Savage XL 5.9 engine sealing

[Jam Racing 1]

I'll see how mine goes, I'd rather not have to fill it up every half tank so I aussme from what your saying there is an upgraded tank to slove this issue?

No not really, some guys do a mid tank mod, some use loops of extra fuel line and some just live with it and deal..... as far as i know the HTL issue is only better by doing a mid tank mod, but filling it at the stepped part of the tank resolves the issue for most and at that point you only have a quarter of a tank left at best anyway so it is due for a fillup at that point anyway. running it completely dry of fuel is one of the worst things you can do, it leans out the engine starving it of fuel and precious oil used for cooling and lubrication.... I try to never run my nitro vehicles completely dry of fuel for this reason...

 

[toolman207]

No not really, some guys do a mid tank mod, some use loops of extra fuel line and some just live with it and deal..... as far as i know the HTL issue is only better by doing a mid tank mod, but filling it at the stepped part of the tank resolves the issue for most and at that point you only have a quarter of a tank left at best anyway so it is due for a fillup at that point anyway. running it completely dry of fuel is one of the worst things you can do, it leans out the engine starving it of fuel and precious oil used for cooling and lubrication.... I try to never run my nitro vehicles completely dry of fuel for this reason...

thanks for that, maybe the mid tank mod is works better because of the extra fuel line? Have you tried the fuel nipple at the bottom of the tank?

 

[Jam Racing 1]

thanks for that, maybe the mid tank mod is works better because of the extra fuel line? Have you tried the fuel nipple at the bottom of the tank?

No i have not done that as yet or even find it necessary, there is a sintered fuel filter located in the tank at the stock location and I prefer to have that to catch crap that may find its way into the tank and use a secondary filter inline and as I said before I refill at the stepped part of the tank and don't have the issue some describe as the dreaded HTL...

 

[toolman207]

No i have not done that as yet or even find it necessary, there is a sintered fuel filter located in the tank at the stock location and I prefer to have that to catch crap that may find its way into the tank and use a secondary filter inline and as I said before I refill at the stepped part of the tank and don't have the issue some describe as the dreaded HTL...

Do you ever get any air leaks using your inline filter? I use to use inline filters with my planes, more times than not I would get air leaks so I end up using bubbleless fuel clunks and doing away with the inline filter. I know the clunk is not really a filter but it would pick up crap in the tank more so than a standard clunk. I also understand a plane is in the air more of the time then on the ground like a car is.

 

[Jam Racing 1]

I use a sullivan craptrap filter in my stuff and have not had issues with leaks of any kind so far.....

 

[Newbie Savage Owner]

I definately notice my running temperatures are more stable and my RPM changes now whenever I adjust the Idle screw.

My SavX has almost gone through 1.5 gallons and it's running great!

That's awesome man! I would love to see that some time. . Unsure if you have a YouTube/Vimeo account, but throw it up if you do. Everyone enjoys seeing a great running Savage like you have. Let me know when your channel or if you end up posting it. I imagine it would help many of us on here!

 

[JargonBomb]

Check the Pics & Videos area. I've got a video there. ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

 

[Newbie Savage Owner]

Do you ever get any air leaks using your inline filter? I use to use inline filters with my planes, more times than not I would get air leaks so I end up using bubbleless fuel clunks and doing away with the inline filter. .

I always thought a clunk was a filter? Perhaps I'm thinking of something different.? I used an inline and indeed had problems. It's simply another point of failure. I was fortunate in that I could see solid fuel go in, and fuel with air bubbles come out. When I bypassed it I noticed a huge performance gain. I'd love to see HPI come out with one of those floating clunk systems. Seems it would help with this mid-tank lean (routing through bottom of tank) in addition to providing a filter that can periodically be cleanrd

Awesome. Appreciate it, I'll check it out.

Actually, I was hoping for one where I could better hear the tune.Give me a minute and I'll post one of my as an example.

Here ya go. Understand I've not sealed any of these engines, so please let me know what improvements I'd get from sealing any of them. Many thanks for helping me out.

 

[toolman207]

I always thought a clunk was a filter? Perhaps I'm thinking of something different.? I used an inline and indeed had problems. It's simply another point of failure. I was fortunate in that I could see solid fuel go in, and fuel with air bubbles come out. When I bypassed it I noticed a huge performance gain. I'd love to see HPI come out with one of those floating clunk systems. Seems it would help with this mid-tank lean (routing through bottom of tank) in addition to providing a filter that can periodically be cleanrd

In my high RPM tuned pipe plane setups the bubbless clunk would help with fuel foaming obviously thats why they call them bubbless clunks. The standard clunks were heavy and had a big hole through the middle so anything in the tank could pass through to the motor. The bubbless has small holes all around the clunk. I was going to try one of these in my savage if I did the tank mod.

