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Choosing the correct glow plug for your nitro engine


m3lyc

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Found this guide on Ben racing whilst searching for something on google. I think its pretty good so here it is:

WHAT IS A GLOW PLUG?

A glow plug is the ignition system for your nitro-powered RC vehicle. Instead of a spark-ignition system such as those found in automobile engines, the remarkably simply glow plug is what we use to ignite the fuel in our engines. It doesn't have a single moving part or adjustment; its only functioning component is a simple, stationary coil of wire.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Starting an engine is one of the functions of a glow plug. When a glow igniter is attached to a glow plug, it causes the glow plug's coil to "glow" white-hot. This ignites the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder when the engine is started. Once the engine is running, the heat generated during compression and combustion keeps the glow plug's element hot enough to continue igniting the fuel mixture on its own without the help of an external power source. In the simplest terms possible, that's how a glow plug works.

WHAT IS A TURBO PLUG?

Glow plugs are available in two configurations: standard and turbo. Most engines come with a standard plug. They feature a straight, threaded housing that threads through the cylinder head into the combustion chamber. Turbo plugs feature a different type of housing; the end that goes into the combustion chamber is tapered. The tapered end mates with a head that is specially designed for use with turbo plugs. The head is also tapered to accept this type of plug. The supposed advantages are less compression leakage around the glow plug and less disruption of the combustion chamber. The hole in the cylinder head that exposes the glow plug to the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder is much smaller, and there are fewer rough edges to create unwanted hot spots.

WHICH TYPE OF GLOW PLUG SHOULD I USE?

OK; you've blown the glow plug that was included with your engine, so it's time to get a new one. Which one do you buy? You could try to find the same plug, if information about its brand and type was included with your engine. More likely, you will have to choose from the brands and types of plugs that are available online or at your local hobby store.

What makes the subject of choosing a glow plug a little confusing is the variety of types that are available. Each manufacturer offers a range of plugs, from as few as three or four up to 10 or more. A plug is usually identified by a code that indicates its effective operating temperature; not the operating temperature of the engine or the outside air, but the relative temperature of the glow plug's coil. Each manufacturer has its own unique temperature-rating system, and general application recommendations are sometimes included to try to steer consumers toward the correct plugs for their needs. The process can be confusing, however, because a universal rating system does not exist for glow plugs. For example, an O.S. R5 plug is not the same as a McCoy MC-9, although both are considered "cold" plugs. A glow-plug manufacturer's guidelines will suffice for average enthusiasts who simply want their cars to run; racers and performance buffs, however, won't get the most out of their engines without a little experimentation. So what should you look for in a replacement plug?

Some general rules about plugs are determined by the size of the engine and the type of fuel used. Smaller engines usually require hotter plugs, while larger engines favor cooler plugs. Engines that run fuel containing a high percentage of nitro favor the cooler plugs as well, while those that run on less nitro prefer hotter plugs (nitro fuels for car engines typically include 10 to 40 percent nitromethane). For example, a small, .12ci (2.1cc) engine that burns high-nitro fuel would favor a warm plug in a mid-range temperature (small engine = hotter plug; high-nitro fuel = colder plug). The same plug might also be suitable for a .21ci (3.5cc) engine running low-nitro fuel (large engine = colder plug; low-nitro fuel = hotter plug).

The size of your engine and the type of fuel are easy enough to determine, so these guidelines should get you pointed in the right direction. For racing buffs who want to get maximum ponies, however, another element that's not easily determined

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  • 3 months later...

i found some good gen in the form of you tube with thanks to the squirrel lol here's the vid

near the end he talks about glow plugs and draws a little table i thought i put here to add to the growing information that we have and love on this forum. also i hope you dont mind me putting this on your post but why make another and clog the forum up :D if you do i make another post with this in and sorry :D

%Fuel Plug Characteristics

10-20 hot less power engine runs hotter engine has less wear

20-30 medium (its in between)

30+ cold more power engine runs cooler engine has more wear

however the climit can change the glow plug you use if it is cold outside, and you having problems starting your car any to say you are using a meduim plug you can put a hot one in to help your engine out a bit, and vise verser for if it was hot out side but for the uk we never get that

aslo some gen on how to tell a few things from looking at your glow plug

if the coil on the plug is white and crusty you engine is running lean

if the coil on the plug is wet it running rich

if the coil on the plug looks gray and has a bit of fuel it thats what you want

i hope this has helped a few people and made it a bit more earsyer to understand.

thanks for looking

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