Bad setup or Bad tune-up?

[f41stryker]

Went to the lake yesterday in hopes of a successful outing but it was anything but that. My Vegas just runs horribly, my brother's Proboat Formula fasstech nitro v-hull is running circles around my Vegas. I don't know if it's a poorly tuned engine or what! Not much power, hull is running very wet. I tried a 3-blade prop on it, that was a joke! I put the old Grim prop back on and it was a little better but otherwise it just wasn't my day. I tried various strut changes and nothing seemed to get this boat out of the water. I'm about at my wit's end with this thing!

 

[BlueBlaster]

Went to the lake yesterday in hopes of a successful outing but it was anything but that. My Vegas just runs horribly, my brother's Proboat Formula fasstech nitro v-hull is running circles around my Vegas. I don't know if it's a poorly tuned engine or what! Not much power, hull is running very wet. I tried a 3-blade prop on it, that was a joke! I put the old Grim prop back on and it was a little better but otherwise it just wasn't my day. I tried various strut changes and nothing seemed to get this boat out of the water. I'm about at my wit's end with this thing!

Is it running to fat, to much gas going to it will make it run like crap. What does it do in the water? Runs slow, just sits there?

 

[f41stryker]

It just seems very slow to me, can't be going more than 20mph. A lot of the hull rides in the water as well, the only time it ever sounds like it's running good is when it's in a turn, otherwise it just drops off really bad when going straight. I'm running 20% Nitrotane Sport Formula for gas, it is making pretty good smoke, I keep leaning but it doesn't seem to help.

 

[M@MRacing]

your to rich and get better fuel try red max 35%

 

[Bill Gibson]

What prop are you running? Grim 36X55? 20% ntiro is a bit weak for boats....i run 60% in my Vegas....exactly what is your strut height? Unless there is something VERY wrong with the engine or your WAY off on the needle, you should at least be able to run somewhere in the 30 mph range with a stock Aqua .18. They really are pretty decent little motors....at least mine was. You might be happier with nitro in the 35 to 45% range.

 

[f41stryker]

Unfortunately my local nitro selection is pretty sad. I've got some O'Donnell 30% I could try in there. All my LHS offer are plane/car fuels, nothing specific to boats and I really don't want to order a case. I'll try the 30% next time. I'm using the Grim 36x55 now, as it seems to run a little better with that prop than the Octura 435/3. I'll check the strut height tonight when I get a second, I was messing with it quite a bit at the lake so it could be way far off. Also, where should I have the turn fin as far as height? I took it off to sharpen it and I really didn't pay a whole lot of attention when I put it back on.

 

[camaroboy383]

Never heard of that fuel,, whats its intended purpose?? Would also say try different fuel, what plug you running?? And like bill said, what strut hieght?? Hear the 36x55 and the y535 get the job done.where you have the pipe set?? I also agree with bill that these are really a nice little engine. Never had issues with them.

Alden

 

[f41stryker]

It's Team Losi Nitrotane, it's a 20% sport formula used in car/truck applications normally. Like I said, I don't have any access to boat specific nitro or higher percentages than 30%. The plug in the engine is the stock one it came with. Not yet got the strut heighth. I have the pipe in the stock location.

 

[camaroboy383]

John otto (technology hobbies) will ship quarts of 60% or any % for that matter. Mixs some nice fuel for a reasonable price. Call him at

18136896777

Real nice guy.

Alden

 

[Bill Gibson]

Tell John that Alden Cost and Bill Gibson told you to give him a call.......he's a GREAT guy and ive been using his fuel for years........I simply wont use anyone else's fuel but Johns.....its good stuff! It is specifically made for boats! What turn fin are you using? Im using the Grimracer turn fin on my boat and am VERY happy with it...I honestly never measured the depth...i just bolted it on and straightedged it with the inside edge of the sponson to be sure that it was in line with the sponson.

 

[Sean Bowf]

Prop should be about 3/4ths of an inch, from bottom of the hull, to center of the stuffing tube where it enters the strut. I run mine pretty much flat (not angled up or down).

Where is your HSN set at?? I normally start at 3 turns out...this is pretty rich. Run two tanks, then start leaning it up an eighth turn per tank after that. After about 6 or 7 tanks it should be pretty much broke in and set. Normally, on a newer engine, I find the needle about 2.25 to 2.5 turns out. Different altitude and weather conditions will change this, but that works here where I am. As the engine gets older, I wind up richening it up a little.

Sean

 

[f41stryker]

Ran out of time and didn't check my strut height. I think stock engine setting was like 2 1/2 turns out and I started leaning from there.

