how do you tune a rc?

[polcat1p]

Just got a 2.5 t-maxx. When i try an start it i will have to give it a little gas to get it to idle. Should they idle with out throttle?. How much blue smoke should be coming from the exhaust when wot?

[redlineranger]

ok u want to turn u high speed needle(idle) up as far as u can without it making the truck move. adjust ur low speed needle(that feeds the gas into the carb) to where a good visible line of the blue/white smoke is seen while running the truck. dont adjust to much though cus them trucks run like crap and tear up if u run them to rich. adjust it to where its smoke coming out and not raw fuel and smoke mixed together. i did that with my nitro tc3 team associated car, and i burnt the motor up in no time. if u need any other help let me know

[redlineranger]

also i would suggest getting a bigger air filter for your truck. i've burnt the motor up numerous times in my car cus it wasnt getting enough air. i would suggest getting the motor saver air filter brand. it looks like a small K&N. these things deffinately need to breathe cus they run hot most of the time anyways.

[angry450r]

alls I can say is TEMP GUN TEMP GUN TEMP GUN!!!!!!!!! a good one is 100$(or a cheapo is like 30 not real accurate but better than nothing)without it you will burn it up I beleive that thing is set up to run hotter thank most., 220 240 for that motor is good operating temp . just dont lean iit out to much 300 + the truck will fly but itll be a gonner before you no it. mine was fast ran it 230 all day idled mint. if you got it new follow the dvd if this is your first nitro its really simple the video is so helpful and the one I had outta the box was jsut a tad bit rich did what they said leaned a bit and it ran like a champ go to traxxas website very helpful there too. just my .02

[polcat1p]

Thanks guys. I bought it from ebay, and the guy forgot to add the cd, but he will be sending it to me next week. That should help. As far as the temp gun, do you point it at the head to get the temp?

[redlineranger]

Originally posted by polcat1p
Thanks guys. I bought it from ebay, and the guy forgot to add the cd, but he will be sending it to me next week. That should help. As far as the temp gun, do you point it at the head to get the temp?

i dont exactly know what u do with a temp gun, but the ol fashion way is to place a drop of water on the head. if it sizzles away immediately its runnin hot. if it takes a awhile then ur in good shape

[DRT]

Aim the temp gun right down the center of the head.Like angry posted keep it around 240.As far as the no idle thing turn up your thottle trim a little bit.

[quads14589]

i run my traxxas t-maxx on a high idle and when u kick it up i get a large blue exahust but its good to run it a little rich. but sometimes its the type of nitros that you buy.

[Conman007]

go to rcuniverse.com thall tell u

[angry450r]

point it sraight down at the glowplug. and as for smoke coming out the exhaust under acceleration you always want to see smoke coming out a thin mist of blue/white whatever it appears to you. as far as idle goes only turn the idle up to a point the truck doesnt move if for example you would have to hold the brake for it not to creep forward thats NO GOOD. if you gotta hold the brake at idle you will fry the clutch on the motor. so high idle is fine but no creepin. now keep this in mind very important: so you dont get frustrated, your truck will always be slower and not as snappy when the tank is full. because it draws less air. the more fuel gets burned the faster it will seem. periodically check the temp of course, but I always have my cars/truck near me(when I know its about to run out of gas) when we are in a big parking lot or just testing. too see how hot it got at the end of a tank.if you gotta run to it and its been sitting for 10-15 secs its to late it wont be accuarate they cool very fast.Just trying to help because I have seen so many guys burn up new motors cause they are new to the sport or just lazy watching the temp my .02!

[JForestZ34]

When the truck is new you have to run it rich for the first 2 tanks. When I break in a motor I have raw fuel(oil) and smoke coming out of the exhaust. You want to get it as rich as possible, but not so rich that the engine doesn't want to run. You want the engine rich to keep it cool during the break-in that's why you run it so rich to keep it cool plus give it alot of lubrication. I think the CD or book tells you to have it rich enough so the trans doesn't shift to second gear. Also the car has three adjustment, one is for idle, one is for low speed mixture and the other is the high end. Basicly the idle is the idle stop screw, when you set this one it will set the idle speed of the engine. The low speed is the needle that adjust's the low speed mixture from idle to mid throttle. And the high speed needle speaks for itself, adjust's from mid to WOT. It's really hard to tell you what the screw should be set at on the carb, They all differ depending were you live because of alltitude. But most of the time it's pretty common. After you get used to driving them you can hear the way it runs when you hit the throttle and you'll know which needle to turn. If when after you have it tuned and you go to hit the throttle from a standing stop, and the motor bogs down, and then when you let of the throttle, the bog stops it's too rich. But if you hit it and it speed's up real fast and dies it's too lean. If you pay attention to the CD when you get it you shouldn't have a problem. Also on my T-maxx mine engine usally runs alittle hotter than 230 mine is usally around 280. These engine are known for running hot. I thought this was really high at first but after having my temp gun telling me the temp and after calling Traxxas they said it was fine so who am I to argue. I've put 2 pistons and sleeves in this engine so far and have had it for 5 years not bad.



polcat1p If you need advice or any help just give me a P.M.