How to avoid common nitro mistakes

Radio Control Car Action, Oct 2003 by Bess, Stephen

11 ways to keep on track

If you've ever mistakenly shoved your right foot into your left shoe or failed to cap the ketchup before shaking it vigorously, you know that such mistakes are easy to make. In the nitro RC world, experts and newbies alike fall prey to similar types of mistakes that prevent their cars from running properly. No matter what your experience level, odds are that you have already encountered or will run into several of these forehead-slapping mistakes. Forethought and paying attention are all it takes to avoid them.

1 STARTER BOX WIRED BACKWARDS

Don't laugh; we've seen it many times! Your engine might start, but the chances are slim. Before you check and replace the glow plug, fuel, fuel lines, etc., make sure the starter box spins the flywheel in the correct direction!

Avoid this mistake by paying attention when you connect your battery and motor wires. Looking directly at the front of the engine (looking straight at the crankshaft), you should see the starter wheel spinning clockwise to spin the flywheel counterclockwise.

2 DEAD TRANSMITTER OR RECEIVER BATTERIES

Check your radio equipment before a day of running your nitro car. Forgetting to turn on, turn off, charge, or replace your transmitter or receiver batteries is high on the list of causes that start an expensive nitro disaster.

Always charge radios and receiver packs overnight before you plan to race. If your system uses alkaline "dry" cells, replace them with fresh ones before a full day of running.

To eliminate the chances of accidentally turning your radio and/or receiver on when transporting your equipment, disconnect the receiver battery from the switch harness, and completely remove the transmitter batteries before you pack your gear. Insert the batteries at the track or wherever you run.

Before you start your engine, always run through a radio-system check to ensure that all controls function properly. If your servos move slowly or not at all, something needs attention.

3 UNSECURED AIR FILTER

An engine's only defense against contamination is its air filter. Run an engine for extended periods in dusty places without an air filter, and you can kiss it goodbye! Zip-tie the filter to your engine's carburetor; you may think it will stay in place on its own because it fits snugly, but one good bump can send an unsecured filter flying. Use a small zip-tie to secure the filter body to the carb neck. Remove any oil or grease that's on the carb neck and the filter elbow with denatured alcohol or nitro cleaner. Next, tighten the zip-tie until it is snug but not too tight (excessive pressure can cause the filter elbow to slip off the carb neck).

4 TOO MUCH FILTER OIL

This is yet another mistake from the "duh!" handbook of what not to do when you prepare your engine for operation. Air-filter elements arrive oiled or dry; if your filter is already oiled, adding more oil will starve the engine of air. Oiling a dry filter too much also equals no air for the engine.

Filter oil is clearly one of those things where more is not better. Avoid choking your engine by using only as much filter oil as is necessary to completely oil it. After you've oiled it, remove any excess by squishing it in a paper towel.

5 DOING THE FILTER-SQUISH

Don't push the filter into the carb to stop It the engine. This is a big-time no-no; you can easily push contaminants through the filter element and into the carb or push the element into the carb neck.

Stop your engine simply by picking up your vehicle and touching the tip of your shoe to the flywheel. This works particularly well during a runaway when the engine is revving out of control and you don't want to touch a hot exhaust pipe or carburetor. You could also pinch the fuel line to shut the engine down. To eliminate the possibility that you'll inadvertently contaminate your engine, stop it in the proper way.

6 NO FUEL

At some point, nearly every experienced nitro junky has attempted to start an engine without fuel. It's an easy-and embarrassing!-mistake.

Before you yank the pull-starter or bump the flywheel against the starter box, just check your fuel. This check is especially important after you've taken a break in the middle of a race, as it's easy to forget whether you filled the tank or not!

7 DEAD GLOW IGNITER

Not sure why your engine won't start? Maybe the glow igniter is causing the problem. Rechargeable and alkaline-powered igniters may be out of juice, and this is easily overlooked, especially if your igniter doesn't have a meter. Install a fresh alkaline battery, or recharge your igniter overnight before you hit the track. Not sure whether your plug or the igniter itself has gone bad? Even if your glow igniter has a meter, it tells you only that something isn't working; it doesn't tell you what. Perhaps your battery is dead, or the glow plug is damaged. Try a friend's igniter with your plug, and you'll soon know whether your igniter or your plug is causing the problem. Or try a new glow plug with your igniter. If it doesn't glow bright orange/white, your igniter is out of juice.