Do you preheat your engine before every run?

[gandalfnz]

Given how much of the engine's cooling is derived from incoming fuel-air mixture, I've been thinking of an intake duct/manifold that goes around the cooling head and draws air across it before feeding it to the air filter, so that you're not feeding the engine ice-cold air. I bet if the intake temp was brought up to just 70-80F it would run as if on a perfect summer day. Maybe even better because it'd be nearly 0% relative humidity. I bet even just running a body with no ventilation holes could have a beneficial effect. I'll have to experiment this winter.

Kyosho made a Blizzard-GP, ostensibly intended to be run in wintery weather...

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

This sounds like a great project to do, pls let us know how it goes, should you go ahead with it.

It seems that big majority of prefer to warm up the engine before starting.

 

[EJMOPAR70]

Hi Guys

Just wondering how many of us preheat the engine before firing it up?
I myself do this every time, no matter if the engine has just been broken in or not.
Something that just stuck with me since my first nitro, and I do believe engine life does get extended by quite a bit.
We all know that engine small or big, wears the most until it warms up.

So, when running at home, I preheat it with a hair dryer to around 80C, it starts right up, never had a problem.
In fact, I am just about to buy a Makita (they recently released it) battery powered heat gun, for when I am outside, to do the same.

Please comment?

Thanks

If it's a $700 O.S. Speed engine I always preheat. If it's a Dynamite or LRP I still preheat but just fir breaking usually 5 to 6 tanks.
Hope you enjoy nitro nothing else like it.

 

[Kyoshohouse]

Hi Guys

Just wondering how many of us preheat the engine before firing it up?
I myself do this every time, no matter if the engine has just been broken in or not.
Something that just stuck with me since my first nitro, and I do believe engine life does get extended by quite a bit.
We all know that engine small or big, wears the most until it warms up.

So, when running at home, I preheat it with a hair dryer to around 80C, it starts right up, never had a problem.
In fact, I am just about to buy a Makita (they recently released it) battery powered heat gun, for when I am outside, to do the same.

Please comment?

Thanks

Hi there. I do believe and it is a fact that pre heating your nitro engine does extend the life of your engine considerably. I have never had any problems running a nitro myself but theres running a nitro and looking after it and maintaining it or theres just thrashing the living daylights out of one which one would probably not pre heat there engine.

 

[Greywolf74]

I dont doubt that preheating extends the life to some degree or another but if your only the occasional nitro basher I'm not sure it matters much. I've got a Losi 427, Losi 454, and a Picco P3 .28 that are all over 10 years old and all have at least 5-6 gallons through them (the 427 is probably over 10-12 gallons at this point) that all still have plenty of pinch and run very well. I could see if you were a racer running a gallon+ a week through an engine where the extra wear might eventually come in to play but for just occasional use I dont think it matters much.

 

[tntpoof]

preheat b4 every run the ole guys knew more

 

[Rapstard]

My dynamite engine has a crazy tough time to start without preheat. Still on a pull start and thank god I read and saw advice on youtube to pre heat

 

[gandalfnz]

Thanks Fellas

As I said, I preheat before every run, even in summer.
I find the engine starts after two pulls when its warm, otherwise it can be a nightmare to start even after having it primed well.

 

[500 Mike]

I pre-heat when I can (have access to electricity for my heat gun). Engine definitely starts easier.

 

[Kyoshohouse]

I dont doubt that preheating extends the life to some degree or another but if your only the occasional nitro basher I'm not sure it matters much. I've got a Losi 427, Losi 454, and a Picco P3 .28 that are all over 10 years old and all have at least 5-6 gallons through them (the 427 is probably over 10-12 gallons at this point) that all still have plenty of pinch and run very well. I could see if you were a racer running a gallon+ a week through an engine where the extra wear might eventually come in to play but for just occasional use I dont think it matters much.

Thanks Fellas

As I said, I preheat before every run, even in summer.
I find the engine starts after two pulls when its warm, otherwise it can be a nightmare to start even after having it primed well.

Yes I totally agree it also takes the stress off the other parts like the pull start system especially the brass bushing in the back plate I watched this YouTube video and this guy was pulling away on the pull start for the entire 7 minute video things like that put stress on the connecting rod and bushing not to forget the bearings.

