Unveiling the Nitro Engine Lifespan in RC Truck: How Long It Lasts

What good is your RC truck without a powerful engine? The engine is the heart of your RC truck, which makes it imperative to have one that’s most efficient. Additionally, it is recommended you take care of your RC truck nitro engine for unmatched proficiency. 

That said, let’s get back to the topic: how long does the Nitro engine of an RC truck last? If you’ve been driving RC trucks for some time, then you must know how exciting and efficient trucks with Nitro engines are. This is mostly because you don’t have to switch and charge batteries every 20 minutes. But regrettably, these engines don’t deliver a long lifespan. 

So, how long before you need to replace it? Read on to find out! 

How Long Do RC Truck Nitro Engines Last?

Your RC truck’s Nitro engine will serve RC Spotters for about 6-8 gallons, which is the same as 40-80 hours. However, if you maintain it immaculately, then you might get 10 gallons. These figures may differ depending on how you maintain your engine and drive your RC truck. 

Unfortunately, this is not good news, especially because they are pricey, and you want your RC truck to serve you for a long time. But I have good news; in this article are a few tips on how to extend your Nitro engine’s life, and the factors impacting its lifespan. 

Factors Impacting Your RC Truck Nitro Engine’s Lifespan

Your engine’s lifespan can be affected by several factors, and it’s important to understand them, to know how you can avoid any issues. They include:

Moisture 

This is the primary factor that affects the lifespan of a nitro engine.

Nitro-engine fuels usually contain a blend of methanol and methyl alcohol. And while methanol can combust in the presence of air, it is extremely hygroscopic. This means that it absorbs moisture from the surroundings, which becomes part of the fuel as the engine continues running. 

This moisture can lead to rusting in several parts of the engine including the connecting rods and crankcase. Eventually, the lifespan of the engine reduces considerably. 

Lubrication Oil Quality 

Nitro engine fuel also comprises a third ingredient; lubricating oil. Like most engines, this one has multiple rotating parts, and they might begin to wear because of friction. This is where lubricating oil comes in handy; it ensures all these parts operate smoothly which decreases wear in the engine. 

Lubricants are breakdown-resistant, even when under high temperatures. Previously, RC truck owners used castor oil for engine lubrication, thanks to its excellent lubrication properties, though it also creates a sticky castor polymer deposit. 

Fortunately, the market now has synthetic lubrication oils, which are much better than castor oil and won’t leave a gummy residue behind. 

The quantity of lubrication oil in the engine fuel combination can differ, based on how you want to use it. 

For instance, if you mostly go to competitions, your main concern is engine power. For this reason, your fuel should have small lubricant amounts, which will allow the engine to take advantage of the nitromethane and methanol blend. Generally, the concentration should be approximately 8 to 12%. 

Nonetheless, for typical uses like riding at home, the lubricant concentration can go up to 20% or higher. 

Note: A small amount of lubricant in the fuel will make the engine wear at a faster rate, which will reduce the engine’s lifespan. 

Fuel Blend 

A lean blend of fuel can make the engine overheat, which results in the malfunctioning of the motor parts, which in turn decreases the engine’s lifespan. 

On the other hand, a blend of fuel that’s too rich is also not a good idea. It can reduce the engine’s efficiency since there will be too much unburnt fuel coming from the exhaust. 

Keep in mind that nitro engine fuel has methanol, lubricant oil, and nitromethane, and nitromethane is extremely explosive. Therefore, if the nitromethane concentration is too high, it can result in abnormal combustion in the motor. 

It will emit excess pressure and heat in the combustion section, which can spoil the engine parts and cause engine failure in the long run. 

How to Increase the Lifespan of Your RC Truck’s Nitro Engine

Many RC rock crawler enthusiasts prefer RC trucks with nitro engines because they deliver impressive performance and high speed. Nonetheless, they offer a tight functioning tolerance, which is why you have to take extra care of them. Fortunately, I have a few tips to help you prolong your nitro engine’s lifespan, including:

After-Run Maintenance 

It is vital for you to check your engine after you are done racing if you want it to last a long time. Here is how to go about it:

1. Start by emptying the fuel tank. You can do this by extracting unused fuel and putting it in a container or bottle. 
2. After emptying the tank, try to start the engine and run it idle. This allows you to burn any leftover fuel in the fuel line and crankcase. It’s not a good idea to leave fuel inside the engine. When all the leftover fuel is burnt, your motor will remain idle for a short while and then stall. 
3. Clean the motor case properly. This is important because you usually drive your RC truck outdoors, and dust and debris will pile up over time. 

Take denatured alcohol, a spray bottle, compressed air, and a small brush for this purpose. Also, make sure you wear safety goggles and gloves when cleaning it.

4. Once you are done cleaning the engine, let it dry, and then detach the glow plug and air filter. 
5.  Take the components you detached above and clean them using soapy water, then dry them properly. When they are dry, use air filter oil on them, then re-attach them. I recommend you clean these components after every race to improve the engine’s lifespan. This is precisely if you race in dusty surroundings. 
6. Re-attach the air filter parts along with the glow plug.

It is important to do after-run maintenance after you are done driving your RC truck. Again, if you don’t drive it that often, maintaining it this way before you store it is vital to keep your engine and RC truck operational. 

Conclusion

RC trucks’ nitro engines can race for 15 minutes or more without needing to refuel, at which point they will shut down. Besides, based on the size of the tank, your RC truck can even run for 25 minutes continuously. 

Nonetheless, when it operates for too long, it can overheat and ruin the internal parts. For this reason, make sure the temperature of the engine is never over 150⁰C for optimal performance.