Serpent Impulse Forum [Archive] - Radio Control Zone

Rookie Solara

03-08-2001, 10:36 AM

Jace2000......good to see you in different forum (HPI before)...say no more...here is my Impulse and Impact main chassis..
I might need some help about the one-way on Impulse from Impact...the picture you shown above is AFTER modification or the original Impact one-way...I don't remember.

My beef-up'ed Impulse and Impact....waiting for the new season opening...
All of the alloy (some are on the way) and carbon are from GPM racing in HK....I replaced all the pulleys to alloy excpet the diff. They are all OEM serpent products.
Both serpents equiped with custom front belt tensioner cause I strip my impulse front belt 2 times and Impact 3 times....I just cannot stand that and that is something I learned from someone who race serpent for about 10 years...

The carbon graphite chassis - 4mm thick.
http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/front-belt-01a.jpg

Carbon upper deck and alloy pulleys.
http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/front-belt-03a.jpg

Mid-belt pulley and front belt tensioner relationship.
http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/front-belt-04a.jpg

You can see the distances between the belt tensioner, the front belt pulleys/alloy block and the servo saver....the spaces between them are very minimum, the location of front belt tensioner need to be very accurate.
http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/front-belt-05a.jpg

The following pictures illustrated the front belt tensioner's arm and the front belt pulley, the gap is very smaller and they are perfectly fit in between.
http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/front-belt-07a.jpg

http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/front-belt-08a.jpg

My favourite car.....IMPACT

http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impact/pic-1b.jpg

Rookie Solara

n'pede

03-08-2001, 03:02 PM

are their any inline pipes for non turbo rear exhaust engines?
I am getting one in a few days, and would really like to know

Jace2000

03-08-2001, 06:41 PM

n'pede & nitrorcfan

I'll check for you tonight and let you know ASAP...

Rookie.
Good to see ya here.
Hope you'll help build a community here.
I'm also taking your word on the carbon main chassis. http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
I'm gonna be flying out to HK next week for some wild shopping. Hehehe http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by Jace2000 (edited 03-08-2001).]

impulse racer

03-10-2001, 03:00 AM

TO Jace 2000. In a few weeks I am getting an impulse and I was wondering what hop-up parts I should get, if I need a belt tensioner for a rear exhaust engine and how did you modify the impact solid diff for the impulse. thanks

Jace2000

03-10-2001, 09:58 PM

Sorry for the late replies...

nitrorcfan,
In the case of .12 inline pipes, the header size and dimention is identical to that of the .15 and should be no difference in performance. Please notice that I said inline pipes. This might not be the case for regular pipes and manifolds.
I haven't heard of anyone here running a .15 header on a .12 pipe, but since you have a RB RE Turbo, you might wanna try the inline pipe from Novarossi.

n'pede...
It seems that there isn't a specific inline pipe for non turbo RE engines. You can just use the inline pipe for RE turbo engines, such as the Novarossi ART51224 or the RB E1851-EP. These are both inline pipes that include manifolds. I'll try to post a pic for you soon.

Jace2000

03-11-2001, 06:05 AM

Originally posted by impulse racer:
TO Jace 2000. In a few weeks I am getting an impulse and I was wondering what hop-up parts I should get, if I need a belt tensioner for a rear exhaust engine and how did you modify the impact solid diff for the impulse. thanks

Good to hear that you're getting THE BEST touring car in the market. http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

I think you should be able to get the Impulse Rear Exhaust kit in the States now and I highly suggest getting it. It should have the side chassis brace to suite RE engines (GOD I wish I could have that brace).
I think you won't need to get a separate side belt tensioner if you get the Impulse RE kit. But I can't say for sure because I haven't seen a RE kit yet. I'll be seeing one soon cause I'll be going to Hong Kong next week.

The Impact front one-way was modified by carving the right side of the one-way with a CNC machine. It's a rather complex job that isnt't recommended for those that do not have the proper tools. If you are near Crystal Park, I think ChrisF was going to sell some at the track for something like $50. ChrisF can be found at the HPI forum.

Some of the other hop-ups that I suggest is the carbon upper deck by GPM (sold through Powerline in the US) or the aluminum upper deck by Wolfpack. The change of upper deck will help stiffen your Impulse.

Another hop-up you might be interested in is the Serpent FPS ball diff and the front & rear shock tower.

The ball diff makes adjusting the diff to suite different tracks a simple task.
The front & rear shock tower makes it possible for you to try out different settings.

Rookie Solara

03-11-2001, 11:45 PM

Jace200...good to hear that you will go back to HK soon...please stop by GPM racing headquarter and see they have any new stuff for serpent...according from my source, they are out of alloy pulleys, I try to get more for my Impulse and Impact last week and they said they will get them back later...also, please mention the RE exhaust side bracing to them and see they are planning to develope one as well...afterall, buy more carbon radio deck and sell them thru EBAY...and I think you can make some $$$..since they are selling for $350.00 HK$ = $43.00 US.

Rookie Solara

Jace2000

03-12-2001, 06:54 PM

Had to take down my pic links because of Photo-you-know-who...

[ 07-06-2001: Message edited by: Jace2000 ]

nitrorcfan

03-12-2001, 07:15 PM

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1426400&a=10681591&p=43512524&Sequence=0

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1426400&a=10681591&p=43510864&Sequence=0&res=high

Jace2000

03-13-2001, 02:51 AM

nitrorcfan...

How's the foam tires working out for you?
I'm about the switch over to foams cause it just got permited in the races over here.

Any suggestions in setups?
What foams are you using?

nitrorcfan

03-13-2001, 07:09 AM

Originally posted by Jace2000:
nitrorcfan...

How's the foam tires working out for you?
I'm about the switch over to foams cause it just got permited in the races over here.

Any suggestions in setups?
What foams are you using?

Jace,

I really like the foam tires. You will notice a big difference between using rubber and foam.

I'm still working on the setup. Some guys at the track are running the following setup

70wt in the front 60wt in the rear.
2 holes in the front and 3 holes in the rear.
1 degree of camber front/rear
1 degree of toe-in front
1.5 - 2 degree of toe-in rear

I'm using SuperG's Orange up front and purple in the rear
I also use Prolines Red or Double Purple in the front and Purple in the rear.
I'm getting ready to try Microsystems and TRC.

I'm happy with the SuperG's and the Prolines but want to try other brands.

Nitrorcfan

Rookie Solara

03-13-2001, 10:53 AM

Well....racing foam is almost like racing with your pay check...I am running Proline Pink front and double purple rear (med. front and super soft rear)...and almost one set of tire per race ($50.00 each)...
There is no problem racing with foam (since I am using that) but the top racer here are all running rubber...foam is like a quick solution of trackion problem...for them, they think that is cheating...that's why they are not legal in ROAR (I think) and I think we should learn how to setup cars and tires before we go foam...

Again, I am a cheater as well...but I am still learning...

Rookie Solara

nitrorcfan

03-13-2001, 11:20 AM

Originally posted by Rookie Solara:
Well....racing foam is almost like racing with your pay check...I am running Proline Pink front and double purple rear (med. front and super soft rear)...and almost one set of tire per race ($50.00 each)...
There is no problem racing with foam (since I am using that) but the top racer here are all running rubber...foam is like a quick solution of trackion problem...for them, they think that is cheating...that's why they are not legal in ROAR (I think) and I think we should learn how to setup cars and tires before we go foam...

Again, I am a cheater as well...but I am still learning...

Rookie Solara

Rookie,

You make a valid point, however, I think you ment to say Double Purple front and Pink in the rear. The Pink is to soft in my opinion. You should try Purple in the rear instead of the Pink.

As far as the price goes, you should try SuperG's or Microsystems. They only cost 14.95 - 15.00 dollars a pair.

The foam works best for me and it's cheaper.

Good points though.

Nitrorcfan

nitrorcfan

03-13-2001, 11:24 AM

Has anyone tried using the Mugen rear brake setup on their Impulse.

I really dislike the brake arm assembly. I like the HPI Racer2 and the Mugen setup much better.

If anyone's tried it let me know.

[This message has been edited by nitrorcfan (edited 03-13-2001).]

Jace2000

03-13-2001, 06:39 PM

Rookie Solara...

I'm also not that fond of using foam on my Impulse. If you want 1/10 scale and wanna use foam you have the Impact, right?

The problem is, my local racing org. has decided to allow the use of foams in touring races. I've got no choice but to switch to foams if I wanna keep up with the rest.
http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/smile.gif

impulse racer

03-14-2001, 01:08 AM

Jace2000, you showed pictures of those rear exaust pipes. What is the part number on the novarossi pipe? also what aftermarket wheels will work on the impulse.

[This message has been edited by impulse racer (edited 03-14-2001).]

Jace2000

03-14-2001, 08:17 AM

Originally posted by impulse racer:
[B]Jace2000, you showed pictures of those rear exaust pipes. What is the part number on the novarossi pipe? also what aftermarket wheels will work on the impulse.

The Novarossi pipe number is ART51224.
You can also use the RB pipe which number is E1851-EP.
The two are exaclty equal is size and dimention. The only thing is that on the RB pipe it's written X15.
But the RB is more shinier than the Novarossi. http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/smile.gif

You can use any 26mm Proline wheels without modification. I've tried the 26mm Proline Wabash and they fit fine.
I currently use Yokomo's TW-0112-2. They are 24mm and seem to be pretty strong. However the inside diameter have to be grinded a little bit. You can easily do this with a Dremel or just regular sandpaper.

Hope I was of some help.

impulse racer

03-14-2001, 07:46 PM

Jace 2000 where can you get the novarossi tuned pipe?

Jace2000

03-14-2001, 11:51 PM

Originally posted by impulse racer:
Jace 2000 where can you get the novarossi tuned pipe?

I think Ashford Hobby, Bruckners, and Kustom RC carries them.
Ashford is www.ashfordhobby.com. (http://www.ashfordhobby.com.)
Bruckners is www.brucknerhobbies.com. (http://www.brucknerhobbies.com.)
Kustom is www.kustomrc.com (http://www.kustomrc.com)

Rookie Solara

03-15-2001, 12:56 AM

I am glad that you guys understand what I am trying to say....I still think there are no problem for ppl to use FOAM instead of rubber...but this is all like a "urban legend" thing that good racer never use foam.

