Nitro Hammer watercooling and temperature?

[fs454]

I just got back from breaking in my new Nitro Hammer. It seems as if the water pickup isnt getting ANY water through to the engine, and the engine sits around 205 dregrees F when i brought it in (Just putting around the lake at near idle before that).


If i blow through the hole in the side of the boat where the water exits, no air gets through. What could be stopping the water from getting in?

[BoatDoc]

had a similar experience with my friend's miss bud. try blowing through each part individually, and you'll be able to locate the block. once you find it, it could be as easy as replacing a piece of tubing, or cleaning the water jacket on the head. if that don't work, let us know, we can figure something out.

[fs454]

It seems that the exit hole and the engine head can be blown into fine, but the tubing that comes from the water pickup, if i blow into that, no air can come in or out. How do i check that out? I'm gonna remove the radio box when i get back from taking a shower, i'll see what's under there.

[BoatDoc]

be careful...the radio box is glued in.

[RickE]

It's possible that the silicone hose running from the pickup tube to the engine got pinched between the radio box and the hull during it's assembly at the factory. Try reaching back with a screwdriver down the side of the radio box and see if the hose is "loose" and if you get too much resistence the tubing might be pinched flat.

Hope this helps,
RickE

[fs454]

Its glued in? forget about removing it...I'll try that rick.

[fs454]

Yep, it is pinched in between the wood mount and the radio box..I cant get it out though, no room to reach in with anything really...If there some other way i can get this out?

More importantly, do you think my engine is fine? I ran about 3 tanks through it like that.

[RickE]

On my 'Hammer the plastic radio box is removable-but you'll have to remove all of the radio gear to get to the tiny metal phillips-head screws that hold it to the stringers. If the engine still has compression and runs alright you might have avoided damaging it due to the rich break-in setting on the carb. If the engine doesn't run right you could contact Hobbico-the pinched line could be a warranty-related way to get a new engine.

RickE

[fs454]

The engine has good compression still, I just hope tomorrow when I run it, it's fine.

[BoatDoc]

hmmmm...they must have changed the design a bit if the radio box is screwed in. i know mine was glued. if it has screws holding it in now, that's a bonus.

[CFRACR]

QUOTE: fs454 Yep, it is pinched in between the wood mount and the radio box..I cant get it out though, no room to reach in with anything really...If there some other way i can get this out?

More importantly, do you think my engine is fine? I ran about 3 tanks through it like that.

YIKES MAN :eek: YOU DID'NT REALIZE THAT WATER WAS NOT FLOWING THROUGH THE ENGINE FOR THREE RUNS???? HOPE NOT TO MUCH DAMAGE, CHECK YOUR HEADER GASKET. POSSIBLY BURNED AWAY.

ON ANOTHER NOTE, JUST MAKING SUGGESTION HERE. IF YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE THE RADIO BOX OUT(APART), MAY THINK OF TRASHING THE STOCK ONE AND MAKING A BETTER ONE. (OUT OF LIGHTER MATERIAL) WILL LIGHTEN THE BOAT AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET A 100% AIRTIGHT SEAL. WILL HELP IF BOAT FLIPS. (WHICH THEY DO :D ) WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE THOUGHT OF FLOATATION. GOT ANY???? HAMMERS WILL SINK :eek: . THE REALLY NON-AIRTIGHT SEAL YOU GET WITH THE FACTORY RADIO BOX IS NOT ENOUGH FLOATATION TO KEEP THE BOAT FROM SINKING. JUST MY BUCK AND A HALF'S WORTH.

[BoatDoc]

cf is right. you NEED floatation in that thing. they sink like rocks. sank one last summer. it flipped and bloop bloop bloop...down to the bottom it went. pipe insulation is good, and see if you can seal the front bulkhead with some rtv. it will trap the air in the front, plus it will prevent water from getting up there.

[BurnZ]

Just came back from camping. That radio box is junk. :( First of all the box came loose so I tried reglueing it and after several time I got fed up and screwed the darn thing down. Next I think my radio gear would have been safer attached to the outside of the boat. I had to change servos twice because water was sitting under them in the radio box. For some reason it was always the throttle servo that was affected. Doing guess what? Causing the throttle to stay wide open. :eek: To help with the water a little bit I would put small pieces of fuel line over and under the box lid and also put another piece under the canopy lid.

As for the cooling mine did great, but I did notice the stock fuel line used for cooling kinks very easily. My consider using thicker aftermarket silicone fuel line for cooling.

Something to look at also is there any air bubbles in the fuel line. Mine was leaking around the fuel tank, but I couldn't find it. Finally I noticed the fitting on the bottom of the tank, which consists of an elbow and a fitting. The fitting wasn't screwed in tight enough into the elbow.

Just letting you know my troubles before you set out.

[BurnZ]

Hey BoatDoc
Is there anything in front of the front bulkhead, or is it a thin piece of wood? :confused:

[BoatDoc]

it's just a piece of wood. nothing else.

[fs454]

Well i did let it go for 3 tanks, since it's my first run and i had no idea how well i was going to be able to see the water dump on the side working.

Is there some noobs guide to making this thing float? This is my first boat, the only thing i have experience with is taken from my knowledge with RC cars, nitro engines.

Also, how would i make a better radio box? Could i just seal up the stock one?

[fs454]

I loosened up the radio box screws, and tried to pull the tube away and put it back, but it kept getting caught under there. I ended up taking the raido box off, and replaced the tubing with a longer one, that goes around the mount when i put the box back on instead of right over the mount like the old tubing was.