The Two Zorros- Part 2: NITRO NOOB ... Voyage of Discovery for a Green Nitro RC Owner! FTX Zorro NT

Part 2 of my review series, for the FTX Zorro NT (nitro) & FTX Zorro EP (electric) Trophy Trucks.
In this episode, we focus on the Nitro truck; starting it for the first time and running it in (also referred to as breaking it in). This phase is critical, for the longterm performance and reliability of these little engines.
This video highlights the unfilitered reality of first time nitro RC use/ownership and how tough it can be, especially if you're not fully educated in their set-up and use. It's no wonder that soooo many near-new nitros, still yet to be run-in, show up on ebay, or at car boot sales!
Enjoy!
#NitroRC #Nitro #FTXZorroNT #RCing #RCingAround
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[@archiewrightproject.mx5865]

your so dumb the reason it wouldnt start is because the glow plug was to tight also your nor ment to do it up so tight because you can strip the thread im only 14 and i kow that do your reasearch befor you buy a nitro car

[@TheRCScotsman]

I'm sorry, was that meant to be English?

[@rallycar6922]

r/iamverysmart

[@ciaranmcnally4299]

He’s new to nitro, so as far as I’m concerned he did fairly well, some people wouldn’t even bother to break it in or read the instructions properly

[@TheRCScotsman]

@@ciaranmcnally4299 Thank you, Sir!

[@ciaranmcnally4299]

No problem man keep it up, also if you still have trouble with idle speed usually a little adjustment of the throttle trim sorts that out 👍

[@MXR_Sparky]

As someone who’s considering getting this car & learning, this is such a welcome site to see someone who’s also noob at the time of doing this.

[@TheRCScotsman]

Go for it. No-one is born with knowledge. You learn and grow and, eventually, it clicks.

[@MXR_Sparky]

@@TheRCScotsman that’s true, though am thinking of getting the Brushless Zorro in orange, the one that comes with everything? Might get a bigger battery for it, and if possible can you change the wheels on them?

[@TheRCScotsman]

@@MXR_Sparky You can, indeed! Customisation is one of the beadrocks of the RC hobby.

[@kingpranw141180]

I'm not just saying this one of the best RC videos i've watched. I'm buying my 1st nitro and I know I will have the same problems

[@TheRCScotsman]

Thank you! I hope the video proves useful!

[@dominicchesterman2107]

Appreciate your honesty and patience about the amount of time put in to show the Noobs route to Nitro's. I love the sound and smell of them but know for sure I wouldn't have the patience for a Nitro. Respect to you guys that get them sorted and running sweet!

[@TheRCScotsman]

Hi Dominic, thanks for that. Yeah, that's exactly what I wanted to show people, I'm glad it came across that way. It certainly is a challenge! Thanks again!

[@LawrenceTimme]

I'm glad you made this video so long so people can really see how long it takes. Most people who cut all the pulls out to make them look better. 👍

[@TheRCScotsman]

Thanks, Lawrence, that's exactly what i was aiming for. Wanted to show what it's really like.

[@oojimmyflip]

once you get it run in and tuned properly it will start usually in four or five pulls every time.@@TheRCScotsman

[@GTMatukka]

This series, åsome! Very interesting to see the whole starting struggle :)

[@TheRCScotsman]

Awesome for you, maybe!! Bloody nitros!

[@LawrenceTimme]

Hahaha it's nice watching your struggles getting it started, but you'll get a feel for it over time. Even in the course of this video you getting much better 😂😂😂

[@TheRCScotsman]

Ach, yeah, it's just experience and learning, at the end of the day. I do enjoy the fact that progress is made, with time. Nitro fuel in your cuts... that I don't enjoy!

[@SPARTAN1990LIVE]

after watching this i orderd an electric starter for mine and thanks for the help on bedding it in i have the same one

[@TheRCScotsman]

Good choice! You're welcome, happy to help.

[@jondrake474]

Your struggles were felt. You got there in the end, I really want a nitro but I'd lose my rag with it and kick the thing.. thanks for your video make, I was willing it to start for you lol.

[@TheRCScotsman]

Haha, thanks Jon! Yeah, it's not for the impatient. If I wasn't filming, I would have lobbed it in the field!

[@jondrake474]

@@TheRCScotsman What do you suggest mate? 200 or 500 machine, I pushing for petrol only as nitro can be a complete pain in the arse, petrol seems more forgiving!? What are Ur thoughts and can u do a video?

[@TheRCScotsman]

@@jondrake474 That's a tough one. I'm tempted to say petrol, but 500 is a cheap petrol, but a very good nitro. 500 would get you a very good, used HPI Baja, which is an awesome machine. But, I really like the nitro Hong Nor X3 Sabre. Petrol wins, though! I'm not sure about a video. I'd have to enquire with Alun (Tay Models) and see if he had anything available, as I don't own any nitros or petrols. But the shop is closed, due to lockdown.

