Nitro RC10ds engine questions

[doldsen83]

Hey there, I'm putting together an old Nitro DS that I picked up to relive my earlier RC days now that I have adult money lol.

Anyways, it came with an engine in it. Says "TOP Engines" on the carb body and has I think cs12 on the side of the block. Would this have been an original engine? Does anyone know if I can get a pull start for it or am I stuck with using a handheld or box type starter? I have a starter box I borrowed from a buddy but the flywheel knurling doesn't have much grip at all. I believe the engine runs based on how it feels compression wise and a video from the person I got it from showing it running. Alternatively has anyone attempted to stuff a Traxxas 2.5 with ez start in a DS?

[RC10th]

Welcome.

The Top engine wouldn't have been original to the NDS but just about any short crank .12 or .15 side exhaust engine should fit pretty easily.

Your easiest solution would be to try and find a pullstart on ebay for the Top engine. I would suggest trying to find a manual and parts breakdown for your engine online so you could ascertain what exactly is missing and what you need. Quite a few engines have a one way bearing in the pull start so if that is also missing, depending on price, it might be better/cheaper finding a replacement engine. Or just stick to the starter box.

I would advise against the traxxas engine in the DS.

[klavy69]

I would advise against the traxxas engine in the DS.

agree. You won't get that ezstart setup in there without some major relocation of just about everything.

The starter box have a replaceable wheel on it? Generally those things are cheap to replace. I think in the hayday of nitro they were less than $20 at the LHS here with adaptor and such. That being said...I haven't had a need to look for one lately either so maybe not.

[doldsen83]

Thanks for the info everyone, I am having no luck so far finding anything related to "TOP" engines in my searching... I assume that I need a pull start specifically for that manufacturer though?

My friend does have another wheel for the starter box we will probably try to see if it is soft enough to get a grip on the flywheel.

I can definitely see where the traxxas setup would run into space constraints... Its super convenient though and I am familiar with using it.

klavy69 it seems we are local, I'm across and down the river in Camanche!

Anyway, decals aren't done and I have a different set of wheels yet but the car in question...

[klavy69]

klavy69 it seems we are local, I'm across and down the river in Camanche!

Cool. Got a ton of people I "know" from Rusti's miniatures when it was in Clinton and when it moved to Illinois as D&D hobby. For the most part I couldn't remember a name to save my life though .

For the most part though...welcome to the board.

Todd

[klavy69]

Not that familiar with TOP motors either. For alot of them they are brand specific but have had a bunch of inter branded pullstarts over the years. Not always a good thing becuase most of them aren't using all the mounting screws because the have a different bolt pattern. I might even have a TOP motor left over from back then but from my first rc10gt I've always used a bump starter or starting box so they get taken off and set aside...to usually never be seen again

I have starter boxes or bumpstarters if you run into a bind with your starting box wheel not working but it should be soft enough as they last forever.

Yeah, the ez start is nice and work OK for their layouts but for the DS's small pan you'd have to hack the pan and move just about everything in it forward for it to clear.

Todd

[Lowgear]

TOP was a brand of Novarossi the famous Italian engine maker. Both are now defunct.

A picture of the engine would help which could be from a different manufacturer than the carb. Also, if you want to add a pull start you may need to replace the crank as well. Sometimes the boss on them is removed to clear the cap that's put on in place of one.

[RC10th]

Failing all that you can see if a Sullivan Tiger Drive is available for your engine. Basically it's a roto start style set up.

Also not sure if they are still available but starting shafts were popular for a while, basically they look like big impact bits with a bearing pressed in the end that you use in a drill.

[LoboNYC]

Congrats on your DS project...I heard it's a great car

If your looking to get her up and running i would drop in a .12 to .15 size engine with pullstart.

Im not into carrying a lot of support equipment IE starter boxes, bump starters, drill starters. Im old school simple, pullstart and run.

Since you are familiar with Traxxas engines you can always opt for the Traxxas TRX pro .15 with short shaft. I have them on two of my DS cars




otherwise you can search for something equivalent like a Thunder Tiger, Dynamite or even an OS.

If you want bigger engine and you can find an OS .18 you can easily drop that in as well.

[doldsen83]

Here are a few pics of the engine, it does say TOP on the block as well... I took a glance at ebay and didn't see anything for it, but i haven't looked hard. I also haven't gotten around to messing with the starter box more yet either.

