I am purchasing the JLR Red Dot for my race engine. I am considering getting a secondary engine for practice. Since I am a novice, I know it will take me several gallons to get my skills up, so I don't want to put all that mileage on my race engine.

1. Am I worrying needlessly or should I get like an STS or some other budget engine to practice with? Call it a budget Novarossi Special edition 359 set.

2. How do you "match" engines? I would guess the Red Dot and STS D3 have different power characteristics so how would this effect the car performance?

In short, is getting a practice engine a good idea and should it be the same engine as my race engine (I'm awake now. Coffee just kicked in)

Very good choice.

Thanks. But I don't want to abuse it while I learn how to drive. 301 is a large track and I will be lapping that for a few weeks trying to learn my car and how to drive onroad nitro (I'm a convert from off-road nitro). I would like to "save" the Red Dot for the I-95 Shoot-Out. Or am I just overthinking this?


P.S. You and your crew were at 301 for the Capital Classic, right? Remind me of your paint scheme or what Main you were in on Sunday and if I have some pics I will forward them to you.

I suggest you break in the JL while practicing, so by the time you are ready to race then your JL will be perfectly broken in. or get 2 JL's , Paint scheme is on the Avatar of NIGELNUGGETS, green body with a lot of combined colors on the front (1/8 scale) by the way Thanks!

OS 12 TZ T-3 is the most user friendly I ever see. it gives you good power, durability, and easy tuning.. nice choice for practice and race too

Trust me buy you 2 JL

for the price, the D3R is going to turn heads if you use it as a practice mill

I would suggest getting 2 JLR's. If your learning to drive on-road, tuning an on-road engine, setting two speeds, understanding gear ratios.....and what combo's are the fastest. Why take the time to relearn a different engine? It took me several weeks just to fine tune the JLR, for optimal performance for me. Those factors include tire splits, gearing, clutch setting, pipe, motor tuning etc etc etc. Learn on one and.........keep the other for racing. Just my 2 cents.

I would have to agree with Ray, just get two JLR motors, they are not very expensive, and i have had both a TZ and a D3R, and the JLR is way beyond either IMO. You could also just get one now, and one later, I would have to say it is a good idea to just learn to tune one motor while practiceing everything else, and you can apply that to your new motor, as a plus, the JLR is easy to break in.... Just read thru the tips in this forum, run the bottom end rich, and you'll be set....

It's interesting, you have had the three engines I was considering. I am familiar with OS and since the JLR is based off a Picco, I figured it was good. I have not heard a lot about the D3R or any of the STS .12 engines for that matter. The JLR is the best price and has great support at the local track. I am over-thinking this. Maybe I will build a G4S as a rain car and drop an STS in for testing.