Confirm the symptom
Motor too hot to hold after a run, ESC thermal shutdown, or a burnt smell — work through the checks below in order.
Check 1 — gearing
Tall gearing is the #1 cause. Compute your FDR in the Gear Ratio Calculator; drop the pinion 2 teeth and retest.
Check 2 — load
Binding drivetrain, seized bearings, wrong tire diameter or heavy wheels all raise load current. Larger tires raise effective gearing — verify with the Tire Size Calculator.
Check 3 — electrical
Underrated battery or poor connectors force current spikes. Check the pack's theoretical current with the C Rating Calculator and your ESC headroom with the ESC Amp Calculator.
Check 4 — cooling & settings
Fans, vent holes and sensible timing/punch settings all help. Stop running and inspect if anything smells burnt.