RC NITRO ENGINE BREAK-IN PROCEDURES
Important Note
During the break-in process the engine may seem like its stalling or not running properly. This is normal; your car is not malfunctioning. It's always a good idea to get an extra glow plug (short, cold plug). It is normal to have to replace it after break-in because of the deposits left on in from the break-in process. Glow plugs are a normal item that needs replacing. Because they have such a huge influence on the way your engine runs it best to always have a few spares on hand. These are simply “break-in pains”, and with proper break-in, these symptoms will disappear. Have an extra glow plug handy incase the glow plug is ruined through the break-in process.
Purpose of Engine Break-In Procedure
The purpose of the break –in procedure is to limit and vary the engine speed. This will be accomplished by starting and stopping at different rates for using 5 tanks of fuel. Caution, high speed running is not recommended until the last and 6th tank of fuel. Doing so can permanently cause engine damage.
Be mindful of the fuel level, allowing the vehicle to run on an empty fuel tank can result in a damaged fuel plug or high engine temperatures.
It is advised that the break-in procedure be performed in a flat and clean service since the break in procedure will be performed without the car body attached. This environment will minimize the dirt and accidental damage that may occur without the car body attached.
Breaking and throttle should be applied gently. Sudden breaking and acceleration may cause the engine to stall and increase the chances of damaging the rc vehicle.
Before operating your nitro vehicle, check the strength of the batteries in both the receiver andcontroller. Weak or dead batteries can cause serious damage to your car should the car move properly due to weak batteries in the vehicle receiver or should you lose the ability to control your vehicle due to weak or dead receiver batteries. The receiver usually require 4 AA batteries while the remote control transmitter normally require 8 AA batteries.
Follow the instruction for the first 5 tanks of fuel to perform a smooth break-in.
Starting Your Nitro Vehicle For the First Time
Attention: If your cord becomes hard to pull then you may have flooded your engine. To clear a flooded engine, remove the glow plug and turn the car upside down. While upside-down, pull the cord a few times to clear the excess fuel. Replace the glow plug and retry.
Tank 1
Tuning Your Engine Introduction
The first and foremost consideration when attempting to tune your new engine is understanding the basic parts and their functions. Proper tuning of your engine will ensure a long lasting nitro car, truck, truggy, or buggy with maximum performance.
Tuning Your Engine: Carburetor
The main function of the carburetor is to mix the fuel and air. One this mixture is achieved, it is sent to the engine to be combusted. The Carburetor can be adjusted to control the mixture of gas/air that reaches the engine. If you increase the amount of fuel per air mixture you are making the mix “rich” and if you decrease the amount of fuel, you are making the mixture “lean”.
An engine’s performance is dependent upon the fuel mixture. The fuel mixture is regulated by the carburetor, which is regulated by a high speed, low speed and idle speed needle.
Tune Your Engine: Important Note: Turn the mixture needles clockwise to lean the mixture and counterclockwise to richen it.
A lean fuel mixture will increase engine power. Never run an engine too lean until it cuts out or begins to stall. It could cause engine damage. Symptoms of a lean mix include:
Tune Your Engine: High Speed Fuel Mixture Adjustment
This is primary fuel mixture adjustment. It is located next to the air filter, where the fuel line goes into the engine.
After the engine is running warmed up, gradually lean the high speed mixture by turning in 1/16 clockwise. Make several passes with the nitro rc after each adjustment and note any changes in performance. Continue to adjust until at least one of the following conditions exists:
Tune Your Engine: Low Speed Fuel Mixture Adjustment
The low speed mixture adjustment is always performed after the high speed needle is correctly adjusted. The easiest way to adjust the low speed mixture is by doing the “pinch” test. The valve is located where the throttle arm pivots.
Tune Your Engine: Idle Speed Adjustment
This spring tensioned screw is located beneath the oil filter, facing towards the front of the vehicle. In order for an engine to run, it must have enough internal intertia engine built up in the engine to continue the entire ignition cycle. Generally speaking, you want to adjust the idles speed to the slowest idle before it stalls. The key is to set the idle speed as low as possible while still maintaining reliable running characteristics. In order to do this, turn the idle screw counterclockwise to reduce the idle speed or clockwise to increase it.
Congratulations
After breaking in the engine and tuning the engine, no major adjustments to the fuel mixture are usually necessary.