 

[alfredwong2003]

Well, if you have to pull for 7 minutes, something is not setup correctly. In the old days before pull start or engine starter. You use your finger to start the propeller, it usually needs one good rotation to start your engine. That was how I started nitro engine years (I am older now) ago. A few pulls is normal. I also recall the days we use a string to start a boat engine with flywheel. It basically make you set thing up correctly otherwise you have to thread the string again. When you are near the water, you have limited resources.

 

[gandalfnz]

Well, if you have to pull for 7 minutes, something is not setup correctly. In the old days before pull start or engine starter. You use your finger to start the propeller, it usually needs one good rotation to start your engine. That was how I started nitro engine years (I am older now) ago. A few pulls is normal. I also recall the days we use a string to start a boat engine with flywheel. It basically make you set thing up correctly otherwise you have to thread the string again. When you are near the water, you have limited resources.

Not sure why, but I find my cars hard to start when cold even when primed really well.
When hot, one pull and bam off I go.

 

[alfredwong2003]

Not sure why, but I find my cars hard to start when cold even when primed really well.
When hot, one pull and bam off I go.

You can experiment by starting it up and running, then you know you can just start it with a single pull or two. Then leave the car sit for a day and start it again, it should not take much to start it. Sometimes depends on how the engine is shut off. If you close the exhaust to push more fuel to shut it down, you are basically flood it with fuel to kill the engine. If you pin the line, you are starving it with fuel to shut it down. I prefer the last one.

 

[gandalfnz]

You can experiment by starting it up and running, then you know you can just start it with a single pull or two. Then leave the car sit for a day and start it again, it should not take much to start it. Sometimes depends on how the engine is shut off. If you close the exhaust to push more fuel to shut it down, you are basically flood it with fuel to kill the engine. If you pin the line, you are starving it with fuel to shut it down. I prefer the last one.

I run my tank dry every time, if I need to shut it down while tank not empty, I I will pinch the fuel line.

 

[tudordewolf]

Sometimes depends on how the engine is shut off

Definitely a crucial step- I even go so far as to "start" the engine again after I shut it down and drain the fuel, until it doesn't try to catch at all, to really purge any vapor left. I put the glow ignitor on it and pull/bump it until it doesn't respond at all. You'd be surprised how much is left in it after just shutting it down, it usually idles for another couple seconds and takes 2-3 "starts" before it's completely clear.

I figure that by doing this while it's still hot, I pretty much completely "dehydrate" it of any methanol/nitro that's left in the crankcase, eliminating any stagnant fluids that'll affect your startup next time or attract water. I'm comfortable skipping after-run oil with that procedure in place.

 

[alfredwong2003]

I run my tank dry every time, if I need to shut it down while tank not empty, I I will pinch the fuel line.

That should be fine, if you just prime it and it should go the next day. I do that over weekend runs and or sometimes the next week. If the engine is not setup right, it may still need some fine tunning. Some engine basically block the fuel going in easily by the LSN when it first start but giving a little throttle will help until it can push more fuel in after starting. I have one engine which I can't prime it to get fuel in until I give it a bit throttle and if I adjust the LSN alone, I would flood the engine and won't idle correctly. If I don't adjust the LSN, it will idle correctly once it started. Sometimes the shape if the LSN and HSN will make a difference.

 

[gandalfnz]

That should be fine, if you just prime it and it should go the next day. I do that over weekend runs and or sometimes the next week. If the engine is not setup right, it may still need some fine tunning. Some engine basically block the fuel going in easily by the LSN when it first start but giving a little throttle will help until it can push more fuel in after starting. I have one engine which I can't prime it to get fuel in until I give it a bit throttle and if I adjust the LSN alone, I would flood the engine and won't idle correctly. If I don't adjust the LSN, it will idle correctly once it started. Sometimes the shape if the LSN and HSN will make a difference.

I do this too every time, block the stinger with a finger, pull a few times so all the fuel gets sucked into the engine, then start again, usually it will start for a sec and then just die. Thats how I store it.
I have also realized that unless I am storing it for a month or more, I dont use after run oil, as the engine just stays lubed with oil from the fuel mix.

Oh and always rotate flywheel until piston at BDC no matter how old the engine is.

