RC Car Engine Trouble Shooting

There can be so many problems with the engines. Different people and different engines make varied permutation and combination of problems that can be encountered with them. Here are some of the common problems discussed.

Some times the engine is very cool and stops short after a short run. When the engine is very cool is starts immediately but after some turns at medium speed it if you put brakes or try to run at very slow speed it stops. It may be because it might not be pulling enough gas. This might be an indication of a worn piston sleeve. This may give you a good engine start for about a minute of 45 seconds but stops short after a few turns. Another checking can be required at the flywheel by hand. After it is warmed up and stalling, you should feel considerable resistance as the piston approached TDC. One can try turning the flywheel to check how much compression is left. If one can turn If it can be turned with a finger and runs only for a few seconds and start only when it is cooled then surely piston or the sleeve is to be blamed.

Another reason can be that it might not be sucking enough gas as it has no compression. The engine has to be running and sucking in air to suck the fuel through the carburetor. This is not in proper place as the compression is down.

Most important aspect is to listen to your engines. Most people especially those driving Nitro models, fall into watching the smoke that comes from the exhaust and tuning the engines. But problems with consistent performance may arise if there is a change in type of fuel. Different fuel types may give into different range of engine performances. Further, it is not suitable to expect the engines to perform race after race and in different conditions and every problem to be solved just by taking a look at the smoke. It is important to learn to how the engine sounds and responds to the throttle input.

Other than those there can be many instances when the engine stalls or simply it would not start. If the engine is cutting out fast turns then its time to give a check on the fuel system of the engine. Other problems that may arise due to fuel system can be that engine might be running very badly. One needs to check out if the mixture is too lean or too rich, head pressure, fuel lines etc and all things related to fuel system. A thorough investigation and fixing of the same can give out better engine performance.