 

[toolman207]

Here ya go. Understand I've not sealed any of these engines, so please let me know what improvements I'd get from sealing any of them. Many thanks for helping me out.

Here ya go. Understand I've not sealed any of these engines, so please let me know what improvements I'd get from sealing any of them. Many thanks for helping me out.

When I started this thread I wanted to know if other people have had to seal their K5.9, I had read on a few different forums where people have had to do this. I've never had to seal any of my nitro motors in the past apart from the exhaust. So i guess in a nut shell I asking if there was an issue with this motor that comes with the savage. The motor your using in that Video is the same motor that comes with the Savage?

 

[JargonBomb]

Nice video! The intermission was the best part!
On days off i'll be taking some more videos.

 

[Jam Racing 1]

Nice vids... DEAD Giveaway .....

 

[toolman207]

Just out of interest JAM, did you seal any parts of your motor?

 

[Jam Racing 1]

Yes I have sealed several with excellent results.... If it is recommended by Guru Ron Paris (R.I.P.)
it is good advice....

 

[toolman207]

Yes I have sealed several with excellent results....

Excellent! good to know, I'm sure you don't do this to fill in time lol

 

[Newbie Savage Owner]

When I started this thread I wanted to know if other people have had to seal their K5.9, I had read on a few different forums where people have had to do this. I've never had to seal any of my nitro motors in the past apart from the exhaust. So i guess in a nut shell I asking if there was an issue with this motor that comes with the savage. The motor your using in that Video is the same motor that comes with the Savage?

I've never seen anyone with a 5.9 where it was running poorly, sealed then running well. I've seen some run poorly, sealed, and run poorly though. There are about 10 unique engines in that vid...with the 4.6 being one of them ( have three of them and run them in truggy and MT), So you are seeing low-end RTRs and high-end modded engines in that vid. . Just run the engine, if you suspect a leak, validate it, fix and move on (but again I've never seen that--where someone had a poorly running engine, sealed it and then it beasted--on any engine let alone the 5.9) . BUT it does, then of course fix it. But if not, I simply don't see the point in taking the risk, and I speak from experience on this. I say tune it, run it, and enjoy it. That's my thinking anyway. There are 10k things that can prevent a good race tune, and an air leak is perhaps the least likely in my short experience (but I've had 25+ engines during that time so base it on that). Obviously it makes none to me if you or anyone else seals their engines. Just providing some additional facts.

I also still don't understand why some are apt to ignore the 'warnings' from the guys who design/manufacture these engines. Sealing is inexpensive and easy.
Wouldn't manufactures make more money by sealing it? It seems by sealing it they would have:
- Increased customer satisfaction. If it's such a radical change when sealed, they can "'double the power' of their engines (as I've seen people 'claim)...making them more of a market demand is a no brainer, IMO.
-Less liability. Speaks for itself, but I imagine it costs company's like HPI quite a bit in overhead of in claim handling (warranted or not) due to people who mess up their engine. I'll let anyone on here from HPI or a variant company speak on it if they want to. I know a guy in nitro engine manufacturing that calculates an additional $1.60 PER ENGINE to build if sealing was part of the build process. This is training/resource/QA/ time. So why don't they? Not needed.

Nice video! The intermission was the best part!
On days off i'll be taking some more videos.

Okay, thanks. Yeah my dog doesn't get too excited over the rc vehicles any more. He's all about living large.

 

[Jam Racing 1]

There are about 10 unique engines in that vid...with the 4.6 being one of them ( have three of them and run them in truggy and MT), So you are seeing low-end RTRs and high-end modded engines in that vid. . The only difference between any of those and the 5.9 is is it's more apt to have an air leak. If it is, and it does, then of course fix it. But if not, tune it, run it, and enjoy it. That's my thinking anyway. There are 10k things that can prevent a good race tune, and an air leak is perhaps the least likely in my short experience (but I've had 25+ engines during that time so base it on that).

Okay, thanks. Yeah my dog doesn't get too excited over the rc vehicles any more. He's all about living large.

HHHMMMMM, and so the story goes. and it is falling apart more and more.....

