Need some advice

[xforceguy]

I've always used 20% rtr fuel like traxxas top fuel and odonell. I was wanting to try some 20% racing fuel. I run my cars and truck everyday and I mean that. Will switching to racing fuel shorten my engine life? I'm not a racer, I mean my friends and I race on our track but I don't race competition. My motors seen to never wear out. My sport maxx 2.5 is still running and I'm not lying when I say I've ran 10 to 15 gallons and it's still hanging with the best of them. Should I stay with what I've got or try some racing fuel? The guy at my LHS said it should not make any difference but I've heard racing fuel shortens engine life. I do run my motors a little rich, what do you guy think?

[Amoeba]

My understanding:

When most people refer to "racing fuel" they are talking about mixtures which are typically lighter on oil at a given percentage. 20% is still 20% but the amount of oil (usually around 7-8%) differs between brands. If you tend to run your engine on the rich side you should be fine, just monitor your engine temps and be sure to use after-run oil to minimize part stress from lack of sufficient lubrication.

[darnoced]

IMHO if it ain't broke......don't fix it. Sounds like whatever you are doing is working fine for you...why mess up a good thang??

[ChucksCity]

im not sure you will see a difference at all if you are only switching fuel brands between 20% nitro. i though anything above 25% was considered race fuel?

[olds97_lss]

I'm pretty sure Amoeba is right. "Race fuel" usually means less oil. Sport fuel (what most of us bashers run) has usually 11-14% oil in it. Basher fuel can have 16% or more oil in it. I know Sidewinder and Trinity make some basher fuel.

If you want a little more "pep", then up the nitro content. Usually a higher nitro fuel has a bit less oil. Like byrons. Their 20% nitro fuel has 12% oil. Their 25-30% fuel has 11%. What I notice running 25% vs 20% is that my stuff starts and idles much better and runs cooler for the power I get with the tune I run. Maybe a bit more power out of it as well.

[psunitro]

Yup, what olds said. I would keep the 20% for the small blocks, but 25-30% for the bigblocks.

[xforceguy]

Thanks for your thoughts, I bought a gallon of O'Donnell 20% race fuel ran a couple tanks today out of my Ofna LX comp and it had a little more pep. I liked how it ran, not much deference and little warmer. temp's never got over 225 so I think I'm good.

[psunitro]

it should actually run a bit cooler with less oil content. I know my Force .26 did tend to run really warm when I had it in race tune. 270 was the normal, but ran GREAT

[olds97_lss]

You would think so, but usually when you run fuel with more oil in it, you run a bit more lean to get better power out of it, so your not getting more oil.

Running a higher nitro fuel with less oil lets you run it more rich, so you burn more fuel and get more power at the same time. More fuel means more oil.

At least that's what my experience has been. I tried running some 14% oil stuff once and I didn't care for it. Seemed to kill a bit of the pep the engines had, which made me lean it a bit to get better performance. Then they ran hotter.

[Scrogg]

Right on brother!
That's why i run the 8% oil blend fuel. The engine warms up faster, starts easier, tunes easier, makes a lot more power, all at lower temps. The only downside is the rod bushings and bearings will wear quicker with this low of an oil content. Every BB engine I have tried the Trinity Platinum 30% in has ran cooler and made a lot more power vs. Byron's 30% race fuel.
Don't get me wrong, Byron's is great fuel. I just prefer the Trinity.