I use both, I think a heat gun will raise the temp faster. When I am running my engine on the break in bench I put the heater on to keep the temp constant. I think having a temp gun at a race would be easier to use at a race.

I disagree. Not getting personal - just saying, I don't see it that way. I need a starterbox, or a screwdriver, or a glow starter, or even a spare glowplug in my pit box. Very much in a way I do not need a preheater.

OK, I never bothered to solder mine over to whatever plug would fit whatever lipo I would have to get. I had a stupid heavy gel cell that a.) was heavy, and b.) didn't even get much heat into the heater anyway. Very much a PIA to lug around. I never bothered getting a lipo for it because I just don't believe preheaters are necessary or worth the hassle. I still use mine - unconnected to any current - to get a cold-started engine up to temp faster, and afaic that's enough. Except for a brand new engine maybe, which I will make an effort to preheat for the first one or two liters. But beyond that it's just an unnecessary hassle IMO. Re price, Comp Heats for years and years cost 100 bucks and more. That's a nice brand new pipe and change. You need a pipe... Plus you'd need a lipo, and OK nowadays those are cheap from HK. I never said 500 bucks, but 100 bucks is still too much afaic.

But whatever floats your boats...

http://www.amain.com/rc-cars/competi...120vd2/p250929

Pretty far from $100 to me. Its mor of a piece of mind thing. Maybe I don't NEED the Novarossi pipe, the OFNA clone may do. Don't NEED to top off that glow driver, but it wont hurt. Don't NEED a $20 slotted tuning driver. Again its all about what you feel. you've made your point, over and over and over again just like always. You stated your opinion, now move on.

Well that is a lot cheaper than it used to be..

I would just point out, having been in a few nitro-vs.-flashlight exchanges, the flashlight people way overexaggerate the supposed difficulty and complexity of nitro, and some nitro people are guilty of the same thing - for ex., among other things, by insisting that preheating is a must. It just adds to that false perception, and keeps more people away from nitro.. But hey that's the trend of the last several years - got to be a $500 modded Novarossi with hundreds of bucks more for pipe and clutch and Buku cap and break-in bench and preheater and on and on... It's no wonder people exaggerate the "hassle" of nitro..

ps Just checked ebay here in Europe. €84....

Its not adding to the complexity at all. Heating up the engine makes it easier to start. The faster you start it the quicker you can run it. The quicker you run it the quicker you can tune it. The sooner you tune it the quicker you can have fun. You see it as a waste, I see it as a tool that may increase ease of engine use and possibly engine life. Some people are this way about fuel, plugs, batteries, radios, servos and much more.

I'll concede that it may make life easier being able to run "sooner" (though you're not taking into consideration the time the preheater needs to do its work.. Except in cold outside temps, you should be able to start an engine quickly enough, and again, with a sock or beer cozie even for the first lap or two you'll get up to temps much quicker than with a non-covered cooling head..) and that for you überserious racers it's a good thing to be able to hit the track with a hot engine(though I personally can't imagine hitting the track and going %100 just off a preheat.. I would always want to go a tad easy for the first lap.. Then OK letter' rip...)

I do not however believe it prolongs engine life at all(which is generally the main reason people give for saying they're so necessary..)

Anyway, as I said, I'm not trying to talk crap with anybody or argue. I just see it as largely wasted engergy - for me anyway.., and don't place the faith it that many of you seem to. That's all.. OK, I'll stop now. Carry on....

I see your repetitive posts as this.

+100 LOL!

Then what is taking the time to respond to them?.....

Hey guys just added a new pipe and manifold to my engine on my TKI 3. The header is short so the whole length of the exhaust is on the shorter side which creates a small angle that the pipe/header sit on because of the tki 3 tray/pipe hanger set up. There isnt a perfectly straight fit now with the pipe/header connection. Im worried that there could be a small potential air leak because of this? Is it okay that its not perfectly sealed straight?

Try other header or check the gasket frequently. When it don line up perfectly will damage sooner

You will need to fab up a custom wire. If the exhaust isn't straight, you will blow through gaskets quick, and have a leak causing an inconsistent tune.

+1

I have a little question on the novarossi's range of motor... Is there a big noticeable difference between a low end and a higher end engine on the track lap time ?
I have a P5xlt which as just gone through it's tenth liter it work very well and is well tuned . When I tried a friend's car with a BTT4 and another with an OS Max something I just felt more grunt in the low end range. I first had carbon shoes and then switched to aluminium shoes (both 1mm spring) I noticed a little improvement but I'm still very far from the "lagless" feel their engine had.

Apart from the obvious surge in power feel and could take jumps much more easily. With their engine it was a matter of bleeping the throttle, with the P5xlt however it's much more tricky and you really have to open full throttle long before that and still not achieve the speed to "double jump" bumps like they do.

We literally have the same car/setup/tires.

Basically I believe the P5xlt is a very nice engine and can't be beaten for the money but I'm starting to doubt it's performance against everybody's 300-400$ engine at my track. I can't find why I struggle with acceleration on my car can you help me ?

I'd like to add that the engine is well tuned and has been double checked by two local mechanics champion but in the short straight line between corners in technical parts of the track the fast guys engine go faster to a higher pitch noise than mine who seem to rev not to a high speed everywhere except the long straight where it's got time to reach it.

ps: the exhaust is a 2096 and the elbow 41021.