Understanding your rc nitro fuel can be confusing.

There are many truths and myths about RC Nitro Fuel.

So, you are thinking about or already have a rc nitro vehicle and you are wondering about RC Nitro Fuel.

Understanding your rc nitro fuel is very important.

Rc Nitro Fuel is the combination of three components: Nitromethane, Methanol and Oil.

Let us take a closer look at each of these components of rc nitro fuel.

Nitromethane is derived from propane. By it's self nitromethane is not extremely flammable.

The most important factor of nitromethane is that it carries oxygen with each molecule.

This helps to get more oxygen into the combustion chamber. This enables the rc nitro engine to burn more rc nitro fuel and produce more power.

Nitromethane is kind of like a chemical supercharger. The percent of nitromethane in rc nitro fuel is how manufacturers rate the fuel.

This can be any where from 5 to 60 percent nitro blend, but for rc truck and car applications it is between 10 to 40 percent.

Do follow your engine manufacturer's recommendations on what percent nitro to use.

2 - Methanol. Methanol was originally derived from distilled wood products, but today it is commonly derived from natural gas.

Methanol is the primary component of rc nitro fuel and also the most dominant.

Methanol has a natural cooling ability that cools the air/fuel mixture entering the engine.

With the air/fuel mixture being cooler causes the air to be denser, thus more oxygen.

This adds more power potential to your rc nitro fuel. With methanol having a high evaporation rate it helps lower rc nitro engine operating temperatures.

Methanol is the primary energy source of rc nitro fuel.

The oil blend can be made up of all castor oil, all synthetic oil or a combination of castor and synthetic.

Some rc nitro fuel manufacturers think that their oil blend is a highly regarded secret, while others state it right on the bottle.

Oil content can be easily checked through evaporation.

Manufacturers today of rc nitro fuel most often use a combination of castor and synthetic oil.

The reasons for using a combination of oils are: Castor oil at higher temperatures starts to break down.

Normally this is a bad thing, but not with castor oil, it's properties change.

When it starts to break down its lubricating properties increase forming a lubricating film at high temperature.

This film actually protects the engine better. The downside to this film is that it can gum up your rc nitro engine.

Synthetic oil's role in all this is that it lubricates very good at lower temperatures and high RPMs.

As temps rise synthetic oil starts to burn off leaving little or no protection for your rc nitro engine.

The oil blend in rc nitro fuel for trucks and cars will vary from 10 to 18 percent.

Luckily for us the chemists with the fuel makers and the engineers of rc nitro engines have this all figured out for us.

Along with these three major components of rc nitro fuel there are some other additives in small amounts.

These additives will be unique to each brand of rc nitro fuel. Some of these additives could be anti-foaming agents, anti-corrosion agents or a degumming agent.

These additives are one of the areas the differentiates each brand of rc nitro fuel.

1. Increasing the percent of nitromethane you run will not assure you will get better or higher performance.

2. You should always breakin your rc nitro engine on the same nitromethane percentage you plan on running after breakin.

3. Too high a percentage of nitromethane can cause predetonation. If you are experiencing predetonation you may have to shim your head button.

4. If you run high percent nitro, you should remove your head button and check for pitting.

If you are wondering about how to handle and store your rc nitro fuel check out the page on Handling and Storage of rc nitro fuel.

Learn about Storing and Handling Rc Nitro Fuel

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