Nitroholic

When you pull on the pullstart, it should be engaging on the end of the crank to turn the motor. It does this through a simple form of clutch mechanism. When pressure on the pullstart is released, this disengages to allow the pullstart spring to pull in the cord. If it didn't, you would have to turn the engine backwards as well to wind in the cord. Not a good idea... hence the one-way design. If your pullstart fails to disengage when you have pulled the cable all the way out, 2 things are potentially happening. 1) The pullstart spring has failed 2) The one pullstart won't unhook itself So...your engine only gets one pull to turn it, and then the pullstart spring is trying to turn everything backwards. Assuing the pullstart mechanism was fitted complete, then everything should be Ok in there. Double check the installation of hte new pullstart and make sure the pullstart is properly mounted and that nothing was damaged in the engine side when the pullstart broke last time. While you have the engine out, check also that your engine turns over freely without the pullstart. There may be an engine issue at the bottom of this too.

What to do next will depend a lot on when it stalls and what you were doing with it at the time. Does it stalls as soon as you take away the glow-starter? Have you revved the engine at all to get it running and clear out any fuel build up from starting? Or does it just stall whatever you do..... There are a few easy things to check first, and some less easy ones. First off, when it stalls, is there fuel in the pipe leading to the carb. If there isn't then you have a fuel delivery problem which would be fairly easy to cure. Also check the setup of the throttle linkage. Make sure there is a bit of slack ( just a tiny amount ) so you know the servo is not holding it open at idle. Do this with the radio gear turnerd on ( TX & RX ) Next, you might want to check that the carb opening is set correctly. If you take off the air-filter, you should be able to see the carb slide open around 1mm with the throttle at idle. If it isn't ...adjust the idle screw to make sure the opening on the carb is correct. Then replace the airfilter. When you mention that the engine is hard to turn over at a certain point, this is normal. When the piston reaches the top, the fuel/air mix is compressed. If you want to check the movement of engine bearings, loosen off the glowplug so the piston is no longer compressing anything. Then you will feel if a bearing is tight when you turn it. Make sure you tighten it down again before you try to run the engine...... Getting the base settings right on the idle side may well help to get the engine running with abit more certainty. It's a bit odd that this should start after 4 tanks through, as it should be pretty much broken in and tuning should be starting....but I don;t know how much tuning and setting you have done with this engine. Might be worth your while to read a few of the tuning guides on the site here

Initially, I didn't like the blue...but it is growing on me The blue engine cover and pullstart /filter outerwear really start to pull the scheme together. Will be interesting to see how this comes out when it is all finished and the shell is on, because with a nice blue/white paint job on there, it could look really stunning.

Hmm...looks pretty, but I can see why he has only used it a couple of times. No way I would risk rolling

No need to change servos. The transmitter will come with a compatable receiver, and you just plug the existing servos into the new receiver unit. Sometimes you get servos included in the radio set but these are there for people wanting a complete radio set, and usually are not great quality servos anyway.

As far as materials go, I wouldn't want a plastic gear on a 1/8th buggy. The issue with meatl filings is not really a major one. The dust doesn't stick around so you would notice, and anyway...there is usually plenty of other debris around. The advantage with metal is they will last a lot longer under the loads they receive. I usually lubricate mine with a squirt of motorcycle chain lube to help them to run smoothly as well. As far as after-market diffs go, it's really a question of how much money you want to spend and how you intend to use the buggy. For general bashing and fun, stock parts would probably be fine. If you feel you would benefit form improved traction, then start shopping around for higher spec parts. Expect to spend more to get them. Personally...I haven't bothered with either of my nitro buggies as I don't think I would notice the difference much the way I drive them....

