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Newb Question about fuels

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MrClean

MrClean

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Of course Traxxas only recommends Top Fuel be ran in the Revo, when I went to my local hobby store I didn't even look at the brands (didn't have enough time). I was wondering how it compared to the other brands that are available or if they are all about the same.

Sorry for the stupid question, this is my first attempt at a nitro car and I'd like to be half way smart about it. I did use the search but it returned so many responses, I'd be here for a week trying to read them all and I didn't see any topics that discussed just fuels.

Thanks! I love this place.
 
There are many brands of fuel and even more oppinions about them. The basic differences are nitro % and oil content. Stay away from plane or heli fuels and you should be fine with any brand in the 20-30 percent nitro content.
 
What are your choices at the LHS? I suggest a 20% Nitro with 12% oil.
Brand discussion can get heated on forums because everyone has their opinions.....
So that being said,
My favorite fuel is Trinity Monster Horsepower 30% or 20%.
Odonnells, Sidewinder and Byrons are all quality fuels as well.
Byron has just reformulated their fuel, they call it Gen 2. Everyone seems to love it these days so I am going to give it a shot in my new OS engine.
The two fuels I refuse to use are Traxxas and Blue Thunder. Too much oil IMO.
 
Coach Z said:
There are many brands of fuel and even more oppinions about them. The basic differences are nitro % and oil content. Stay away from plane or heli fuels and you should be fine with any brand in the 20-30 percent nitro content.
Click to expand...

yeah, but don't make my mistake and go straight to the 33% top fuel. Apparently that stuff is considered race grade only and ruins your engine allot quicker.

*pouts as he heads back to his LHS for 20% instead*
 
traxxas has to much oil and stinks i run it just because i was new also and dont want to change fuels but when this engine goes i will go with either o'donnels or byrons or some trinity moster power

traxxas is ok but definatly does not perform as nice as other fuels I've seen and it stinks other nitro smells good
 
My buddy with is Revo runs 20% nitro/16% oil. I dont have a revo but i run 25%/12%. Hope that helps!!:boxing:
 
Well my truck won't be delivered until later this week. I might take this can of fuel back to my LHS, it's unopened, I'll see if they'll take it back. If they don't and I decide to use it (it's 20%) will I have to retune the engine if I switch fuels? Whatever I decide to do I'm gonna stick with the 20% mixture.
 
If you switch fuel, you will have to re-tune the engine a bit for sure. I had to retune mine when i went from 20% to 25%.
 
I love Traxxas fuel for bashing. I've run Odonnell and Byrons with good results but for general bashing I'm not quite as concerned about the extra power. When I'm bashing I'm happier knowing that my engine is getting enough lubrication w/o putting a temp gauge on it every 5 minutes. Plain and simple, my TRX 3.3 runs cooler with Top Fuel.

Many people have said that Traxxas engines tend to run a little better with Traxxas fuels and I CANNOT disagree.
 
You will almost certainly have to retune for different fuels as well as day to day if there are big differences in the weather. Its an ongoing process but don't worry about it too much its not a big deal once you get used to it.
 
Lessen said:
I love Traxxas fuel for bashing. I've run Odonnell and Byrons with good results but for general bashing I'm not quite as concerned about the extra power. When I'm bashing I'm happier knowing that my engine is getting enough lubrication w/o putting a temp gauge on it every 5 minutes. Plain and simple, my TRX 3.3 runs cooler with Top Fuel.

Many people have said that Traxxas engines tend to run a little better with Traxxas fuels and I CANNOT disagree.
Click to expand...

I might stick with the Traxxas fuel, I won't be do any racing and I like your thought about the engine getting enough lubrication.

Thanks for the advice everyone!
 
traxxas stuff is what i run but it smells horrible and does it really have any more oil then anything else ?? they do not list there oil content on the bottle
 
I can't say for certain that it has more oil than others but I can say that it allows my 3.3 to run cooler.. and that IS taking into consideration the retune. Power for power, Top Fuel runs cooler.
 
Yesterday, while Lil Andretti was riding his dirt bike, I decided to try the Revo. We were out of Traaxs fuel so I put in my Nitrotane. I ran it for about 5 min and then it was losing all it's power and got VERY hot and wouldn't run faster than a crawl. It didn't dawn on me that the oil in Top Fuel was keeping it cool and the Nitrotane was probably making it run WAY to lean. It melted the quick start wire off. I had no tools with me so I'll need to fix it today. Hope it's a quick fix. Always something on race day it seems.
 
yeah I'm sure that traxxas may have more oil or what not to make it run cooler but my buddies revo same engine and all will blow the wheels of mine and hes running odonells 20% at 240-260 degrees mine wont keep up and i run mine at 250-270 and i run top fuel 20%
 
Coach Z said:
There are many brands of fuel and even more oppinions about them. The basic differences are nitro % and oil content. Stay away from plane or heli fuels and you should be fine with any brand in the 20-30 percent nitro content.
Click to expand...

I don't know if I'd go as far as saying to avoid Heli fuels. I've been using a 20% heli fuel and have had absolutely no problems on my 3.3.
 
Scrogg said:
So that being said,My favorite fuel is Trinity Monster Horsepower 30% or 20%.
Click to expand...

My favorite fuel is Trinity Monster Horsepower 20 % too, that's what I run in my LST2......another guy at my LHS runs the same thing and nothing else !:D
Here ya go:
http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/products_id/18710
or here, but why pay more ? :
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXNE22
http://www.teamtrinity.com/ - Team Trinity is going to re-open as of May 31st as 'Team Epic'

MrClean said:
Well my truck won't be delivered until later this week. I might take this can of fuel back to my LHS, it's unopened, I'll see if they'll take it back. If they don't and I decide to use it (it's 20%) will I have to retune the engine if I switch fuels? Whatever I decide to do I'm gonna stick with the 20% mixture.
Click to expand...

Good luck if they take it back.:D You don't have tp re-tune unless you switch your percentage of nitro, not just if you switch different fuels.;)

BOUTCH said:
If you switch fuel, you will have to re-tune the engine a bit for sure. I had to retune mine when i went from 20% to 25%.
Click to expand...

You only have to re-tune when you switch from 20% to 25% like you did, but not if you just switch different fuels with the same nitro content.:D

Coach Z said:
You will almost certainly have to retune for different fuels as well as day to day if there are big differences in the weather. Its an ongoing process but don't worry about it too much its not a big deal once you get used to it.
Click to expand...

No you don't and you shouldn't have to re-tune day to day either.:D

harrysmith500 said:
I like O'donells...
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O'donnels after time will turn everything yellow, like the fuel tank.:D
 
Last edited:
another part of the fuel you should keep an i on, is the percentage of synthetis oil and castor. the synthetic oil burns away alot quicker then the castor oil so for general bashing a higher castor oil content is good.
 
Good luck if they take it back.:D You don't have tp re-tune unless you switch your percentage of nitro, not just if you switch different fuels.;)



You only have to re-tune when you switch from 20% to 25% like you did, but not if you just switch different fuels with the same nitro content.:D

You will have to re-tune when switching fuel brands. Different brands use different mixtures in the fuels. So alot of times switching fuels even though the nitro percentage is the same the tune will be off.

taz1175 said:
Good luck if they take it back.:D You don't have tp re-tune unless you switch your percentage of nitro, not just if you switch different fuels.;)



You only have to re-tune when you switch from 20% to 25% like you did, but not if you just switch different fuels with the same nitro content.:D
Click to expand...

Just switching brands even though the nitro percentage may be the same you will have to retune. Not all fuels companies use the same mixtures.
 

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