Sega 80 Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Model sport contacted me yesterday to let me know they couldn't fix my octane So they have sent it back to hpi will have to wait and see what happens !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian w Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Model sport contacted me yesterday to let me know they couldn't fix my octane So they have sent it back to hpi will have to wait and see what happens !!! Yeah same as mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Let's hope there is a fix. Perhaps there's a bad batch of ..... plugs, ... ??? Don't think plugs would require a return to HPI. Al. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian w Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Ian, Have you checked to see if it DOES trip if the tx signal fails?? Yup if the signal is lost it shuts down the CDI circuit. The opto switch fails safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian w Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Let's hope there is a fix. Perhaps there's a bad batch of ..... plugs, ... ??? Don't think plugs would require a return to HPI. Al. What the annoying bit is HPI say they have sorted mine and it`s on it`s way back to MSUK BUT they won`t say what was wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Has there ever been a major RC re-call, like in 1:1 ? Audi with the auto boxes that jumped out of 'Park' for example. Al. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian w Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Has there ever been a major RC re-call, like in 1:1 ? Audi with the auto boxes that jumped out of 'Park' for example. Al. I don`t think so most 1;1 recalls are for life threatening things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkppww91 Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I know that vectras or corsas where recalled for a problem on the handbrakes. Must be frustrating waiting for hpi to sort things out with the savages. Last thing you want when you buy a new truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian w Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I know that vectras or corsas where recalled for a problem on the handbrakes. Must be frustrating waiting for hpi to sort things out with the savages. Last thing you want when you buy a new truck. Yeah but the way I look at it is that is there responsibility to sell me an item that will work, out of the box that can be adjusted to tune properly. They will only see this if people return things to them. I am sorry that it had to go through MSUK but trading laws state that my contract is with the retailer so it is them that have to sort it with HPI which I am hoping has happened. I will soon find out. As I said before MSUK acted promptly where HPI did not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkppww91 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I totally agree. I would have done the same. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babylon Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Right, I'm a little confused, I was under the impression that the whole point of this truck was to give ease of tuning in 1/8 scale, Giving us the best of both worlds, So far, From what I have seen, The needles are still highly sensitive, And the ones that do seem tuned, Still look pretty slow, Even with the much more complexes 3 speed gearbox. So what is the advantage of this engine, Or this engine in this truck, The only advantage I can see is cheaper fuel, But as you can get the Savage XL for 500 quid, You can buy a lot of Nitro with the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian w Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Every one keeps going on about the speed of the Octane, HPI have never advertised this car as being fast in fact, in one of there promo videos before the car was available, they pretty much said if you want speed go for a Savage Flux. I bought mine knowing it was not going to be fast and knowing it was going to be a PITA, but hoping I was going to end up with a good torquey car, I still hope that is what is going to happen. The 1/8 size fitted my circumstances better then a 1/5. Any way that is my point of view. Mine should be back tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feedtheinferno Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 After seeing Harvey's octane finally change gear from 1st to 2nd and then the occasional 3rd, trust me nothing about the car is slow. It suddenly picks up and its off like a electric. I wish I could have filmed it but I had forgotten the camera and will get some film next time 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian w Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 After seeing Harvey's octane finally change gear from 1st to 2nd and then the occasional 3rd, trust me nothing about the car is slow. It suddenly picks up and its off like a electric. I wish I could have filmed it but I had forgotten the camera and will get some film next time Have you done any tuning on it or is it just running in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feedtheinferno Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 It has been slowly tuned on the high end to get a little more fuel into the engine other than that it is still running it. After that it may be a case of altering the timing on the change as the gearbox still seems to burst into gear at random. Quite scary when its going slowly and then BANG it heavily accelerates right at the end of the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydoddy69 Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I have to agree put the speed to one side this was only ever really advertised as being a torque monster.. But on the other hand if it was released to be cheaper to run and easier to tune than the nitro's its not looking that way.. Seems a long time scale for HPI to get these trucks back to folks so guessing they have had a huge amount sent back or even they struggle to get it to run ?