Slash: She’s a Rippin’…. Not just playing Air Guitar

We got BRAAAAAAAAPPPPP! Baby!  Baby Got brap…. “I like Loud BRAPP, and I cannot lie!  You electric ones may deny.  A car rolls in with a brap, brap, brap, and you get Sprung.” Enough of that stuff.  On the bright side, that song is finally tolerable. 

I will say that the break in period is a test of self control. Traxxas has a good video on it. I also put together a sheet. Anyone who puts together a sheet has earned an honorary YouTube certificate. I was assured that I am certifiable, but not YouTube certified. Let me walk you through what I did.

Break-in Procedure

I took a screen shot of the Traxxas Manual (I downloaded a copy to make sure I had one on my puter), turn the paper landscape, and then put 6 boxes to jot down the engine temp after each run. I didn’t take many notes, but I certainly carried the authority well with the clipboard, pen, and jotting down little things here and there. Note to self: get a yellow vest when you break in the next nitro car.

You can download your own PDF. If you want to look official when breaking in the car you can get a hard hat and lab coat or just drive the car and have fun.

I have learned a ton about Nitro. One of my goals was to have a project to do with my kid. CHECK. It was my goal to hear the BraaaaAAAaaaaaAAAppppppp! CHECK. It was my goal to see if I like nitro. CHECK. It is a rush to have the engine fire up the first time! I look forward to playing with this car more in the future, and keeping you updated.

My Takeaway after Break-in

I have to give a shout-out to: A Main hobbies.  If you are trying to get your nitro car going and you started the process with locks like Shirley Temple, but now you resemble Kojak you might want to reach out to someone before you start pulling out your eyebrows in frustration. I recommend using the A Main chat and asking for Miguel it is like the angels of heaven tuning your car for you. 

The other thing I learned: use a glow stick.  The EZ start system has an ignitor built into the system.  However, if you are starting the car cold on say a less than 60-degree day you may as well just toss the glow plug, put baseball cards on the rear triangle of your bicycle, and start riding your bicycle around the block.  That is about the only way you are getting consistent motor noises. Most likely you will flood the motor.

A better way to do this: pull the blue wire off the glow plug, put the ignitor on the plug, and get a heat gun blowing air over the cooling fins.  You want to get that motor up to about 200 degrees. Then, engage the EZ start.  The motor should fire pretty quickly.  Once you get that motor warm you can run the car till it is out of gas, fill up, and then just use the easy start without a glow plug. I found that worked well.

(We found a bit of a bump on the transition to the street. Believe it or not, but we landed it!)

Conclusion

Electric cars are fun, I will still play with them, but the nitro sound is glorious. I am sure that the angelic choirs mix the sound into their heavenly mixes! I will give you an example of how catchy the nitro mix is. The day we did the break-in for the Slash I overheard my son in the shower perfecting his song. I was just bringing laundry upstairs for my wife and walked past the bathroom door. I heard the sound of a rally car at the start line. I put my ear to the door and started cracking up. When he was finished and walked out of the bathroom I said, “You know most people sing in the shower. Do you know the telltale sign of a gear-head? It is when one is not singing, but working to master the rev limiter sound at a rally car launch.” He blushed a little, but then said, “But dad…. that sound!” This brings me to the point. Yes, I grant electric is way more convenient. You can make an electric car faster with less money, but you will never get that nitro sound from electric. I am still figuring out the nitro thing.  I see nitro as more of a treat because it is not, “Hey, I got like 15 minutes between meetings, I think I will do some donuts in my driveway with my RC car.”  That is where electric is the bomb.  You plug in the battery and let ‘er rip. However, if you want to hear the braaaaap. I like big Braaaap and I cannot lie…. Then it is nice to go out and let the nitro rip around a bit.  I see that nitro is more of a treat because it is not something you are going to just spontaneously take out. I see that as a good thing in a world that is fast-paced conditioned to instant gratification. I encourage you to pickup a nitro car new or used. I think you will enjoy it!

Thanks again for reading!  Until we meet again may the Lord’s blessing and peace be upon you. 

Ah…. that sweet view of the nitro cloud on the break in.

The slash rolling down the street doing its thang…..

The Slash lifting a wheel while coming down the home stretch.

That’s All Folks! Thanks for checking in!