere with the pull start as it is kinda to the internals.
 
Always be careful using cordless drills as their torque setting may over stress parts such as the one way bearing and conrod.

The whole crankcase needs to get up to temp for the pinch to reduce, do you know how hot the crankcase is getting with the heater?

I would persevere with the pull start as it is kinda to the internals.
[/QUOT
Always be careful using cordless drills as their torque setting may over stress parts such as the one way bearing and conrod.

The whole crankcase needs to get up to temp for the pinch to reduce, do you know how hot the crankcase is getting with the heater?

I would persevere with the pull start as it is kinda to the internals.
hi,
I had another go tonight, I used the engine heater three times in succession turning it each time. The crankcase got up to 45deg C. I could pull the engine over but she wouldn’t fire. This was done with the carb open manually. It has fired up once but only briefly but not today. I’ve ordered new glow plugs and a roto start back plate. I’ll get there in the end!!
 
Engines typically run at twice that temp, but if you can turn it over then it should start. A heat gun with adjustable temp output would get higher temps.

How are you priming?

Quickest is to remove pressure line from pipe and blow down to push fuel from tank into carb/emgine, also will tell if you have a good tank lid seal.
 
Engines typically run at twice that temp, but if you can turn it over then it should start. A heat gun with adjustable temp output would get higher temps.

How are you priming?

Quickest is to remove pressure line from pipe and blow down to push fuel from tank into carb/emgine, also will tell if you have a good tank lid seal.
That’s exactly how I’m priming, I blow and the fuel goes straight to the carb. lol it’s very frustrating, I can’t wait to blast this monster engine but she ain’t playing ball right now. I’m hoping roto start solves the problem.
 
@lokky , VERY GOOD ADVICE ....


"Always be careful using cordless drills as their torque setting may over stress parts such as the one way bearing and conrod.

The whole crankcase needs to get up to temp for the pinch to reduce, do you know how hot the crankcase is getting with the heater?

I would persevere with the pull start as it is kinda to the internals."
 
Can’t understand if you have set carb to factory settings & checked g/plug is working why engine is not firing up, even if wrong g/plug still should fire up would just effect smooth running of it.
When trying to fire up I always would have truck wheels off ground & blip throttle very slightly while turning engine over to help it fire up.
 
Are you sure you haven't done something like shim your flywheel incorrectly and its jamming on the block or something like that
 
@Wolfie1 " . I could pull the engine over but she wouldn’t fire. "
 
Ahh ok it was unclear in your original text, check your glow plug works then, check your idle gap is big enough, make sure its not flooded, maybe lean out the hsn 1/4 turn then try starting once it starts you can richen it back up a touch as the break in settings arent 100% concrete as it depends on altitude, humidity and ambient temperature, but as stated above loosen your glow plug 3/4 turn to ease starting then retighten after 30 seconds, if it cuts out as soon as you disconnect the glow starter you either have killed the glow plug or your way too rich
 
Any update?

If the engine is impossible to turn, there is good likelyhood that the sleeve has not been inserted correctly in the crankcase. And after one has tried to turn the crank in such cases with a power drill, it is nearly guaranteed that the liner and possibly even the crank case are damaged beyond repair...

To prevent this I always recommend that before even trying to start a new engine, one should always open the cooling head and the back plate to remove any leftover manufacturing debris, ensure the conrod is not placed backwards, that the liner is correctly aligned with the block and that the gaskets between the burn room and cooling head are all there or have not been forgotten altogether. Also important is to make sure the carburateur o-rings have not been forgotten during assembly and that carb sits tightly inside the block.

Once the engine is checked thoroughly, and after you have checked for possible air leaks, and primed it, you can proceed to getting it started. I recommend using a heat gun. But 40C will not help much. You will need to go higher. Just make sure you apply the heat gradually and evenly to the cooling head, and all sides of the crank case to avoid thermal shock. Also take care you don't apply the heat gun directly at plastic parts such as the back plate and the carb. Once the engine is warm enough, loosen the glow plug by 1/2 or even 1 turn. You should now be able to turn the crankshaft using the pull starter with relative ease and get it running with a few pulls. I also recommend the use of Prolux Easy Glow Ignitor. This ignitor delivers a little more voltage, between 1.5v to 1.7v but pushes through 3 amperes in current. This amount of current provides the ideal glow for nito combustion...

Note that all engines manufactured at the Golden Lion Enterprise Ltd in Taichung, i.e. HPI, Kyosho, Axial, Force, LRP, Gaupner, Alpha, SH, etc. have a significantly tighter pinch than the engines manufactured in Italy such as Novarossi, GRP, or Picco. This all has to do with reliance on more economical tools and machinery as well as the use of inferior casts, lower quality alloys, cheaper chroming, coating, hardening and other similar procedures in Golden Lion.

But in my experience, abnormally high pinch is more often than not a sign of misalignment of the notch at the top of the sleeve and the little pin on the block.
 

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Thank you for this. The update is that I have just fitted a Roto Start back plate to it. It is ready to try now. It spins over ok without the glow plug. And also with the plug in. I’ll let you know how I get on over the weekend.
 
Thank you for this. The update is that I have just fitted a Roto Start back plate to it. It is ready to try now. It spins over ok without the glow plug. And also with the plug in. I’ll let you know how I get on over the weekend.

Great. I really hope it works out. Keep us posted!
 
Latest update. SHE RUNS!! sooo with a roto start back plate and only using a roto start plus an engine heater she runs, briefly. Factory settings and it’s cold and wet here right now but going in the right direction. Need to follow. Ps anyone with experience of the 5.9 please apply. :)
 
How long does it run for? could the idle be too low?
Hi yeah I think it would idle happily to be honest. But the minute I touch the throttle she dies. That’s just needle settings so I’ll idle a few tanks through and as the reply above suggests she will ease up. :)
 
Ok an update. The engine starts up no problem. It doesn’t stay running for very long, particularly if you blip the throttle. It also dies if I remove the glow start. More importantly I’ve noticed that a full tank of gas goes in literally 5 mins so I’m going to assume she is far too rich. Try again tomorrow.
 
You have assumed correctly, but on first tank break in you want it real rich but it sounds as if yours is too rich try leaning out 1/4 turn as its supposed to idle without the glow plug on, either that or your plug is trashed but whole tank at idle in 5 mins i think is the giveaway here
 

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