Let you mentioned....I love my IMPACT (more then my Impulse) because the foam DOES help out a lot...and foam DOES speed the entire track up (usually all drivers are faster by 10-20 seconds per 5 minutes race)....speed is everything, and better grip = better race...everyone loves to see 5 cars turning at the same time instead one by obe....when we use foam, every cars are HOOK-UP...

Well, I might be wrong...I use Med/hard front foam and Soft/very soft foam rear to INCREASE tracing at the rear....and I think double purple is softer then Pink...?
Again, I might be wrong..the last race was 6 months ago...I almost forget about where I store my Impulse/Impact....
Rookie Solara

Rookie Solara

03-16-2001, 11:41 PM

Just got some more pictures of my Impulse with Carbon shock tower....
Jace2000.....take a look at my shock towers...are they the same as yours..? I think they are different but they are from GPM racing in HK.

http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/shock01a.jpg

http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/shock02a.jpg

http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/shock03a.jpg

http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/shock04a.jpg

http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/22B01.jpg

http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/22B02.jpg

http://www.enteract.com/~arsa/serpent/impulse/22B03.jpg

Rookie Solara

Jace2000

03-18-2001, 07:20 PM

I'm very torn as to what I should do about the carbon chassis.

I just came back from Hong Kong and I didn't get chassis because almost all the RC stores over there were against using carbon as a chassis. They accepted the fact that it was stronger and had less flex but they warned me about the engine heating problem, especially when using tuned engines.
I wouldn't have listen if it was just a few store who said that, but nearly ALL of them were against it.

It get's very hot here in the summer where I live and I use a JP RE turbo. I certainly DO NOT want to ruin that engine.

Another problem that they pointed out was radio interference. As you guys all know, carbon carries electricity and this increases the chance of getting interference.

I actually visited GPM and they were quite unfriendly and rude. Maybe it was because I only spoke English. They don't seem like a very trusty store either. If you are planning to get GPM stuff, I strongly suggest getting it through a local dealer.

I ended up getting an 3.2mm aluminum chassis from another maker.

Rookie Solara..
Yes my shock towers are the same as yours. They are from GPM.

[This message has been edited by Jace2000 (edited 03-18-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Jace2000 (edited 03-18-2001).]

Rookie Solara

03-18-2001, 08:58 PM

Jace2000....you did bring up a good point and I think I will try that and believe that...however, I don't have tunned pipe and engine, overheating might not be something I have to deal with....but, I must have to worry about the radio problem since I heard so many story about that and I will find out one way or the other (hope I will not crash my impulse)....i always have my stock alum chassis for my impulse and Impact....and I will keep that as my spare.

Again, like ppl in chinatown, if you speak english to them, they will give you CHOP-Shui instead of real chinese food....i am sorry about your experience in HK but I can tell you ppl in HK are RUDE in general, no matter you are chinese or American.....and I am shame of myself being a citizen of HK for 19 years....

Rookie Solara

Rookie Solara

03-19-2001, 12:13 AM

Jace2000...while I was driving....I have to say that Radio interference issue should not be a problem with carbon radio plate and chassis.....if that will interfer the radio signal....what happened to IMPACT and Vetec..?
Also, what happened to all the ELECT RC cars....? Almost 90% of them are carbon radio plate annd chassis, not the mention the new Serpent/Hudy elect. racer - Xray...that car is graphite everything, the new TC3, the entire car including the gear box are graphite also, all 1/10 pan cars and 1/12 pan cars....they are carbon chassis at the day one....
So, there should not be a issue with graphite chassis and radio plate problem with Impulse.....I just think about this and want everyone to add some input...you are still right, the engine over heat problem is definitely something ppl should think about....

Rookie Solara

Jace2000

03-19-2001, 02:16 AM

Rookie,

I think that radio interference is more serious issue in GP cars than EP cars.
I'm sure we've all seen where the servo goes crazy when we plug our boosters in the engine head and when we scratch the engine head with a screw driver.
I'm not arguing with you or anything.
I still want to try out the carbon chassis in the future.

Oh... and by the way...
I thought the people in Hong Kong were quite friendly in general. Most of the RC stores there were very nice and informative. It was just GPM that ****** me off. http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/smile.gif

Rookie Solara

03-19-2001, 01:26 PM

As i know, GPM are the only one doing all these graphite and alloy option parts, and they suppling all these parts to asia and USA, they really don't need to do anything in HK and make hugh money....so do you think they will care ppl like us for buying a $50.00 chassis...?
Yes...did you go to the one that sells SERPENT just several store down? I think the place called Victory and the owner are very very cool and friendly...but most of the time we talk about real car...instead of RC cars...

Rookie Solara

Jace2000

03-19-2001, 07:14 PM

I just finished adding the Impact front one-way to my Impulse.
I had to use the following during the process:

1. Impact front one-way (carved with a CNC machine) - 808219
2. One lightweight inner front drive cup for Impact - 808223
3. One front dogbone shaft for IMPACT - 808220
4. One front dogbone shaft for Impulse

I had to use a Impact front dogbone in the left side of the car and a Impulse dogbone on the right side.
I'll post a pic tomorrow.

Rookie
I'm cool with ya man.
You know I dig your car, right? http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/smile.gif
I usually deal with Harmony or Wingjet.
The guy at Harmony seem a little uptight but the Christopher at Wingjet is really cool.
http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Jace2000 (edited 03-19-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Jace2000 (edited 03-22-2001).]

Jace2000

03-21-2001, 12:09 AM

Had to take down my pic links because of Photo-you-know-who...

[ 07-06-2001: Message edited by: Jace2000 ]

Rookie Solara

03-21-2001, 09:52 AM

Jace2000.....what is that thing located right next to your steering servo? FET for your servo...?
Yes, I would love to see the Pro-diff at the rear....so does everyone here...thanks.

Rookie Solara (Howard)

Jace2000

03-21-2001, 08:19 PM

Originally posted by Rookie Solara:
Jace2000.....what is that thing located right next to your steering servo? FET for your servo...?
Yes, I would love to see the Pro-diff at the rear....so does everyone here...thanks.

Rookie Solara (Howard)

That's a temp gauge from MIP.
Also here's the pic of my diff.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1442870&a=10825946&p=38808058

impulse racer

03-21-2001, 09:36 PM

Jace2000 how much did it cost to do the lock front diff and the pro diff in the rear?

Jace2000

03-22-2001, 08:39 PM

Originally posted by impulse racer:
Jace2000 how much did it cost to do the lock front diff and the pro diff in the rear?

I don't know how much the rear FPS diff costs in the US but the modifying the front will require and cost the following :

1. 808219 - Pro Front Transaxle w/One-Way Bearings for Impact 4WD (1 Piece) $44.96
2. 808223 - Lightweight Inner Front Drive Cup for Impact 4WD (2 Pieces) $17.63
or 808222 - Inner Front Drive Cup for Impact 4WD (2 Pieces) $14.21
3. 808220 - Front Dogbone Drive Shaft for Impact 4WD (2 Pieces) $21.71

All prices are referenced from Kustom RC.
All I know is that the FPS diff are expensive all around the world.

impulse racer

03-22-2001, 10:30 PM

Jace2000 I think I found a a part for the impulse that would eliminate the need to modify the front one-way from the impact.
the part number is 801240. It says it is a front axle for the impulse.

Jace2000

03-22-2001, 11:28 PM

impulse racer

I believe you're talking about the front solid axle for the Impulse.
The front solid axle is, as its name implies, a solid axle. It doesn't move either way and it's a solid piece of metal.

The one that I added is a one-way solid axle used in 1/10 & 1/8 foam tire pure racing vehicles. This one has a one-way bearing and permits the wheels to roll one way but not the other.
It lets the wheel roll freely when the throttle is not applied but locks and delivers the acceleration when it's applied.

I think you should try using the axle you mentioned first and see if you like it.
If you do and are thinking of switching over foam, the Impact front one-way modification is something you should consider.

Hope I was of some help http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/smile.gif

Next time I'll post a step-by-step pic of how you can make the perfect Serpent shock.
It's a very good method since a lot of people feel that Serpent's shocks tend to change easily over time.

impulse racer

03-23-2001, 02:37 AM

Jace2000

Does the locked diff (front axle or what ever you want to call it) provide any real performance gain?

Also I asked serpent if they were coming out with a brace for the rear exaust engines and he said very soon.

If you need a rear brace that will work with re engines wolfpack radicals makes a great one. here is the site http://www.wolfpackradicals.com/our_products_frame.htm

Rookie Solara

03-24-2001, 07:25 PM

Impulse_racer:
The Solid front axle did provide a better handle on small track, I used that last season and that is the easiest way to solve the problem of PUSHING....HOWEVER, 2 problems....almost everyone use that in our track have TWISTED and broken dogbone...the other is broken inner drive cups....since they are solid.
Also, if you are running foam with that...better save enough money to run solid front axle....it shave those foam pretty quick....again, cause they are SOLID.

Rookie Solara

impulse racer

03-24-2001, 11:07 PM

well I am only 14 so my budget is whatever I can get my parents to get me http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/biggrin.gif so I will probably just stick with the stock diff or get the FPS diff. Thanks!

Jace2000

03-26-2001, 02:05 AM

Impulse racer,

Thanx for the info. I thought Wolfpack only sold the RE side brace together with their upper deck....

I also heard that Serpent will come out with a RE side brace very soon. Sometime in early April I think.

About the front axle issue....
It's different for different people.
Some ppl like it while others prefer the front diff that came with the kit.
I personally like the solid axle because for me, it makes the car more predictable during turns. I can predict what line my car will follow at its current speed. Another advantage of using a solid front is that you can pull on the throttle more as you come out of corners. However, it does make the car slightly towards understeer.
You can more or less overcome the broken inner drive cup problem by replacing the stock drive cup with a lightweigth option drive cup.
This is what I did when I used to use the solid axle and I never experienced this problem.
Rookie is right though, it eats up your tires really fast. More so for foams.

If you use the diff, it allows you to make tighter turns during ins and outs in a race. But all this is possible if you have the front diff dialed in correctly. If you don't, you'll probably get a lot of spins which you don't want.

[This message has been edited by Jace2000 (edited 03-26-2001).]

nitrorcfan

03-26-2001, 03:05 PM

When changing the Pinion or Spur gears, do the numbers have to match or be close between 1st and 2nd speed?

