Find Out About Engines for Nitro Remote Control Cars



Posted: Wednesday, January 09, 2008

by J.A. Robbins
http://www.rc-cars-hobby.com

There are many types of engines for nitro remote control cars, each with its own important distinguishing features. Knowing about what sets each kind of engine apart is essential for being able to properly maintain your nitro RC cars. Let's explore the different nitro car engines available.

The vast majority of nitro car engines are 2-stroke engines - in contrast to engines for lawn mowers and life-sized cars, which are 4-stroke engines. In the course of operation, an engine's piston moves in cycles - each of which entails two strokes. A 4-stroke engine needs two distinct piston cycles to operate; one cycle eliminates burnt fuel and introduces fresh fuel, and the other cycle actually powers the car. By contrast, in a 2-stroke engine, the car is powered by only one cycle.

Engines for nitro remote control cars have limited lifespans, and those who race nitro RC cars will need to replace their engines frequently. The engine can wear out as soon as after the car goes through one gallon of fuel - though, if you are more careful in maintaining it, you can increase the engine's life expectancy tenfold. The better maintained engines can last you up to ten gallons. For a small engine like that of a nitro RC car, that's a lot of fuel to go through! Keep in mind that nitro RC engines are about 0.12 to 0.30 inches in their size.

"Small blocks" is the term used to refer to smaller engines for nitro remote control cars. The size of these can be anywhere from 0.12 to 0.18 inches. You'll most often find small blocks in 1:10 scale RC nitro cars. Crankshafts for small blocks are threaded all along the engine's visible part. The big block engines (0.19 to 0.30 inches), however, employ an SG crankshaft that is just threaded in the middle. Traxxas nitro engines differ from both small blocks and big blocks; these engines employ the IPS - short for "Integrated Pilot Shaft." The IPS's e-clip slot enables users to change the clutch bell much more easily than is possible in other kinds of engines.

All engines for nitro remote control cars also have an aluminum cooling head with fins on it to direct the heat that the engine generates toward the outside - thereby preventing the engine from overheating. The cooling head needs adequate ventilation in order to perform its job. Making a hole in the windshield of your nitro RC car will make this ventilation much easier to achieve. Tuning your engine regularly is also a great way to minimize the risk of overheating.

Find more highly useful information on http://www.rc-cars-hobby.com/engines-for-nitro-remote-control-cars.html for nitro remote control cars when you explore the articles at http://www.rc-cars-hobby.com . Our site gives you the opportunity to easily find parts for remote control cars.

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