This is something i have been wondering about, even more so as my ST01 is getting to the point where the gear on the clutch bell is showing the inevitable signs of wear. Even more so as I was pondering the upgrade of my XT2 to a .28 when I saw one for

There are a couple of options..... Option 1: Spend anbout £70 a time for purpose built bags with afew pockets that will do the job and have a logo on them. Modelsport sell some nice ones. Bearing in mind the things will only stored in them when the kids can be bothered....the money would be better spent towards repairs of the other cars they have! If they fixed up the rascals, then the sale of those would cover the cost of a proper HPI logo bag. Kids should learn the value of money and the responsibility of caring for expensive toys. My 13yr old was 'loaned' my spare buggy and taught to clean and service it after every run. He won't get his own buggy if he doesn't look after this one. edit...forgot to add link.... http://www.modelsport.co.uk/?CallFunction=Category&CategoryID=998030 Option 2: Get hold of a couple of small wheeled suitcases or sports hold-alls. These usually come with pockets to put tools etc in, have wheels so they can be dragged along by the handle or a strap to carry. Small rigid sided suitcases make good longer term storage...but are less useful to transport the buggy around. These can be got from Argos etc. for around £20 a time. Just measure up the car and make sure you have a bag that is big enough. They can be had in a variety of colours and styles to suit a teenagers tastes. Thats what I use. I bought a cheap camo one from Argos...and then realised that a camo bag was a stupid idea when out in fields......where did I leave that bag

Looking very nice indeed I must admit, having taken mine apart for the first time today, I am impressed with the design and layout of MCD buggys. Everything fits in a logical way and they look just as good under the skin as with it on. Can't wait to see this with it's Lancia shell on.

True... I intended to spend around

Well.. I bit the bullet, and did the mesh-mod today. I had to make sure the bottom piece was curved in so it cleared the driveshaft, but with a bit of planning it went in nicely. I must admit...the engine is really easy to get out! If you undo the 2 front rollcage screws and pop off the petrol pipes you can lift the whole motor out as a complete unit with carb and exhaust in situ. Helps if you remember to disconnect the throttle linkage too though.... Just undo 2 screw and 3 bolts and off it comes. Mesh modded the crankcase and pullstart cover and had it all back together in no time at all. Now to paint her

Mind you....pre VAG, Skoda were utter rubbish.And having had an ex-girlfried who loved buying Fiats, I know rubbish cars when I see them But...in actual fact, it does put things in perspective when it comes to your choice of petrol cars, and being a 'smart' buyer rather than a blind one. It is possible to buy something good for smart money if you do your homework and spend your cash wisely. It is also possible to buy utter junk for less cash which is akin to just putting your money in a pile, pouring on the petrol and lighting a match. Clones..GOOD clones, are the 'Skoda's of the petrol buggy world. Good design marketed without the flashy badge. But..not all budget cars are worth it. Some are just cheap junk that will give you more trouble than they are worth. XRC etc. fall into this category. Then you have your high end stuff, which will mean

Yes. Oh...and please excuse my humble effort to help. Remind me not to bother in future.

I bet he also offered to sell you some more stuff after he showed you the springs on the Annsman too Springs will change in performance over time, shock oil needs changing every now and again, plus you can tune the springs to your driving style. If springs are too stiff, then they will bounce the car and not absorb bumps. If you do not routinely jump big jumps, then a softer spring setup will help. It's a balance. You need to have a bit of give. Drive the car a bot and see how it handles corners. If it rolls too much, or feels too 'bouncy' then look to adjust the shocks. If it is better with big plastic blocks on the springs, then look to maybe get stiffer springs or consider a shock rebuild or replacement. But I would suggest judging it more by the way the car drives than whether you can drop it from waist height and not bottom out the springs......unless, of course, you plan on dropping it from that height on a regular basis

It's most likely something like a fuel hose getting squashed somewhere. The only other possibility is a badly overheating motor ...but I don't think that is likely here, as it would manifest itself as poor running elsewhere if it was bad. Have a close look at where all your pipes go, and make sure they are all OK. Check the pipe from the exhaust to the fuel tank too. This pressurises the tank to force air in. If that is pushed it may be causing a leak which would result in fuel starvation. If in doubt, change the fuel pipes. It costs pennies for new fuel line. I have also attached some of hte pipes in my cars to the fuel tank splash guard on my TT as I wasn't happy with the run. The pipe developed a 'kink' at the fuel tank end which was causing poor running at idle. Mind you...on my XT2 the fuel pipe ended up getting chewed by the gear on the centre diff when I was cleaning it and pushed the car forward once... so now I take a bit of thought as to where my pipes go!!!