[@paulmcdowall9693]

Well done mate, on the road to scale Motorsport!! Breaking in can be a real pain, many track guys with race engines get pre broken in motors these days (bullet, alpha etc) makes running in so much less hassle. I would get a head heater or hair dryer if your near mains supply to thoroughly pre heat the engine first and as you figured out a little bit if throttle to start. JQ has some great vids on nitro tuning.

[@TheRCScotsman]

Thank you, Sir! Yeah, I did struggle a lot, as you saw. Lot's of nuances I had to try and get to grips with. Thanks for the tip; if I ever do get a nitro (this was a shop demo, for a friend), then it's something to remember. Cheers!

[@MzanziRC]

Nice video yeah. Also got my first nitro recently (secondhand) and what a mission. I managed ti snap the pullstart. Pinch on the new motor wqs very tight. I battled for 10 hours sorting it all out until i eventually managed to get it to a state to start it. 😃

[@TheRCScotsman]

Thank you. Haha, yeah, that sounds about right! Glad you finally sussed it.

[@ADHDmagnet]

I have a nitro you need a 1mm gap between the throttle you also need to tune the engine with a screw next to the carb at the top where you put the glow starter it and its to tight

[@TheRCScotsman]

Thanks for the tip!

[@grahamentwistle2104]

I remember this frustration trying to run in my Ho bao monster truck. What I learned with nitro planes is to let them idle for a while to warm up. We never seem to do that with cars, which leads to the frustration. Planes were much easier too as we'd transitioned to a motor driving the prop to get them started, rather than flicking the prop over or the pull starts we use on cars (the hex drive systems were in their infancy when I was messing about and starter boxes were a couple of hundred quid). I'm enjoying the content though, as I've just ordered the kids a couple of ftx carnages for Christmas and I'm slowly getting my own cars back up and running, hopefully get the Ho-Bao going next year.

[@TheRCScotsman]

That's pretty interesting, thanks for sharing. A starter motor for the prop is a great idea and I bet a God-send! I'm afraid (good) starter boxes still aren't that cheap, but at least they're no longer a couple of hundred. Glad you're enjoying the videos and I bet your kids will be thrilled! Yeah, get everything running. It'll be fun and a good nostalgia trip! All the best.

[@grahamentwistle2104]

@@TheRCScotsman When I got into planes, a kit had just been launched - a hard plastic case holding a fuel cell, a 12v lead battery, electric fuel pump and the starter motor. It was pretty cheap too, less than £100 iirc. Made flying much less of a bind, and this was before brushless and LI-po were as cheap as they are now. Electric flight was definitely in its infancy and nitro flight was both expensive and a crash was devastating - balsa wood is more difficult to glue back together.

[@TheRCScotsman]

@@grahamentwistle2104 Haha, yeah I believe it! My foam plane has been in half, on multiple occasions. Thank goodness for foam glue!

[@angelodamaro7985]

Great video.

[@TheRCScotsman]

Thank you!

[@angelodamaro7985]

@@TheRCScotsman I had all those problems you had with nitro too. It was tricky starting out. Blisters cuts and frustration! All good fun I the end.

[@TheRCScotsman]

@@angelodamaro7985 Haha, glad I'm not the only one! Yeah, well worth it. Nitros are fun!

[@semperatis]

Quick tip Mike,when you're nearing the end of a tank,refill it before it stalls,it saves your hands.

[@TheRCScotsman]

Haha thanks, David! I'll remember that! To be fair, I didn't mean to run them dry, it certainly drinks fuel at full chat!

[@Nathan-qt2zi]

@@TheRCScotsman yea it only has a 75cc tank

[@LawrenceTimme]

The idle is set high end n the run in setting to making it easier to start and so it doesn't cut out when it's running rich. Also heating the the engine up before makes it much much easier to start ;)

[@TheRCScotsman]

Yeah, that's what I figured. Haha I bet it does! That's CHEATING, though!

[@oojimmyflip]

if you pull the air filter off of the carb the throttle gap when the throttle is closed should only be about 1 mm on the 0.18 engine @@TheRCScotsman

[@LawrenceTimme]

You'll have proper man hands in no time with that pull stater.

[@TheRCScotsman]

Nitro guys have skins of sandpaper!

[@Peterisgb]

There is a tad little more configuration too do. First is to take off the air filter and make sure there is a 1mm gap. This makes starting waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa easier and starts first/ second time once setup, the screw is just under the air filter.

[@TheRCScotsman]

Thanks for the advice. I hope other nitro owners see this. Always appreciate people's wisdom and experience.

[@Peterisgb]

@@TheRCScotsman I didn't know either till about a month ago and got mine in September last year so took a while.

[@josephh66]

Great vid hope the nitro gets there soon!! got any traxxas cars?

[@TheRCScotsman]

Thanks for that, I'm sure it will. Nah, I don't buy Traxxas stuff.