I think the stock gearing is Pinion 14 and Spur 50 (1st) and Pinion 16 and Spur 47 (2nd).

Thanks,
Nitrorcfan

Rookie Solara

03-28-2001, 11:00 AM

Someone mentioned Wolfpack start selling the ONE_WAY for Impulse for like $60.00....is that true? And he mentioned that is from Bunckner....can someone varify that...?

Rookie Solara

impulse racer

03-28-2001, 05:24 PM

i will ask wolfgang.

impulse racer

03-28-2001, 06:40 PM

i asked and this is what he said.

we had the one way for 6 months now, but never release them except to a
few "test driver" which also had the Impact. Honestly, I dint think the "new"
drivers running the Impulse where ready for it. We tried them on my local lot
and let some of the guys drive the Impulse whit a one way. The almost killed
themselves, it's really not funny if your used to having all wheel brakes and
then finding out the distance the left themselves going in to turns ore
sweepers was not there anymore. If the driver is used to power on to a turn
and hit the brake to complete the maneuver, he has another thing coming. I am
willing to bet that a lot of the "new" Impluse drivers will go for the one
way thinking it will solve some of the problems there having controlling the
car. There wrong. On the other hand the guy who can adjust him self should
see on improvement, even if it is only for tire wear or get more life out of
the front belt. My driver will not drive the car whit out it, but he also
runs Impact and Veteq, he is use to it, on the other hand Johnny Wong in
Florida is hooked up whit the solid front, now he will give the one way a
chance, even so he runs the Impact also. To each his own.
I'm trying to justify keeping the one way of the market for such along time,
the last thing I need is some kid coming along telling the rest of the world
he crashed his car
because he has no brakes or some other bull. Apparently I was wrong, maybe
the Impulse drivers taking there Hobby a little more serious and are ready
for the one way. Well, Bruckner received a limited amount of one ways last
week, the one ways are 3 mm longer then the stock diff to make up for the
short dog bones, all you need is your drive cups the pulley from the solid
"diff" and the shafts your using now. Brian I dont know what kind of a driver
you are, but let me tell you one thing, the car will roll easier which will
relate in to a bit more speed, so watch for the end of the straight
it's going to come up pretty fast and you have only rear brakes. Hope your
not driving Impact also,. then this whole letter was good for nothing. hehe
Have a nice one and stay away from the boards.
wolfgang

kenny

03-29-2001, 04:41 AM

Originally posted by Jace2000:
I'm very torn as to what I should do about the carbon chassis.

I just came back from Hong Kong and I didn't get chassis because almost all the RC stores over there were against using carbon as a chassis. They accepted the fact that it was stronger and had less flex but they warned me about the engine heating problem, especially when using tuned engines.
I wouldn't have listen if it was just a few store who said that, but nearly ALL of them were against it.

It get's very hot here in the summer where I live and I use a JP RE turbo. I certainly DO NOT want to ruin that engine.

Another problem that they pointed out was radio interference. As you guys all know, carbon carries electricity and this increases the chance of getting interference.

I actually visited GPM and they were quite unfriendly and rude. Maybe it was because I only spoke English. They don't seem like a very trusty store either. If you are planning to get GPM stuff, I strongly suggest getting it through a local dealer.

I ended up getting an 3.2mm aluminum chassis from another maker.

Rookie Solara..
Yes my shock towers are the same as yours. They are from GPM.

[This message has been edited by Jace2000 (edited 03-18-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Jace2000 (edited 03-18-2001).]

nitrorcfan

03-29-2001, 06:57 AM

Originally posted by nitrorcfan:
When changing the Pinion or Spur gears, do the numbers have to match or be close between 1st and 2nd speed?

I think the stock gearing is Pinion 14 and Spur 50 (1st) and Pinion 16 and Spur 47 (2nd).

Thanks,
Nitrorcfan

Hi Guys,

What are the rules for changing out different pinions and spur gears. Do the combination of the pinion and spur have to add up and be the same from 1st to 2nd?

impulse racer

04-11-2001, 10:27 AM

what happened all of a sudden everyone stoped posting?

Jace2000

04-11-2001, 07:54 PM

I dunno man...

I check this forum at least twice a day but no one seems to be asking questions.

I personally haven't had the chance to run my Impulse in the past few weeks because I was preparing for a truck race. BTW, I came 1st place in the A-Main http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/smile.gif

I'm gonna try to get back into the Impulse Mood Mode hehehe http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

impulse racer

04-12-2001, 05:20 PM

i got tired of waiting to get the money to geta an impulse so i got a t-maxx instead. Sorry jace. :(

Jace2000

04-12-2001, 07:46 PM

Impulse Racer...

It's sad to hear that you didn't get the Impulse. However, I hope that you have lots of fun with your new truck and that you'll still drop by occasionally :D

I really love the T-maxx though.

SteveP

04-28-2001, 10:52 PM

TTT

hpi racer2

04-29-2001, 11:59 PM

what kind of rdio do you use jace2000

Jace2000

04-30-2001, 12:28 AM

I'm currently using the Airtronic's M8. But either a Hitec Lynx or Futaba will do just as well.

hpi racer2

04-30-2001, 09:36 PM

i just ordered a lynx 3D yesterday!!!!!!!!!

Jace2000

05-01-2001, 09:35 AM

hpi racer2:

Congrat on your new radio dude :)
I guess you have an Impulse as well. If you run into any problems while running your Impulse, just ask and I'll try to help you as much as I can.

hpi racer2

05-01-2001, 10:51 PM

well thank you, i dont own a impulse but i really like them so much that i cant make up my mind on wich car to get, its between either a hpi racer 2 or the impulse. I am pretty well expeirenced in r/c so i know i can acomplish the manual for the impulse. If you can please give me some things about the two cars and wich is overall better.

Jace2000

05-01-2001, 11:26 PM

hpi racer2:

I haven't raced a hpi racer so I really can't speak for that car.
The Impulse is a really robust car. Their parts are on the expensive side but they don't break as easily as the others. They are also a little more difficult to make than the others but I don't think that this should pose as a problem for you. Although you can add options to the Impulse, it's already a good racer out of the box.
The Impulse handling is especially great when you race them with foams. This is because the Impulse carries on the same basic design as its brothers, the Impact and the Vector. The Impact and Vector are proven foam racers which have won tons of trophies all around the globe.

The only thing that bothers me about the Impulse is that it's a little slower on the start than the other touring cars. But I think that's because my Impulse has a Centax clutch and not the new 2 speed that's being sold now. This shouldn't be too much of a problem if you get the new RE kit which has been on the market for the past couple of months.

The handling of the Impulse is rock solid but the car is a little more finicky to dial in.

Hope I was of some help. :)
If you have any other specific questions, just ask and I'll try to answer them for you.

hpi racer2

05-01-2001, 11:39 PM

wich should i get? I really just want it for a parking lot or something like that. One other thing is that is that its been nown that serpents parts are very hard to find is that true?

hpi racer2

05-03-2001, 10:28 PM

have you heard about the racer 3

Jace2000

05-04-2001, 01:10 AM

hpi racer2:

Sorry for the late reply.
I think the HPI will do just fine for parking lot racing. The Serpents were really built for racing. You'll really appreciate the car when you've raced it.
I did hear about the Racer 3 but to tell you the truth, I usually hear only negative things about HPI vehicles. I don't think that they are a bad car but they probably get such opinions because they are being compared to top class race cars such as the Impulse, MTX2, and the Yokomo GT4.

Parts availability shouldn't really bother you if you can shop online. Ashford Hobby, Stormer Hobbies, and Kustom RC all carries a good amount of Impulse parts.

One things for sure though. If you decide to get the Impulse, you won't have to get another car if you want to move up to track racing later on. I really can't say the same for HPIs because so many people around me made the same mistake. They all started as parking lot racers and thought that they would stay there. But they ALL eventually moved over to the tracks and had to get better cars to keep up with the competitions.

You call dude :)

hpi racer2

05-04-2001, 05:13 PM

Thats ok for the late reply, i think im just going to get a racer 2 and get some hop ups for it like arms, shock towers, axle carriers, and a y- brace from hammand ghuman. I am plannimg on getting a belt tensioner for the center belt also. What other things do you think i should get for it?

hpi racer2

05-06-2001, 02:41 PM

where are you jace2000

Randallx

05-07-2001, 08:49 AM

Hi,
Thinking about getting an Impulse. I was wondering, what bodies, wheels, tires etc. can fit on the impulse?

n'pede

05-07-2001, 04:19 PM

jace2000, i am getting my impulse soon, the only reason i haven't gotten it yet is that serpent doesn't have engines for the kits. anyway, are there any special things I have to do/look out for when I build it
nobluaqui@yahoo.com

Jace2000

05-07-2001, 09:09 PM

hpi racer2:
I'm not in the US right now. I'm actually in Asia at the moment. I usually get my stuff from Hong Kong and I have to tell ya that RC is DEAD CHEAP over there.

Randallx:
Any 200mm from HPI and Protoform will fit the Impulse. You can use just about any tires as well. I currently race with 26mm foams and they're much easier to drive than standard rubber tires. You really should consider foams if you're planning to race.
If you decide to use rubber tires, you can use either a 24mm or 26mm tire.
Wheels are a little more of a pain in butt to find. In some cases you might have to grind the top and bottom of the steering block. But this doesn't hinder performance and it shouldn't be an issue for you. I know that Sorex, Proline's Wabash, and some Yokomo wheels fit the Impulse. If you need a more specific wheel model just let me know and I'll try to list as many as I can.
BTW, foams come already glued with their wheels and I'm not sure which ones will fit the Impulse. I'll find out and post them here soon.

n'pede:
It's good to hear that you're gonna be racing the Impulse. No Mugens, Kyoshos, or Yoks will ever be a Serpent. It's like comparing a Japanese sports car with a European one. The Japanese cars are just as fast or sometimes even faster than Porsche. But a Porsche is a Porsche. A Serpent is a Serpent and that is that.
BTW, what engine are you getting for your little snake? I'm not sure which engine Serpent USA is selling but I believe that they are NovaMegas. Did you give RB turbo engines a thought? Either that or the new turbo engine from Novarossi. They're both proven turbo engines and I usually recommend them to anyone looking for a new .12 engine.
As for building tips, there are so many of them that I can give you it would be difficult for me to post them all here.
Instead I'll give you some links to what I felt was a real helper when I first got my Impulse kit.

