bishbashbosh

Basically yeah, nothing nitro specific. It's just operating 2 servos. It'll need suitable trim settings for dialing wide open throttle.

Appreciate the explanation! Learnt something!

What's a repinching tool then?

I've recently reset all mine up and the manual tells you how (old Kyosho but may be same jist?) - https://kyosho.com/jpn/support/instructionmanual/pureten_alpha/pdf/gpalpha3_m.pdf Page 19 Key bit is I think you want a small gap between throttle closed and nipple to ensure its definitely closed.

I've also ordered some Allen head m3x8 screws and curved anti vibration washers to try and help! Haha

Keeping my eyes open for cheap non runners for spare parts although there seems to be plenty of spares available on eBay. Something I'd quite like is 2 speed if that's possible to retrofit.

The filter I've ordered is a different design (circular foam) so hopefully stop it falling out? Time will tell. When new bolts arrive they'll be threadlocked for sure! Although the engine plate looks a bit malformed where the bolts go so might contribute to the loosening.

There's a few outstanding problems I'm waiting on parts to fix now. Various bolts are rattling loose during running. It lost an exhaust manifold screw (M2.6x25, such an awkward size) and the engine mount bolts keep coming loose resulting in disengaging from the pinion. It also managed to lose the air filter foam (twice) so a new air filter is on order.

The shocks were pretty non functional - this model has oil filled rather than the earlier model's friction shocks. They got a rebuild with 30wt shock oil. Also upgraded the wheel metal bushes to ABEC5 bearings by simply measuring the bushing and ordering a suitable bearing (5x10x4).

The fuel system was giving me some grief - serious air bubbles from the tank and difficulty in fine tuning. This was remedied by some longer fuel lines from the exhaust (more stable tank pressure) and longer run from the tank to the carb. Pictured are the new lengths. While there I added some fuel hose clamps to isolate the fuel tank between runs, hopefully saving the need to drain the tank as often.

First and second test drives were cut short because the pullstart spring became dislocated and the cable didn't retract. The pullstart seems a nonstandard size on this GX15 engine so a £6 eBay job wasn't the fix. It's now drilled with a mushroom head bolt keeping the spring locator firmly in place. Free fix and proven to be working on my last outing.

Step 2 - shell modifications. Used a deep socket to mark out the location of the glow plug on the roof to drill a glow starter hole. Windscreen got a hole drilled for refueling and cooling. Passenger window got a hole drilled, which allows me to poke the pullstart handle out upon fitting the shell. Holes were a mix of metal step drill and metal holesaws. Voila, the car can now be started and refueled with the shell on.

I managed a few small test drives but had some teething problems. It's now running and tuned as well as a novice can do it. One thing I did find annoying was being unable to start and refuel the car with the body on which led to be driving with the body off a lot. Time to remedy that. Step 1 - rotate the pull starter 90 degrees to face the 'passenger' side of the car. Small amount of filing required to properly rotate the backplate to support this.

Ready for test drive! Except the steering arms were locked solid, steering servo didn't work at all and the throttle servo barely had enough juice to move the throttle body. Steering freed and oiled, and both servos uprated to Etronix 9kg metal geared items which work a treat.

With a test drive in sight, I knocked up some alloy brackets to mount the universal fuel tank as I was too cheap to buy the proper Kyosho one that would have just bolted in. Lower cable ties now replaced with correct countersunk screws through the chassis.