Yep, spent some time at Rusti's back then. Ran electric off road stuff at the time, got away from the hobby for a lot of years and never actually ran once Delb moved it to Fulton. Only visited there a handful of times actually, bought my Slayer Pro there years ago against his advice lol, he was right I roll that thing all the time He said I should get a Revo.. and I did eventually.

[klavy69]

well, was happy to see the TOP as a Novarossi motor but that doesn't help you since all of mine are still non-pull start.

While Rusti's was in clinton I didn't have anything electric that I wanted to run. I wish I would've had my 10t up to specs to run with you guys but most of my time and effort went into my gt. I pry watched from the sidelines waiting for the batteries to die . My driving wasn't up to par on the narrow infield offroad so you're welcome . When we started the track in Fulton, the tri-oval was great for speed. The offroad when it was going in Fulton was nice but alot of work. Guess thats why its gone now. Delb jumps back and forth in is hobby stages and he just got too tired of it all.

Your DS looks great. I'm thinkin your best bet would be to work with your bump starters. I was thinking from your first post that it was a pullstart motor already. By the time you get the crank, backplate, bearings, pullstart you'll have more $ than buying a new motor with pullstart. Just my opinion though so take that with a grain of salt . What setup did you use for the hex conversion on your DS?

Todd

[doldsen83]

This whole current DS thing started from seeing the 69 Camaro body at Star Collectibles in Muscatine and my interest in vintage touring muscle cars. I had an electric one from back then but could not find it, must have gotten lost during moving a couple times. So this DS was a marketplace find in Burlington. Its in really good shape, must not have been run much or it was on a very smooth surface little to no road rash.

For hex conversion I followed things from this post https://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=36935 I think I used a couple different parts just for availability reasons, Id have to consult my ebay history to give exact parts. Alot of the parts are obsolete and ebay only finds unfortunately.

I looked at the price of the trx 15 and they can be had around $125 as a short shaft pull start so if I can't make starter box work I'll go that way and just need to figure the flywheel and clutch stuff I suppose. Some of the starter box problem is the narrow track width of the car also beyond the lack of grip on the flywheel.

The offroad course at Rusti's was far to small to be fun with a nitro, some of the electrics were getting a little fast for it then. Shoot I remember a few cars making it off the oval into the alley and out in the parking lot when people started digging for speed lol. Modern brushless stuff....no way. I did take my nitros down to Thunder Road a couple weeks ago they have a decent offroad course, it was very dry and with the stock type tires on the Slayer I certainly couldn't push it at all.

[klavy69]

I did take my nitros down to Thunder Road a couple weeks ago they have a decent offroad course, it was very dry and with the stock type tires on the Slayer I certainly couldn't push it at all.

Was just at thunder road Saturday. Spent way too much $$ digging through the boxes. Have been to thunder road with a little bit of everything. The track was dry but worked well with my rc8 brushless but when some of the 'seasoned veterans' showed up I usually pack it up. Some of those guys get way too damn serious about this crap to the edge of 'a$$holish'. Some guys are good to deal with and Ok with fun runs and the guy running it is a great guy to deal with.

Rusti's inner offroad course was too small for my rc10t with. As far as the nitro, yep...got run into the wall by an 1/8 scale and made it into the parking lot. My rs4mt with a .21 made it into the alley all on its own .

I've had several traxxas motored rc10gt and couldn't tell you what was needed for the clutch assy. Pretty sure I was told just need a different collet but since they moved on before taking them apart that I couldn't be for sure on that. If I have one of the carcasses left I can check it out and see if you don't have it figured out by then.

Todd

[doldsen83]

This project isn't dead, just adult life in the way as usual. Anyway, a friend had a traxxas 2.5 laying around so I have it in the car. Still working out the exhaust situation but getting there, this pic shows it with a Jato header which is all the way against the body.. I have a Rustler header coming for it that looks like it will tuck better, otherwise I will modify as needed. I do have an easy start sitting here as well and I honestly think it could work with a little rearranging of the fuel tank and receiver position but I'm just going with the pull start for now.

[doldsen83]

This is the final setup. Rustler pipe and header, the exhaust blows under the chassis to the center.

The car is an animal to drive on the HPI Vintage tires, the Traxxas 2.5 is way to much for it, geared 24/58 and I feel like it is on par or faster than my Slayer Pro.

I have a set of normal low profile touring car tires I'm going to try on it, maybe then I can control it and stay in the throttle long enough to see how fast it is..