Gas RC Car Engines

The awesome power that is packed into the tiny Gas RC Cars and their stunning performance became possible due to the powerful two-stroke or four-stroke internal combustion engine that they use. The engine itself gets its power from the special, high-energy Nitro Gas fuel. These cars cannot be run on regular gasoline. Indeed, it's the brute power of the engine and the performance that helps set the Gas RC Cars apart from the Electric RC cars.

The difference in the number of strokes is the same as in a real car's engine. This refers to the number of strokes a piston will make in an engine cylinder to complete a full cycle of fuel injection, compression, combustion and exhaustion of gases.

The two-stroke engines take fuel and engine oil directly in to the engine, while four-stroke engines take the fuel directly, but the oil goes into a separate oil reservoir. Two-stroke engines are more popular among Nitro RC car racers, with a 23 cc displacement that produces around 2.5 hp and astonishing speeds of more than 30 mph at the entry level. Some RC enthusiasts were even clocked at an unbelievable 68 mph!

So, what actually is there in the Gas RC Car fuel to give it that extra punch? Let us briefly study the components of this fuel to figure out how it works.

Methyl alcohol: Also known as Methanol, this is the main ingredient in the Gas RC car fuel. It is widely available and also inexpensive, making it ideal fuel for an RC car engine that is cheaper than regular gasoline! It has a burning point that is appropriate to the Gas RC car engine and a high energy potential per unit weight of fuel. That is when it burns and releases much more energy than gasoline.

Nitro-methane: Also known as Nitro, or the "hot fuel", this is an explosive additive used only in small proportions to add punch to the fuel, enhance the power output, and acceleration. Due to its explosive nature, it needs to be handled with extreme care.

Oil: Either synthetic oil or sometimes Castor oil for certain engines is used as a lubricant inside the engine. While for two-stroke engines the oil is blended into fuel, four-stroke engines take it from an oil reservoir. One can choose from different blends of synthetic and castor oil.

RC fuel blends are available with different proportions of each component. Typically, methanol is added with a 20-22% lubricant blend and 10-15% nitro. The right blend should be chosen according to the car manufacturer's instructions so that performance can be optimized. Instructions as to how to handle the Gas RC car fuel should also be followed as provided from the fuel manufacturer in order to prevent hazards.

The nitro RC car engine needs to be refueled every 5 to 10 minutes of racing. Always be sure to use good quality fuel. Cheap fuels may shorten the lifetime of your engine. Besides fuel, good tuning of engine is also necessary for better performance. More information and advice from experts on this topic can be easily found on the Internet.

The Nitro RC car engines are available with or without a pull start cord. The cars without a pull start cord may cost less, but you will need to carry the starter box around to fire the up the car's engine.

Besides maintaining an RC car engine and its subsystems well, its accessories, like the fuel lines, fuel filter, air filter, and cooling system, also need to be maintained. Whenever the engine doesn't perform up to its capabilities, it is necessary to check these accessories first for proper cleaning or correction of possible defects.

Always use authentic parts to service your engine and seek expert help through online forums or blogs. The complexity of Gas RC car engines is mainly responsible for the exorbitant prices of RC Gas Cars.