[@oldskoolhunting]

Ah it’s a shame you don’t have it anymore…. When I got my torro I was very much the same altho 3 tanks for the break in was enough for my patience 🙈… I run my a little rich most of the time and when I’m starting it from cold I set the trim so that the throttle is half open… I rarely need more than a few pulls so I haven’t had a blister in a life time lol…. Once I discovered nitro and sort of mastered the tuning of them I don’t think I’d go back to electric ⚡️ I love part 3 of this test 😉👍

[@TheRCScotsman]

Great to hear. Yeah, I think nitro is extremely rewarding, once you get the hang of it (which I still don't), but this was never my truck. I would definitely consider a nitro, though. Would that have something to do with the nitro constantly beating the electric??

[@oldskoolhunting]

@@TheRCScotsman ermmm I think it’s the noise….. vroooooooom 😊

[@TheRCScotsman]

@@oldskoolhunting That, too!

[@oojimmyflip]

The head warming jackets are great for first time starting as long as you run them on a 3s lipo for about 10 mins or until the timer expires, esspecially in winter.

[@kevinj5293]

🤣 I bet you had a few blisters after the video I have had my torro for a couple of months now it was not that bad at starting about twelve pulls and she started. I have replaced all four tyres for better quality ones inline fuel filter a nice small one see - through and a waterproof air filter. Have a few vids on the torro take a look good video 👍 also have a engine heater fantastic bit of kit starts very well now.

[@TheRCScotsman]

Nice one! Yeah, I struggled, but it was largely down to my nitro inexperience. I'll check your stuff out when I get home. Working at sea right now and the internet isn't fast enough for video! Cheers.

[@kevinj5293]

There is a video on my channel of the tyres I put on also using the engine heater I didn't start this before I was shocked the torro started first time once turned right and primed right should not get anymore blisters 😊👍 think its called ftx torro update.

[@GTMatukka]

Mike, is that supposed to be idle speed? " It's FIIIINEEE!" :)

[@TheRCScotsman]

It's always fine!

[@blgaming6717]

for starting it set the idle to high and maybe head up the engine

[@kaipoole6042]

Here is a tip when you get the fule into the engine just before you put the glow plug on don’t do anything else just pull the pull starter 2-4 times then put the glow plug on and then pull it

[@oojimmyflip]

you can decrease the compression slightly by loosening the glow plug and once it starts tighten it up again.

[@rickastley4393]

You can also turn those cars off by blocking the exchaust with a finger or pinching the fuel line and also put your hand over the air filter

[@TheRCScotsman]

Indeed. The issue is, blocking exhaust and air filter floods them and pinching the fuel line can lean them off, dangerously. I opted for the flywheel method, as the safest.

[@rickastley4393]

@@TheRCScotsman I know they always say it flood your engine but I always turn it off by the exchaust or blocking air filter and it never floods it starts right back up brown even if it sat for a minute

[@TheRCScotsman]

@@rickastley4393 Nice!

[@mikeymike3240]

Keep the tick over pretty high, it’s not like a real car engine with a low tick over, nitro rc’s need a faster idle. Don’t try to run it in tallish grass or it will over heat. Short grass and gravel is perfect for it. Keep on the Rich side, if you lean out too much it will seize, plenty of exhaust smoke at full throttle. Those full throttle runs at the end look good with sweet smelling smoke 💨 lol 😂. NO MORE TWEAKS!!! Take a note of your needle settings, count the turns of the needle settings from closed, remember, close the needles gently while counting the turns.

[@TheRCScotsman]

Good advice, thanks! Yeah, I did think it looked, sounded and felt pretty good, by the end. That's a great idea, I'll do that. Cheers.

[@paulmcclaren9907]

I bought an engine heater and it starts 1st time everytime now

[@TheRCScotsman]

Nice one!

[@paulmcclaren9907]

Any ideas? Ive just unboxed typhon 4x4 3s and it steers but wont accelarate

[@TheRCScotsman]

@@paulmcclaren9907 Try setting the throttle trim to dead centre, before turning the car on. If that doesn't work, try the same thing, but with the throttle direction reversed (keep the wheels off the ground!). Could be that the ESC won't calibrate , unless the throttle is in the exact neutral position.

[@paulmcclaren9907]

@@TheRCScotsman tried that hasnt worked. Gutted but thanks for advice

[@paulmcclaren9907]

@@TheRCScotsman problem solved. The guy in the shop gave me the wrong battery. It was 4s not 3s, time for bashing now haha

[@beastproductions8725]

you have to push the glow starter down lolll

[@richardgore2000]

Electric is much easier

[@TheRCScotsman]

Big time!

[@oojimmyflip]

Until those batteries run out in about 20 mins time and you want to stay and play some more😂

[@grumpygrandpa3640]

Look into an electric start bugger all that manual rubbish

[@TheRCScotsman]

Haha, yep! If I was keeping a nitro, I'd definitely get an electric start box. Not the drill start thing, but the box that spins the flywheel. Or, get a brushless truck.

[@oojimmyflip]

Those that buy electric first always wish theyed bought Nitro first and those that buy Nitro first always wish thed bought electric😂😂😂@@TheRCScotsman