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Breaking-in your nitro engine.


Samari

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When you first get an engine you will need to break it in, it can also be a good idea to do a mini version of this break in if you increase the nitro content of your fuel.

This guide is intended as an outline only, if this guide differs at all from the instructions given in the handbook then it's best to stick with what the handbook says.

The most important this to remember about breaking-in your engine is patience, yes it's boring but it's something that will ensure you get the best lifetime and performance from your engine.

General tips:

~Make sure you have a fully charged rotostart battery (not needed for pullstart engines), a charged glowstarter, batteries for your transmitter and receiver aswel as plenty of fuel and some spare glowplugs.

~Use a hot glow plug for breaking-in the engine.

~Use a fuel 2-5% lower in nitro content than you intend to use in normal usage.

~If the engine feels like it has 'jammed' and won't turn over then this means it has probably flooded. To sort this out you need to remove the glowplug, turn the engine upside down and try to start it, you will see the fuel spitting out of the engine.

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Here are the 10 steps to breaking-in your engine:

1)Fill your tank with fuel,

2)Put your car on a box or stand so the wheels can spin freely, check that the drivetrain is not binding.

3)Make sure all the radio equipment is turned off then manually open the carb a quarter of the way.

4)Heat the engine with a hairdryer for a few minutes, this will make it easier to start and is especially important in cold conditions.

5)Prime the engine by yanking the pull-start/blipping the rotostart and put your finger over the exhaust outlet, when the fuel is just outside the carb stop or you risk flooding the engine.

6)Start the engine and adjust the carb for a slightly high idle.

7)Let it idle for about five minutes.

8)Put your finger over the exhaust outlet to stop the engine, move the flywheel until you feel the least resistance, this ensures the piston is not stuck top dead center of the engine (TDC).

9)For the next 4 tanks of fuel drive your car in small figures of 8's, at no time must you go full (WOT) or 3/4 throttle.

10)Your engine has now been 'heat-cycled', for the next few tanks you can slowly increase the revs and after you have completed a total of around 7-10 tanks you can start to tune your engine for optimum performance.

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Further information on tuning your engine, general tips and a in-depth explanation of how RC engines work can be found in the other stickes of the Nitro section, if you have any questions about using your engine or would like to talk about any issues our members are always quick to help.

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  • 9 months later...

When breaking in the engine on my revo 3.3 the book says not to let car idle on a stand.They reckon the best method is to run the car at 1/4 throttle on and off for 2 second bursts for the first tank with the body off .

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When breaking in the engine on my revo 3.3 the book says not to let car idle on a stand.They reckon the best method is to run the car at 1/4 throttle on and off for 2 second bursts for the first tank with the body off .

They all say different things... i mean this OS version of the break in is really IMO C**P

I think its runs far too lean and alsorts... but i'll stick to wat the manual says...

Ziggy

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

hiya iv never broke any of my engines in any thing iv had 1 of them is still going strong after 3 years of bashing and its tuned

u tuned and went for it??

u'r lucky... that the conrod aint snapped

Breaking in Remove fractional amounts of the liner so that the piston is a perferct fit...

Since this tightness is the piston been too large for the liner it may cause the conrod to snap if it locks at TDC....

Which is basically a new engine there on...

Ziggy

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  • 5 weeks later...

When breaking in the engine on my revo 3.3 the book says not to let car idle on a stand.They reckon the best method is to run the car at 1/4 throttle on and off for 2 second bursts for the first tank with the body off .

Every manufacture have there own breaking in methods

Stick to manual really - if they have a warranty system

Also like to add 3 tips

1. Heating the engine make a huge difference This will for nearly every time until about 10 tanks have gone through

2. When breaking in the engine - the exhaust get filled with "junk" fuel

When its on its cooling time between tanks - tilt the car on its side so that most of this unburnt stuff is coming out

IT can cause a car to stall due to it sucking gunk up and not able to push/pressurize the tank to help keep the engine running

3. Loosening the glowplug by 1/4 turn reduces compression - helping starting and then tighten it up once the engines started

Ziggy

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just another addition...

