Engine Pre-heating

[DN10MXF]

I am looking at being able to pre-heat my engine prior to starting it from cold. Who else does this and what method do you use?

 

[monstertruckier15]

I have never had to pre heat a nitro engine to start in 35 yrs.

 

[cbaker65]

In my years I never had to ,nor was it thought of back in the day to do so that I ever heard of ,however ,I just started to pre-heat
my engine now ,but that engine always started up fine years before with out doing it!....Like Monstertruck said!

With cold weather ,it will help the engine start easier ,in the summer months ,probably not needed ,your call!...

 

[olds97_lss]

I don't know why, but my LRP's (LRP28S3 and LRP30S2) would not start if they were below 50F. I would pull and pull and pull, they wouldn't fire. So I'd put them on the floor of my 1:1 as I drove to the bash site with the heat on full. At 90F, they would pop off with the first pull and be fine for 1000cc's of fuel, as long as I didn't let it sit too long when off and let the temps drop.

All my other nitro's would start "ok" when it was <50F, but they all started better when they were 70F or more, so I just got in the habit of putting them on the floor of my car if it was less than 70F outside.

I did find that during break-in, it was a lot easier to get them going when heated to 90F as well.

 

[monstertruckier15]

Pull start engines are known to start harder than bump start ones. Replace the pull starter with a Sullivan tiger drive and you won't have that problem anymore.

 

[NITROTENSCT]

I use an el cheapo heat gun. One of these days I may buy a head warmer but we shall see. I do it as a preventative on my Losi 3.4 so that it wouldn't eat starter gears. It is noticeably easier to start, quicker to reach temp (as it was already warm) and I haven't seen any ill effects or reasons not to. Definitely made it easier to start when breaking it in.

 

[D3MON]

i use a cheapo 15$ heat gun from harbor freight, and get the engine up to 220F operating temp for break in, or if the engine still has physical pinch.
eventually i want to get a lipo engine heater, but havent really had the desire to spend the money on one yet.

pre-heating is mainly used during break in to bring the engine to operating temperature, so the metal is expanded as if it was already warmed up saving strain on the rod as it doesn't have to work as hard to force the piston going into the pinch zone of the sleeve, and to aid in the mating surfaces of the sleeve and piston, and saving starting components.
is it required? no, it IS a good idea though, and can help to lengthen the life of the engine and prevent premature failure.
you can do it after break in if you were so inclined would not be a bad idea, especially with engines such as yours that has a very lacking in replacement parts availability.