RC Nitro Engine – Glow Plug

Nitro engines use glow plug igniter connected to the battery supply for starting up. The batteries supply the power to glow the plug. Once the required ignition is provided the glow plug shall continue to glow even though the batteries are disconnected.

If you need the nitro engine to tune-in properly it is always good to know that heat of the glow plug can alter the combustion timing. If this heat is not properly set the engine may never be fine tuned. Further, glow plug can burn out prematurely if you over heat them. They have an unpredictable life span. It is always safer to use the brand of the manufacturer that has specified guidelines or a manual for use. This way you can have a glow plug with longer life span whose usage pattern is described and you have ready help to refer to.

If your engine runs fine but quits later once it is unhooked from the power plug this means that its time to replace the Glow plug. But on the other hand if the engines revs down after you remove the power then the glow plug is fine, the engine needs wither more nitro fuel or a hotter plug. The small science behind the whole game is that hotter plug will typically advance the ignition point while colder plug would retard the same.

Glow plug needs to be taken care of while buying for your RC model. Keeping an Eye on your glow plug will help you to understand how you should adjust your carburetion. Take the glow plug out and look at the coil element and if the spiral is a little bit pressed and bent it means that the engine has too much compression. If you are racing on a sea level track, with 25% or more nitro this could be the main reason. Then you need to check under head shims and insert a tenth. If the coil element has a dull, as if it were sanded, it means that the carburetion is too lean (lack of fuel) and you can damage the engine. You run the risk to break the coil element and make it fall down on the top end of the piston, damaging the piston/sleeve. In this case, you should replace the old Plug with a new plug and richen the High Speed needle 1/8th. If the thread has a dark color and the plug seems wet, the carburetion is too rich and the engine isn't running at optimal power. You have to lean the carburetion closing the High speed needle. When the coil element is polished and the spiral does not present any imperfections, your engine carburetion is most likely spot on.

Manufacturers models always come with help or features described for their glow plug which comes in handy while tuning the engine. Like EZ-Start Electric Starter comes lights the glow plug and ignites the engine. The built-in diagnostics for the same tell you if the glow plug is band and protects the starter motor if there is a problem. Similarly, 55005 1/8 Scale Lightning Stadium Pro (RTR) comes with a glow starter and a plug wrench but you shall need 7.2V battery for the jump starter.