Nitro-Powered RC Car - Radio Control Hobbies
Interested in a nitro-powered RC car? If you have the need for speed (or you're a junkie for The Fast and the Furious), then there’s no question that this is your ride. An RC nitro car leaves those electric RCs eating dust, going up to speeds of 75 mph. That's a LOT of heat! No wonder nitro RC cars are among the hottest items in the remote control hobby niche.
There's more to nitro-powered RC cars than their cool name. You can't use regular gasoline in these models; they run on nitro fuel, which is a mixture of nitromethane, methanol, and oil. This special type of hobby fuel allows the car to run with greater speed and power. Nitro engines start easily because of the use of a "glow plug" which is heated with a glow start, a type of igniter. These are precision engines which must be adjusted and modified over time. In other words, nitro cars have engines that regular gasoline can’t satisfy. This is in particular for 1/8 to 1/10 scale cars. The nitro fuel lasts for hours, an advantage over electric cars that need constant recharging.
When selecting a nitro-powered RC car, choose a reliable brand to ensure quality and performance. On-road RCs, known as "street cars," come in realistic replicas of originals, such as HPI’s RTR Nitro RS4 3 Evo. Another excellent RC brand offering some of the fastest radio-controlled cars is Traxxas' line of nitro cars, which are beefed up with powerful engines and can be modified with aero packages. Traxxas’ nitro models, such as the Nitro 4 Tec 3.3 1/10 sedan come with the engines pre-installed according to factory specs, and require you to purchase batteries for their particular starter, the EZstart. Street cars or sedans such as these are great if you want hobby-grade vehicles to operate mostly on race tracks, asphalt, or in a parking lot.
You can buy nitro-powered rc cars in RTR, ATR or in kit form. RTR kits are fully assembled with the motor, the pre-installed radio equipment as well as the radio control. ATRs (Almost-ready to Run) or prebuilt models do not include the motor or radio components. If you get your nitro car in kit form, you will need to add equipment to the basic chassis. You can purchase nitro starter kits specifically for nitro-powered cars, which is conveniently packed with all the necessary accessories.
Nitro cars allow for more customization, so you'll be able to modify your car in the future. They also require more care and maintenance than electric cars because they have a gas engine, but this provides great learning experiences for the RC hobbyist. When breaking-in a car engine, it’s common practice to run the engine while the car is off the ground. Do this method after at least 3 to 4 tanks, making sure the engine’s temperature does not exceed its heat level. When you see a sufficient amount of blue smoke emitting from the exhaust, you’re about done; you do not want the engine to generate too much heat by running too long. Of course, breaking-in of a nitro car will vary from brand to brand, so make sure you thoroughly read the owner’s manual that comes with your kit.
On-road or off-road, the nitro car is unbeatable for its engine power, throttle, speed, and quality performance. So, are you ready to rev it up? With an RC nitro-powered car, be sure to do no less!