How to Start a Nitro Gas Car
Starting a nitro gas car can be challenging, but after a while you'll get to know the car and what it likes. Each car requires different settings, but it's good to know the baseline factory carburetor settings before attempting to start the car, especially if the car is used. Different carburetor settings are required for hot and cold weather, and also for various humidity levels.
Instructions
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Prime the carburetor with nitro fuel. Just a couple of drops will do; never simply poor fuel down the throat of the carburetor. In most cases, the exhaust can be plugged with your finger while the engine is turned over to prime the carburetor as well. By blocking the exhaust, it creates a vacuum which will suck fuel from the tank to the engine. If the engine becomes flooded, it will be hard or impossible to turn over. In the case of flooding, take out the glow plug and turn the car upside down to expel excess fuel. Then turn the engine over a few times to ensure it is dry. Replace the plug and prime again.
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2
Place the glow plug igniter on the glow plug. The igniter simply locks on to the tip of the glow plug and heats up the element inside the plug so that the engine will start. Nitro engines are much like diesels in this respect. Make sure the igniter battery is fully charged before starting the car or the plug may not get hot enough to ignite the fuel. It is also a good idea to check the plug itself to ensure it is in decent shape. Many times, fouled plugs will not heat up correctly.
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Turn the engine over. If the engine is equipped with a pull-start system, simply pull the rip cord a few times and the car should fire up. If equipped with an electrical start system (the most common is the EZ-Start), ensure that the battery pack is fully charged and connect the starter to the terminal on the car. Push the button and allow the engine to crank for about three seconds and then re-prime the carburetor if necessary, being careful not to flood the engine.
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Tips & Warnings
If the engine idles high and is hard to set, it might be running lean. Turn the low-speed needle out about a quarter turn. If the engine is bogging and raw fuel is coming out of the exhaust, it is probably running rich. Turn the low-speed needle in a quarter turn.
When clearing a flooded engine, wear safety glasses because raw fuel may shoot out of the plug hole. Never touch a hot nitro engine. Nitro fuel is extremely flammable--handle with care!