I had real problems with locking at TDC, (Traxxas Revo 3.3) not flooding. I gave up for day and followed after run procedure (squirt of WD40). The WD40 then allowed the engine to start easily next time, and break in procedure.

When you get a new car, you should squirt some wd40 in, turn it over with glow plug out ( makes sure the WD40 doesn't hydro lock the engine)

I haven't suffered a lock at TDC since, and now on tank 10 or so.

Ed

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  • 3 weeks later...

:helpsmilie: is it essential that you use a lower % fuel when breaking in an engine?

Its gotta be a suitable range really :)

For example for a .15 break it in on 16 or 20

But not 25%

Use whats Suggested for the engine really :)

At factory settings the oil content will be shown as lots of it is spat out of the exhaust :)

Ziggy

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:helpsmilie: is it essential that you use a lower % fuel when breaking in an engine?

Prity much. As the guide above says use a fuel with a nitro content about 5-10% less than your going to run it once its tune. I.E if your going to run it on 25% break in on 16%-20% :good:

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i dont see why really? people always have problems starting their engines cos they're using too lower nitro %age for the engine, so itll struggle to run optimumly on a good day. i ran my engine in on 25% ODs, had a problem with it on the second tank but that was an idle issue and i soon sorted it - the rest it started within like 5 pulls every tank :)

id say run it in on what you will be using long term - itll save both money buying different fuels and also when you tune it up while running it in you will get a proper tune :)

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well if its going to be running at high temperatures you want it to get up to temp during break in really, which is why you also use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temps ;) otherwise for eg if you run it in on 16% and it all seems good and fine then you switch to 25% and hammer it, the engines gunner run a lot hotter and because you think youve ran it in properly you wont think of how much hotter things are getting ;)

if you feel more safe to run it in on lower %age thats fine by me :) thats just what i personally like to do :)

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Which is why when you finsh breaking in on say 16% you make sure its still and factory settings and if you have tuned it with 16% you make sure you reset to factory before running with 25% :good:

Also dont engines run cooler on higher nitro (big blocks anyway) im sure someone said that before

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  • 3 weeks later...

iv always been told never to mix your percentages of fuel you use in an engine as can cause serious harm

plus i agree with sea118 because if you intend on using 25 % the engine needs to be bedded into that range and mixing fuels could cause unwanted problem, also i cant see the problem as the point of run in is to take it easy so it would be the same as using 20% and taking it easy.

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i agree with Sea118.

i prefer to break engines in with the fuel i'll actually be using, all running in does is free the bore up so it doesn't create heat and seize it when driving it about normally. Doesn't really matter what fuel you use.

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  • 2 weeks later...

It depends on what engine you are talking about. It's more of an issue with BB's when you use a higher % content. Breaking in a .28 with 25% aint a good idea. The compression and heat are just too much.

iv always been told never to mix your percentages of fuel you use in an engine as can cause serious harm

It's best not to keep changing yes, however it's better to make one increase in % change rather than break the engine in on a % that's too high.

Either way refer to the manual that comes with the engine, most recommend beginning with a lower % but if yours says different then follow that.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

ok well after starting break in today i thought id post the most helpful tips i was give:

1, use a hair dryer to aid starting as this really did help me today (just give it a blast til the engine feels hot)

2. loosent the plug 1/4 of a turn when starting but make sure you tighten it up asap

3. blow the fuel to the carb using the fuel line that goes to your exhaust

4. if the pull starter is v tight loosen/remove the plug and give it a few pulls then re tighten and undo a 1/4 of a turn

5. Make sure ur glow plug ignitor is v charged up

6. have FUN and remember when things get bad tht in the end itl be dam good fun, hence why you brought it

and if you get stuck ask on here, i found some people very hand and it really made the start of my break in alot smoother, seen as my cars throttle was set to fully open instead of idle!

special thanks to CEW27 and evoboy for bein their on msn whilst i tinkered and questioned

Edited by creamsodauk
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