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Bad Piston Color?
#1
Here is a pic of my 3.3. The motor has only burned up about 2 1/2 gallons of fuel since i got the truck about a month ago or so. This is the first time that i took the cooling head off the motor. I noticed this really dark black color on the piston. If i had to guess, that probably isn't good. To lean, right? Well if i keep running the motor alot richer, will that black color go away, or is that there forever? And will they affect the performance of my motor. Dont be afraid to lay it on me, i need to know what to do with this mess. thanks [Image: Picture024.jpg]:pow:
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#2
Looks nice and rich too me! Atleast its not pitted and clean (Thats bad!)


I think its fine as long as your running around 200+ degrees
Dont mess wit my sig Line tune!
--Then follow the rules! haha!-- -Tune
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#3
Considering the look of the piston, and the fact that the engine MELTED the heat shield (The yellow sleeve over the fuel line), I would say that you were running WAY too lean. IF the engine still runs, you should richen it up quite a bit. Also, I would recommend investing in a temp gun. A cheap one will run you about $25, a LOT cheaper than a new $100+ engine, which will probably not last too long running as lean as this one was.

There are a few threads on here with great tuning tips. Take the time to read through them, and take it slow with tuning your engine next time around. Watch for a nice steady trail of smoke coming from the exhaust, and keep the temps in the 240-260 range on the Traxxas engines. (Some will still run great a little hotter, but until you are more comfortable with tuning, that is a good heat range to stay in).

Hopefully I don't come off as an @$$ in this thread, but you did say "Dont be afraid to lay it on me,"

Good luck.

Rocco, that heat shield won't melt like that, even running in the 260-270 range. It looks like he was running a LOT hotter than that.
I'll keep my God, my freedom, my guns, and my money. You can keep "THE CHANGE."
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#4
If it was lean wouldnt the pistion be clean???

Thats black thing looks worn through not burned...
Dont mess wit my sig Line tune!
--Then follow the rules! haha!-- -Tune
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#5
In another thread it said that he melted through the black and yellow pieces of heat shielding.......
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#6
black is from fuel, lean would leave the piston pitted and look like it was sandblasted, that looks fine to me
Here is a link to my website-
http://www.czech-it-out-graphics.com
1/29/07 never forget....TTT Confusedalute:
Bringing old know-it-all blow hards back to reallity at a forum near you

"Always Imitated, Never Duplicated"
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#7
well, i have a temp guage. But its an onboard temp made from traxxas. And that heat shield came off my pressure hose. It was laying on the header and fried it all up. So the motor isn't getting hot enough to burn through that. I would be really scared if that was to happen. My temp are usually really high. But i think the temp guage is way off. It usually read like 320-360, but when i go to lean it some more, it keep gaining in power. I am pretty sure i am far from the best performance, but the temps are Reading crazy. And now that this huge black spot on my piston has arrived. I'm not sure what to do... I have two threads up, one on here and one on traxxa's web site. And one person form both said it looks to lean, then the other two say it looks to rich. Not sure what to think yet.
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#8
It is a little blurry, so I may be wrong, but it looks melted to me. I never had a problem with it wearing through on my maxx, and running at 270, I never seen one melt. The heat sheild really doesn't move much, so I can't see it wearing a hole in it, especially in only 2.5 gallons.

Maxx-Breaker, is the heat sheild worn through, or melted?
I'll keep my God, my freedom, my guns, and my money. You can keep "THE CHANGE."
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#9
ok take a pic of ur plug for us
Here is a link to my website-
http://www.czech-it-out-graphics.com
1/29/07 never forget....TTT Confusedalute:
Bringing old know-it-all blow hards back to reallity at a forum near you

"Always Imitated, Never Duplicated"
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#10
ok one second
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#11
I think it looks almost too rich... Id buy a desent temp gun and throw that onboard out the window...
I bet your barely in the 200's... I bet the onboard is reading the exsaust port which is always hotter , cuz it doesnt have a cooling head bolted to it
Dont mess wit my sig Line tune!
--Then follow the rules! haha!-- -Tune
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#12
Temp guage, even a little off, should not be 100 degrees off. Why have one if you ignore it anyway?? Make sure you have smoke at idle and full throttle, good pop and no stuttering off of the line, and no bogging at the high end....
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#13
maxx-breaker Wrote:It usually read like 320-360,

This is WAY too hot.

