| Are you taking proper care of your RC nitro cars? A | | | | Weighing the costs of an engine repair (if the cleaning |
| little bit of preparation can save you a lot of money in | | | | is not thorough) with the costs of a replacement filter |
| repair costs. Learning the basics of rc engine | | | | may be wise when determining the value of |
| operations and proper maintenance will lengthen the life | | | | replacement versus cleaning. |
| of your RC nitro cars and help you keep your vehicles | | | | Tuning the Engine |
| in top shape. | | | | While nitro engines can be more difficult to set up than |
| RC Nitro Engines | | | | their electric counterparts they also allow for the |
| The RC nitro car?s engine works very similar to a | | | | operator to adjust the engine and the vehicle?s |
| regular car engine. There are several parts of the | | | | performance. The carburetor permits you to adjust the |
| engine that require attention for your vehicle to work | | | | amount of air/fuel mixture that is being used by the |
| at peak performance. Here are the main components | | | | engine. A low mix of fuel is called ?lean? while a high |
| RC vehicles rely on for efficient driving and the | | | | ratio of fuel to air is ?rich?. Making small adjustments to |
| preventative maintenance you should take. | | | | the mix according to the driving conditions will fine tune |
| Fuel and Fuel Lines | | | | the driving. On the other hand you need to be cautious |
| The fuel used by RC nitro engines is a combination of | | | | that the mixture is not too lean or rich as this can |
| nitro methane and a synthetic or castor oil lubricant. | | | | damage the engine. |
| You must use the proper fuel combination for your | | | | Tires |
| vehicle. If your RC car is running poorly you need to | | | | Check the tires on your RC nitro cars before putting |
| examine the fuel system. Cracks or debris in the fuel | | | | them out on the track. Check that they are balanced |
| lines may cause the engine to cut out. It is | | | | following the instructions in your user?s manual. This is |
| advantageous to check your vehicle?s fuel lines each | | | | especially important during the initial setup. |
| time before running it. Clean out dirty lines. If you find | | | | Testing |
| problems consult your user manual before operating | | | | Whenever you are putting an RC car on the road for |
| the vehicle. | | | | the first time or after it has been shelved for awhile |
| Air Filter | | | | you should test the vehicle and tune it before running it |
| The air filter is an essential component to your engine. | | | | fast or on rough terrain. After driving the vehicle check |
| The air filter clears out dirt and debris from the engine | | | | it for debris. Make sure the parts move freely and |
| which permits it to run smoothly. If the air filter | | | | have not become clogged with mud or dust. Running |
| becomes clogged then dirt and heat will get trapped in | | | | the vehicle without ensuring it is clean can cause costly |
| the engine making it work harder to draw air in. This | | | | damage to the engine or other parts. Talk to experts |
| can substantially affect its performance or even | | | | about the recommended upkeep necessary for your |
| damage the engine. Air filters can often be cleaned | | | | chosen vehicle. Some models will have more |
| rather than replaced. If the air filter in the model you | | | | expensive maintenance costs than others and may be |
| own is very expensive to replace you may wish to | | | | a factor to consider when choosing your vehicle. |
| clean the existing air filter carefully and reuse it. | | | | |