TUNING
This chart indicates the direction in which you should adjust the fuel mixture when faced with changing weather and other conditions. It assumes the engine is currently well tuned. You could face any combination of conditions listed in the chart; knowing which way to go with the mixture adjustments is half the battle.
Higher air temperature
Lean
Lower air temperature
Rich
Higher humidity
Lean
Lower humidity
Rich
Higher barometric pressure
Rich
Lower barometric pressure
Lean
Higher altitude
Lean
Lower altitude
Rich
Higher nitro content
Rich
Lower nitro content
Lean
Higher oil content
Lean
Lower oil content
Rich
Hotter glow plug
Rich
Colder glow plug
Lean
During the break-in process the engine may seem like its stalling or not running properly. This is normal; your car is not malfunctioning. It's always a good idea to get an extra glow plug (short, cold plug). It is normal to have to replace it after break-in because of the deposits left on in from the break-in process. Glow plugs are a normal item that needs replacing. Because they have such a huge influence on the way your engine runs it best to always have a few spares on hand. These are simply “break-in pains”, and with proper break-in, these symptoms will disappear. Have an extra glow plug handy incase the glow plug is ruined through the break-in process.
Purpose of Engine Break-In Procedure
The purpose of the break –in procedure is to limit and vary the engine speed. This will be accomplished by starting and stopping at different rates for using 5 tanks of fuel. Caution, high speed running is not recommended until the last and 6th tank of fuel. Doing so can permanently cause engine damage.
Be mindful of the fuel level, allowing the vehicle to run on an empty fuel tank can result in a damaged fuel plug or high engine temperatures.
It is advised that the break-in procedure be performed in a flat and clean service since the break in procedure will be performed without the car body attached. This environment will minimize the dirt and accidental damage that may occur without the car body attached.
Breaking and throttle should be applied gently. Sudden breaking and acceleration may cause the engine to stall and increase the chances of damaging the rc vehicle.
Before operating your nitro vehicle, check the strength of the batteries in both the receiver andcontroller. Weak or dead batteries can cause serious damage to your car should the car move properly due to weak batteries in the vehicle receiver or should you lose the ability to control your vehicle due to weak or dead receiver batteries. The receiver usually require 4 AA batteries while the remote control transmitter normally require 8 AA batteries.
Follow the instruction for the first 5 tanks of fuel to perform a smooth break-in.
Starting Your Nitro Vehicle For the First Time
- Install Radio System Batteries
- Turn on both the transmitter and receiver.
- Check operation of the radio system.
- Carefully pull and check the start rope length.
- Oil the Air Filter
- Fill the tank with Nitro fuel. (We recommend 20% nitro fuel).
- Fire it Up.
Attention: If your cord becomes hard to pull then you may have flooded your engine. To clear a flooded engine, remove the glow plug and turn the car upside down. While upside-down, pull the cord a few times to clear the excess fuel. Replace the glow plug and retry.
Tank 1
- Drive the model with the body off
- Driving Procedure: Gently pull back the throttle to ¼ position over a 2 second count. Then gently apply the brake to stop. Repeat this start and stop position until the first tank of fuel is nearly empty.
- Signals: If there is a nice trail of blue smoke from the exhaust then your engine is being lubricated and the fuel mixture is properly set. If this blue smoke is absent, richen the fuel mixture ¼ turn counterclockwise until the blue smoke is present.
- Shut off the engine by pinching the fuel line to the carburetor. Before your next tank, let the car cool down for 10-15 minutes.
- Driving Procedure: Gently pull back the throttle to 1/2 position over a 2 second count.Then gently apply the brake to stop.
- Repeat this start and stop position until the first tank of fuel is nearly empty. Shut off the engine by pinching the fuel line to the carburetor. Before your next tank, let the car cool down for 10-15 minutes.
- Driving Procedure: Gently pull back the throttle to 1/2 position over a 3 second count. Then gently apply the brake to stop. Repeat this start and stop position until the first tank of fuel is nearly empty.
- As the engine loosens
- As the break-in procedure progresses, the idle speed may increase causing the engine to move forward. Reduced the idle speed by turning the idle adjustment (underneath the oil filter) on the carburetor counterclockwise.
- From this point on it is no longer necessary to let the engine cool down between tanks.
- The car body can be replaced.
- Driving Procedure: Gently pull back the throttle to full position over a 3 second count. Then gently apply the brake to stop. Repeat this start and stop position until the first tank of fuel is nearly empty. Shut off the engine and refuel.
