John,


First of all, you did not state if it was an aero, or a car.

It is for sure a tapered-bore engine, which needs to be broken-in as described in [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/Tapered%2DBore_Engine_Break%2Din_%2D_Upgraded/m_1850473/tm.htm]this thread[/link].

Read it carefully.


Running the engine dry at the end of the day is good practice.

You must use fuel that contains plenty of [link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXS627&P=ML]Castor oil[/link] and after running the engine dry, put some [link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXL391&P=RF]After-Run oil[/link] in it and spin it for a second with the starter, or flip it over several times, to circulate the AR on all the steel surfaces.
This will make sure no rust forms. You can use equivalent products; not only those I linked.

Never leave raw fuel in the engine, since the methanol is hygroscopic (attracts moisture) and the nitro in the fuel creates nitric acid; both make the steel parts in the engine rust.