If Mike and Rocco say that the coloration is normal, check the placement of the temp sensor. It should be in the gap by the lowest fin, pulled all the way in, with the heat sensor near the back of the engine. If the Temp sensor is in the right position, you may have an airleak causing the engine to run that hot.
I'll keep my God, my freedom, my guns, and my money. You can keep "THE CHANGE."
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#14
i remember indoor when rocco's stuff wasnt running great his lsp, and i helped him tune it, he came off and somebody temped it with a POS temp gun and it said 240, and an exergen said 260 or 280 so ya it could be like 100* off
Here is a link to my website-
http://www.czech-it-out-graphics.com
1/29/07 never forget....TTT Confusedalute:
Bringing old know-it-all blow hards back to reallity at a forum near you

"Always Imitated, Never Duplicated"
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#15
Czech-it-Out Graphics Wrote:i remember indoor when rocco's stuff wasnt running great his lsp, and i helped him tune it, he came off and somebody temped it with a POS temp gun and it said 240, and an exergen said 260 or 280 so ya it could be like 100* off
You helped me tune??? Thanks chris!
Dont mess wit my sig Line tune!
--Then follow the rules! haha!-- -Tune
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#16
lol rocco
Here is a link to my website-
http://www.czech-it-out-graphics.com
1/29/07 never forget....TTT Confusedalute:
Bringing old know-it-all blow hards back to reallity at a forum near you

"Always Imitated, Never Duplicated"
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#17
The difference you just reffered to was only 20-40 off. I see your point that cheaper temp guns may read bad, but 360, even with a bad reading is not good. I had a MIP temp guage a while back, and it was fairly consistent (usually within 5* of handheld tempguns). Not to say that they are always acurate, but they usually are fairly close.
I'll keep my God, my freedom, my guns, and my money. You can keep "THE CHANGE."
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#18
i meant to say 340* my bad lol
Here is a link to my website-
http://www.czech-it-out-graphics.com
1/29/07 never forget....TTT Confusedalute:
Bringing old know-it-all blow hards back to reallity at a forum near you

"Always Imitated, Never Duplicated"
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#19
rocco79 Wrote:Thanks chris!

What did I do??? LOL
I'll keep my God, my freedom, my guns, and my money. You can keep "THE CHANGE."
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#20
I guess you helped me tune....
Dont mess wit my sig Line tune!
--Then follow the rules! haha!-- -Tune
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#21
thenewguy821 Wrote:The difference you just reffered to was only 20-40 off. I see your point that cheaper temp guns may read bad, but 360, even with a bad reading is not good. I had a MIP temp guage a while back, and it was fairly consistent (usually within 5* of handheld tempguns). Not to say that they are always acurate, but they usually are fairly close.

I know a dude wit that F'in Ofna paul Coleman temp gun and its always 100 degrees off!
Dont mess wit my sig Line tune!
--Then follow the rules! haha!-- -Tune
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#22
Read again Roc... That was Czeck that said that... Have one for me while you are at it... lol
I'll keep my God, my freedom, my guns, and my money. You can keep "THE CHANGE."
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#23
why cant anyone spell my name right lol
Here is a link to my website-
http://www.czech-it-out-graphics.com
1/29/07 never forget....TTT Confusedalute:
Bringing old know-it-all blow hards back to reallity at a forum near you

"Always Imitated, Never Duplicated"
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#24
i cant get a clear picture of it. My cam kinda sucks for up close pics. But it is grey and dry. And it look like it may be distorted alittle bit, but i have been running this plug for alittle while.
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#25
Check to see if there is a Macro feature on your camera (If it is a Digital, there should be) it is usually represented by a flower. It is for close-up pictures. It shortens the focal point, so the close pics aren't blurry.


Czech, I'll spell your name right when you spell "can't" right... lol J/K
I'll keep my God, my freedom, my guns, and my money. You can keep "THE CHANGE."
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