Check out www.mytsn.com/publ/publ.asp?pid=16 (http://www.mytsn.com/publ/publ.asp?pid=16) for tips on builing a good shock. Shocks are one of the most important element in getting a properly tuned car. One thing that I would like to add to this tip is that I cut out a piece of round ball-shaped foam and put them in the space between the rubber membrane and top pivot-point. This will help prevent the membrane from loosing it's round shape.

Another tip that I would like to give you is that hinge pins that goes into the lower and upper arms in the front and rear of the car are very very tight. This tightness prevents the arms from moving up and down smoothly. You can make the arms a little more smooth by polishing the hinge pins with a drop of shock oils.

I expect that you'll be using the standard stock diff supplied with the kit. You should use the thick black diff grease supplied in the little white container. I was amazed at how many people tried to put something else in the diff. You should also try sealing the joint area where the diff case and the rear belt gear plate meets. You can use any kind of standard household silicone sealent for the job. I suggest this to almost everyone because this is the point where the diff grease leaks when the whole gear spins really fast. You should do this for the front diff gear as well. Remember to really pack in your grease in the diff gear box. A tighter diff usually helps driving.
The tightness of the diff gears will tend to become lighter as time passes on. You should refill your diff grease in such cases. I used to hate doing this because it meant that I had to dissasemble the whole rear block. What I did instead was I drilled a little hole on the side of the diff gear box (so that I could see the hole when I looked at my car from the top) and used that hole to use my syringe to fill up the grease again. I used a screw to close the hole.

Whew~! Long post. If you need more tips just let me know and I'll post more.
Hope I was of some help. :)

n'pede

05-08-2001, 05:27 PM

jace where I race I can't use a turbo engine :mad: and most rear exhaust engines are too powerful to use and win with at my local track :confused:

Jace2000

05-08-2001, 10:18 PM

Your track bans turbo engines? That's really unfortunate.
I used to use Novarossi CX12 before I started using turbo engines and it performed slightly better than my friend's NovaMega. Maybe you could look into that. Novarossi's engines have a smoother power band all across the powerband while the RBs have lots of top power. The NovaMegas seem to be somewhere between the Novarossis and the RBs.

hpi racer2

05-08-2001, 10:30 PM

hey jace2000, i just ordered a racer 2 and a lynx 3d radio. I think i will get a mt12 for it next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :p :D :p

Jace2000

05-08-2001, 11:29 PM

hpiRacer2:
Glad to hear you made your decision. It really doesn't matter whichever car you get just as long as you have fun. After all, that's what RC is all about.
I still hope that you'll drop by occasionally and leave us a post. :)

Let me know if you want some tip on how to properly run-in your new MT12.

[ 05-08-2001: Message edited by: Jace2000 ]

n'pede

05-09-2001, 05:26 PM

what reciever batteries should I use? also what charger should I get to charge them with
:eek: :eek: :eek:

hpi racer2

05-09-2001, 07:15 PM

the only reason i havnt got the engine yet is because i cant find one with a standard crank / slide carb.

Jace2000

05-10-2001, 03:56 AM

n'pede:
I use any 1000mAh Ni-MH 5 cell pack. But I usually recommend the 1100mAh 5 cell pack from Trinity. They give you plenty of time and are very reliable batteries. The one you should use for your Impulse is RC5303. You should be able to find them at most online hobby stores.

Chargers are a little more difficult to recommend. It all depends on how much you're willing to invest. You can go for top quality chargers such as the Novak Millenium or something more economical. It shouldn't really matter which one you get if you are going to race gas cars only. If you're planning to race EPs as well, then it's a whole different story.

Just remember that it has to be able to charge NiMH cells since you'll probably want a NiMH receiver batt. It's also very nice if the charger is able to charge single cells. This is because of the booster batt. Also, remember that chargers such as the Millenium requires a power supply.
If you don't want to invest an arm and a leg in chargers you should look into getting an AC/DC charger.

I currently have a Millenium. It's a good charger and it has a proprietary NiMH charging mode. This helps to get longer usage life from my NiMH batts. The only thing that I don't like about it is that it can't charge single cells. Therefore I have to charge my booster batt with a seperate charger.

hpiRacer2:
Did you get your kit yet?
If so, I guess you're waiting for your engine huh? Ooooh~ the wait only adds to the torture doesn't it? :)
I hope you get your stuff soon and have tons of fun with it.

[ 05-10-2001: Message edited by: Jace2000 ]

Railman

05-10-2001, 07:59 AM

Tekin B112c is ac-dc, will charge at up to 10 amps, from 1 to 12 cells. Lots of info on the led screen, with lots of charging modes. The later models, after H27 software, will charge NMH batts. Very clean power. They are incredibly dependable. We hve 4 of them, two were bought used, only failures were blown fuses from reverse hook ups etc. Probably the most sold charger out there. WWW.tekin.com (http://WWW.tekin.com)

hpi racer2

05-10-2001, 05:29 PM

i havnt got it yet, it should be here the 15-17 of this month!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :p :p :p :p

Lay N Low

05-13-2001, 04:18 PM

hi, im planing on getting a serpent impluse , and i have a few questons
1) is it hard to build?
2) how much do they sell for?
3) what do they come with?
4) how much would the cost b(estamate) including all the stuff needed to run it?
5) how durable are they?
6) would i be able to put a .21 in it?? well i know its possible but what mods would i have to do to it?

thx
LNL

Jace2000

05-13-2001, 07:43 PM

LNL:

I think I can answer some of your questions but most actually depends on how much you are willing to invest.

1) is it hard to build?
The Impulse is a little more harder to build than most of the regular kits. I wouldn't allow a beginner to build this kit by himself. It can be done but there are some building tips that can really help performance later on. But, if you have experience with building RC kits then the Impulse should be a tad more difficult than the rest.

2) how much do they sell for?
This depends where you are shopping at. You should try comparing prices from Bruckner Hobies, Ashford, Stormer Hobbies, and Kustom RC. Here are the URLs. www.brucknerhobbies.com (http://www.brucknerhobbies.com) www.ashfordhobby.com (http://www.ashfordhobby.com) www.stormerhobbies.com (http://www.stormerhobbies.com) www.kustomrc.com (http://www.kustomrc.com)

3) what do they come with?
The Impulse comes with most things that all regular RC touring car comes with. It includes the 2 speed but does not come with a pipe or manifold.

4) how much would the cost b(estamate) including all the stuff needed to run it?
Again, this really is a matter of how much you are willing to invest in controller, servo, receiver, engine, etc...

5) how durable are they?
The Impulse has the most durable plastic parts when compared to others. They are a very strong vehicle.

6) would i be able to put a .21 in it?? well i know its possible but what mods would i have to do to it?
I don't think its possible to put a .21 in a Impulse. Maybe its possible if you try really hard, I dunno.... I have never seen or heard of someone trying that. I know SteveP of this site has a .15 Impulse project car, but other than that, no.

Lay N Low

05-13-2001, 07:49 PM

Jace2000 thx for all the info and the links you gave me.

Nos

05-19-2001, 11:41 PM

Jace2000:

you seem like a very nice person and you have given lots of good advice to others.
So i ask you: should i sell my hpi nitro racer and buy an impulse? i don't race but i have heard that the impulse is far better than my racer, what is your opinion? thanks

Jace2000

05-20-2001, 01:35 AM

Nos

Thanx for visiting this thread.
If you are looking for next nitro touring car I think either the Serpent Impulse, Mugen MTX, Kyosho V-OneR, or Yokomo GT4 is the way to go. Large choice isn't it? :D
This is the same question that almost every nitro touring racer went through. I certainly went through it myself.
I finally settled on the Serpent Impulse because of the following reasons

1) It was a proven racing machine because of its brother the 1/8 Vector and 1/10 Impact. The Impulse got its design primarily from these two pure racers.

2) People are starting to race foam tires now and there isn't a better car out there to use foams. This is because the 1/8 Vector and 1/10 Impact were designed around foam tires. The Impulse has the same blood.

3) I wasn't a racer when I first got the Impulse, but I wanted a car which I could start racing whenever I felt ready.

4) I didn't want to get a car which would be left obsolete in a year or two. I wanted a car which I could buy upgrade kits for and keep on using all the hop-ups I would would start adding. The Japanese are really good at ditching their old designs for new ones and leaving the previous models as "old".
Yokomo and Kyosho is especially good at doing this.
Serpent on the other hand, provides upgrade kits whenever a newer model comes out. This is possible because their design principle is to design a good car at the begining and adding improvements to it. Serpent has done this when they introduced the 2000 upgrade kits for their Impact 99 kits.

5) I got the Serpent Impulse because their car was the father of all the nitro touring cars. All the other manufacturers copied the Impulse design and introduced their own models after it.

6) Serpent is a very prestigeous name in the RC community. It gets a lot of "Wows~" and "Ooh~"s at the scene. I liked a lot of that and I'm sure you'll like that too :D

7) It's a very strong and solid machine because Serpent's plastic mix is the BEST in the RC scene. If you collide an Impulse and another car against a wall at the same speed, I can bet that the Impulse will suffer far less damage.

Some of the cons of the Impulse is that their parts a somewhat more expensive than other cars. Some people experience difficulties getting spare parts through their local hobby stores but this shouldn't be a problem if you can place online orders. I list for you can several online hobby stores that carry Impulse parts.

Hope this was a good enough answer.
Have a good time shopping for a new car and I do hope that you'll get the Impulse. :)

Shwanky

05-21-2001, 09:40 AM

Hello, I got my impulse re about 1 month ago. I have the sold front axle and tryed useing various rims/tires. What a pain. Otherwise, my only 2 issues are straight line stability and off throttle going into a sweeping medium speed turn, the rear wont stay planted. What should I do. Thanks. I do by the way have an impact which handles like a rollercoaster. I was thinking of locking up the rear axle on my impulse and run a one-way up front from bruckners. Any comments? Thanks.

Jace2000

05-21-2001, 09:41 PM

Shwanky

I currently run foams and don't use rubber tires anymore. The traction just can't be matched. If you haven't tried them I stongly recommend them since it helps traction dramatically.

