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Switched fuel......AMAZING

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FastEddy said:
I used BT for 3 years due to availability. I switched to Top fuel a year ago for the same reason and saw a big difference in power and stability. Yes just like your saying, I to saw a big difference.

I now switched to O'Donnell's and again have noticed a huge gain in performance. If you can get past the scank nasty discharge and fuel line discoloration is a great fuel. I never thought there would be such a difference in performance but I have now changed my tune (Nice Pun).

That's funny, I really didn't notice a difference between my usual BT 20% sport, and the O'Donnel 20% I used from Strech @ the WCB. It ran great, but so does my BT. I just ordered the new Trinity Monster Brew 20%. It is supposed to be for MT bashers so I will give it a whirl. I had a lot of success when I used to run Trinity Monster HP. I have not used Traxxas fuel do to the heavy push for it on the Traxxas video. When somone tells me I have to use something, I usally go the opposite direction. You know, like a 5 year old kid :)

I can't even find Odonnel online and my LHS doesn't carry it so I am outta luck in that dept.
 
lykan said:
This is what I have found.. certain fuels work better for certain engines.. or so I thought. Once I figured this out, I solved a lot of performance and tuning problems.

Hi oil content like traxxas top fuel/powermaster Hotter glow plug = awesome performance.

Low oil content 12% synthetic like trinity etc cold plug = awesome performance.

If you use a hot plug with low oil content, tuning is a nightmare and it over heats.. use a copld plug and they tune right up easy.

If you use a hot plug with high oil content again easy to tune runs well.
Use a cold plug with high oil and you will have problems with stalling and raw fuel out the exhaust..won't run hot enough and just plain won't run right.

I've found that if you match the glo plug to the fuel it doesn't matter which brand you run as long as it is freshly stocked.
Interesting. :idea:

I use MC59 practically all the time. On occasion I will use the MC9 or MC8. Used Os Plugs ..Hated it( as said on Men On Film{ In Living Color})! I used that plug with Top Fuel and it ran fine but I saw no power change when moving to Trinity and now Blue thunder. I have heard that HPI fuel has a High oil content that in turn helps make power since there is more lubrication in the engine. But it is pricey for me. I have never used Odonnels as it is not available to me.

My :2cents:

Jon
 
I noticed I get better power and easier tuning out of my 21's when using a medium plug. I only use the OS #8 in my engines now.

I have some misc glowplugs laying around I should get rid of... I can't remember what they even are. A LHS I used to shop at would give me a couple in the bag every other time I went there. After realizing I was being gouged on prices and the rc tech would pretty much bold face lie to you, and accused me of being stoned once... I quit going there. But I have 4 or 5 plugs NIP that I never used.
 
i used blue thunder i think it helped overheat my motor.......i'm never going to use that fuel again the traxxas fuel is ok i hate the metal can ....i'll swear by O'donnel fuel it made a huge difference in all my motor.....more power and the motor's ran like 20degree's cooler........which made a huge difference......with blue thunder i could never go thru a whole tank of gas without it overheatin.......now with the o'donnel i can run tank after tank.....you get what you pay for .
 
lucidvtec said:
i used blue thunder i think it helped overheat my motor.......i'm never going to use that fuel again the traxxas fuel is ok i hate the metal can ....i'll swear by O'donnel fuel it made a huge difference in all my motor.....more power and the motor's ran like 20degree's cooler........which made a huge difference......with blue thunder i could never go thru a whole tank of gas without it overheatin.......now with the o'donnel i can run tank after tank.....you get what you pay for .

It is funny how everyone has such a different experience. I have literally run hundreds of tanks of BT without ever flaming out. I have seen tons of power from it, racing guys using different fuels and whooping them. So to say that BT is slower and will make your engine run hotter is your experience. I have used way more BT than you so I think I have more experience with the fuel. Ron Paris isn't going to design a cheap fuel. I am not saying BT is the best fuel as that is not my opinion, but it is a good fuel and it is tuneable and power producing.
 
HumboldtBlazer said:
It is funny how everyone has such a different experience. I have literally run hundreds of tanks of BT without ever flaming out. I have seen tons of power from it, racing guys using different fuels and whooping them. So to say that BT is slower and will make your engine run hotter is your experience. I have used way more BT than you so I think I have more experience with the fuel. Ron Paris isn't going to design a cheap fuel. I am not saying BT is the best fuel as that is not my opinion, but it is a good fuel and it is tuneable and power producing.


Yup yup. Blazer says that one well. I have yet to have fuel that disagrees with me. All are great but BT is the best for the price for me. I can get 4 gallons for around 25 bux through my connection. Its great.

I saw no need for top fuel. Odonnel may be a great fuel but availability is low for me.
 
ODonnell fuel gets my vote. I keep a gallon of each around. I've been using it for about a year. Tried Top Fuel 20%, Trinity Monster 20% and Trinity Platinum 30%. I have had much better results using the 30% fuels. If you can stand the yellow stains inside the tank, fuel lines and on your t shirts ODonnell is not a bad way to go.
 
Yellow stains as in Piss yellow? Hmmm better not use your lap to work on. LOL. I would try it if I could get it. From the 20% to 30% Odonnell, is there a Big power gain?
 
Not huge but a little. Mostly cooler running engine unless you lean it for the power then the gain can be very noticeable. A novice may have trouble finding the sweet spot when trying to tune it. The smaller blocks will usually require more combustion clearance which a head shim will fix quickly.
 
I use to run top fuel about in 00,01 when I got my first car, a 4 tec. I used to run that fuel because I figured its made by the company, it got to be good for the company car. Dead wrong . As soon as I switch to O donnel I notices more bottom end, less flame out, consistiant tunning and better x-cell. I never knew O donnel left staining and fuel line discoloration, now I know why I am allways changing my fuel tubing so much. Thanks Fast eddy. I might have to buy a quart to see if top fuel has gotten better. Been with the same fuel for 5 years. You never know the might have change there process of blending there fuel !
 
Traxxas Top Fuel in the metal container doesn't do it for me. I have a fuel pump attached to my field box, the cap going to the lines for the pump only fit the gallon jugs. I dumped my BT into another container (for weed killer) then put 1/2 gallon of Traxxas in there. The rest of the can is stored in a cool dark place for future use.
Everyone seems to have different preferences for fuel, so maybe there's the possibility that different fuels behave differently in other 'brand' engines, or with other glow plugs. To the best of my knowledge, there's no such thing as a lousy fuel, or it wouldn't be on the market.
 
Hey fellas maybe its this, Since everyone lives in diffrent places and diffrent alittudes plus tempture. Maybe Thats it ?! I say everyone list there place and fuel and go from there. Maybe I wrong. But its wroth the chance. Then add it up to come to a conclusion. :idea:
 
Interesting theory Olds, and at first I thought that might have been it, but since I tuned several other 2.5s as well as my own, it doesn't account for it. It has been getting cooler now, but even on very hot days I saw the difference, and couldn't account for it till I borrowed a tank of Traxxas fuel.

Check you altitude..........Just put in your zip code. I'm at 839.

http://www.mit.edu:8001/geo
 
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