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian w Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I have to agree put the speed to one side this was only ever really advertised as being a torque monster.. But on the other hand if it was released to be cheaper to run and easier to tune than the nitro's its not looking that way.. Seems a long time scale for HPI to get these trucks back to folks so guessing they have had a huge amount sent back or even they struggle to get it to run ?? I agree with you it certainly has not turned out the way they hoped. Mine has taken so long because I asked MSUK to check and run it before it came back to me, which they have done. They say that it still requires some patience but it is O/K and as long as I stick with it and don`t try and hurry it will be alright. They have again come up as caring (MSUK) by saying that they will help me all they can (Thanks Andy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarveyC Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share Posted June 18, 2014 Just to elaborate on what Nick said, on the last runs I had been slowly weakening out the high end needle and after a few adjustments, on a full throttle run (It had had 3 tanks of fuel through it by then) it wold suddenly change from '4 stroking' to proper '2 stroking' at which point it would take off like the proverbial scolded cat. I came to the conclusion that it had been running on the low speed needle for most of the time, and only broke in to '2 stroke' mode when a slight slope in the track enabled a bit of increase in speed, when it got onto the high speed needle and this is when it took off. On the next runs (hopefully in a few days now) I'm going to progressively lean out the low speed needle which I think is set a bit too rich. Before I do these next runs, I want to replace the exhaust gasket as there is a bit of oil weeping out from the joint which is getting everywhere including on to the pull start mechanism. A new gasket should be with me today, and it won't take a few minutes to change it. Harvey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarveyC Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share Posted June 18, 2014 (edited) The gaskets (packet of two) have just arrived and I think I now see why i had the leak ... they are VERY thin. I'm definitely going to use some sealant when I do this job later today. Oh and I have also just received a couple of more 'meaty' hump packs for it ... these are 1900 mah to replace the rather weedy 1200 mah ones that came with the kit. I have two other items on my present 'to do list for this model:- 1) Fit the kill switch that I received yesterday from Just Engines 2) Change the radio to the Absima CR4T system that have going spare. I'm not going to do either of these until after the next runs. My reasons are as follows:- Kill Switch ... Just Engines warn on their web site that in some cases this device has been known to reduce the voltage to the CDI which can effect the spark. Radio ... The receiver on the HPI one supplied has a very long antenna which I suspect may be because they want the active bit (the short exposed bit at the top) to be well clear of the ignition system. The antennas on both the Absima and Spektrum systems that I have here are much shorter and their active bits will be in line or lower than the cylinder head, and I'm concerned that there may be interference from the ignition system because of this. I don't believe in making too many changes are once and my main priority at the moment is to get the tuning right. Therefore although I will physically install the kill switch, I will leave it unplugged until I've finished the tuning, then plug it in and see what happens. I terms of the radio, I'm going to make up a test rig with the Absima system connected to a servo and I'll place the Absima antenna close to where it would end up on the car. I'll then run the engine, and get someone (Nick?) to observe what happens at different ranges, If all is OK then I'll install it. Harvey Edited June 18, 2014 by HarveyC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tug Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 FTI, you must get some footage of this thing on full chatter! A GPS reading would be handy if someone doesn't mind strapping their phone to the truck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feedtheinferno Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 (edited) The space we are currently using doesn't have the room for a top speed run and currently the 3rd gear isn't coming into play before we run out of room but I will definitely get some video next time we are out. The difference in pace the gear change makes is silly Edited June 18, 2014 by Feedtheinferno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Hats off lads for your dedication to the XL, good to hear that issues are being rectified Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Does it run small capacity NiMH batteries? Can both of these be replaced by one decently sized LiPo battery? How critical is the voltage on these - we all know how the charged voltage can go quite high, so supplied voltage is variable. Is this stabilised / regulated? That could be a way to use LiPo's - there are some decent (LRP) 6V voltage regulators out there that would permit a 2S battery being used .... Al. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarveyC Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 Al, The XL Octane uses separate batteries and switches for the rx and the cdi unit. I understand that this reflects the practice with petrol powered model aircraft and I presume that it's so that you have some degree of protection from radio failure in the event that the cdi unit flattens the battery, also some degree of isolation from interference (I'll be interested to see what Losi have done in both these regards, as they appear to use one battery for both functions). I've just had the radio box completely apart (in spite of what I said earlier, having got in to working on the car today, I decided to do the radio change now rather than wait). On the side of the cdi unit it says that it will accept a dc input of 4.8-8.4 volts. I don't know much about LIpos but I think that it means that it would be Lipo compatible? I'm not a fan of Lipos (the chemistry terrifies me(!)) so I won't be exploring this route and will be sticking with NiMh's. With the original 1200mah batteries, HPI state that they should last for 3 tanks of fuel, so with my new 1900mah ones (just going through their first discharge/charge cycle at the moment), I should have plenty of reserve. Oh and my reason for doing the radio change now? ... This morning I realised that the radio supplied with the kit is only two channel, and therefore not compatible with the kill switch that I have just fitted. I've install Spektrum DX4S gear rather than Absima that was my original intention, purely because the antenna on the Spectrum SR410 receiver is a bit longer than the one on the Absima R3WP and therefore active bit at the top will be a clearer of screening. Just got to wait now for the new batteries to finish their charging cycle and I can reassemble it all ready for some more tuning.... Harvey 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian w Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Watching with interest Harvey especially radio change. I have my Octane back now and notice that my exhaust gasket is just starting to weep slightly so have ordered replacement. Unfourtunatly I have no time to spend with it until next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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