I currently use a modified Impact front one-way and an almost locked FPS rear diff. This setup coupled with foam tires is a real killer. My Impulse runs like my Impact.

I suggest checking your front toe-out for the straight line stability. If you have too much front toe-out it can really make your car unstable in the straights. If you give it toe-in it will stabilize the car but at a cost. It will slightly decrease top-end speed while decreasing cornering ability. Your Impulse could be losing its rear grip because you're getting too much cornering.

Another possibilty is that your rear diff is too soft. It's usually safe practice to use your diff as hard as possible using higher weight diff grease.

Also try giving a 2~3 degree toe-in in the rear.

Don't try this all at once though. Try each changes seperately and see how your car responds to it.

Hope this helped.
If you still have the same problem, please give me a more detailed description of your setup and I think I can help you out even more. :)

Shwanky

05-22-2001, 01:58 PM

Jace, Ok..i just ordered my one-way from bruckners yesterday, should be here wednesday. I have the standard diff in the rear which leaked and is now really loose. Right now, my only concern is which rims can I put on the car without haveing to worry about rubbing. I am gonna run rubber slicks, preferable 26mm. My other quesion is this..I saw a picture of a impulse on this forum with seems to be impact front tires on the front and rear. What would I need to do that. Please let me know. Thanks.

Jace2000

05-22-2001, 08:23 PM

Nos
Anytime dude~. :D

Shwanky
An Impulse running an Impact tire in this Forum? I don't recall seeing such a car. I've just checked through all the pages and all I see is SteveP's project Impulse using a .15 sized engine and some using foam tires.
Could you possibly be talking about the foam tires? Please let me know.

Also, are you sure you want to run rubber slicks with your one-way? It really will handle much better with foams.
As for the rims...
I know that proline makes a 26mm series and I've tried them before. The rims are a little bit softer than I would like them to be but they come in many designs and will fit the Impulse without any modifications.

Hope this helped :D

Nos

05-23-2001, 12:15 AM

Great advice Jace2000, thankyou

Shwanky

05-23-2001, 10:00 AM

Jace, Check this out.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=858716&a=12500524&p=46042132
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=858716&a=12500524&p=46042123
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=858716&a=12500524&p=46042119
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=858716&a=12500524&p=46042132

[ 05-23-2001: Message edited by: Shwanky ]

Jace2000

05-23-2001, 07:47 PM

Shwanky..

Is that your machine? http://www.plauder-smilies.de/sad/scared.gif
Nice lookin' set you got there.
So tell me the modifications you made.

[ 05-24-2001: Message edited by: Jace2000 ]

Shwanky

05-24-2001, 10:23 AM

Jace, Those arent mines. I was wondering if you know how they got those impact FRONT tires on the rear. Any Ideas?

Jace2000

05-25-2001, 08:00 PM

Shwanky, I think this is what this person did.
He probably got the front left/right axle for the Impact and just placed it on the rear of the Impulse. The axles should fit the rear hub of the Impulse because they use the same size bearings.
This is a very interesting mod which I'll just have to try out.

Thanks for the pic Shwanky. I'll try out this setup as soon as I can but if you get to do it first, please let me know how it felt.

Nos

05-26-2001, 04:31 PM

How much more power and speed will 2-spd w/rear exhaust give me? I want the best car (mostly for parking lots) but the kit with 2-spd + RE is way more $$. Can always add 2-spd later but i'm stuck with engine for a long time. Is the SX12 SE more than i need, or is the SX12 RE or some other engine the only way to go????

Jace2000

05-26-2001, 11:09 PM

Nos

I think you should get the 2 speed kit because you'll eventually feel outdated with the single speed kit. Besides, it'll cost you much more to add the 2 speed later on.

Another issue is the SE engine...
Side exhaust engines are loosing popularity in the nitro touring scene because they produce less power than the rear exhaust engines. You'll eventually want to update to a rear exhaust engine as well.

If I was in your position, I would get a 2 speed kit with a rear exhaust. I don't know why your LHS only has the single speed kit because Serpent doesn't make that kit anymore. I suspect that it's a left over and your LHS is probably trying to get it out of their stock at a cheap price. If they are giving a high discount on it than it might be a deal to consider. But if they aren't, I suggest you go for the 2 speed kit even if you have to wait for it.

Why don't you buy the 2 speed kit online at places such as Kustom RC or Stormers? You can probably get them right now. :)

Nos

05-27-2001, 12:48 AM

Hey everyone, i've decided to buy an impulse. My question is do i buy the last single speed w/side exhaust engine ay my LHS, or is the 2-spd w/rear exhaust worth the extra $$ and the wait????

Nos

05-27-2001, 12:55 AM

Yes that's right, the single speed kit is leftover and i will get a deal on it. The shop won't get another new kit for a month. Another shop has kit (one left)with 2-spd but no engine or pipe. This kit will cost me more than $200(cdn.) more than single speed kit once i have purchased engine, header, and pipe. My main concern is the engine, because if the Sx12 (which comes with one speed kit) is all the power i need, it is still cheaper to buy this kit even if i do buy 2-spd seperately. But if i buy 2-spd with no engine can i choose a better engine than the SX12??? if not then i will buy kit on sale. What do you recommend??? Which engine is best choice (insane power vs. reliability)????
Thanks for your advice.

Jace2000

05-27-2001, 08:42 AM

Nos

$200 more?? Is that US dollars? If the price difference is that big then I suggest you go for the single speed kit and upgrade to 2 speed as you progress in this hobby. The SX12 is a good and reliable engine. Although it's not as powerful as a rear exhaust (the difference isn't drastically noticable) it will be more than enough for a single speed. If the single speed kit comes with pipe, header, engine and comes at a great deal, then go for it! :)
You can always upgrade your car later on.

Nos

05-27-2001, 01:00 PM

Jace

The difference in US dollars = $130. 2-spd kit does not come with engine, header, or pipe. What are some good engines for this car?? The mugen RE was recommended to me. If i buy single speed kit and then add a 2-spd a month later, then i'm stuck with SE engine for awhile and will have cost close to price of other kit. But if the added complexity of 2spd and differences between engine isn't worth it, then i'll save a lot of cash to spend on other goodies. Is there any disadvantage to 2spd.??? Mostly driving on mid size parking lots. Some people tell me it's not worth the extra trouble to tune and it will break sometimes. Also, the guy at the shop says the difference between SE and RE engines is only about .1 hp and that i wouldn't even notice it. But others have said that if i want the best and won't buy another engine for awhile then a RE is way faster and has more torque. They said i might get bored with power of SE engine but a good RE engine has all the power i'll ever need. What is your advice??? Thanks a lot for your help.

Jace2000

05-28-2001, 06:35 AM

Nos..

No need to thank me for the advice. It's my pleasure doing it and I'll try to help out as best as I can.

A difference of $130 is quite a bit. It's a price difference which I can't say that you should ignore. Like your LHS said, the difference between a SE and RE engine is quite minimal to the casual driver.

The price of a RE engine and pipe to match it will cost quite a bit even if you get a good deal on it. I can't lie about that.

But you'll notice the difference between a single speed and 2 speed fairly easily. The 2 speed IS faster than a single speed and it is noticable and the SE engine has enough power for the 2 speed. The 2 speed isn't that difficult to tune and is highly unlikely to break.

If I was in your position I would get the single speed kit initially and just add the 2 speed later on, keeping the original engine. Whenever you feel ready to start really racing, you can always change the engine then. :)

Nos

05-28-2001, 11:29 AM

Jace

After considering your advice and chatting with a couple guys at the races yesterday (every impulse there had 2spd and RE) i think it is worth the extra $$ for 2spd. I'll spend the money on it eventually, so i may as well spend it now. Now i need to decide which engine and pipe to get. I have a paris turbo ring pipe. Which is a good engine??? The mugen and RB were recommended to me. Are these as good as the novamega that comes with some impulse kits??? What do you think???

Jace2000

05-29-2001, 12:42 AM

Nos...

Glad to hear that you decided on the 2 speed kit. :)
It doesn't really matter what you get as long as it's a RE and turbo engine. I know that the RB X12 is a turbo .12 engine and I have one myself. I can recommend the RB engine but I'm not sure if the Mugen RE engine that you mentioned is a turbo or not. Some of the earlier Mugen RE engines where non-turbo's.
If it is, I can say for sure that you should get these over the Movamega.

Nos

05-29-2001, 02:20 AM

JACE!!!

I'm sitting here looking at my new SERPENT IMPULSE! Oh yes, and did i mention that it has 2GEARS. Well now, i think i'll be getting a Mugen MT12 to power this little snake... unless you have a more deadly solution...

HAHAHA!! I'm excited, this is quite a step up from my Hpi Racer with OS-CV engine.

Now we shall prepare for some serious speed*

Nos

05-29-2001, 02:24 AM

J
*Thanks for all your advice. I'm very happy with this decision*

hpi racer2

05-29-2001, 03:41 PM

Hey jace2000 ive been in new york this last week, well i built my racer 2, and now im waiting on my lynx 3d system because its out of stock at tower hobbies. Im trying to save some money for a engine, but dont know what to get, any suggestions?

This waiting is killing me. J/k!!! :D :o :D

hpi racer2

05-29-2001, 03:46 PM

oh i forgot!! im looking for a rear exhaust, slide carb, threaded crank. Any suggestions??

what kind of pipe/ manifold do you use? And do you like it?

Destrega

05-29-2001, 06:05 PM

Hey Nos i race a serpent impulse here in Edmonton, Have you been to our new asphalt track?

Ps: What kind of rims do you guys
run? I bought The new ofna ones and they broke (4 in one day!). I need stronger ones.

[ 05-29-2001: Message edited by: Destrega ]

Nos

05-29-2001, 08:45 PM

Hey Destrega i'll have to check out that track. I've seen pics, it looks awesome!
Is it is good as it looks?

Any tips for building my impulse??

Destrega

05-30-2001, 12:22 AM

Yea it's good. The multiple layout keeps you on your toes, different track every week.

With building you impulse, just take your time and don't force anything.
If you run into any snags post them here
we got some vets here that'll help you.

[ 05-30-2001: Message edited by: Destrega ]

Nos

05-30-2001, 02:18 AM

Thanks guys, it's going very well building my new racing car! The manual is outstanding! I've only got the rear section together and already i can tell that this is a very strong and great performing machine.

