How much would you charge to teach someone how to tune a nitro car?
 

I am looking for someone to teach me how to tune my nitro car. But how much would someone that's good charge?

$0. Find someone at the track who will teach you the basics and enjoys sharing their knowledge.

You dont need to pay someone. Start out with a cheap sport engine. read the tuning bible and practice. If you start from break in settings and slightly lean both needles from there until you have good snappy power and it's not running too hot or too cold, with good smoke from the engine and a steady idle, I am pretty confident you can become a good enough tuner on your own. Its really not that difficult, get some help at the track and ask what they are doing and why they are doing it and just have fun. there are plenty of $100 engines out there that will be less expensive for you to learn how to tune than to pay someone to teach you. Remember until you are an expert driver, having a perfect tune is irrelevant. Keep it running with good power and no stalling and by the time your driving gets better your tuning will follow

I was the same way when I started and just watched videos on utube about tuning and asking questions at the track. And if anyone charged you for there help or advice my opinion that would be horrible. Tuning these mills is a learned skill and everyone had to learn so thats why I would say they should charge nothing, I wouldnt

^ What he said.

There is a lot of bad advice and local 'know it alls' so go in knowing a little bit yourself.

READ:

http://www.rctech.net/forum/nitro-of...ing-bible.html

And Re-Read:

http://www.rctech.net/forum/nitro-of...ing-bible.html

With a little thought and patience you should be able to get 90% there on your own.

Get a good durable mill such as a nova 3port. You can find someone at your local track that will teach you how to run it in.

I agree. Everyone wants to help. This has to be the best hobby ever. Everyone wants to help you and not not complain about helping you. That's the best part about about this hobby.

It would be a crime if somebody would charge u how to tune a nitro engine.:eek:

+1million

Try this, it's a no brainer.
 

To be able to adjust the carburetor of a nitro engine correctly, you need patience and must try and understand how this works. Sometimes nitro engines are difficult to set, and if you have difficulties, then we suggest you ask your LHS (Local Hobby Shop) or Dealer where you have purchased the engine to help you in this matter. If however you prefer to try yourself, here is how:

Attention: Work only on 1 carburetor adjustment at a time and make only small adjustments, maximum 1/8 of a turn! Pre adjustments.


Once the engine is started let it reach operating temperature, then proceed as follows:

Set the main needle by holding the car off the ground, then open throttle completely. The engine should not completely clean out and should stabilize at 80% of top RPM, but if the engine cleans out completely and the rpm continues to climb too high, close the throttle immediately and open the main needle and repeat the sequence, until the engine does not clean out completely and the rpm stabilizes at 80%. If the engine runs too rich (4-stroking aIl the way), lean the main needle until the engine just starts to clean out.
Set the idle rpm of the engine by holding the car off the ground, then open throttle till the engine rpm reaches the above rpm, and then close the throttle. If the engine stalls, then you need to increase the idle by turning the idle air screw clockwise until the engine does not stall anymore. However, when the idle of the engine remains too high, then you need to lower the idle rpm by turning the idle air screw counter clockwise.
Set the idle needle by holding the car off the ground, open the throttle until the engine reaches the 80% rpm, and then close the throttle. If the engine idles for 2-5 seconds and the idle rpm decreases, then the idle needle is set too rich, so lean this setting by turning the idle needle clockwise. Repeat this process until the engine has a constant rpm for at least 20-30 seconds after the throttle has been closed. If the engine idles for 2-5 seconds and then the idle rpm increases, the engine is running too Iean at the idle needle, so richen the idle needle by turning it counter clockwise to remedy this.
Set the idle rpm by using the idle air screw, and try to find a low but reliable idle rpm. A too high idle rpm makes it more difficult to slow the car during breaking.
Attention: When adjusting the idle needle, this then can effect the idle rpm, use the idle air screw to adjust the low rpm when it becomes too high or too low.


Once you are satisfied with your carburetor settings you are ready to put the car on the track and make the final adjustments.
· Final adjustments while driving.
When ready with the pre adjustments you are now ready to put the car on the track and start your final adjustments. If you have set your idle needle and idle rpm correctly in the pre adjustment phase then you only need to adjust the main needle to find the correct setting and performances of your engine.
Start leaning the main needle by small increments (1/8 of a turn maximum) and run the car again, repeating this sequence until the engine completely cleans out, accelerates well and reaches maximum speed.
To prevent your engine from running too hot, it is advised then to richen the main needle (1/8 of a turn counter-clockwise), since running the engine too lean on the main needle will cause the engine to overheat, resulting in excessive engine wear and possible breakage.
A possible way to check the engine temperature is to apply a few drops of water on the cylinder head. The drops should evaporate only after 3-5 seconds, If they evaporate immediately the engine is too hot, so richen the main needle (1/4 of a turn counter-clockwise) immediately.
Check your engine temperature regularly. Another way of knowing if your engine is running too lean, is when you are driving and the engine starts too loose its power at the low rpm range and no smoke is coming from the exhaust; if this happens, richen the main-needle if you do not want to damage the engine.
Once properly adjusted, the engine should produce a strong, high-pitched sound at maximum speed, and a thin trail of smoke should be visible from the exhaust tailpipe.

NOTE: The carburetor settings may change with changes in weather conditions, fuel, glow plug or exhaust system. After changing any of these, always richen the main needle ¼ to ½ of a turn and then re-adjust the main needle again on the track.
NOTE: When the engine stops, the heat of the engine will go into the carburetor and alter the idle rpm. This can translate into a bad idle rpm, especially when you have your idle rpm a little low. This will come back to normal when you have made at least 1 lap on the track again so the carburetor has reached its normal working temperature.

Hey Alex, did you copy and paste that LOL just pulling you leg great info btw

We all started the same way which is learning from others and continue to share the knowledge to others who are new to the hobby so learn what you can and pass it on down I personally like to show how to even "break in" a engine and give the Tuning 101 for free , this way we have more competators to race with

I learned by asking other racers at a local track. All of them were very helpful.

What's up Roy! When are you guys comming down again to race?

Yeah, I copied and pasted from RB's web site it seems like a lot to read but it's very easy if you follow the steps.

I've never done this but I was just thinking that if you really wanted to figure it all out quickly, there might be a way.

Start with a cheap motor that has a good carb on it. I'm thinking one of the cheap Novas. There are other great cheap motors out there but I would want one with a good stable carb. For me, that's Nova or OS.

Get the local pro to help with break-in and getting it tuned in for kill. Once it's right, time to experiment.

Drive it for almost a tank to get it warmed up and get the feel and sound of it down. Then fuel it and lean out the top a bunch and drive it just long enough to see, hear and feel what it's like. Then go back to where it was and try a few laps to make sure it's right. Then richen the top a ton and drive.

Then do the same with the low speed needle. You might need to stop in the pits a bit to really see what this does to the idle.

Maybe go back to the bench and play with the idle adjustment. Turn it up and richen the low end until the idle comes down to see and hear what that's like. Then try the opposite.

Yeah, you're going to be abusing the motor during all this but that is why you start cheap. Some of these things are difficult to describe or explain and only experience will count. Especially the balance between the idle adjustment and the low speed needle. Plus, I bet a Nova would survive all this. :D

I don't know, might work.