 

[alfredwong2003]

I do this too every time, block the stinger with a finger, pull a few times so all the fuel gets sucked into the engine, then start again, usually it will start for a sec and then just die. Thats how I store it.
I have also realized that unless I am storing it for a month or more, I dont use after run oil, as the engine just stays lubed with oil from the fuel mix.

Oh and always rotate flywheel until piston at BDC no matter how old the engine is.

It sounded like you intentionally flood the engine and keep it oiled, but that lead to harder starting the next time. Next time before you start, you can open the glow plug and let all the fuel sitting there for months out, then it will start easier.

 

[gandalfnz]

It sounded like you intentionally flood the engine and keep it oiled, but that lead to harder starting the next time. Next time before you start, you can open the glow plug and let all the fuel sitting there for months out, then it will start easier.

I do this only at the end of run, to get rid of the remaining fuel in the lines and engine.
I then start the engine to burn the remaining fuel in the crankcase.

 

[tadb]

Hi Guys

Just wondering how many of us preheat the engine before firing it up?
I myself do this every time, no matter if the engine has just been broken in or not.
Something that just stuck with me since my first nitro, and I do believe engine life does get extended by quite a bit.
We all know that engine small or big, wears the most until it warms up.

So, when running at home, I preheat it with a hair dryer to around 80C, it starts right up, never had a problem.
In fact, I am just about to buy a Makita (they recently released it) battery powered heat gun, for when I am outside, to do the same.

Please comment?

Thanks

Always a good practice to warm up your Nitro before start up when the engine is cold or cool to the touch, I always do. Like wiht all engines

Hi Guys

Just wondering how many of us preheat the engine before firing it up?
I myself do this every time, no matter if the engine has just been broken in or not.
Something that just stuck with me since my first nitro, and I do believe engine life does get extended by quite a bit.
We all know that engine small or big, wears the most until it warms up.

So, when running at home, I preheat it with a hair dryer to around 80C, it starts right up, never had a problem.
In fact, I am just about to buy a Makita (they recently released it) battery powered heat gun, for when I am outside, to do the same.

Please comment?

Thanks

Hi Guys

Just wondering how many of us preheat the engine before firing it up?
I myself do this every time, no matter if the engine has just been broken in or not.
Something that just stuck with me since my first nitro, and I do believe engine life does get extended by quite a bit.
We all know that engine small or big, wears the most until it warms up.

So, when running at home, I preheat it with a hair dryer to around 80C, it starts right up, never had a problem.
In fact, I am just about to buy a Makita (they recently released it) battery powered heat gun, for when I am outside, to do the same.

Please comment?

Thanks

Good practice to warm up your Nitro engine before start up when the engine is cold or cool to the touch and especially when your doing a break-in. I've always done this and the engine starts easier as top end pinch isn't so noticeable. As with all engines the most wear is takes place when the engine is cold. I now use the Sky Rc nitro engine warmer, heats the engine up to 60 - 70C and runs on any 12vDC supply or 3s lipo brill.
Good practice to warm up your Nitro engine before start up when the engine is cold or cool to the touch and especially when your doing a break-in. I've always done this and the engine starts easier as top end pinch isn't so noticeable. As with all engines the most wear is takes place when the engine is cold. I now use the Sky Rc nitro engine warmer, heats the engine up to 60 - 70C and runs on any 12vDC supply or 3s lipo brill.

 

[gandalfnz]

Always a good practice to warm up your Nitro before start up when the engine is cold or cool to the touch, I always do. Like wiht all engines


Good practice to warm up your Nitro engine before start up when the engine is cold or cool to the touch and especially when your doing a break-in. I've always done this and the engine starts easier as top end pinch isn't so noticeable. As with all engines the most wear is takes place when the engine is cold. I now use the Sky Rc nitro engine warmer, heats the engine up to 60 - 70C and runs on any 12vDC supply or 3s lipo brill.
Good practice to warm up your Nitro engine before start up when the engine is cold or cool to the touch and especially when your doing a break-in. I've always done this and the engine starts easier as top end pinch isn't so noticeable. As with all engines the most wear is takes place when the engine is cold. I now use the Sky Rc nitro engine warmer, heats the engine up to 60 - 70C and runs on any 12vDC supply or 3s lipo brill.

I own the same skyrc heater, but the thing takes way too long to actually heat up the engine.
literally around 30 mins, and event hen I feel its not warm enough.

To me, a battery heat gun is the solution.