Cold weather nitro

[Pitbull]

Has anyone experimented with additives to nitro fuel to get it to run more reliably in cold weather? I've seen the homemade fuel video made with denatured alcohol/premix oil/gasoline. I'm wondering if this would run better in the winter, or adding a small % of gasoline/premix would be an improvement.

 

[mrbones]

I think the answer is no. I've been told that running your nitro in the cold will damage it (or reduce it's life) and adding stuff to the fuel is probably not a good idea or even going to work. If you want to run RC in the cold, get something that has a gasoline engine on it. Even though I have a 1/5 truck with a gas engine, I'm not running it because it's 9*F outside and it will make all my plastic parts brittle and I don't want to break something. I can wait.

 

[Zdragon71]

If you go adding stuff to your fuel your gonna do damage to the engine. If you want to run in cold weather then wrap the head in order to sustain temps. Expect lean running also which is also bad. Your gonna have to re tune for the weather for sure. But never try mixing gas or additives to your nitro fuel.

 

[2revo1maxx]

It's a lost cause in any weather below freezing.....your engine will be hard to tune and will run too cool....unless you lean it out (bad) or cover the head (good).

 

[Zdragon71]

You could always buy a brushless rig for the winter.

 

[2revo1maxx]

That's the ONLY reason I have electrics.....well, that and the brutal horsepower.

 

[Bkyd Basher]

just to bad there so dam expensive

 

[2revo1maxx]

Yeah, they are pricey, but I made out pretty good on mine. It started with a new EMBE on ebay for $505 delivered. Then I bought ERBE parts so I could use my Mamba system on a much better chassis. That was less than $175 for all of it. The only thing left to do was buy a brushed esc and motors for my EMBE chassis for roughly $110. Now my wife, nephew, uncle, etc can bash with me.

 

[srusinek]

Running gasoline in any concentration can ruin the fuel lines, gas tank and ulimatly the engine. That's the downside to having this hobby in the winter, it's hard on your wallet in the summer and hard on your ride in the winter if you decide to run it.

 

[3_Stroke_Motor]

I never ever run in the winter, it can seriously mess up a crankcase after extended amounts of run times. If I do ever get the need to run I throw in an old motor that is on its way out anyway, and save my precious Rossi for warm weather. I think it is said that you should not run below 50 degrees because below that you begin to make it hard for your engine to stay warm. Not to mention drippy noses and frozen fingers hunched over a transmitter, not fun over all. Its strictly a summer thing for me. I do know very avid bashers and racers that will run the crap out of an engine (7 or 8 gallons) over the spring summer and early fall and by then its already on its way out and just send it to its grave in the winter, and buy a new banger in the spring.

 

[voxmagna]

Ran my truck in dead of winter, in snow and no waterproofing done. Had press n seal wrap protecting my radio/batt box.
1- clear accumulated snow from under body-shell often. added weight gets you nowhere fast, especially if no waterproofing was done.
2- Stay away from the wet stuff (water, slush,...)
3- Under no circumstance let the engine cool down outside after use.
4- Keep your fuel in a relatively warm place prior to starting, makes starting easier.

 

[ausher]

Id like to add #5 to your list if I may...

5- cover the head with a sock or aluminum foil to keep temps up to be able to richen your needle settings. Don't lean it out to compensate for the cold.