Nitro RC Car Maintenance

Maintenance and Tuning

So now that you know what’s under the hood of your RC, here are few more tips that will help your car run better:

• Improve your acceleration by proper preparation of your clutch.

Over time, a glaze can form on the clutch and the clutch bell, which causes the car’s acceleration to noticeably decrease.  Scuffing both the clutch shoes and the clutch bell with fine-grit sandpaper or steel wool and a good cleaning with motor-spray will remove this glaze, and prevent the clutch from slipping against the clutch bell.

• Extend the life of your car’s differential by breaking your motor in gently.

Your car’s differential is filled with small, intricate gears that make them both complicated and expensive. This is not a part you want to replace frequently, but carefully breaking in your car before racing or running it full-out can greatly extend the differential’s lifespan. To break in your engine, run it at ¼ power a few inches off the ground, and then run some slow, steadily powered figure-8’s. This should set the gears in the differential and you can run it full out without damaging the engine.

• Make sure you keep your header in position.

Your car’s header is attached with a tiny spring, meaning it comes off very easily if you hit something or if your car gets hit by something. If you’re racing, this can be a huge problem to put back on in a hurry, so be sure to attach your header to the engine block more firmly using a small piece of safety wire. Make sure you twist the wire firmly around the header and be sure to cut off any excess.

• Brace your air filter to prevent losing or damaging it.

The small piece of the same safety wire that secures your header should also be used brace your filter. Again, twist it tightly to prevent the filter from becoming loose and remove any excess.

• Protect your pull-start cord from fraying and breaking.

Over time, the cord of a pull-start engine can often become worn and frayed. This can be prevented by covering the edges of the opening—try duct tape or cutting up a small section of fuel tubing. Make sure not to obstruct the opening, but rather create a smoother edge to the opening for the cord get in and out of without fraying. Never leave your pull-start cord pulled all the way out—if this happens, it could get stiff or be impossible to reinsert.

• Follow your manufacturer’s instructions for the best results.

Your car will come with complete instructions and an owner’s manual, which you should read carefully for all specifications and any technical issues you have with your RC. Should you run into something you can’t fix or an engine that simply won’t run properly (or at all!), it’s best to consult your local hobby shop for some expert advice and help.

There’s nothing like the realistic roar and smoke of a nitro RC, which are fast and powerful enough to make for some exciting races. Bear in mind, however, that nitro cars and the engines that power them are very complex, and as such require frequent tuning and meticulous care—much more so than an electric RC. Because of greater complexity, you will also find they tend to be more expensive, as well. What this means to you as a driver is that you need to decide in advance what your budget is and just how experienced you are with engines and RC racing.

If you’re a beginner but you still have your heart set on a nitro car, they can be purchased in ready-to-run versions that will get you in the race as soon as you open the box. Although these still require the same ongoing attention and maintenance, you will be saved the initial trouble of building the car from scratch.

Ready-to-run nitro cars and trucks are more expensive than the ones you build yourself, but they’re far easier if you’re still unsure about your mechanic abilities. Also, since even ready-to-run kits contain complete instructions on how they go together, you can rest assured you’ll be able repair, maintain and add on to your car for a long time to come.

The main attraction of nitro RC cars is their realism and their power—they’re fast, they roar and they smoke—just like real cars! They can be tuned to reach speeds of up to 60 mph and they can race as long as you keep filling the gas tank. Though not recommended for complete newcomers to RC racing, nitro RC’s are by far the most popular.