 

[toolman207]

I've never seen anyone with a 5.9 where it was running poorly, sealed then running well. I've seen some run poorly, sealed, and run poorly though. There are about 10 unique engines in that vid...with the 4.6 being one of them ( have three of them and run them in truggy and MT), So you are seeing low-end RTRs and high-end modded engines in that vid. . Just run the engine, if you suspect a leak, validate it, fix and move on (but again I've never seen that--where someone had a poorly running engine, sealed it and then it beasted--on any engine let alone the 5.9) . BUT it does, then of course fix it. But if not, I simply don't see the point in taking the risk, and I speak from experience on this. I say tune it, run it, and enjoy it. That's my thinking anyway. There are 10k things that can prevent a good race tune, and an air leak is perhaps the least likely in my short experience (but I've had 25+ engines during that time so base it on that). Obviously it makes none to me if you or anyone else seals their engines. Just providing some additional facts

Okay, thanks. Yeah my dog doesn't get too excited over the rc vehicles any more. He's all about living large.

I've been able to find quite a few, for example here is one from this forum
https://www.hpisavageforum.com/threads/hard-to-tune-erratic-tuning-k5-9.14869/#post-185721

 

[Newbie Savage Owner]

I mean see it see it. (Not read it--anyone can write anything--as we all know) Anyway, seal or don't seal unless needed..each person on here can only give their experience and you decide from there. Best of luck either way of course.

HHHMMMMM, and so the story goes. and it is falling apart more and more.....

It sure is.

 

[bildad]

Oh yeah I forgot one more thing, Put a cable tie (zip tie) on your fuel cap, makes for refueling with the body on a whole lot easier.

 

[toolman207]

Oh yeah I forgot one more thing, Put a cable tie (zip tie) on your fuel cap, makes for refueling with the body on a whole lot easier.

This will sound like a silly question but do you then fill the truck via fuel tube?

 

[bildad]

No No.. you still fill the regular way it just makes it easier to lift the fuel cap on the truck with the body on

 

[toolman207]

No No.. you still fill the regular way it just makes it easier to lift the fuel cap on the truck with the body on

ah yeah got ya now

Just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone that helped out with getting my savage working awesome. Here's a short video after the run in period.

 

[WoodiE]

Good looking Savage XL.

 

[bildad]

running sweet! good work, wait till it loosens up!

 

[jaceracer]

did you have any problems breaking it in? and did you do the engine seal or not?

Also what fuel? and what temps were you at?

 

[toolman207]

Also what fuel? and what temps were you at?

No problems with the break in.
I did seal the engine, very easy process.
Every time I take it out it starts and runs perfectly.
I don't have a temp gun but the head is never stinking hot if you no what I mean and plenty of smoke coming from the engine.
My only issue is the brakes seem to fade is there some trick I should know about?

 

[toolman207]

Also what fuel? and what temps were you at?

And the fuel I was running was A main 16%

running sweet! good work, wait till it loosens up!

It has been running great, Before I made the purchase a lot of people saying that this engine wont run?? Mine has been great

Also what fuel? and what temps were you at?

I also installed a pressure nipple at the top of the fuel cap and then ran some fuel tube to the bottom of the tank this was to fix the half tank lean issue. So the exhaust pressure is being blown from the bottom of the tank not the top.

 

[GAJ]

Toolman207,
Can you explain the reasoning for the tank mod, attach a picture?

 

[toolman207]

Toolman207,
Can you explain the reasoning for the tank mod, attach a picture?

The theory behind my mod is fuel head pressure, I come from planes so I could be wrong but look at the tank position on the savage, with my planes you'd want the middle of the tank to be inline with the carb. With the savage tank only a small part of the upper tank is within that range which is why everything runs fine and has greater fuel head pressure within that range. Once it goes below that upper part of the tank everything becomes a lot harder. I assume this is the reason the guys who run the mid tank mod have better reliability due to their tank position. While I don't claim to know anything I just thought I'd share this with other Savage owners as it has solved my tank lean issue without doing any serious mods to the tank. For anyone wanting to try the mod, you can do this without damaging anything or drilling holes, I'm pretty sure the nipple I used was a 4-40 dubro, Just screw the nipple into the fuel cap hole and then run some fuel line to the bottom of the tank. Make sure you've got a small amount of clearance so the fuel tube isn't being blocked by the bottom of the tank. The running of my savage has been solid since doing this. The attached pic is what it should look like.