TIM.L.BARNETT

Hi guys I used to run optifuel race ( slv -super light velocity ) in my bullitt 220 engine. Then I changed to hpi rtr because it was cheaper and I could no longer get optifuel from my local model shop. I was wondering if there is any power loss from using optifuel slv to hpi rtr fuel. I'm using 25÷

Evoking1230

iTrader: (8)

25% is 25% when it comes to the lesser known fuels in my opinion. The only difference would be the oil content. Less oil is better for power. More is better for bashing.

The of course you have this brand "base" and same brand "race". Is there a difference, probably, but not enough to give you an advantage over any of the others.

10 years ago before my break, I primarily used O"Donnell. Took a break. Now back in it and started with VP 20% nitro/14% oil since it was a RTR. Switched to VP 30% nitro/9% oil. Noticed a bit more power but mostly due to the bump in nitro percentage.

I could also be talking out of my ass so someone with more intimate knowledge of fuels and fuel blends...take it away! lol

RCTecher12

iTrader: (1)

RTR fuel has more oil in it most often. The most noticeable things you will see if higher oil fuels (above 10-12%) is sluggish performance/acceleration, more mess from the exhaust, higher cylinder head temperature, etc. Usually a hotter glow plug is needed to combat the sluggishness and the consequence of that is a richer mixture to keep the plug from getting too hot. This of course depends on the brand of engine. Some engines run fine on oily fuels where others do not. Generally though, I feel it best to use a fuel with 10-12% oil which is a blend of castor and synthetic varieties. I'm an MT and ST basher only, so I tend to run a heavier castor base - Lately 6-7% castor and 4-5% Klotz Techniplate has worked fine for me in my Nova Legend and Picco P3 engines. I have used the same fuels in SH based variants with equal success... high oil fuels do run hot and can make an engine a bit more cantankerous to adjust properly. YMMV.

NitroVein

It looks like Optifuel makes the fuel for HPI as well.
The RTR fuel has 15% oil, not sure what yahoo that came up with that mix. Contrary to what they say on the webpage, it's harder to tune, and fuel consumption will not be good, power will be down.
The race fuel has 10% oil, but it's all synthetic oil (from Klotz), so it not optimal.

UrabusDenis

I've tried that 25% RTR red fuel once, because I let the shop owner make a fool out of me. Learnt from my mistakes. It was a really big drop in perfomance, in every way. I gave it to the bashing kids in my club. Get some real fuel

burnnitro

iTrader: (2)

if racing or have a high dollar engine with a lot of power, I like Byron's Race Gen II has 11% lube. they use a 50/50 ratio of caster and synthetic oil in this blend of fuel.

skylineR33

Tim you can get nitrolux fuel from a few online shops here in the UK like I did this fuel is very good, but so is byrons and I think byrons is now easier to get in the UK you get get byron online from wheelbase.co.uk and as mentioned above for racing the race gen 11 with 11% oil is very good and very popular.

incubus

iTrader: (3)

rtr fuels are generally higher in oil content to help preserve engines due to inexperience in tuning (most rtr users have little to know experience). they also seem to have a broader tuning window as well.

RCTecher12

iTrader: (1)

While the oil comment is correct typically, RTR fuels with high oil content typically do not have a broader tuning window. What does give you a broader tuning window is using higher nitromethane content in the fuel. High oil fuels require a leaner needle setting to attain clean performance. To combat this, people often use hotter glow plugs. The caveat to this is needing to use a richer needle setting. So in the end, it ends up causing higher fuel consumption and a little more finickiness getting a good needle setting. I've noticed people have less tuning problems using lower oil content fuel after using high oil fuel.

AmateuRC

I'd like to ask you a question about nitro if you can answer me...
I have been buying for a while 16% EVOT20016 Fire Plus Nitro Fuel for my Himoto 1/10, because several people told me when I was starting that it is good quality and made from the same than Merlin fuel, quite known, different brand only.
Do you know about this brand? I buy it from a spanish online shop because I buy spare parts for Himoto there quite often, but I don't know if I am doing right...

Roelof

Let me correct that:
More oil content does give a wider tuning range w/o damaging the engine directly. And more oil does give a better running engine on a worn P/S set.

And you are right that more oil content can cause tuning issues. But that is because some shops rather like to sell airplanes and only have the fuel for that on stock so they think a fuel with 15 up to 18% oil is also good for a car but that is too much.

RCTecher12

iTrader: (1)

No amount of oil regardless of type will save an engine from a hard lean run. I've seen engines go down on 8% oil as well as 20% oil. If you run an engine with high compression and tight squish on high oil fuel, it will run overcompressed which is hard on the rod and crankpin. Too lean of a setting causes the oil to burn and not lubricate and increase combustion temperature. Castor oil shines in this situation - but to a point. Most car fuels are predominately synthetic which has a bad habit of "unzipping" when pushed too hard. Doesn't matter if there's 4 ounces of it in the fuel or 40, it will still break down and burn.