| Engines that use nitro fuel have a glow plug. Similar to | | | | Nitro or glow engines use nitro fuel but it's actually a |
| a spark plug, the glow plug is so named because a | | | | mixture of fuel and air that goes into the engine. The |
| filament inside the plug glows when the plug is hot. An | | | | right fuel/air mixture keeps the engine running at its |
| engine with a glow plug is commonly called a glow | | | | best helping reduce friction and helps the RC engine |
| engine. | | | | run cooler. The wrong mixture can cause overheating, |
| Non-electric radio controlled vehicle engines use a | | | | excessive wear, or cause the engine to stall. This fuel |
| methanol-based fuel that contains nitromethane so the | | | | air mixing takes place in the carburetor. Oil in the RC |
| term nitro or nitromethanol refers to the fuel, the glow | | | | fuel Nitro fuel may contain castor oil, synthetic oil, or a |
| engine that uses nitro fuel, and any radio controlled | | | | mixture of both. When castor oil breaks down at high |
| vehicle that has a nitro engine. | | | | temperatures it creates a lubricating film -- desirable |
| Proper nitro engine break-in is critical for long-lasting | | | | but somewhat messy. Synthetic oil lubricates well at |
| performance of your RC. Every new nitro engine | | | | low temperatures but at high temperatures it burns off |
| should undergo a break-in procedure. Breaking in a | | | | and provides little protection. The nitromethane delivers |
| nitro engine takes anywhere from one to two hours | | | | oxygen to the engine, enhancing combustion and |
| and about 3-5 tanks of nitro fuel. If you do the nitro | | | | delivering more power, and the oil lubricates and helps |
| engine break-in properly, the up-keep on your RC | | | | to keep the engine cool. Even though the methanol is |
| vehicle is less costly than if the procedure is done | | | | the most plentiful component, it's the percentage of |
| hastily and incorrectly. | | | | nitromethane that is used to rate the nitro fuel. |
| RC engine size or displacement is measured in cubic | | | | The percentage of oil might range anywhere from 8% |
| centimeters (cc) or cubic inches (ci). In terms of RC | | | | to 25% with 15%-20% being the typical amount of oil |
| engines, displacement is the volume of space a piston | | | | found in nitro fuel. There is some debate as to |
| travels through during a single stroke. A larger number, | | | | whether an RC aircraft that often runs at wide open |
| whether expressed in cubic centimeters or cubic | | | | throttle during most of its run needs a higher |
| inches, denotes a larger engine. Displacement is only | | | | percentage of oil than an RC car that only runs at full |
| one factor that determines performance of the | | | | throttle for short spurts. |
| aircraft. | | | | |