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The top speed of your car will vary according to a wide range of factors, including the fuel used and the conditions that the car is run in. You can find a guideline of your car's top speed here:

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In the first instance we would suggest watching the DVD included with your car again and restarting the setup procedure, just to make sure you have not missed anything.

Once you have checked you are following the correct starting procedure then you should ensure that your car's engine is set to it's factory base settings. You should find these on the DVD or in the instruction manual provided with your car. 

If this fails to resolve your issue then you can contact either your local model shop or the After Sales Care line (0845 00 66 160) for further help and advice.

ANSWER:

There are one of two possible problems:

1) The glowplug may be faulty and require replacement. You can find details of the glowplugs that HPI have available here.

2) Your engine may be set too rich - try returning the engine to it\'s base settings as shown in the instruction manual and beginning the tuning process again.

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It sounds like your idle speed is set too low. Try turning the idle screw 1/2 turn clockwise and start the engine of your car with the wheels off the ground. You can use your instruction manual to help identify the idle screw if you are unsure where to find it.

Next, apply the brakes on your transmitter and start turning the idle screw slowly anti-clockwise until the engine stalls. Once you have reached this point, turn the idle screw 1/8 turn clockwise again.

When set correctly the car should sit at a standstill when the engine is idling. You may find that on a brand new car the idle has to be set slightly higher so that the car does not stall. This is acceptable provided the car is not moving quicker than walking pace. You should be able to reduce the idle speed after a few more tanks of fuel.

 

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There are several methods of stopping your engine; the easiest is to use a rag pressed over the tip of your engine's exhaust. Be very careful when doing this, the exhaust on your car is likely to be hot, especially if it is made of metal!

You can also pinch the fuel line running from the fuel tank to the engine until the engine stalls. It is recommended that you do this with the car's wheels off the floor; as the fuel runs out the engine revs will increase before the engine stalls.

If you have an HPI Savage you can also use the optional Engine Stop System with your car - this is compatible with all of the Savage series except the XL.

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I\'m sorry but HPI does not offer any exchanges on this basis. Some model shops may offer a trade-in, but in practise most will not. Why not sell the car privatly to a freind to help finance your next dream R/C car?

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Your car is supplied with a comprehensive instruction manual and in some cases a DVD too. We recommend that you follow the guidelines given to help ensure that your engine has the best possible mix of  life and performance.

If you need a copy of the instuctions for your car then you can download them from here

You can also find helpful 'Getting Started' videos in the Learning Lab on HPI.TV  if you require further assistance.

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The runtime for a tank of fuel can vary depending on the conditions that the car is being used in, but it will typically be between 10 and 15 minutes per tank on most nitro cars. Don't forget that you can refuel with the engine still running so you can enjoy the car for longer periods without stopping!

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Nitro engine fuel can absorb moisture and of course moisture is destructive to the inside of a nitro engine. Coating the internal engine parts in after run oil keeps out moisture and keeps the engine’s components in the best possible condition.

To apply after run oil first remove the glow plug. All that is needed is a few drops of after run oil into the glow plug hole in the top of the engine and a few drops into the air intake of the carburettor. Turn the engine over a few times by hand and replace the glow plug. If the engine is to be left for some time then it is worth making sure that the exhaust and air intake holes are blocked to keep out moisture and dirt.

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 A slipper clutch is a device that fits on or near the spur gear, and helps absorb "drivetrain shock" that occurs when a car lands from a jump. A slipper clutch also helps aid traction in slippery conditions, since it acts as a mechanical way to limit the power that reaches the drivetrain. Check out HPI Option Parts Webpage for all option parts.

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The type of fuel that you require will depend on the engine that is fitted into your car - we would suggest either 16% Nitro or 20% Nitro fuels for small block (.12-.18) engines and 20% Nitro or 25% Nitro fuels for big block (.21-.36) engines.

We always run our cars on the fuels that we distribute and find them to run reliably with a long engine life so we wouldn't hesitate to recommend that you also use them in your car. Your local model shop will also be happy to advise on other fuels that they have available that suit your requirements.

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We are a trade only distributor, so unfortunately you will not be able to purchase parts directly from us.

You can use the shop finder facility here to find a local stockist who will be able to supply you with the parts that you need. In the event that the shop does not have the part in stock then they should be able to order it for you - If the parts you need are in stock at HPI then they should be available to them within 2-3 days!

