Board Thread:Questions and answers/@comment-32917454-20170821214022/@comment-27306930-20170821223135

ElliottW here. I am NOT a Stampede expert, but I have a half dozen of them and been under the hood more than a few times.

My initial diagnosis is crappy batteries. If you haven't put a set of new D batteries in her, I'd try that first. My secondary diagnosis is poor lube. Make sure the rack and drive gear are completely covered in copious amounts of grease. I prefer silicone grease, but OMW White Lithium Grease is good too.

My tertiary diagnosis is a bad motor. If everything else is working fine, as you've asserted, then the motor is shot and doesn't have enough oomph to draw back the plunger anymore.

Try new batteries first.