knicks5171

Hi everybody,

Finished breaking in my new revo yesterday. However how do I know if I am running to lean or not? I dont have a temperature guage yet so how can I tell if my engine is to hot? It is making a weird noise when I slow down. Any information is helpful. I am new to nitro cars but having experence with nitro boats and gas boats.

Thanks Alex

snoking16

if there is no blue smoke coming out of the pipe then your running to lean.

nitrorcjunkie

Have you leaned it out from factory settings? Look for a good amount of smoke while running. Also, you can try the 'spit test'. Spit on the glowplug area of the head after a few good high speed runs. If it bubbles and evaporates in a second or two, it's too hot. If in doubt, richen it a little. RTFM

ajb1205

Go and get a temp gauge!!! It's worth spending $20-$40 to help keep your engine in one piece, plus, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than replacing your engine.

Danju

honestly, i think the only way to know if your engine is too lean or too rich comes from experience. when i first got my nitro, i asked the same question you did. now, its very easy to tell if its rich, lean, ETC...spend a lot of time learning about the engine is like. listen to the engine and note its performance. then once youve got magic in you, the rest is history.

ajb1205

Yes...this is definitely true...however, as a beginner (and I speak from experience) you do not really know what to listen for (it's easy to see if there's blue smoke coming out). A temp gun is cheap insurance for the beginner. I am now on my second engine and almost 3 gallons through my Revo. As you get more run time you will use the temp gun less and less as you learn how your engine sounds and responds. It is very easy for someone that has been in the hobby for a few years to say that you shouldn't use a temp gun and you should tune by sound and by how much smoke there is.