c.rod

okay guys, i should be making the plunge this weekend if time permits. (buying xxl)

ive been reading, studying, watching . nitro break in, sealing,etc videos and posts for weeks now.lol. it will probably take me a month or so of tinkering before i actually drive it. lol. im going to seal the engine, and loctite the screws etc. (it probably helps, its colder than s%#@ right now in michigan anyway)

SOOOOO.

1. what kind/brand of nitro are you running in the xxl/your trucks.? and what percent nitro?

2. what kind/brand glo plug are you running in the xxl, and hot,, cold , medium etc.

is this stuff anygood? (which one should i get also) http://www.odonnellracing.com/



im starting to get the picture how, nitro percent, affects compression, heat etc.

so the higher the nitro content the colder the plug should be?then engine shimming comes into play?

basically i want to run in the safe zone since its my first nitro rc. i want to be able to tune it also. the truck will be used for bashing.


thanks for the help

Mclovin350z

I use 20% and 30% byron fuel mixed 50-50. I believe it also comes in 25%, but not where I live. I also run O'donnell #99 plugs now, I was running OS #8 plugs before. I like the #99, it makes more power and idles better. I'm unsure about the longevity of the #99 plugs though, you may want to get some of each.

The fuel you linked is a bit lower oil content than I would use, but it must be good for something......probably hardcore race engines.I would look for 10-12% oil at the most. Anything more will cause trouble.

c.rod

oops i was actually just trying to link to the manuf. page.....

their T BLEND is 10% oil

and their RTR is 12% oil

so i could use either of those with a medium heat range plug?

ill probably get some of each to try out.. (odonnel, os etc)

just to make sure im right, the less oil content the more "power", running leaner etc.....

Mclovin350z

Less oil means cleaner, cooler, safer running. Too much oil can actually lead to over-leaning the engine, because of all the smoke and cruddy oil that tries to burn at 30,000 rpm. The r2r looks good, it must be new. I used to use their 14% oil, 20% nitro'race blend' fuel and it was decent stuff.

HerrSavage

I run %25 and firmly believe that the OS A5 will get the most performance from a Losi 454 - or any of the SH engines - Mach, Big Red, LRP, etc.. For break-in use a hotter plug - like what it comes with, or an OS #8..

The A5 btw has been renamed the #10.. FYI...

Mclovin350z

No doubt a cold plug like #5 willrun better on the top-end. How does it run down low with that plug?

1QwkSport2.5r

Non LC numbered OS plugs are not long reach plugs. They will work, but not as ideal as a long plug. Idle and transition to wot will be better with long reach plugs. Depending on mixture, you may or may not notice. I just find so many people use OS plugs and they aren't the right plug to use in most engines because of the shorter reach. The last 2 OS plugs I used was a #5 and #8 and they were so short. Use what you like.

I have had good luck with McCoy #59 hot plugs, but odonnell are good too. I use #59's from 0% nitro up to 25%. Higher than 25% I'd use a medium long reach plug. I forget the number off hand.

For off the shelf fuel, I like 25% nitro byrons, or 20% nitro blue thunder race. Byrons smells different than most other fuels I've used (exhaust is what smells different.)

HerrSavage

I've heard about the different-length plugs thing, but I seriously doubt it makes a difference. I've used McCoy and Odonnel and LRP and Novarossi I think, but still, for these SH engines, the OS A5 just gives the best top-end performance.. True though, idle is a bit less constant, so you have to blip the throttle more to keep things cleared, but for all out performance, for me the OS A5 is best... Temps are cool too...

c.rod

ok so we need to use LONG plugs in the 454 motor?

so if you are using a nitro 20% with 12% oil/caster such as this http://www.odonnellracing.com/tblendfuel/index.html

you should be using a hot plug? or medium?

i understand that individual motors, fuel type, etc. make a difference but is it true, roughly that 20% nitro and under use hot/medium plugs,. any above that use cold plugs?

oh btw.... im not trying to push the motor to its max just yet, (i.e. running max nitro %) i just want to get the hang of tuning etc...

