First Nitro - TGS Rehab

[monark192 46]

Having used my extra time at home over the last year tidying up a couple of SRBs sitting on my shelf and then building a couple more runners so I don't have to clean them to put back on display, I started looking for something different in the Tamiya family.  Thanks to this forum and KO RC on Youtube/Instagram I have jumped (been pushed??) down the nitro rabbit hole of curiosity.  Enabled by the ease of shopping on Ebay, here is project #1.    So far, I have removed the ridiculous flames, fixed the numerous body cracks with shoe goo and drywall fiber tape, replaced the broken front shock mount with a TT01 part, and installed a FlySky receiver to get the electronics working.

Next up - the carb seems stuck, the fuel tank is too small and only held on by one screw, and I know nothing about nitro motors. An air filter is on the way and I now have a glow plug ignitor and fuel bottle.

Apologies in advance for any newbie / basic / obvious nitro questions.

 

 

[hedge 314]

Did you manage to get it running? Looks in quite good condition.

[monark192 46]

Finally got it running today.  Ran the carb through the parts cleaner and had to wait for a replacement pull start (HPI Racing 15126 - mounting holes don't quite line up but it starts the engine) but it runs.  Now to figure out the mysteries of nitro tuning.

First run on the bench

[hedge 314]

10 hours ago, monark192 said:

Finally got it running today.  Ran the carb through the parts cleaner and had to wait for a replacement pull start (HPI Racing 15126 - mounting holes don't quite line up but it starts the engine) but it runs.  Now to figure out the mysteries of nitro tuning.

First run on the bench

Sounds good! Looks good, no obvious bad wobble on the wheels or anywhere else that i can see from this short clip.

With regard to tune the good news is for this model there are only two carb components to play with. Throttle stop screw and the Main Needle. I would simply set everything to factory default. Quick check, Is your nitro fuel for a buggy or heli/plane and what Nitro % is it?

Do you have a manual? I used this Tamiya Manuals Database and specifically for this engine model TGS XBG

I am looking forward to another summer of running mine around, had great fun with it last year.

I would not worry too much about the fuel tank, the Tamiya ones do come up on ebay but they are easily damaged and you may find you buy a dud. I simply made a bracket for my fuel tank which is very similar to yours so it was fixed with two screws rather than one. Best to make sure that its is well isolated. Vibrations will foam the fuel and also damage the tank. Mount it with rubber grommets and make sure its not touching the chassis at all. Don't go over board but just be vigilant. Also recommend getting a fuel filter and of course an air filter. If you run this as is you will kill the engine. The carburettor is drawing/sucking in air at quite a rate and of course if it ingests dust then this goes straight into the main chamber and will destroy the piston.   

Nitro is about running and maintaining engines, the car is secondary

[monark192 46]

Thanks hedge - I have the air filter on.  This clip was just after I got it running long enough to film.  I will take your advice on the fuel tank.

Enjoying nitro so far which is a good thing as now I have a TNS and a TGX in the project que.

[hedge 314]

Looks like you've been bitten by the bug - enjoy. I prefer nitro to electric, as it feels more alive to me than electric motors. that said its a whole new ball game and some people cant get past the mess. Dont get me wrong I do own electric stuff as well, but the nitro always makes me smile

[monark192 46]

Certainly enjoying the sounds and smells of nitro and I am slowly learning more about tuning these things.  Car is cutting out when I lift abruptly off from full (or almost full) throttle - may be running too lean?

[hedge 314]

First base question would be which engine, is it? One with three adjusters or just a single needle. Regadless, with all nitro tuning issues I would always go rich on the main needle by 1/4 turn. If it turns out that fuel was not the issue just return it after diagnosis. No engine ever broke rich.

However, my guess would be not directly fuel related, but the carb stop gap is too small/closing, plus for good measure when did you last clean the air filter.

I find car engines hard to tune and worn car engines very hard to diagnose. Been flying nitro for over 10 years but air engines are much easier to tune. New car engines have the benefit of factory settings that normally work, but used engines come with so many issues sometimes even factory settings won’t get you going. That said returning to factory settings is always a good start point.

[monark192 46]

It is a Tamiya TS-12S. Air filter is new with less than a tank of run time.  Have reset to factory and double checked carb gap.  Idles ok - maybe a little fast.  Will try 1/4 turn richer on the main needle.  Thx.

 

[monark192 46]

New to me body off a parts car sourced on Ebay.  Looks better but still dealing with it shutting off after warming up. Seems this may be an indicator of warn engine.  Any leads on a new piston / liner?

 

[acprc 1443]

Piston and liner for the FS-12S and FS-12SW should be easy enough to find one Ebay. The engine was developed by Tamiya with O.S and the O.S recoil is a direct swap.

[monark192 46]

Are the FS-12S and FS-12SW the same as I see a piston and liner on Ebay but it only lists 12SW.

Thanks.

[acprc 1443]

11 hours ago, monark192 said:

Are the FS-12S and FS-12SW the same as I see a piston and liner on Ebay but it only lists 12SW.

Thanks.

Exactly the same. The only difference between the two engines are three parts on the carb