Started looking at this today, and have hit a bit of an issue which I hope one of our MCD owners here can help with. The front and back gaps on the motor are easy enough to do..and could actually be done wihtout removing the motor if you took off teh carb and fuel tank. It's the third area that concerns me. In order to fit a CY motor to the MCD the support webs across the hole are removed and a groove is cut along the base of the motor to allow room for the drivershaft to the rear diff. There is very little clearance here, and I don't see how the mesh would have room to clear the driveshaft. Also would be concerned about the mesh getting pushed in to the motor. It's quite a well protected area and tucked right in on the main chassis plate....so does this NEED to be meshed? Am I more at risk of the mesh causing a problem. I don't run much in gravelly areas, so would be running on mud and grass I can see a stone flying in to the front or around the pullstart cover...and can easily mesh those areas... it's just the one underneath.

MMMMmmmmm...me want shiny things

From stone cold, my Thunder Tiger is the same unless I run it for a minute or so. It's just a question of getting the motor up to temperature so the idle is stable. I can't start it with the shell on as there is no hole for the pullstart, and I don't want to spoil the look of the shell by cutting one! I leave the the glowstarter on, run it around me for a couple of short 'laps' then pull up and put the shell on. If it still causes problems when it's warmed up properly, then it's a tuning issue. Otherwise...just warm the car up and it should be fine.

The standard steering servo on Hoboas is known to be a weakpoint,k so having a good replacement is an improvement. The 'mg' bit in the name means it is metal geared, rather than plastic...again..a step in the right direction. Sounds like it was a good buy. Being nice and clean is a good sign...plus the guy was an experienced RC'er, so should have more than a basic idea how to look after the thing. I don't know if there is any scope to adjust the shocks. Both my nitro cars have plastic clips that sit above the springs to change the preload. Don't know if yours has this. You can get stiffer springs if you want to re-build the shocks too. This is where the tinkering and the setting up begins... and that's the joy of these little beasties. Hope you enjoy driving it

The difference being Skoda and Audi are made by the same people in the same factory from the same parts. The other difference is, smart people buy Skoda's and then spend the money they saved on a decent largescale buggy rofl And having owned many VAG products, I currently own a Skoda.

The wheels on a KM Baja would be real beadlocks. The tyres are reputedly a bit less durable than the proper item ... but then again, most Baja owners end up putting on different rubber anyway and the choice of tyres is pretty wide. Likewise, silencers designed for the HPI should fit fine. There are plenty of aftermarket pipes to choose from ... best bet would be to post a thread in the petrol section asking for the best quiet pipe for a Baja. If outright power is less important than being on speaking terms with your neighbours, I am sure there is a pipe out there to suit! edit: Buying from a UK retail outlet is probably a much better bet than from a foreign flea-bay seller. No risk of import duties, shipping delays, problems with breakages in transit etc. Buy it, have it couriered, and see it on your doorstep the next day!

Basically, this would raise the gearing slightly. You would get a higher top speed, but reduced acceleration. Put simply, you are changing the ratio of the gears. If, for example, the other gear on the centre diff has 56 teeth ( I have no idea how many it actually has... ) then one turn of the engine turns the diff gear 0.23 of a turn. With a 14T its .25 of a turn. So you can go a bit faster at max revs. OF course.....you have reduced the mecahnical advantage gained by gearing down and it rakes proportionally more energy to complete each rotation...so the acceleration drops in proportion. Unless you are running at high speed all the time or feel the buggy isn't fast enough flat out, then gear up. Personally, I find acceleration to be more fun....powering out of turns, donuts, jumps, etc. and a small amount of extra speed at the top end isn't noticable enough.

Well...to be sure, I bought 2 cans of green and one of yellow when I popped into Storacing today to stock up on Byrons They were selling it at

It looks like it hasn't been abused too much, so there is no reason to worry too much about the fuel. If the owner ignored the running in instructions and caned it from day one he may have shortened the life of the engine some, but there is no way of knowing in a used buggy anyway. Worst case scenario would be a new engine...and that isn't a huge expense really considering the price you have paid for this. 16% would not really let the engine perform as it should, and would have meant it was well down on power. I wouldn't use anything less than 20% on this, and just drive it easy until you are used to it.

Cleaning the outside is best done with WD40 or something similar. I like to keep my two as clean as I can to stop dirt etc. getting in if I have to take out the glowplug or perform any other maintenance...nothing better than having grit or dirt falling into the cylinder to make you engine fail!