Glow Plugs, Glow Plugs, Glow Plugs....Help!!!
 

Hey Folks,

I've been collecting a hodgepodge of new or almost new engines over the winter months waiting for it to warm up here. I'm just getting back into the sport, and have about zero real-life experience with nitro. So... I've been buying inexpensive engines to re-learn to drive, and learn the twisty ways of nitro before dumping cash on good engines that I'd destroy. Between my Son-in-law and myself we have 2 Jammin CRT's and 3 Jammin CR's with a variety of engines:

Buggiy Engines
2 Hyper 21's
1 OFNA .21 4 Port
1 Rebuilt GS B01

Truggy Engines
1 Peak Racing Dragon .28
1 RB TM928
1 OFNA Force 26

Anyway, so I have this mishmash of engines, and I'm wondering if there are glow plugs that will work well with all of them, or am I going to have to use different ones with the different engines? Are there some basic rules of thumb in selecting the plugs? There seem to be ALOT out there and I can't make any sense of it. I understand that the percent of nitro in the fuel has a bearing on plug choice as does the ambient temperature that you run in, and I know that TOO hot of a plug can cause the engine to fire early. But I'm still a bit lost as where to start.

Thanks,
Kris

The Hyper .21's like Mcoy 8 (Medium) and Mcoy 59 (hot) The hotter plug will give you slightly better performance, but you need an crisper tune. The medium plug will idle better and make tuning easier, but steal some performance. Start with the MC8 and take it from there

+1 on the mc8 and mc59

What about the other engines I listed? Will those plugs work well or will I have to have a different plug for each engine? I'm probably not as concerned for max performence as I am for reliable functionality right now. When I get to the point where I can make it around the track several times with out exposing the bottom of the chassis to the sunlight I'll standardize on a single engine for each class of car.

The Mcoys should be good for the other Ofna engines as well, not sure about the other engines listed..The RB might take a turbo plug...you really should use the factory suggested plug for each engine...there is no such thing as a universal Glow plug..some pugs are long some are short, then there is 5 different temperatures, turbo, and standard, long filiment short filiment..I highly doubt you can find one plug to work with all these engines, but the Mcoys I suggested will work with 3 of them!

LOL Well, that gets me HALF way there! I'll have to check with RB, Peak and GS. Thanks!

Welcome, good luck, have fun

Kris,

Here are a few rules of thumb.

1. higher nitro % ...use a cooler plug
2. higher the compresion ratio ...use cooler plug
3. smaller the engine(<.18) ...use a warmer plug
4. richer fuel mixture ...use a warmer plug
5. higher RPM ...use a cooler plug
6. need better idle ...use a warmer plug


All of the engines you listed are .21 or larger so I'd recommend starting with medium/warm (MC-55, O'Donnell #1) and if those work well switch to a medium (O'Donnell #2), you could also go to the MC-8 (medium cool). I think the medium plug will give you a bit more life.

Some engines have "turbo" heads, the opening for the plug is smaller where it meets the combustion chamber. So you need to make sure you buy turbo plugs for those engines.

Awesome!! Thanks Chunk, that's exactly what I needed! The more I learn about nitro, the more it seem almost "mystical". There are alot more aspects to the sport than electric. Hopefully when I get to putting all this internet learning to practice it will start to fall into place.

Kris