Jace2000

05-30-2001, 08:13 PM

Nos...
Sorry for the late reply. I was actually doing some searching as to what engine I should recommend and I found it. :D
The Mugen MT12 is one of the earlier RE engines. There are many more new ones and I think you should go for these since you have the 2 speed kit. The most recent one and also one which you should be able to find easily in North America, is the Novarossi RS12T. There are two versions to this engine where RS12 is the normal type while the RS12T is the turbo type. Its the most recent RE .12 turbo engine in the market and it produces about 1,000 more RPM than most RE turbo engines. The price should be similar or slightly more expensive than similar class engines.
I really think that you should get this engine or the RB X12. I can't say for sure but I think the MT12 by Mugen is a normal type and not a turbo. You should absolutely make sure about this because the price difference isn't that great and if this is the case, you might as well get a turbo.

Hpi racer2...
Good to hear from you again dude~ :)
As for your engine question, I think you should get the same engine I recommended for Nos. I currently use the Novarossi ART51224 and the RB E1851-EP. These are both inline pipes and includes manifolds and spring. They are working great with my JP tuned engines. There's a pic of these two pipes which I posted in the 1st page of this forum.

Destrega..
Welcome to this forum :)
I use Ellegi and Fast foam tires. The rims that come with these tires are fairly strong. I use to run Yokomo and Proline (Wabash) wheels back when I used rubber tires. Some of my local guys used to run Mugen wheels as well and they seemed to hold up pretty good.

hpi racer2

05-30-2001, 11:56 PM

Jace2000, what is the advantage of having a turbo, rather than a standard? Because i have been looking at the navorossi s12 standard shaft, slide carb because i know it will fit in my rs4. I would like a turbo version but i cant find anyone that carry's them in standard shaft, slide carb. Sorry this may be hard to understand but ime in a hurry.

Oh ya, wich pipe do you use has more top end power?

Do you ever go to the hpi forum? If so what is your name? I thing mine is hpi racer or somthing like that, cant remember ill check on that later. ;) ;) ;)

Jace2000

05-31-2001, 12:16 AM

HpiRacer..

The turbo engine will give you more punch and top speed. Although the listed spec says that they're identical or only slightly better, I don't think so. I've compared an identical engine, one turbo and the other non-turbo, and I did notice a difference.
However, I have to be honest. The difference is not as great as most people expect. But that slight difference does make a difference when you're racing at the track. When you consider the fact that the price difference between the two isn't that great, it's worth while looking for it. I think that you should be able to find turbo engines with the standard crankshaft. I know that RB makes a X12 turbo with the standard shaft. Alot of the RC10GT guys run this engine and that truck requires a standard shaft. Try looking in www.kustomrc.com (http://www.kustomrc.com)

As for the pipe, the two pipes that I mentioned are identical. Both are actually made by Novarossi but RB just slaps on their label before they sell it under their brand.

hpi racer2

05-31-2001, 12:32 AM

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1704194&a=13091400&p=49517357&f=0

testing, testing

hpi racer2

05-31-2001, 12:56 AM

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1704194&a=13091400&p=49517357&f=0

trying to see if my sorry pictures work, sorry for the incoveinence!!!

hpi racer2

05-31-2001, 12:58 AM

http://photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1704194&a=13091400&p=49517357&f=0

Nos

05-31-2001, 01:29 AM

Thanks Jace for the recommendation. But i have made my choice already. I talked to some local racers and the guy at the shop and decided that based on
-most people's advice
-availability
-my situation
i got the MT12. this engine was recommended more than any other, it was the only one available to me in the next couple weeks, and my last setup was my 1spd racer with OS-CV, so this is already a huge step up. It seems like most people i talked to didn't feel that a turbo engine was necessary/worth it. I don't really know anything about it except that i don't race yet and if i ever do, at my level of experience i probably wouldn't appreciate that extra little bit of go as much as more serious racers.

I disassembled, cleaned, and sealed my engine, now i'm going to put it in my Racer to break it in while i build my new machine.

If anyone has any tips for building my car or breaking in engine...

hpi racer2

05-31-2001, 01:33 PM

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1704194&a=13091400&p=49517357

hpi racer2

05-31-2001, 01:35 PM

there it finally worked, but what a sorry picture!!! :o :o ;) ;)

Nos

05-31-2001, 02:22 PM

...maybe i won't put it in my racer. SG shaft engine not worth the hassle (and$) to adapt to hpi car.

jingle

05-31-2001, 04:58 PM

Jace2000 - could you please tell me who makes the graphite shock towers you run? part#? where to buy?

thanks in advance

Destrega

05-31-2001, 05:29 PM

Jace how many runs do you get on those foams?
My lhs has lost of those rim/foams in stock, but no one runs at the track simply because of the lack of runs you get on them.

hpi racer2

05-31-2001, 07:23 PM

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1704194&a=13091400&p=49559519

Jace2000

05-31-2001, 07:51 PM

Jingle...
Welcome to the forum :)
My shock towers are made by a company called GPM in Hong Kong and I got them while I took a trip there. I think they are being sold in the US through another hobby dealer but I'm not sure who. I'll ask around and find out who you can get them from. The last measure is to order direct from GPM. They have a web site at www.gpmracing.com.hk (http://www.gpmracing.com.hk)
You have to be patient with this site since it's kinda slow to load.

Destrega...
I actually get quite a bit of runs out of my foams. Yeah~ ok ok.. not as much as the rubber tires but enough to classify them as worthy. :D The amount of run time you get out of foams greatly depends on how you setup your diff and what kinds of track surface you run on. My rear diff is almost locked and the track that I run on is prepared and super smooth. I race my Impulse in intensive conditions at least two times a week and I can use my foams for three weeks. The only case where I won't recommend foams is when you plan to run them on unprepared surfaces. This is the only case where foams are worse then rubber.

Hpi racer2
Good to see that you finally got your pics up :D My ID at hpi's site is also Jace2000. I'm not that active over there.

Nos...
Glad to hear that you made your decision. It really doesn't matter what you get as long as you have fun. You're right in saying that the little bit of difference between a turbo and non-turbo engine doesn't seem that much diffenrent to the casual driver. This is maybe something for the more hardcore racers. :)

[ 05-31-2001: Message edited by: Jace2000 ]

hpi racer2

05-31-2001, 10:58 PM

Man those are some crappy pictures, i just took a picture of anything to see if i could figure how to put it on the forum, well i guess i finally figured it out :p :p :p .

hpi racer2

05-31-2001, 11:07 PM

Hey jace would you recremend the titanium chasiss from hardcore racing for the rs4? have you heard about it? do you think its any good?

just want to know because i think i might get it, as soon as i get an extra 125.00... ;)

Destrega

06-02-2001, 08:12 PM

I Heard that the titanium chassis are crap
because titanium doesn't absorb heat and dissipate it as well as aluminum.
But, it does have alot more cooling vents and it's lighter. I would have to ask someone who actually has one as these are only rumors.

Jace2000

06-02-2001, 11:57 PM

HpiRacer2..

Sorry for the late reply :)
I was at the offroad track racing my RC10GT. MAN~ my truck flies!! :D
Anyways...
I'll have to agree with Destrega. Titanium doesn't absorb heat as much as aluminum does and this can cause your engine to overheat. This is something which you'll have to think deep about since its summer and getting hot already. I would probably get a thicker aluminum chassis if I needed the extra stenght. $125 is alot of money and I would probably spend it on someting else.

Nos

06-03-2001, 02:24 AM

Jace. Which engine in your GT?

Nos

06-03-2001, 04:27 PM

I'm having a problem with my impulse. The front gear (diff assembly) is very difficult to turn. When i loosen the screws that attach the diff brackets to the chassis and the upper deck to the brackets, it becomes easy to turn. I have removed and rebuilt the diff. as tight as i can, the bearings are installed correctly, and everything is properly installed. Will this free up as the car breaks in or what can i do to fix this???

Jace2000

06-03-2001, 08:45 PM

Nos...

I'm running a RB X12 RE in my GT right now. It's probably too much power for the truck but it was a left over engine from my Impulse and I had nothing better to do with it :D

Concerning your diff prob...
It's prossible to correct this problem but we'll just have to find the reason for the binding. Did you check the bracket for prodruding plastic debris right where the bearing are suppose to fit? Another problem could be the diff case itself. The two bearings you attach to both sides of the diff case are suppose to fit all the way in and be flush with the case. If it isn't flush, you might wanna check the diff case to see if there are any left over plastic debris that are preventing the bearings to fit snuggly all the way in.
If this still doesn't solve the problem, you might have to do a bit of grinding to the diff case or the bracket so that the pressure cause by the two brackets to the assembled diff is lesser.
I don't recommend running the car in hopes that it will become looser. A number of things can happen if you just run the car. You might strip the belt if the diff binding is too great. Another thing is that you might lose a lot of diff grease 'cause the shape of the diff case might get crippled in acceleration due to abnormal pressure.

Let me know if this problem still exists. We'll try to find another solution for ya :)

impulsed

06-03-2001, 11:55 PM

Can someone post there centax manual online because i bought a used serpent and its not assembled right i think?

impulsed

06-04-2001, 12:00 AM

wheres a good place to buy impulse parts online?
whats a good steering servo for the impulse i have the stock jr(xr3) servo in there but havent got a chance to run the car because of the clutch and dont have time to go to a hobby store can someone help with the centax clutch assembly?

Jace2000

06-04-2001, 08:16 AM

Impulsed...

Welcome to the forum :D
I think I can help you with the manual but you want the whole thing?!?!?!? How about if I send you parts of it... like the centax part or something.
Also, what problem do you have with the centax?
The stock jr servo is a little on the slow side for a car like the Impulse but you can use it.
As for parts...
I suggest checking out Kustom RC at www.kustomrc.com (http://www.kustomrc.com) or Stormers at www.stormerhobbies.com. (http://www.stormerhobbies.com.) Ashford Hobby also carries Impulse parts.

Nos

06-04-2001, 01:09 PM

Jace:
Your GT must be sooooo fast!

Thanks for your help, you were right. One of the bearings sticks out of the case about 1mm, while the other side is flush. I should be able to fix this problem fairly easily.

