I just got a HPI Savage 25 two days ago, yesterday I wanted to brake in the engine and ran it outside for 20 minutes at lowest RPM and the settings were factory set so didnt adjust them (took some time to start it first time, but when it was hot it started every time).

The noise was too much and had to go to work the day after to continue breakin. The tank was half full from yesterday and I did not empty it overnight. Well I went too work and then the engine will not start at all, I checked the sparkplug and it glowed, tried several things and the engine will not react - I even used an electric starter from my brother and that didnt work either. The temperature was 20 degrees inside were I tried it, so temp was not an issue. It uses a rotor starter and I primed first and tried - then it was harder too turn so I emptied it (used rotor starter without sparkplug).
Then it felt ok again, but didnt start.

I tried this for 3 hours and then gave up (the rotor start battery was flat), everything I did was the stuff in the manual - nothing else, so before I take the 1,5 hour trip to my LHS I hope you can suggest some thing I can try out?

Please give some advice, I am new to IC/glow but have plenty of experience with electric planes though.

Thanks.

You have to watch Nitro engines they are very tempermental to outdoor temperatures. A friend of mine bought a Savage 25 and the way we found to start it up easier was to get a heat gun and warm up the head on the engine. Once we heated the engine up to about 75-90 degrees it fired right off. Try that and see what happens. If you don't have a heat gun you can use a propane torche but don't run the flame on the head hold it away and be very careful of the fuel lines.

Good luck

DJ Mansfield

Thanks, yes I have a heat gun and I will try that, sounds like a smart thing.

Also the plastic tube from the fuel tank is touching the cylinder, will this cause it to melt, and should I move it and tape in place away from the cylinder?

The fuel line that come with a Savage is silicone. You don't have to worry about it melting.

On your starting issues, the problem you are having is indeed a temperature issue. First thing I would look into is the fuel you are running. I tried several brands last winter and the fuel that worked the best for my Savage was Trinity's Monster HP, I don't know what the difference is but it was the only consistent fuel I could run in cold temeratures. My other recommendation would be try a different temperature glow plug. The best glow plug ever made, in my opinion, is the McCoy MC-59. Give those a shot and I think it would fire right up.

One more thing is don't count on the carb screws to be adjusted exactly right for break-in from the factory. I have owned 3 new Savages (I buy a new one every winter...lol) and each of them I had to lean the high speed needle about a half a turn to get them to atleast start consistently for break-in. At the factory they set them extremely rich so the buyers that 1)don't read the manual 2) have no patience 3) think they need to run them full bore on the first tank of fuel, dont blow their engines up.

Finally, Once you do get it up and running. Pay close attention to the highspeed needle setting. You have to make sure the engine is pumping plenty of white smoke. When running nitro engines in freezing temperatures you can't tune the high speed needle by cylinder head temeratures. The cylinder head will show on a temp gun to be really low because of the cold outside air. So most guys think they can lean out the highspeed needle, making the truck faster but also starving it for the oils in the fuel needed for lubrication. Before you know it you have a junk motor. So that is why I say make sure you have plenty of white smoke coming out the exhaust pipe to insure the engine is getting the proper lubrication.


Hope this helps,
Brian

Thanks Brian (my name is Brian to BTW), that was very helpful advice. I will see what types of glow plugs they have at my LHS tomorrow.

The type of fuel I got with it is 16% nitro 12% oil "Jero Glo" does that sound alright for winter temperatures / breakin or should I look for something else?

And there was no white smoke when I got it to run (idling) the other day (but when I gave a little throttle there was smoke), but there was plenty of oil coming out of the exhaust pipe when idling, does this sound good or bad?

Edit: Also at what temerature is considered "low"? As in when will the temperature start to affect engine performance and cause difficulties starting? PS I live in Norway, but its not very cold here at the moment, maybe +1 / -3 degrees celsius now.

Wow that would definetly affect your starting. I had a hard time starting up even on a 90 degree summer day. I used Wildcat fuel when I ran mine. Seemed to work nice and made the start up pretty easy.

Good luck

DJ Mansfield

Alright here`s the deal: I got it running today after installing the airfilter (in a plastic bag) wich had a note saying "update" on it and nothing else. Seems like they want us to swap this new airfilter with the one attached already.

I also warmed the cylinder with a heat gun, and that didnt work at first, but after installing the airfilter and then heating it, it started after some 5 - 15 minutes of trying.
And also got two new glow plugs, that didnt help either, and I used the old plug when I got it to run.

So here comes the problem: when I run it the engine it slowly revs up (couple of minutes) and I cannot stop the revving with the servo or servo trimming or manually, so I wonder if someone could PLEASE help me locate the idle screw???

There is a drawing of the engine, but it doesnt look the same at all, and I cannot locate it after hours of trying.

If you have the instructions.go back to the basics.and set everything back to where it is supposed to be. even alot of time you will get one, way misadjusted from the Manufacturer. Second warming the head is good. But if you can keep your "fuel "before putting it in truck at least 50 degree's. You should not have trouble.It is when fuel get's real cold it doesn't flow as well as it should. Leave it in your truck car or whatever till your ready to use it. Warm.

So here comes the problem: when I run it the engine it slowly revs up (couple of minutes) and I cannot stop the revving with the servo or servo trimming or manually, so I wonder if someone could PLEASE help me locate the idle screw??


To me it doesn't sound like its the idle or then again it could be. Need a little more info about it. To me what it sounds like is its running lean (To much air not enough fuel). I would try to richin it up a bit could be another reason why you had a hard start up with that head being nice and warm that fuel should have taken right off.

Let us know

DJ

Thanks Slider, I didnt know that about the fuel temp.

A good thing happened just a minute ago, I put the DVD that came with the Savage in the player expecting a shameless comercial plug, but w00t! It contained a completely detailed video on how to break in the engine and tuning advice + just about everything you need to know about getting this thing to run properly. It lasted for some 40 minutes (there was plenty of other stuff on there aswell) and I will watch it tomorrow as I tune it and hopefully everything will be ok then, will let you know how I do. They should advertise this fact better, as I am sure many beginners will appreciate this (very good) instructional video, I didnt even notice the small print on the back cover ;) it should be on the box in HUGE letters! I love HPI for this and for their support website, wich always gives you an answer within the following buisness day.

Thanks for all the help.


Edit: eupracer - Yes I noticed that on the video, and my Savage acted like the video one did when it was lean, and when it went empty, so yes I think you are correct on this and will adjust it tomorrow. Again thanks for your answers and will let you know how it went tomorrow.

WOOHOO for once I gave good advice, please someone slap me I think I'm dreaming hehe Joke. Glad to help

Lata, DJ

Found the problem today, they even say it on the vid, the low speed needle was to lean from the factory. After adjusting it everything behaved normally.

I found it hard to adjust this low speed needle, as I tried to locate the lowest setting I turned for what seemed to be 4 or 5 turns (lost count perhaps?) and it never seemed to reach the tightest setting. After fiddling back and forth, I must have found the proper setting as the engine didnt rev up when on idle anymore.

Tomorrow will be the first runs as I broke in the engine until it was to late to continue driving. And I also went flying in the snow today, here is a little picture:

Id like to say the manuals Hpi has are awful. i had the same problem u did with my rush evo and the manual seemed to explain it in all languages but english. they really have poor manuals