RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Hi y'all!

First of all, how janky is that little plastic syringe thingy they supply to refill smoke? It is hard to insert, kinks, and seems to block flow. Anyway, on to the real core of the question: Long story short, I fell for the hype and bought some Mega-Steam. After factory smoke started to dwindle, I put a few drops into the tubing (hard to measure, truthfully, with that janky syringe falling off the dropper). During this process, I noticed that the clear rubber hose seems to not fully "exit" the M26's exhaust (see pic). Is this normal?

Now, for the BIG question: Assuming I made the classic noob mistake of adding too much juice, what is the recommended way of evacuating it (hopefully without disassembly)? Just run it long enough? Flip the tank on it's back overnight? Turn it on its side? Blast compressed air into the exhaust?

Many thanks,

1) I use smoke fluid interchangeably between AFVs and O-Gauge trains. I bought online an empty plastic bottle (about the size of the ones that come in HengLong, Taigen, etc. tanks) that has a needle-like metal tube. For trains or tanks, I also got a tiny funnel online (by searching under "tiny funnel" ) . So I keep the little plastic bendy things for when I need to drip out something like paint, such that I can use them once and throw them out. I also keep on hand for trains or tanks a bottle of JT's b-Gone cleaner to keep the top of a tank or train engine clean, for sometimes I get klutzy and spill a bit.

2) I don't see any problem in your photo (well done) with the plastic tubes.

3) I know of no way to clean out a smoker except to open it and soak up some of the oily fluid with cotton. Yet in over 25 years, I have never overfilled a smoker, train or tank. In that respect, I am just lucky. Until recently, the regularly-supplied tank smokers of HengLong or Taigen/Torro have four little screws that open the top for access. Then one enjoys going bananas trying to screw the little lid and gasket back in place.

Don't be too afraid to dive into the innards of a tank. As an ever-so-supportive high-school physical education instructor loudly said of me 55 years ago: "If [Herr Dr. Professor] can do it, anybody can do it."

Herr Dr. Professor wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 9:10 pm 1) I use smoke fluid interchangeably between AFVs and O-Gauge trains. I bought online an empty plastic bottle (about the size of the ones that come in HengLong, Taigen, etc. tanks) that has a needle-like metal tube. For trains or tanks, I also got a tiny funnel online (by searching under "tiny funnel" ) . So I keep the little plastic bendy things for when I need to drip out something like paint, such that I can use them once and throw them out. I also keep on hand for trains or tanks a bottle of JT's b-Gone cleaner to keep the top of a tank or train engine clean, for sometimes I get klutzy and spill a bit.

2) I don't see any problem in your photo (well done) with the plastic tubes.

3) I know of no way to clean out a smoker except to open it and soak up some of the oily fluid with cotton. Yet in over 25 years, I have never overfilled a smoker, train or tank. In that respect, I am just lucky. Until recently, the regularly-supplied tank smokers of HengLong or Taigen/Torro have four little screws that open the top for access. Then one enjoys going bananas trying to screw the little lid and gasket back in place.

Don't be too afraid to dive into the innards of a tank. As an ever-so-supportive high-school physical education instructor loudly said of me 55 years ago: "If [Herr Dr. Professor] can do it, anybody can do it."

Thank you Herr Doktor! (and now I understand what JT B-Gone is for ; I saw it when I was ordering the Diesel juice).

I actually wonder if I got any juice into the smoke box, since there's now quite a bit on the rear bulkhead as you may be able to see shining in the pic. In terms of harm to the smoker box, which is worse? running it dry, or flooded?

Not long ago, before I knew anything about RC Tanks and I was researching here and all over the place, I saw someone post a photo which I believe they said was an easy fix for smoke boxes. If I understood it correctly, they had drilled a hole in the top of the box, between the two outlet pipes. Seemed legit to my ignorant eyes I guess, but for the life of me, now I cannot find that post/photo/thread.

Yeah, thanks for the encouragement. I will dig into this tank yet. I'm just having too much fun running it around, and painting the detail accessory bits before I install them.

P.S. I did order a few more of those exact needle-tip bottles I think you're referring to. They're great & I have been using them for years: I'm looking at 3 right now on my desk with Kroil, Ballistol, and Break-Free CLP. I'm thinking of digging up an "irrigation syringe" I may have stuffed in a drawer to see if I can more reliably/precisely add just 1ml thru those exhaust hoses. Typical plunger-type dealio, about half-inch body diameter with a gently curved plastic tip, like this one:

I would open up the hull and clean up the spilled fluid using a paper towel for now. Then I'd get some JT's b-Gone pronto and go back at it like a careful, anal-retentive idiot. Well, maybe I exaggerate a bit. If you have hobby store nearby (unlike me) that serves model train addicts (like me), it may handle JT's products.

I have not seen the idea you noted to drill a hole between the two smoke outlet tubes. The fluid could leak out. I have seen some of the smokers with a third opening and a little black rubber-like plug. I like those, but one still may need to open up the hull to get at the access. The syringe you show above may be one of those safe ones for squirting medicine down a child's, cat's, or dog's throat. I had not thought of using a safe syringe. I have stupidly used unsafe ones: don't!

Again Thank You! It's $50 fuel, and half-a-day round trip to the nearest hobby shop that might carry JTs. Will attack with Isopropyl and/or Dawn this evening. And yeah, without a rubber plug, drilling a hole alone seemed odd. And thank you also for advising against a real metal syringe: I had contemplated ones we use to inject Vaxx on foster puppies, but was really worried about piercing the rubber exit hoses.

Here's an RCTW forum that may interest you: viewtopic.php?t=31262

Herr Dr. Professor wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 10:38 pm Here's an RCTW forum that may interest you: viewtopic.php?t=31262

Thanks, for sharing that thread! But no thanks(?) I already have 5 permanent canine pack members (3 more than "nominal"), mostly foster-failures as we say. (and I added a post there just now)

BTW, would it be creepy of me to say that: every time I see your "handle" pop-up, it reminds me of this Austin Powers scene? https://youtu.be/WNmB7HQmwv0?si=C7_Q2mPvs4um2RsS&t=102

"every time I see your "handle" pop-up, it reminds me of this Austin Powers scene" Can't be: he's better looking than me.

Quick followup: I found the syringe pictured below in a "junk drawer". Figuring I had nothing to lose, I injected the amount shown in the photo into both exhaust ports. The curved tapering "needle" was able to get up into the hoses and deposit the juice without getting everywhere else. Fired up the tank and it was smoking again. Indeed, it had run completely out, and I was worried it would be permanently burnt up, but it wasn't.