Cars Issues with my old RC Car

[markblue777]

Hi All,
I just dug out my old electric RC car to give to the kids and I am trying to get it working but getting a couple of issues.

This car and equipment in it are a few years old (5 years plus) just so you know.

I am using a fs-t6 to control it and have everything plugged in as expected. before I started to mess with the ESC programming I had it so if I pushed the throttle up the wheels span and pulling the throttle back would stop it. The car would also drive on wood flooring in the house. However, when i took it outside on some stones it drove for a bit and then stopped responding. Then if i unplug it and plug back in it will drive forward about a foot and then again stop responding.

I now messed about with programming the ESC and it is in a worse state now (found instructions with a google search and they rang a bell so i followed them) and I'm trying to get it back to how it was before.

The ESC is a Tempo m sonik 3 exactly like this image here
(if by some chance anyone has the instructions for the ESC that would be great as I cannot find them only)


the motor is an orbital pro bb 14x3 as seen here


the servo is a acoms as-7 like so


This was all driven previously by a 2 channel futaba transmitter and receiver (the old type with crystals am 27)

The only new gear in the car is the flysky fs-r6b receiver because as I said before I am using the sky fly FS-t6 transmitter.

Is it just browning out? do i need dedicated power going to the receiver

When I get the issue of it stop moving the engine seems to buzz and the receiver light blinks as if it is getting a signal and the servo is unresponsive (it will move a little bit but not exactly as I want it to)

Or is this issue just due to my transmitter not being setup correctly with the ESC?

I'm hoping someone here will be able to help me as the kids want to drive it about whilst im on the nitro

Cheers
Mark

- - - Updated - - -

Actually looking about online the ESC and motor is about 10 years old plus and the server even older

 

[trainrider06]

Hi Mark, I probably can't help much (am a heli guy) but blinking receiver unless stated as supposed to blink, always means signal issues, maybe something is jittering loose when it is running??

 

[markblue777]

Hi Rodney,
I checked the connections and they seemed fine. The issue happens when the engine seems to be under strain. so if I hold it in the air and give it throttle the wheels spin and the servos turn. If i put the car on my lap and hold the back wheels down so it requires a bit more from the motor and ESC then I get the issue of it not responding correctly until i unplug and plug back in.

Looking at from this point to me it seems that the the receiver is not getting enough juice. If I plug a receiver battery pack into the receiver (like the one in my nitro car) can I verify this or do i need to remove the red pin from the esc just as if I was to be running a UBEC?

Cheers
Mark

 

[trainrider06]

Perhaps after this time of it sitting the battery has lost its zip? Maybe it only carries a short charge in it now?
I'm not sure how you'd test it though, it could possibly only being a sorta top charge as we used to call it where a battery looks fine by a simple volt test, but testing it under strain would show the battery to be no good and hold no real power to run things with...

 

[markblue777]

Yeah that could perhaps be it Rodney, using a volt meter it showed the correct voltage but as you say it could be a top charge. The batteries as old as the car if not older and have had no charge whilst being in storage. So maybe it is the batteries, it could show the full voltage but if the current is not there then it will not have the guts to run everything as needed.

I just wanted to rule out the transmitter and receiver as it is new and it is the first thing I have tested in (i will try it in the nitro this evening after work to ensure it works in their as expected, but I bought it for a plane i'm going to build but as it has a 20 model memory i thought it made sense to set it up with a few of them so I don't need a load of transmitters)

I will order another and hopefully that will correct the issue I am getting. Unless anyone else has any other ideas?

Cheers
Mark

 

[trainrider06]

It would seem to me to be the battery, or possibly a connection somewhere between the battery and whatever it plugs into.
Maybe wait a day or so, and I'll PM a couple members see if I can get their input on it. I'd had for you to buy a battery and it turn out to be something else.
But the way it is acting seems like a power or battery issue, connection or something like that.
There is a possibility that the electronics could be drawing too much also I would reckon...
I am guessing that you checked the battery post running when the car slowed and the receiver began acting up?

 

[markblue777]

Yeah I tested before and after using the car and it showed what it should if i recall correctly. However, thinking back I'm wondering if it was nearer to 7.2v I charged it about 1 hour or 2 before using it and it said it was 8.6v (what ever the correct max is) i think. hmm i will have to check when im hope what volt it is reading as maybe it discharged rather quickly thinking about it.

 

[Stambo]

Plug an old servo lead in to the rx and hook your volt meter to the + an -.
See if the voltage stays stable or drops when the fault occurs.
It may be that the BEC in the ESC is failing or something.

 

[markblue777]

Hi All,
I ordered a new battery and it was delivered yesterday. I gave it a little test (after it had charged for a bit) and it seems to work ok. I will finish the charge off today and give it a go properly, but it is looking like it is the battery that was at fault.
Cheers
Mark

 

[trainrider06]

Good deal Mark, glad to hear, post some pix of it, maybe a video too if ya can, would like to see that baby runnin!

 

[Tony]

Try not to ever charge a battery part way then use it. If these are NiCd or MiMh batteries, you can destroy them. LiPo's are not as touchy, but you still shouldn't do it.

 

[markblue777]

Hi all,
After some searching online I discovered the chassis is a Tamiya TA01. Here are some pics

I Had a quick test with the 2000mah battery and seems to be going well. However, I pulled away and the right wheel stopped driving, I looked at the rear gear and noticed the teeth have stripped out of the metal that the right drive wheel sits in.

I can find the plastic gears but I cannot find the internal metal teeth part to it. Anyone have any idea what to search for?









Cheers
Mark

- - - Updated - - -

After posting I found the part I am looking for

Tamiya 53070 Manta Ray Ball Differential Set NEW Hop-Up TA01 TA02 Top Force | eBay

 

[trainrider06]

Ah good deal! Glad ya found it! That info will help someone else that may run into that problem! Thanks for posting! Now lets see that baby GO!!!!

 

[markblue777]

Just an FYI the actual part is the pressure plate b
seems they do a smaller kit of Tamiya 58115 Terra Conqueror, 9805378/19805378 Pressure Plate A & B, Cap & Bolt which contains just the parts I need.

Well I don't need them at the mo as i just swapped the front wheel drive gear out and put it in the back to allow me to drive it, there is a tip for anyone that wants to just get it back up and running hehe.

I will try and get some video of it tonight or tomorrow.

Cheers
Mark

 

[trainrider06]

Good deal!