NITRO BOAT PROBLEMS!!!

[HoDog16]

I have a Kyosho Nitro Viper GT that has been cutting out in the middle of the pond about 75% of the time i drive it. It has never run any better than this because it is fairly new. I have however been having problems keeping the exhaust screwed onto the engin. could this have anything to do with my problem?

[jeepinator]

I could almost answer, "What is color ?" faster than that question.
There are SO MANY things it could be.
The only solution that comes to mind: buy an electric boat.
Sorry, but nitro just has too many variables !

Is the fuel/air mixture right ?
Is your fuel old ?
Is it running hot ?
Do you have a pressure tube from the exhaust pipe to the tank ?
Is your glow plug good ?
Is your glow plug loose ?
Do you have water in the fuel ?
Have you used threadlocker on the exhaust header screws ?
Is the engine air tight ? Airleaks ?
Is the idle set too low when it is warm ?

Sheesh, I could go on !

[Serius Black]

I've been messing with boats for years, and nitro has always been a challenge. Unless you have a good way of retrieving the thing when it dies, they can be a real pain.
I've got a Traxxas Nitro Vee, which I bought specifically for it's supposed "ease of use". Yeah, right. It's been just as bad as all the kit boats I've had, including the Nitro Viper GT.
Make sure your carb is on tight, so that the o-ring is doing it's job. Use threadlock on the exhaust manifold screws. All the obvious stuff. Try to keep tabs on the engine temperature. Flick a little water on the head after you've run the boat for a while. If the water evaporates quickly, richen up your mixture. If it steams slowly away, you are probably pretty close to the optimum setting. If the water just sits there doing nothing, you might be able to lean the needle out a little.
When the boat dies, does it bog down first, spewing lots of smoke? If so, your running rich. I don't remember if that particular Kyosho motor has a low end needle, which is useful in getting the engine to run properly at the lower end of the rpm range.
I've got a few electric boats, with my Warehouse Hobbies E-Force 21 being the fastest, but electrics just can't compare to a properly tuned nitro boat. Even if you get the speed out of an electric, run time suffers greatly. Those electric boats you read about doing over 60 mph generally have run times of under 2 minutes. I've got a gas hull that's capable of running for 30 to 45 minutes at over 50 mph.

[HoDog16]

I dont think it has a low speed needle. My problems started when the exhaust fell off. Now i cant keep it on for mor than 1 use. ive used threadlock, but it still doesnt seem to stay on. I THINK IT HATES ME!

[Serius Black]

Hose the manifold and screws with motor spray or some sort of degreaser before you use the threadlock. Once you apply the threadlock, let it set overnight before running the motor. I've never had my manifold screws back out once I've done this.

[HoDog16]

ok, ill try that. thanks alot for your help.