1QwkSport2.5r

With 20% fuel, I'd run a hot plug. I use hot plugs in everything 5% nitro to 25% nitro. I probably should drop to a medium temp plug on the 25%, but both my Mach 427 and me SH .28 run really good on the hot plugs.

ntrain42

Before you start swapping out plugs etc. stick with the stock one for now, get to know ur truck FIRST before making any changes. Use a good fuel like Byron's 20% or O'Donnell.

c.rod

ok. this is the fuel i got. http://www.odonnellracing.com/racingfuel/index.html

all they had locally , guru hobby guy, said it should be easier to tune due to the 8% oil ratio, but make sure i dont run it to lean..

also i got http://www.osengines.com/accys/glowplugs.html

the LC3 hot,

the LC4 medium. both are long reach,

ill try the stock plug for starters on break in etc. but i fig it would be nice to see the diff. in a medium and hot plug once i get going... but seems like with 20% fuel its ok to use a hot plug,

1QwkSport2.5r

If you are brand new to nitro, I would go with a 12% oil content vs. The 8% you were planning on. It's too easy to get too lean (I know from my own newbie experience). Once you get good at tuning the. You could drop the oil content if you choose.

Engines cope with extra oil far better than too little. If you decide to go with the 8% anyway, I'd add 2-3oz of castor oil to a gallon of fuel for extra insurance. Castor oil has a superior ability to protect the engine in the event of a lean run. Some will argue the extra oil point, but to those I would suggest asking around in the glow engines forum towards the bottom of the RCU main forum page.

During combustion, most of your synthetic oil will burn therefore reducing lubrication of the engine. This is where the extra castor shines because it burns about 200 degrees higher than the synthetics thus giving you better lubrication. I do not think typical blends have enough castor oil. (typical 80/20 blends only have 2.4% castor from a 12% overall oil content)
This is just my opinion.

ntrain42

Is the O Donnell fuel only 8%? I use that for my racing .21's but I use Traxxas top fuel for break-in and my bashing rollers, I know its 16%. Its good stuff and its pretty cheap too.

HerrSavage

Break in with the stock plug or an OS #8 - but try the OS A5/#10!! More top-end...

c.rod

ok im take the race stuff back for now, im gonna run straight caster % for break in. i got some of this. which shouldi use for break in?
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXAJP0&P=0

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXBBS7&P=0

12% or 16% caster

1QwkSport2.5r

For break-in, I'd use the 16% oil. Run your engine only slightly rich as the extra oil will provide plenty of lubrication and the leaner setting will allow the engine to get up to proper temperature for the liner to expand. Another brand I've had great luck with is fuel from SIG Manufacturing. www.sigmfg.com I know they make car fuel.

Mclovin350z

I would get fuel with 10-12% oil and run it as rich as possible while maintaininga goodtemp and running characteristics....even if you have to wrap the head with something to keep it up around 200. The extra fuel and oil comingthroughhelps flush out the microscopic particles that wear off during those first couple tanks. Castor oil really works it's magic in the higher temperatures, that's why having a syn/castor blend is best.

1QwkSport2.5r

The airplane guys like to run a 25% oil content for break-in of tapered-bore engines and running the mixture leaner. The extra oil cancels out the need for a richer mixture. Airplane engines are operated much differently than car engines are, obviously. The break-in methods are slightly different but remains the same for tapered bore engines(ABC/ABN/ABL/AAC): Run it at a rich 2-stroke mixture, get it heated up and run it through its paces.

Here's some tapered-bore break-in info some may get something from. This is written around aircraft engines, but the principles are the same. (oil content is obviously different in car engines but I'd still use an extra 5% oil for break-in in a car engine)
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_1850473/tm.htm
Its more-or-less a type of heat cycling though those guys run their engines for a longer time at a stretch than I do. I run mine for about 5 minutes at a time before cooling it down.

bigblock454XXL

My Feedback: (-1)

There's a huge amount of info in this link. There was a few of us that had bought one when it first came out. The first 3-4 pages aren't much. . . . .then about page 5-6 it gets interesting. Take some time this weekend and read up. You'll learn a ton. I was one that had recorded a 52 MPH run with my XXL. I Had a picture of it somewhere and it was posted again a few times but not sure where. Good luck to ya. Oh, I ran Byrons 20% in all my nitro trucks and ran an O'donnells plug.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_85..._1/key_/tm.htm

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhFpmd4IbOQ[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2Z2iQIlhj8[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm6QA7yVB_8[/youtube]

c.rod

looks awesome... ive seen those vids before...lol. didnt know it was you. lol. im gonna seal my motor tonight. check some kit screws. (a lot of them were loose that i randomnly checked.....

hopefully start it for the first time on mon. when my fuel comes in from tower hobbies... no one has crap for fuel in MI right now. just race stuff or traxxas....lol. nothing that might be considered "break in"fuel with a little higher oil content....

bjhe333

Blue thunder sport fuel 20% Seems to hold a tune nicly. I also like trinity monster fuel.

mccoy mc59, a5 for glow plugs.