Also, any advice on which parts to have as spares? i have a set of belts. What parts wear out the most quickly? Which parts are broken in a typical crash? (i'm talking street driving here), will gravel easily destroy the gears? I just want to get the basic parts that are necessary to support a good day of driving. There's nothing worse than spending a couple hours tuning your car and getting all excited to drive, only to have your fun ended by a piece of gravel or minor crash that you didn't have the parts to fix. If i'll break or wear out the parts eventually, i may as well buy them now so i have them when i need them.

hpi racer2

06-04-2001, 05:45 PM

Hey jace, wich engine would be faster a novarossi rs12, rear ex, tubo, slide. Or a mug/nova mt12, rear ex, not a turbo, slide? Im reling on you because whatever one is faster is the one i want!!! :D :D :D

I finally found a mt12 rear ex, slide at sheldons hobbies for $180.00

Also have you heard of that company called racers edge if not they make stuff like gs silicon, anyways there stuff is pretty cool!!

Jace2000

06-04-2001, 09:15 PM

Nos...
Glad I could help man and thanx for the compliment on my GT :D Yeah... my truck really kicks butt a the track and I get a lot of surprised look from the 1/8 buggy drivers. I can't beat them in the turns but on the straights its just as fast as the big boys. :D
Concerning spare parts...
It's always a good idea to have extra front left/right steering blocks and front lower/upper arms. I always see someone breaking this at the track. I'm not entirely sure if gravels will cause that much of a damage to the gears but you were wise to get extra belts. Gravels can easily damage your belts cause this happened to me too.
Get some extra set of wheels because they break easily as well.
I'm not sure what else I can recommend because there are so many things that can break. I carry enough parts to almost build a new Impulse but even if I do that, I still find myself calling it a day because I didn't have that part "which I thought would NEVER break" hehehehe :D

hpi racer2..
Do you mean the rs12t or the rs12? You gotta make sure that its a turbo. If its a rs12t, then I say this is the engine to get. It's the newest in the market and it won't become old model anytime in the near future. I strongly recommend getting the rs12t over the mt12 if the prices are about the same. I recommend this engine because it throws out about 1000 RPM more than most .12 engines. Check out Novarossi at www.novarossi.com (http://www.novarossi.com) and look on the right side after you go into the English section.
Do you have the web address for racers edge? I would like to check it out to see what goodies they have :D
Thanx for the info..

[ 06-04-2001: Message edited by: Jace2000 ]

hpi racer2

06-04-2001, 11:08 PM

Well i think i might get the rs12t from sheldons hobbies for 205.00, its only 25.00 more than the mt12. I am going to get the turbo version of the rs12, so i will need to use a turbo version plug right?

I was going to put the link for racers edge but i dont know how to put a link just yet, sorry, but the website is www.racers-edge.com (http://www.racers-edge.com) they make some cool things like fuel tubing, starter boxes, just about everyting gs silicon makes but more. :D :D

hpi racer2

06-04-2001, 11:10 PM

wow it puts the link by its self, i fell really stupid now!!!!!!!!

Jace2000

06-04-2001, 11:36 PM

hpi racer2

Hehehehe :D
You don't have to feel stupid about it because I found out the same way as you did.
As for your decision, you made the right choice. Novarossi is a very reliable engine and all RBs, JPs, Mugen, and Novamega are based on it. Besides, $25 isn't that much of a difference when you consider how expensive this hobby is. Yes, you have to get turbo plugs for the RS12T.

Impulsed

06-05-2001, 01:00 AM

Jace2000 thanks for sites. well the problem is i bought the car and the centax clutch came in piece but the owner said it was all there and i havent got a chance to talk to him because he goes to school a while away. i just need the manual to learn how to put it together and how to adjust it from there ill be alright.

hpi racer2

06-05-2001, 01:08 AM

did you check out the racers edge stuff, im going to order 60.00 worth of stuff from them tommorow!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

hpi racer2

06-05-2001, 01:08 AM

did you check out the racers edge stuff, im going to order 60.00 worth of stuff from them tommorow!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

ill let you know if the parts are any good

Nos

06-05-2001, 01:36 AM

Ok ok, i know i ask a lot of questions, but i do appreciate the help. I had my Racer completely dialed, but then you people convinced me it just wasn't good enough. Anyways, my Impulse is built, engine beginning to break in, picked up a body today, and i'm getting ready for some action. But now the questions...
Jace: those parts all make sense, i'll pick them up as soon as $ allows (it's been a very expensive couple weeks, especially for a student) in my experiences with the Racer, those are exactly the parts that you need to have.

Do i need to have a 5-cell receiver pack for an Impulse? I was not aware of this. My old car used 4AA batts. I liked it this way. I get them cheap, they last a long time, and i never worry about recharging, just toss 'em and plug in new ones. People tell me about how 5-cell is cheaper in the long run, but i don't see it. I use 4 AA's at a time, for less than a buck each, i have to replace them 10 times (almost a whole season worth) just to equal the price of one 5-cell. But then i'd need 2 of these and a charger, and from what i'm told i'd have to replace these packs every season anyways. I don't know. Is there a way to use AA's in an Impulse?? If not, is there any advantage to 5-cell packs?? Just wondering. Trying to keep costs down because i also have to but a new radio and temp gun soon.

Also, what is your opinion of Blue Thunder fuel?? I have used it for years and been very happy. My engines seem to make good power and last a long time, but some people say it's not as good as others.

Impulsed

06-05-2001, 02:54 AM

what are good radio tray/decks. which one is better aluminium or graphite and who makes. what brand

Nos

06-05-2001, 01:28 PM

Do these 5-cell packs give any more power than 4AA batts.? How long do they last?

I'm sure i'll end up getting some. How many would i need? How long to charge them? Any recommendations for the ones to get?

Destrega

06-05-2001, 06:54 PM

i use 4AA's in my impulse, no probs. I relocated the receiver to where the 5 cell is supposed to go and tied in the 4AA pack to above where the receiver goes with ties.
but yes the 5 cell is a better way to go. I'm a new driver so the performance advantage (lighter & lower CG)is of no use to me until i hone my skills.
I use bluethunder Race 20% in my novamega sx12 and i've absolutely no problems with this fuel.

[ 06-05-2001: Message edited by: Destrega ]

[ 06-08-2001: Message edited by: Destrega ]

Impulsed

06-05-2001, 09:19 PM

Jace2000 i gonna need some kind of assembly and adjustment manual for the centax clutch because right now its in pieces. the owner gave it to me in a bag but he told me it all there but and havent had a chance to drop by the hobby store. so if u could email me one or post one i would greatly appreciate it.

Jace2000

06-06-2001, 12:20 AM

hpi racer2:
Racer's Edge seems to have some good stuff. I'll be sure to check out some of their products soon. Thanx for the info and keep us posted about how they are.

Nos:
No worries about the questions. :)
I think it's a good idea to get the 5-cell pack. The people who use 5 cells are usually those who stay at the track and run their car from sunrise to sundown.
I'm one of those guys :D
Anyway, I could never get by with 4AAs because they'll never have enough juice for my runtime. Even 1100Mhm NiMh batts falls short by my standard. I'm not saying that everyone needs such a pack but the Impulse was designed with such people in mind and that's probably why they went with the 5-cell design. Again, I think you should get the 5-cell pack because you'll most likely have a hard time trying to squeez 4AA pack in the Impulse upper deck.
I think you should think of it as an investment because you'll be able to use the pack in whatever car you get in the future. You shouldn't worry about having to replace the 5-cell after a season because most casual drivers never reach this point anyway. I'm still using the same 5-cell that I got last year and I have had zero problems or complaints with it.
I've never tried Blue Thunder fuel and I really can't speak for them. I used to run 30% Byrons but I recently switched over to Tornado fuels. Most of the Serpent drivers uses Tornado fuels and I heard good things about them.
Byrons are also very reliable and good fuels. It seems to run well with Novarossi, RB, JP, Nova Mega, and Mugen engines.

Impulsed:
I don't think its necessary to post the Impulse manual if you are mostly interested in the Centax. This is because the Impulse never came with a Centax. If your Impulse has a Centax clutch, that's because the last owner added that after he purchased the kit. Only the Vector and Impact comes with a Centax included. I've got both the Vector and Impact manual so let me know which part you're interested in.
Concerning radio trays..
I personally use the carbon deck because 1)it looks better than aluminum and 2)aluminum usually causes more radio interference than carbon. Wolfpack Radical makes the aluminum upper deck and GPM of Hong Kong makes the carbon one. You can get Wolfpacks stuff through Bruckner Hobbies at www.brucknerhobbies.com (http://www.brucknerhobbies.com)
I know that GPM's stuff gets imported to the US and someone else here sells them under their own brand. I'll get you the info if you wanna get the carbon deck. I'm not sure about the price but it should be similar to the aluminum one. I'm currently using GPM's deck and you can check it out at the first page of this forum.

Nos

06-06-2001, 01:49 AM

Thanks Destrega! I'm a new driver (of the impulse) too. I definately would not notice a performance advantage of the proper setup yet. I just built my impulse, so for now i have my receiver pack on top of the deck above where it should be. I'm just starting to break-in the engine but so far it seems to be fine. I'm going to try exactly what you said, it sounds like a good solution. Even if i have to upgrade one day, (Jace made some very good points) i'd rather spend the money on more important things first - like spare parts and an FM radio!
Good to hear someone else is happy with BT.

Jace2000

06-06-2001, 03:58 AM

Wow... I didn't know you could fit a 4AA in the Impulse.
There ya go~ it just goes to show that no one knows everything :rolleyes:
Good tip Destrega. :)

Nos:
The 5-cell does last longer than 4AAs but if you're a casual racer, I think you should stick to the 4AA setup. There's no need to switch to something if you're not comfortble with it. Whatever you like is the best setup. PERIOD! :D

Impulsed:
I'll scan the Centax clutch part of the manual and send it to you via e-mail. You'll have to wait until tomorrow though. I'll let ya know as soon as I send it.

Jace2000

06-06-2001, 07:56 PM

Impulsed:
Do you go by the name of Toyorider at the HPI forum?

Impulsed

06-07-2001, 01:14 AM

yes i do but my cousin also uses it he has an rs42 and a mugen mtx-2. but most of the time it me.

Jace2000

06-08-2001, 12:41 AM

hpi racer2
I go there everyday but I don't post anything cause they usually get by on their own. I only leave posts when none of them can answer a question.

