What do you know about Nitro?
You just got your first nitro-powered truck or car. It's time to fire that puppy up, but you need fuel. So, wallet in hand, you head on down to the local hobby shop with every intention of running in and running out as if you were getting a gallon of milk. As you round the corner of the fuel aisle, you're stopped dead in your tracks by a dizzying array of fuel jug labels displaying different nitro percentages and touting different blends.
Now, your hobby dealer can most likely help you sort out what you need, but wouldn't it be cool to at least know the basics before you buy? We think so too, which is why we've put together this brief tutorial on the meanings of all those percentages and blends to help nitro neophytes get the most from their fuel dollar.
Let's start with those nitro percentages. As you may have already surmised,
this percentage lets you know how much nitro content your fuel has based on the
total volume. The higher the percentage, the higher the nitro content. Easy
enough.
But what is "nitro" and what does it do? In this case,
"nitro" is short for nitromethane, which oxygenates or accelerates the
rate at which the fuel burns. The more you have, the faster the fuel burns,
giving the engine an extra boost of power that's most noticeable during
acceleration.
For the sport driver who spends most of his time running around the yard or chasing the neighbor's dog up and down the street, 20% nitro is about all you need. Racers, however, generally use higher nitro contents for the quicker acceleration. A quick breakdown of the nitro percentages used most often for the different categories of racing looks something like this:
These are more guidelines than rules, though. Ultimately, the amount of nitro you use depends on how fast you need to go. If you're just fooling around, you can use fuel with a lower, as well as less expensive, nitro content. In a race situation though, you may find yourself needing to up the ante a little to give yourself that extra boost to get around the competition.
By now, you may be asking, "So if part of my fuel is nitro, what's the rest made up of?" Basically, methanol alcohol and oil. This doesn't mean all fuel is the same, though. Where manufacturers set out to differentiate their brand from the competition is primarily in the blend and amount of oils they use.
It is the oil in the fuel that provides the lubrication for your engine's
parts. For years, castor oil was about all that any fuel manufacturer used.
Castor oil is all natural, and does an excellent job in lubricating and
protecting engines. It is especially effective at the extremely high operating
temperatures engines frequently reach during a race. The only drawback to castor
is that, over time, it leaves a varnish or carbon buildup in the engine that
must regularly be removed.
With the advent of synthetic oils, the dependence on castor oil has
decreased. Synthetic oils don't varnish or leave the carbon build-up. This does
not mean that fuel containing castor should never be used. Castor is still
better at protecting the engine at higher temperatures than most synthetics.
Nowadays, many fuel manufacturers try to offer their customers the best of both
worlds by blending castor and synthetic oils together.
Good luck in finding out the exact oil ingredients in these castor/synthetic/alcohol blends, though. These formulas are often guarded more closely than the Colonel's Secret Recipe. The only way to know which manufacturer's blend works best for you is to try several out until you find one you and, more importantly, your engine like.
While fuel manufacturers generally use the same basic ingredients, there is a distinct difference in the amount of oil in fuel for model airplane use versus the fuel racers use. Airplane fuels typically have much higher oil content than what's needed for cars. Racing fuels usually consist of about 10% oil versus the 20% oil content found in a typical airplane blend. Airplane fuel would work in a car engine, but your engine will operate much better with fuel formulated for cars. No matter how good the bargain, stick with car specific fuel. Your engine and your wallet will thank you in the long run
While we've covered the basics of nitro fuel makeup here, no nitro intro
would be truly complete without a few general tips on how to get the most out of
your chosen blend when running your vehicle.
Before we continue, it should be noted that nearly every manufacturer has
specific instructions for the proper break-in and leaning of their engines.
Before you start experimenting with the mixture needles, READ YOUR ENGINE
MANUAL. If there isn't a manual, ask an experienced racer at the local track, or
see if your engine's manufacturer has a Web site.
There are few general maxims, however, that apply to adjusting your engine's
fuel mixture. For those not familiar with the term, "mixture" is the
ratio of fuel to air that is mixed in the carburetor. The leaner the mixture,
the lower the fuel to air ratio. The richer the mixture, the more fuel to air.
Every engine has an optimum mixture setting that causes the engine to produce
its peak power. This setting is almost always attained by leaning the mixture.
Since fuel also acts to cool the engine, leaning the mixture causes the engine
temperature to increase. This is because less fuel is being used, thus less
cooling is taking place than would with a richer mixture.
Racers frequently lean their engines for peak power so they can go faster and obtain maximum fuel mileage at the same time. Running at these lean peak power settings for extended periods of time, however can accelerate the wear and tear on an engine. If you aren't racing, it's a good idea to run your engine a little richer than peak power so you can prolong your engine's life.
Maybe, now that you know what the nitro percentages and blends mean, buying
fuel won't be nearly as daunting asit seems. Still, there's no substitute for
the voice of experience, so don't hesitate to ask your dealer or one of the
racing veterans at the track for a little advice if you're still not sure which
nitro is right for you. Your nitro engine is an investment in fun. Make sure you
get the biggest return on that investment you can by using the right fuel.
POWERMASTER Fuels are designed to give top performance in all types of model engines - ringed, lapped, ABC, ABN, AAC, 2-Stroke or 4-Stroke - model airplanes, cars , boats and helicopters. We use pure virgin methanol, the highest grade American made nitromethane and a blend of the finest available lubricants. Most blends contain approximately 2/3 synthetics and 1/3 AA castor oil. However, a number of all-synthetic or all-castor blends are also available. YS 20/20 (Pattern Blends), Low Viscosity Helicopter fuels and Mean & Green contain only synthetic oils