All About Nitro RC Cars


Nitro RC Cars Introduction Nitro RC Car

Nitro powered RC cars are becoming a popular hobby for many people. RC cars are not just for kids or enthusiasts anymore. They are becoming more main stream and offer people a lot more options than they used to. The cars are becoming more realistic and powerful all the time. They have different types of engines, nitro fuel, and require maintenance and fine tuning. Let’s look at some information about nitro powered RC cars.

Nitro RC Engines

The first thing you should look at on an RC car is the type of engine that it has. The engine is basically what makes the RC car. The first thing that you should know about a nitro powered RC car is that it is extremely powerful. In comparison to a regular car engine it goes at a much faster rate. A very powerful RC car can get up above 30,000 RPM. This is a very large number by almost anyone’s standards. Even some of the most powerful real cars only pump at about 5000-8000 RPM. This means that tiny little engine is really getting the job done. Some RC car engines will provide you with up to 5 horsepower. This may not sound like a lot, but your car only weighs 10-15 pounds. When something that light has 5 horsepower, it’s really going to get up and go. If a regular car wanted to match this output, it would need to put out about 1200 horsepower.

Pull-String & Electronic Starters

Most engines for RC cars are started with a pull string. This is also a common thread with many other small engines. While many of them are still pull-string, you can get some newer models with an electronic starter. This just adds convenience to the starting process and eliminates any hard work. The main difference between RC car engines and other 2-stroke engines are that they don’t have a spark plug. They instead have a “glow plug”. It ignites the engine and then loses power. The glow plug is only used during the start up process. Another difference in RC engines is that they don’t have piston rings like traditional engines. They just have a tight fit in the engine and don’t use rings to keep them sealed up tight. Regardless of which type of engine you get for your RC car, you will be amazed at the power that it brings to the table.

Nitro RC Fuel

You can get a two cycle engine or a nitro powered engine in most RC cars. Regardless of which one you get, you’ll have a pretty powerful engine. Nitro fuel is a little bit more high-powered and high octane than traditional fuel. You’ll get some major acceleration power with the use of nitro. If you use a two cycle engine, you’ll mix regular fuel with two cycle oil. This type of engine is the same principal behind a weed-trimmer engine.

Nitro RC Car Maintenance

As with anything that has an engine, there will be maintenance and upkeep that you have to perform on the car. The level of maintenance will be directly related to your level of dedication to the hobby, but some types of maintenance can’t be avoided. One of the most important things you can do for your RC car is making sure everything is lubricated. You’ll want to get a bottle of after-burn oil for this process. You want to make sure and put a few drops of oil on all the pistons and internal pieces. The alcohol that is in nitro tends to dry everything out in the engine after you run it for awhile. This means that you have to re-oil it as often as possible. You may not have to do it after every single run, but it couldn’t hurt.

Nitro RC Truck

Another essential task in maintaining your nitro RC engine is cleaning the air filter. The air filter plays a vital role in how your engine runs overall. If you neglect this, you’ll be sacrificing performance and eventually hurting your engine. It is a pretty simple process, but it can pay big dividends. The first thing you do is take off the air filter. This is usually pretty simple and there will probably be instructions on how to do this with your particular model. Once you’ve taken off the air filter, disassemble it and take the foam insert out of the middle. After you’ve taken everything apart, wash all the parts in some soapy water. The water will get all of the dust and things that have accumulated inside the filter out of the filter. Rinse all of the soap out of the parts and allow them to dry for awhile. Don’t rush and put the filter back together while it’s still wet. After it’s dry, put some air filter oil on the foam insert and place it back into the filter. This process should really help you extend the life of your air filter and your RC car.

Besides these steps, common sense will play a big role in your everyday maintenance of the Nitro RC Car. You should always do your best to keep the car clean and dry. This means that you should attempt to clean it inside and out. Any water or liquids that you leave on the car or engine increase the likelihood of forming rust. This means that you should run the engine dry and oil it after each use if possible. This will make a big difference in the life of your car and how it performs overall.

Nitro RC Cars Are A Great Hobby!

Nitro powered RC cars are a lot of fun for everyone involved. It does involve some upkeep, so this is not for people who don’t like to use their hands. You’ll have to take things apart, get grease and oil on your hands and then put them back together. It is a fantastic hobby to get involved in for the mechanically inclined. If you’ve been considering getting involved with nitro powered RC cars, there has never been a better time than now. Get out there and look at all the vast options you have in the RC car market.


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