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 Yes you can - use the table below to identify which parts you need:

Car	Rotostart Set Required	Backplate Only
HPI Firestorm	HP87130	HP87117
HPI MT2 G3.0	HP87130	HP87117
HPI RTR3 Evo+	HP87132	HP87121
HPI Nitro 3 Drift	HP87130	HP87117
HPI Trophy 3.5	HP87130	HP87117
HPI Savage 3.5	HP87130	HP87117
HPI Savage 4.6 RTR with Reverse	HP87130	HP87117
HPI Savage SS 4.6	HP87148	HP87127
Hot Bodies Lightning Stadium 10	HP87130	HP87117
Hot Bodies Lightning GT10	HP87130	HP87117
Maverick Stealth	HP87148	HP87127

Don\'t forget you\'ll also need a charger and a battery pack to complete the conversion!

 

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The One Way Bearing is normally very reliable and will only fail in the event that it's over-loaded. This is normally caused by attempting to start the engine whilst it's flooded.

If the Rotostart jams or the Pullstart becomes difficult to pull then you can remove the glowplug and clear the engine as shown on the DVD included with HPI kits. The engine should then be easier to turn over.

If you follw the above steps then your One Way Bearing will thank you!

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A failsafe is a small electronic box that plugs into the throttle channel of your receiver, then your throttle/brake servo plugs into the fail safe. They are usually mounted into the radio box of a car.

A correctly set fail safe will return the throttle/brake servo on your car to a position that you have pre-set in the event of the transmitter or receiver batteries being flat, or the car being affected by interference. We advise that this position should be approximately 50% brakes so that the car is brought to a controlled stop.

ANSWER: Stripping a spur gear (a flat spot on the plastic gear that turns the drive train of the car) is not caused by the spur gear or pinion gear. A stripped spur gear is caused by the pinion gear not having the correct mesh with the spur gear and/or a possible loose motor or engine screws.

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All of our product lines undergo stringent quality checks during both the design and the manufacturing process. In the unlikely event that you do have a part that is either faulty or missing then please contact the After Sales Care team on 0845 00 66 160 or by sending a support request using this FAQ section - a member of the ASC team will be happy to discuss with you the best way of resolving your problem.

ANSWER: Battery charging can range from 15 minutes to almost 40 minutes. Most batteries that R/C newcomers buy will be charged in 15 to 20 minutes. Each battery has a "milliampere capacity", this is the number printed on the package (1400, 1500, 1700, 2000, 2400, 3000, etc.). The higher the number, the more power the battery holds and the longer it takes to charge the battery. Also, battery chargers can charge at different "amp rates", or power output, so a battery that can charge at 6 amps will charge a particular battery faster than a charger that is charging up that same battery at 4 amps.

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Petrol powered RC cars run on normal petrol mixed with 2-stroke oil.
These cars are usually large 1/5th scale models powered by an engine that is similar to a lawn mower engine but optimized for RC cars.

Nitro models run on special Model Nitro fuel and cannot be run on normal petrol. Model Nitro fuel is widely available in model shops.
You can see HPI\'s range of Nitro fuel here.
Nitro powered cars are the most common kind of RC cars with a combustion engine.

 

ANSWER: This basic principle is the same for all nitro engines. Remove the engine head etc so that the top of the P&L can be seen. Take care with the washer gasket(s) under the head. Remove the pull start or rotostart if fitted. Remove the engine backplate. With the piston at its lowest position place a plastic trywrap into one of the ports in the liner. Now turn the flywheel and this should push the liner up from the casing! Disconnect the con rod from the crank and remove the P&L!

ANSWER: You can find many tips on maintenance and cleaning in our Maintenance page, which answers questions for both electric and Nitro car owners. Also, see our Links page for R/C magazine websites around the world. All of the major magazines have up-to-date web sites that have articls on maintenance, setups and more.

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You can find the spare parts listing for your car by finding the car on the website and then clicking on the 'Standard Parts' option. Alternatively you can enter the item part number in the quick search box at the top of the page.

Once you have found the part you are looking for then you should see the RRP next to it.

ANSWER: We highly suggest that anyone interested in learning all they can about Nitro engines (technically, model 2-stroke nitro methane engines) visit the tech articles at www.caraction.com . You can use many of these tips to help you find out more! Plus check out

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A glow plug igniter is a battery-powered spring-loaded tube that fits over the glow plug of an engine to heat up the glow plug until it is red-hot (usually 2-3 seconds is all it takes). With fuel in the carburetor, the pull starter is pulled or the starter box engages the flywheel. If the engine is tuned properly, it will start right up. Every R/C engine needs a glow plug igniter to start. Check out the HPI Accessories Page