 

[Chad Cutsforth]

Went to the lake yesterday in hopes of a successful outing but it was anything but that. My Vegas just runs horribly, my brother's Proboat Formula fasstech nitro v-hull is running circles around my Vegas. I don't know if it's a poorly tuned engine or what! Not much power, hull is running very wet. I tried a 3-blade prop on it, that was a joke! I put the old Grim prop back on and it was a little better but otherwise it just wasn't my day. I tried various strut changes and nothing seemed to get this boat out of the water. I'm about at my wit's end with this thing!

I am a newbie and am no expert but here is what I have found with my 2 MV's. I had the same issues and the more tanks I ran the better it got, alsoI was over trimming the rudder to get the boat to run straight and that was scrubbing off speed. I run Grim 36x55 props and 30% Odd fuel. The only mods I have made is removed head shim after break in and added a header cooler made out of 3/16 copper tubing. I am at 2 1/4 on the HSN and my strut is at 7/8 from center shaft to hull runnin +1 thrust angle.

Just my 2 cents I am learning too,

Good Luck

Chad Cutsforth

Ft. Atkinson Iowa

 

[Ken Hildreth]

Your not doing yourself any favors with the car fuel, check the oil content, it probably says something like12%. You need to have more like 16%oil. The recommendation to call john is a very good one. It will save you the headaches you are having and make your boating a lot more fun. Ken

 

[f41stryker]

Okay, I'm not 100% sure where I had the strut but the top of the adjustable strut blade was about flush with the bracket that holds it to the hull, I tried setting the center of the brass stuffing tube about 7/8" from the center of the hull. I took a couple pics hope they make sense as far as what I did, can anyone tell if this about where it should be? As far as the nitro is concerned, I'll contact him when I get a chance, I've got another potential boat purchase on my hands right now and if I get the boat, I'll probably sell the Miss Vegas.

 

[f41stryker]

Also, I'm gonna take out the head shim on the engine too, I've got at least 10 tanks of fuel through it. What should the pipe length be? The stock exhaust coupler looks in good shape but I figured I'd ask what the proper length should be?

 

[Kelly Miller]

Sean likes the 2 blade and will tell you a very good set-up for that. I liked a m435 with the tips flattened a little and I put the bottom of the strut at 1\2 inch to 5\8 th from the bottom of the boat. you will have to increase the slot to get the strut to raise that high. Look at the rudder and see if you feel you could cut some of that off. look closely at the turn fin bracket....is part of the mount for the fin below the bottom of the running surface. then my favorite is the strut bracket and the rudder bracket being below the bottom in the back. I always sanded the living daylights out of the bottom of the front sponsons and made them flat. sanded the whole bottom a lot actually. I had a few of the boats I tuned from last year and found they did have a tendancy to run wet in the front...kick the rudder back a little and you will see the front raise a little. the m435 set-up cavitates a lot and if you spin out is it hard to get back on plane but I think it is faster especially in the turns.

That is what worked for me

Kelly Miller

 

[Kelly Miller]

yes take the head shimms out. I really never messed with the pipe length. changed the coupling to the red octura? pipe coupler....very tough coupler. after you run a bit and take the pipe off you will perhaps see that it is mushroomed out from being to close to the header. I ran 20% to 60 % and cannot really say I saw huge differences, ran a lot of 40%.

Sean has some very nice running stock boats as well.

 

[f41stryker]

What tool would be best to widen the slot? I don't have a lot of metal working tools, in fact I don't really have any. I've got the strut at 7/8" or so from the bottom, I could possibly get it higher without putting much/any angle on it. I didn't sand too awful much on the bottom of the hull, mainly to get the gel coat off to give it a little tooth for turning. I'm anxious to get back to the lake and see what having the strut up this high does, previous runs had the strut blade even with the strut mount like it comes stock.

 

[Bill Gibson]

What tool would be best to widen the slot? I don't have a lot of metal working tools, in fact I don't really have any. I've got the strut at 7/8" or so from the bottom, I could possibly get it higher without putting much/any angle on it. I didn't sand too awful much on the bottom of the hull, mainly to get the gel coat off to give it a little tooth for turning. I'm anxious to get back to the lake and see what having the strut up this high does, previous runs had the strut blade even with the strut mount like it comes stock.

Go buy a rat tail file that is slightly smaller than the slot that you want to lengthen...lay a piece of masking tape on either side of the slot to use as a guide...you can finish dressing the slot with a small flat file...hard to go wrong with cheap ol hand tools....just take your time and it will look just fine...unless you know someone with a mill!!