Maintenance and Tuning for Your Nitro RC Cars

So now that you know what’s under the hood of your nitro RC cars and trucks, there are few more tips that will help your car run better.

Improve your acceleration by proper preparation of your clutch.  Over time, a glaze can form on the clutch and the clutch bell, which causes the car’s acceleration to noticeably decrease.  Scuffing both the clutch shoes and the clutch bell with fine-grit sandpaper or steel wool and a good cleaning with motor-spray will remove this glaze, and prevent the clutch from slipping again the clutch bell.

Extend the life of your car’s differential by breaking your motor in gently.  Your car’s differential filled with small, complicated gears that make them both complicated and expensive.  This is not a part you want to replace frequently, but carefully breaking in your car before racing or running it full out can greatly extend the differential’s lifespan.  To break in your engine, run it at ¼ power a few inches off the ground, and then run some slow, steadily powered figure 8’s.  This should set the gears in the differential and you can run it full out without damaging the engine.

Make sure you keep your header in position.  Your car’s header is attached with a tiny spring, meaning it comes off very easily if you hit something or if your car gets hit by something.  If you’re racing, this can be a huge problem to put back on in a hurry, so be sure to attach your header to the engine block more firmly using a small piece of safety wire.  Make sure you twist the wire firmly around the header and be sure to cut off any excess.

Brace your air filter to prevent losing or damaging it.  The small piece of the same safety wire that secures your header should also be used brace your filter.  Again, twist it tightly to prevent the filter from becoming loose and remove any excess.

Protect your pull-start cord from fraying and breaking.  Over time, the cord of a pull-start engine can often become worn and frayed.  This can be prevented by covering the edges of the opening- try duct tape or cutting up a small section of fuel tubing.  Make sure not to obstruct the opening, but rather create a smoother edge to the opening for the cord get in and out of with out fraying.  Never leave your pull start cord pulled all the way out- if this happens, it could get stiff or be impossible to reinsert.

Follow your manufacturer’s instructions for the best results.  Your car will come with complete instructions and owner’s manual, which you should read carefully for all specifications and any technical issues you have with your nitro RC car or truck.  Should you run into something you can’t fix or an engine that simply won’t run properly (or at all!), it’s best to consult your local hobby shop for some expert advice and help.

To keep your nitro RC car or truck running at its best, constant maintenance is necessary.  This includes keeping the engine clean and well-tuned, setting it up correctly and using good clean fuel.  As well, if you’re running your RC off-road, you’ll need to make certain it is properly cleaned after you run it, otherwise dirt and grit can slow down or even ruin your engine. Any special procedures particular to your car will be outlined in your owner’s manual.  Remember that your engine will only run as well as you treat it—so take great care of it, and you’ll never have trouble on race day.