- Always make sure to apply throttle slowly!
- Keep your driving smooth and consistent.
- Driving Procedure: Gently pull back the throttle to full position over a 3 second count. Then hold for 2 seconds and gently apply the brake to stop. Repeat this start and stop position until the first tank of fuel is nearly empty. Shut off the engine and refuel.
- At this stage the engine is now “broken in” it is now time to tune the engine for general performance.
Tuning Your Engine Introduction
The first and foremost consideration when attempting to tune your new engine is understanding the basic parts and their functions. Proper tuning of your engine will ensure a long lasting nitro car, truck, truggy, or buggy with maximum performance.
Tuning Your Engine: Carburetor
The main function of the carburetor is to mix the fuel and air. One this mixture is achieved, it is sent to the engine to be combusted. The Carburetor can be adjusted to control the mixture of gas/air that reaches the engine. If you increase the amount of fuel per air mixture you are making the mix “rich” and if you decrease the amount of fuel, you are making the mixture “lean”.
An engine’s performance is dependent upon the fuel mixture. The fuel mixture is regulated by the carburetor, which is regulated by a high speed, low speed and idle speed needle.
Tune Your Engine: Important Note: Turn the mixture needles clockwise to lean the mixture and counterclockwise to richen it.
A lean fuel mixture will increase engine power. Never run an engine too lean until it cuts out or begins to stall. It could cause engine damage. Symptoms of a lean mix include:
- Overheating (temperature above 270 F at the glow plug)
- Little or no blue smoke from the exhaust.
- Sudden or cutting loss of power during acceleration.
- Leaning the high speed fuel mixture increases performance
- Sluggish acceleration with blue smoke coming for the exhaust tip.
- There is unburned fuel spraying from the exhaust tip.
Tune Your Engine: High Speed Fuel Mixture Adjustment
This is primary fuel mixture adjustment. It is located next to the air filter, where the fuel line goes into the engine.
After the engine is running warmed up, gradually lean the high speed mixture by turning in 1/16 clockwise. Make several passes with the nitro rc after each adjustment and note any changes in performance. Continue to adjust until at least one of the following conditions exists:
- Fluctuating idle speed
- Temperature measurement above 270F at the glow plug
- Noise or clattering sound during decelerating
- Smoke or steam form the engine (not exhaust)
- Hesitation or stalling during acceleration
Tune Your Engine: Low Speed Fuel Mixture Adjustment
The low speed mixture adjustment is always performed after the high speed needle is correctly adjusted. The easiest way to adjust the low speed mixture is by doing the “pinch” test. The valve is located where the throttle arm pivots.
- Having set the high speed correctly, take the rc vehicle and pinch the fuel line going into the carburetor. The engine should run for 2-3 seconds, speed up and die.
- If the engine runs longer than 3 seconds, then learn the low spend need clockwise 1/16 turn, have several high speed runs and retest.
- If the pinch test results in the engine dieing immediately without speeding up, then richen the low speed needle by turning counter clockwise 1/8 turn, have several high speed runs and retest.
Tune Your Engine: Idle Speed Adjustment
This spring tensioned screw is located beneath the oil filter, facing towards the front of the vehicle. In order for an engine to run, it must have enough internal intertia engine built up in the engine to continue the entire ignition cycle. Generally speaking, you want to adjust the idles speed to the slowest idle before it stalls. The key is to set the idle speed as low as possible while still maintaining reliable running characteristics. In order to do this, turn the idle screw counterclockwise to reduce the idle speed or clockwise to increase it.
Congratulations
After breaking in the engine and tuning the engine, no major adjustments to the fuel mixture are usually necessary.
TUNING
This chart indicates the direction in which you should adjust the fuel mixture when faced with changing weather and other conditions. It assumes the engine is currently well tuned. You could face any combination of conditions listed in the chart; knowing which way to go with the mixture adjustments is half the battle.
Higher air temperature
Lean
Lower air temperature
Rich
Higher humidity
Lean
Lower humidity
Rich
Higher barometric pressure
Rich
Lower barometric pressure
Lean
Higher altitude
Lean
Lower altitude
Rich
Higher nitro content
Rich
Lower nitro content
Lean
Higher oil content
Lean
Lower oil content
Rich
Hotter glow plug
Rich
Colder glow plug
Lean