Nitro Engine running.

[Truck Stop 0]

The hints and tips below will help you get best

performance and reliability from your engine.

Running - In

The modern model car engine requires relatively little

running in,due to the use of an abc piston and liner

assembly. The engine should be run quite rich for

approximately 6-8 tanks of fuel with another 6-8 at a

slightly less rich setting.Once this period has been

completed a normal run setting can be used.

A fuel such as 10% duraglow or qwikfire should be

used while running in.

The best methods of checking on the running

setting of the engines, is to first check the smoke

trail coming out of the exhaust when the car is

driving.

A very rich setting would allow the car to pull

away slowly with a momentary hesitation and

lots of smoke from a standing start.

To lean out the engine settings (turning the main fuel

control needle in, in a clockwise direction) will allow

the car to pull away faster and more cleanly

(without hesitation) and increase the top speed.

There should however still be a noticeable smoke trail.

If the fuel control needle is screwed in too far thus

allowing the engine to run too lean, there will be very

little or no smoke trail and over heating and engine

damage will occur.

Fuel and glow plugs

The engine is a 2-stroke design, requiring the engine's

lubrication to be carried in the fuel. Although there

are many fuels on the market for model engines, very

few are designed to perform and protect your engine at

the likes of 35,000rpm that some of our engines can

attain. We recommend only duraglow and qwikfire.

We suggest that for general use, 10% nitromethane

content is the norm, but for the real speed freaks 16%

nitro is awesome!

The glow plug in your engine plays a big part in not only

the engines running but also in the starting characteristics.

Often if an engine is "playing up" or not wanting to start,

changing the plug is a good idea. At the high RPM

that engines operate only a top quality car plug will cut the

mustard.

Please remember a glow clip needs 14 -16 hours charge

before use, it may make the plug glow when it comes out

of the packet but it wont have enough charge in to work in

the engine don't try to put it on for a few hours and then try

this is the most common mistake and most new cars get

damaged this way.

Pull starter Hints

The pull starter as fitted to most of the entry level engines

is if treated correctly, the easiest and most cost effective

methods of starting the engine. As with every silver lining,

there is a cloud. The pull start system is similar to that of a

lawn mower to look at but that is where the similarity ends.

The pull starter is susceptible to breaking if the engine is

flooded or not lubricated enough. To ensure this dose not

happen, a few simple rules should be followed.

1. Before attempting to start the engine from cold,

remove the plug and then prime the engine with

fuel.

For cars with a primer button on the tank, press

this until the fuel has traveled along the fuel pipe

to the carburetor and then a further 5 -10 presses.

For cars without a primer button on the fuel tank,

pull the pull starter rapidly with your finger over

the exhaust pipe outlet until the fuel has traveled to

the carb. And then a further 5 -10 times to lube the

engine.

2.Turn the car up side down and pull the pull

starter rapidly until all the excess fuel has emptied

onto the floor through the plug hole. Re fit the plug

ensuring the copper gasket is also re fitted.

Wind it all the way in and then unwind 1 to 1.5 turns.

This allows gases to escape thus lowering the engines

initial compression.

3. Start engine. The engine will run "lumpily" or stop

after a few seconds, so try to keep it running by

blip ping the throttle. Tighten the plug while the

engine is running if possible. If the engine has

stalled restart with the plug tightened, the above

procedure should always be followed from cold or

if difficulty with starting is being experienced.

Flooding The Engine

The most common cause of engine damage is from the

"flooding" of the engine. More accurately this is too much

fuel inside the engines crankcase and causing a hydraulic

lock of the piston. The piston rises to the top of the

combustion chamber and instead of compressing gas i.e.

Fuelair mixture, it has to try and compress a liquid, fuel

only, which isn't possible. This puts a massive strain on

the piston, con rod and crankshaft. Invariably one component

will fail, usually the con rod causing massive damage to the

engines internals. To avoid flooding the engine, always start

the engine from cold using the methods mentioned above

and if at any time the engine becomes difficult to turn over

with the pull starter, then remove the glow plug and empty

all excess fuel out of the head and start again. The pull starter

can only be damaged by a flooded engine or by pulling it out

past its full length, so if you break a pull starter, this is a warning that you are flooding the engine, or pulling it to far be warned.

Important If you have purchased or are thinking of purchasing a ready to run

Nitro car please note:

You should check tighten all screws, nuts and bolts before use and

as with all Nitro cars it if a good idea to also check them at regular intervals.It is also a wise precaution to use a thread lock adhesive on

metal to metal nuts and bolts, this will help to stop them loosening

(as vibration can cause them to come lose).

If you follow these simple precautions you should prolong your pleasure with these products.

These hints are from my LHS web page (Old Town Models)

and i hope they help you out as they did for me to run in you

new nitro engine.

Colin

[SteveH(2) 0]

Sounds good to me, that lot.

The only thing i would add to that for newbies, is that when fine tuning your engine, remember that they are primarily liquid cooled (fuel), not air cooled. So be careful not to lean her out too much! It might seem like you have the right settings, cos she's 'going like a rocket'. But there's a fine ballance between 'well tuned', and running too lean.

BTW, I think a nitro thread is a good idea []. All the info you need about RC cars all from one forum has got to be good.

[WillyChang 1814]

You know you're running TOO LEAN when:-

1) the glowplug is glowing red... on the OUTSIDE

2) the glowplug falls out... and the engine is still running!

3) your piston & sleeve become nicely 'anodised' blue

4) the plastic parts on your carb start melting

5) the lexan around your engine start melting

6) the silicone exhaust coupler melts

[][]

[flyby 0]

and not forgetting to get as much fuel fumes in your face as possible, just so you make sure you can't breath or see.[][]

[WillyChang 1814]

And always decant your fuel into a sodapop bottle, and put it exactly where you'll grab for a swig when thirsty... [}][}][}]