Impulsed:
Did you check out the links that the people at the HPI forum put up concerning the centax clutch? Do you still need the manual to this section?

hpi racer2

06-08-2001, 12:55 AM

hey jace2000, have you been to the hpi forum lately? :D

Nos

06-08-2001, 01:53 AM

Yeehaa. I'm in the process of learning some lessons. It's shakedown time! I have my impulse running, all the old problems fixed, my engine broken in (a major exercise in self-restraint), and i can already tell that THIS CAR RIPS! Only there is a small catch...

My 2-spd seems to like to explode. 2 times tonight the outer gear flew right off the car. Fortunately i didn't lose the bearing yet, but i did lose the pin inside each time. Can anyone tell me why 2 properly installed e-clips would pop off within 5 tanks?

Jace2000

06-08-2001, 04:47 AM

Nos:
Check to see if there's a gap and the 2 speed gears move slightly in and out even when you put the e-clip on. If so, you should try adding one or two washers (shims or whatever) to eliminate the gap.
Another safety measure is to squeez the e-clip with a tool so that it will fit tighter on the 2 spd shaft.

Nos

06-08-2001, 01:20 PM

Thanks, i'll check for a gap next time i install it. I did squeeze the e-clip, maybe i could have bent it wrong.

Is the 2-spd designed to be adjusted while on the car?? I had been adjusting mine while on the car (new car=frequent adjustments), i am always very careful, but could this have stressed the e-clip?? How often does 2-spd break on an impulse?? If it doesn't happen often then i must have stressed the e-clip while making clutch adjustments.

Jace2000

06-08-2001, 08:31 PM

Nos:
You shouldn't be having any problem with the 2-speed. Mine never broke let alone come undone.
You can adjust the 2speed without taking it apart.

hpi racer2

06-09-2001, 12:34 AM

Man ime never going to get to run my ft rc10gt again, here in houston we are getting pounded with rain about 2 foot to be exact, and still raining. I just put my cvr back in it and want to run it bad.

Im fixing to run it inside the house!!! j/k :D :D :D

Nos

06-09-2001, 01:40 AM

Jace:

Good news about 2spd, i won't worry then. I think i was a little too rough with it while adjusting (many times) and bent e-clip. I picked up spare parts just in case though.
I'm really glad you (and others) advised me to get the 2spd. I've only driven it twice while it has been shifting (locked it out for break-in) and already i can't live without it. You were right.

Jace2000

06-10-2001, 09:58 PM

Nos:
It's good to hear that OK now. Hope you have no more prob with your 2 speed.
I told you you'd love the 2 speed :D Once you get a taste of it, you can't go back.

Here's a pic of our track for your viewing pleasure. If was taken during the winter season... of course. :)
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1442870&a=10825941&p=50164169

bigbubbaj

06-10-2001, 11:53 PM

Jace- Where is that track! That looks much nicer than the parking lot races I run here in Colorado...

Jace2000

06-11-2001, 01:30 AM

I'm afraid it's a little far from Colorado.
It's actually outside of the States :)
Sorry guys.. I didn't mean to tease you or anything. I justed wanted to show you where my car get its bruises all the time :D

Destrega

06-11-2001, 04:11 PM

That track is massive!
Where did they get the cash for that establishment?

Jace2000

06-11-2001, 08:33 PM

Destrega
The track is owned by the company I work for. It was a business investment since my company is involved in the hobby business. It costed over US$300,000 excluding land and facility price. It's a really nice track and you can really push your engines to the limit there.

Nos

06-12-2001, 01:08 PM

WOW! The ultimate race track!

Destrega

06-12-2001, 10:35 PM

300 000 isn't that bad cosidering all the work it must've took to make the track.
By my work they're building a multimillion dollar full size racetrack...
hmmm maybe i'll take a couple of laps in my impulse before they open.
I can only hope they'll let me.

Impulsed

06-13-2001, 01:26 AM

how far does your brake lever go. mine goes almost 90 degrees toward the motor and the servo can barely push the brake. is there any way of adjusting it. sorry dont have a manual can anyone copy me one and post it on here or email it to me?

Nos

06-13-2001, 02:08 AM

Ok guys i'm having trouble tuning my engine. The one in my Impulse (have to stay on topic here)
My MT12 has been nicely broken-in with 3/4 gal. so far. It makes lots of power and is not running too hot. It blows lots of smoke, accelerates like mad, and seems to be able to reach near top speed, but it won't idle. The engine will not idle for more than 5 sec.(warm or cold)and is very difficult to start. The only way to keep it running is to increase throttle immediately after starting and keep revs high, or pinch fuel line to lean it out a bit...so, is it just too rich in the low end?? I have changed plug (MC59)and idle is set correctly. It comes in from a run (1 or 2 min without body) with engine fairly cool (i can almost rest my hand on it) but then if i can keep it idling for 20 sec. or so it seems to heat up a bit (symptom of lean low end or just the actual temp of engine without wind cooling it off??) One guy i talked to thought the low end too lean while high end too rich (so much that it affected operation at idle) but then why would it run great at high rpm?? Another guy i talked too said the opposite, too lean high end, too rich low, and that's why it runs at high rpm but won't idle. He also said it heats up at idle because that is just the heat of the engine being transferred to the top of the head in the absence of the wind cooling it. Once it's above half throttle it never quits, lots of power (lots of power in the low end too) and blows lots of smoke. But it won't stay lit below half throttle unless i constantly rev it. Anyone have any advice???

Jace2000

06-13-2001, 05:57 AM

Nos..
The 2nd guy is right.
You're engine is probably to rich at the bottom end and to lean at the top. I suggest you lean the low end (by turning the low end needle clockwise) and richen the top a little with the main needle. If you have a temp gun, you can always check the highest temp and lean it again. You don't have to worry about the temp rising while idling. That's because there's no wind to cool the engine while the car's not moving. I highly suggest getting a temp gauge of some sort and make sure that your engine temp does not go over 120~130 degrees celcius. That should be the limit for your engine.

Hope this helped :)

Nos

06-13-2001, 01:05 PM

Good stuff thanks, i'll try this. I was also planning to get the Raytech guage when the shop gets some in

Nos

06-14-2001, 01:22 AM

Right on Jace! It was too rich on bottom, too lean on top. Did some tuning tonight, running a lot better, but still a ways to go. The reason i mentioned idle temp is that i heard that if temp rises during idle is too lean low end while if temp falls then too rich. Anyways, i got hit and broke an axle tonight. Pretty cool, my rim's only got a small crack.

I was out at the track (my first time driving on a track!) with another Impulse and there was a guy with sweet HPI car, all the goodies. My friend let him have a tank with his Impulse and the guy loved it! He was totally excited about the car. Just proves how great the Serpent Impulse really is...

Jace2000

06-14-2001, 09:41 AM

Nos...
Glad to hear that solved your problem.
You just GOTTA get the Raytech. I've got one myself and I can't imagine living without one now. It really helps your engine in so many aspects.
Keep on rollin' dude :D

Lay N Low

06-14-2001, 02:21 PM

hey guys i just bought a impluse and im fixing to buy rims , does hobby tech rims fit??

bigbubbaj

06-17-2001, 05:41 PM

SX-12 Tuning?
Whoops..i meant to post this in this forum.

Hey everybody...ive gotten my impulse built! I love this car! Heres my question:

I fully broke in the engine using the recommended settings, but as i was running today, i just couldnt seem to keep it running. It seemed way too rich both on the low end and the high end. I tried another plug, but the problem persisted.

1. What are the factory needle settings on this carb? Maybe if i can get it back to factory, i can mess with it from there.
2. What carb settings are you all running...

Let me know! ;)
My Serpent Impulse :) (http://www.justindaniels.org/html/rc_serpent.shtml)

Jace2000

06-17-2001, 08:19 PM

Lay N Low..
I wish I could help but I've never used those rims before and I'm not sure if they'll fit on the Impulse.

Bigbubbaj...
At what point does your engine die? Do you have trouble keeping it idling or does it die when you are trying to pull top speed? Also, does it die suddenly or does it make a choking sound and die? What plugs are you using? I can help if you can be a little more specific about your problem.

I don't keep record of my needle setting. The setting is different depending on the weather condition you're running in and also on the types of engine. I don't advise trying to apply the same needle setting that someone else is using unless they have the same engine as you and are running in similar temperature.

saint13

06-17-2001, 08:41 PM

Hi guys...does anyone know if there is a hobby store in the Tamarac (Ft. Lauderdale) Florida area that carries the Wolfpack radio tray and chassis? I have a friend there that can pick one up for me and send it to Canada. Thanks in advance.

saint13.

bigbubbaj

06-17-2001, 09:51 PM

Jace- Thanks heres the story and the answers.

--i was running today, it was running GREAT got the 2 speed dialed in...man is this car quick! at one point, i had pulled in to charge the rx pack, and after that is when i began having trouble starting it. it would start for a second or two, then bog and die. i eventually got it running, but after a minute, the bogging started again. Brought it home, readjusted to factory carb settings (4h, 3.5 l) got it running, and the same story played out again. After the 2nd time it bogged after running, i had a very difficult time getting it started.

I have 2 other engines that havent given me this much trouble..my OS .15 CV is a dream to tune...that thing always runs. I know this is just the pains of a new engine and all..but id at least like to get this baby tuned properly.

-At what point does your engine die?
Well...ive been having trouble starting it 1st of all. But once i get it running, it runs fine for a bit, warm it up at low speeds...works great. Then i start to open it up a bit works fine once or twice, then soon after that when im coming off of an open throttle and driving still thats when its been quitting. Just kind of vrumppps and the car comes to a rolling stop.

-Do you have trouble keeping it idling or does it die when you are trying to pull top speed? Also, does it die suddenly or does it make a choking sound and die?

when i get it started it idles fine, i rev it and all seems good, but within 1 minute of running it it seems to bog and die.
i usually use very smooth throttle, and smooth top speed....it works better that way. sometimes however i simulate the race conditions we run here...quick starts and sharp turns...the engine doesnt seem to like that as much. It always seems to die as i am letting off the throttle.

-What plugs are you using?
right now im still using the stock plug. I replaced it with an mc59, and it still did the same thing. the plugs still burn brightly when i test them.