How To Properly Shut Down A Nitro Engine

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kvnnets

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Oakville, Ontario, Canada
This may help out some people that are new to the world of RC and Nitro engines.

There are a few ways to shut off your engine.

1: Stop the fly wheel.

2: Pinch the fuel line.

3: Plug the exhaust stinger.

I think one of the best ways to shut down your engine was explained to me the other night and I thought I would share it with you.

Before anything you want to make sure that your throttle is in neutral.

Pull the fuel line off the carb. This will stop any fuel to the engine.

At the same time you want to plug your exhaust stinger. All your doing with the stinger is feathering it so the revs stay nice and low, you don't want to kill the engine with the pipe, just limit the revs so it doesn't scream as it leans out

The reason for this is that you are trying to burn the remaining fuel in your engine ONLY. As the engine revs high even for a couple of seconds you are heating up the combustion chamber even more and that starts to burn off the lubricants that will help keep your parts lubed for the next start up.

Why do we burn all fuel left in the engine? Nitro fuel retains moisture and as the fuel starts to evaporate it will release that moisture into your engine and cause it to rust over time.

You can drain whatever fuel that is left over in your feed line back into your tank. It should be ok for a couple of days but don't leave it to long or the moisture will start to break down your fuel.

On a side note, if you do not want to leave fuel in your tank put it into another fuel bottle. Do not put it back with new fuel because you might contaminate it.

Just to be sure that no fuel will enter your engine through gravity feed you can cap both the fuel line and the carb intake.

This method should ensure that with proper engine maintenance you will get maximum life out of your engine.

One more thing to add. When you do stop your engine for the day make sure you put the piston at BDC. This is especially important with newer engines. Putting the piston at BDC will keep the pinch between the piston and the piston sleeve when the engine cools. You want to keep the pinch as tight as possible as it will keep you engine compression as high as possible for as long as possible, that is until normal wear and tear take over.
 
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I might add, that explanation is for the last run of the day. If you are just shutting it down for a break or re-fueling etc, just kill it with the fly wheel, this will leave it primed and ready to fire for the next bash session. You can do this with your finger, end of your tuning handle or a stick, just touch it on the fly wheel and it will kill the engine.
 
i don't think sticking your finger on a flywheel is a good idea lol

I second that. you are okay at idle usualy but if the motor revs for some reason as you touch it say goodbye to a lot of skin.

One other thing turn your motor over so it is at bottom dead center so that as it cools your piston is not pinched at the top of the sleeve. This is most important in a new engine that still has a lot of pinch.
 
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where does it say use your finger to stop the flywheel? Thats wht they make tuning screw drivers with a rubber stopper on the end...

NVM Robin said it lol..
 
I never thought about stopping it with my finger LOL! Seems like it might not feel very good, but I guess if it stops really easy it wouldn't hurt!?
 
When at idle, all you do is touch the fly wheel with your finger (or other object) I stop my trug and bug like this with no skin missing ever lol, it doesn't take much. Also to clarify, when you pull the fuel line off the engine, all your doing with the stinger is feathering it so the revs stay nice and low, you don't want to kill the engine with the pipe, just limit the revs so it doesn't scream as it leans out.
 
I second that. you are okay at idle usualy but if the motor revs for some reason as you touch it say goodbye to a lot of skin.

One other thing turn your motor over so it is at bottom dead center so that as it cools your piston is not pinched at the top of the sleeve. This is most important in a new engine that still has a lot of pinch.


Added that in to the original post. Thanks. I completely forgot about that.
 
When at idle, all you do is touch the fly wheel with your finger (or other object) I stop my trug and bug like this with no skin missing ever lol, it doesn't take much. Also to clarify, when you pull the fuel line off the engine, all your doing with the stinger is feathering it so the revs stay nice and low, you don't want to kill the engine with the pipe, just limit the revs so it doesn't scream as it leans out.

Added your explanation about the feathering of the stinger. It sounded better.
 
The HPI Engine Stop is the best product HPI has designed for the Savage, and not a lot of people know about it.

If you have a regular Savage it's OK I guess but it does not fit if you have an XL. Some parts just don't work between the two.
 
I have to disaggree on the moisture in your engine can cause it to rust over time, I had a t-maxx and never put any afo in it and had it in a closet of over a year and one day I decided to pull it out and it fired right up. just my .02
 
I have never run ARO on my super nitro rs4 where I live either and it still runs like new after 6 years with the stock motor. Mine has been kept in the garage mostly and inside sometimes.
 
Depending on what type of fuel you run the is enough lub in there to last so you don't need ARO. Most engine manufactures recommend it though. I'm sure both of you do not store it with fuel in the engine for long periods of time. If there is no fuel you will have little chance of moisture in the chamber therefore no rust. Moisture happens when you store it with fuel in your engine.
 
The thing you didn't mention is taking the engine apart, yes they may just fire up and run after sitting for long periods of time but the internals could still be seriously rusted and corroded. I run sidewinder fuel and it has ARO included, I don't use ARO and have never seen any signs of rust BUT, I have run other types of fuel as well as others where I had the chance to look in their engines, there was substantial amounts of rust and corrosion that could have been avoided. Yes the engine still ran ok but once the balls in the bearings get pitted from rust, the life expectancy goes way down. Just something to keep in mind.
 
I run Sidewinder 20% with 12% oil. I always wondered about the claims that you don't need ARO with their fuel. Could this be why I have had good luck not using ARO? I have some oil now for the Savage but I almost always forget to use it LOL.
 
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I second that. you are okay at idle usualy but if the motor revs for some reason as you touch it say goodbye to a lot of skin.

One other thing turn your motor over so it is at bottom dead center so that as it cools your piston is not pinched at the top of the sleeve. This is most important in a new engine that still has a lot of pinch.
how do you make sure piston is at bottom dead centre position?
 
how do you make sure piston is at bottom dead centre position?

just take out the glow plug and you can see were the piston is,you may need a small flashlight to see it if your in a fairly dark place!! lol
 
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just take out the glow plug and you can see were the piston is,you may need a small flashlight to see it if your in a fairly dark place!! lol
the fella i bought it off said something about taking the plug out after use and put some oil in? is that right? whats it for?
 
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