Why not Nitromethane?

SkiDaddy

SkiDaddy

Just Havin' Fun!
Location
Orange City, FL
Can someone tell me why we don't mix in a little nitro for our skis, as most RC 2 stroke engines do? Seems we would have to spend a lot less money on strokers, big bores, porting etc. if we could use say 15% nitro in mostly stock engine.:sneaky:

I know the fuel lines & some fuel system components would have to be upgraded for the corrosive nature of nitro. What else would have to be done?
 
Speedfreak

Speedfreak

Location
So. IL
Nitro, water, and alcohol all keep down detonation. I was also wondering why you couldn't add a tiny bit to a tank of fuel and run the comrpression upward of 220 on pump fuel. A guy I know runs 30 to 38 psi of boost on his car with water injection. That is insane amouts of compression and his car see WOT about 75% of it's life since staging takes no throtle.
 
#ZERO

#ZERO

Beach Bum
Location
Florida - U.S.A.
If you are running methanol, there is no problem as nitromethane and methanol mix freely.

But nitro does not mix easily with gasoline.

So if your running a nitro-gas mixture additional chemicals must be added to prevent separation.

Nitro is just too dangerous. :firedevil:
 
meatball

meatball

User Title Unavailable
Location
Maryland
It's common to run methanol in racing go-karts, in fact we did. A couple people add nitro to it, but thats illegal if they catch you. We had to get our engines reconfigured to run on methanol, because they didnt make go-kart engines already ready for methanol, it was about $800 in labor to convert a $400 engine. That stuff is scary too, the flame is invisible in daylight, so every time you crash your supposed to look at your suit and check for spots that are magically 'melting'. Fire extinguishers were everywhere. The fuel tanks were located on the back of the engine, so if you got rear-ended hard, fuel went everywhere.

You'd have to configure the carb to run with it. Our carbs had to be be completely changed out just to be converted to methanol because of the different A/F mixtures, Nitro requires even less air. I think it's probably too much work for a DIY.
 
djyox

djyox

Old school -not by choice
Location
Twincities, MN
I got a kart racing motor... its a briggs 5hp that runs methanol to make about 10hp.

I got a frame too... If you want to get into racing, this is a great starter kart. Also there are more classes for briggs than others, and it gets to be very technaical racing, because all the karts are the same just about. Thats sprint racing, not oval... I don't know anything about oval/dirt....
 
SkiDaddy

SkiDaddy

Just Havin' Fun!
Location
Orange City, FL
OK, so we need some extra chemicals to run Nitro mixed w/gas, & we have to be a lot more careful. Overfilling the tank would be a big problem. But it still seems we could mix a ~little~ nitro, rejet, viola, instant extra HP.
 
meatball

meatball

User Title Unavailable
Location
Maryland
djyox said:
I got a kart racing motor... its a briggs 5hp that runs methanol to make about 10hp.

I got a frame too... If you want to get into racing, this is a great starter kart. Also there are more classes for briggs than others, and it gets to be very technaical racing, because all the karts are the same just about. Thats sprint racing, not oval... I don't know anything about oval/dirt....
Click to expand...


Trying to sell my stuff. I used to race when I was 8 and my kart is set up accordingly. The motor is VERY aggresive, as aggresive as allowed. We usually redid the topend every 2 races to keep it in the best shape. Every single race, had to take it to tech break down, where they would tear the kart apart, measure everything, and hand us the pieces to put together...
 
Ollie Rastabean

Ollie Rastabean

TWIST GRAPHIX
Location
St. Pete, FL/Freeport Bahamas
The exhaust from Niromethane is Toxic.

I get an occasional lungfull of 2 stroke fumes. You really dont want to do that if you are burning nitro.

The next time you happen upon a pit shot of a nitro dragster you will notice that the entire crew is wearing respirators.

-O
 
SkiDaddy

SkiDaddy

Just Havin' Fun!
Location
Orange City, FL
Ollie Rastabean said:
The exhaust from Niromethane is Toxic.

I get an occasional lungfull of 2 stroke fumes. You really dont want to do that if you are burning nitro.

The next time you happen upon a pit shot of a nitro dragster you will notice that the entire crew is wearing respirators.

-O
Click to expand...

Now THAT'S a good reason.:banghead:
 
W

wydopen

Guest
ive got a gallon of nitro in my truck as we speak..for my rc though
 
kskip

kskip

X
Klotz used to make a nitro additve for ski's, came in a pint bottle,worked okay, was really good for keeping your plugs clean back in the 440/550 days when we would run about 32:1 or so fuel /oil ratio....
However, not recommended for everyday use, eats all your seals and gaskets up eventually but that was not really the issue.....
More like the motor needed torn down for a piston or a crank from spinning it with a total loss, way too much compression, Kawi cranks that were never intended to see more that ocean going tanker bilge pump speeds...
You old farts now what I'm talking about....
kskip
 
Legdrag's

Legdrag's

X-
Location
West Palm Beach
kskip said:
Klotz used to make a nitro additve for ski's, came in a pint bottle,worked okay, was really good for keeping your plugs clean back in the 440/550 days when we would run about 32:1 or so fuel /oil ratio....
However, not recommended for everyday use, eats all your seals and gaskets up eventually but that was not really the issue.....
More like the motor needed torn down for a piston or a crank from spinning it with a total loss, way too much compression, Kawi cranks that were never intended to see more that ocean going tanker bilge pump speeds...
You old farts now what I'm talking about....
kskip
Click to expand...

Bad luck with that stuff. HP in a can! Just like you say. Ate the rubber componets. destroy the carbs too.
 
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