What is "nitro fuel?"
Nitro fuel refers to the type of fuel used in glow engines commonly found in RC airplanes; RC helicopters, RC boats and more recently, RC cars and trucks. The power and realistic sound from nitro fueled engines has been one of the greatest reasons people have been drawn to the RC hobby

Is nitro the same as gas powered?
No, although nitro RCs are commonly referred as “gas powered” or as “gas RCs”, they are not exactly “gas powered”. Unless it is a true gasoline engine with a spark plug, then regular gas or diesel fuel may be used. Otherwise, it requires “nitro” fuel.

What is Nitro Fuel made of?
Nitro, short for nitro-methane is composed of a three main elements: methanol, nitro-methane and lubricants. Nitro delivers oxygen to the engine, improving combustion and providing more power. Oil and other lubricants help to keep the engine cool and lastly methanol provides the main energy source for the RC engine.

How much "nitro" is in nitro fuel?
The amount of nitro - methane or “nitro” is typically about 20% but it can vary from 10% to 40% and higher.

How do you store nitro fuel?
Nitro fuel requires special handling for safety reasons as well as to avoid evaporation and contamination. As with any type of flammable substance, “nitro” fuel should be stored away from open flames in order to prevent fires or explosions. The container should be tightly capped to avoid evaporation and stored in a dry place away from direct sunlight.

Why would nitro fuel go "bad"?
The largest portion of the fuel is methanol (alcohol). Methanol is hygroscopic; it attracts moisture. This can cause your fuel to be contaminated with water, which will cause poor engine performance. Additionally, the UV rays in sunlight will eventually break down the nitro methane if the fuel jug is stored in sunlight for long periods of time. In order to combat this, nitro fuel should be stored in a dry place away from sunlight.

How can you tell when your fuel has gone "bad"?
The first indications will generally be the inability to start the engines at previously run needle-valve settings. Another clue might be that the engine has very poor idle, runs but bogs down tremendously during run up and/or will not attain the same RPMs you are used to.

What % Nitro  fuel should I use?
We highly recommend using 20-25% fuel.

Do you sell nitro fuel for your vehicles?
We currently do not sell nitro gas fuel for our vehicles.  It is readily available at most local hobby shops. 

Related Articles
If this was helpful, you may also want to read other related articles:

RC Nitro Engine Break-In Procedures
RC Nitro Engine Tuning Guide