Gearing A Basic Overview

On an electric car, there are 2 Gears on your car that you need to worry about changing: the Spur Gear and the Pinion Gear. The Pinion Gear is the one attached to the motor, the Spur Gear being the gear the pinion comes in contact with. On a Nitro vehicle, you might have 4 gears...2 for the 2-speed on the motor and 2 for the 2-speed on the 'drive train'.

Changing the Pinion or Spur Gears will result in much different results.

On the Pinion Gear, the higher the number of teeth, the faster (top end) your car will have, but you will lose acceleration. The lower the number of teeth, the faster your car will accelerate, but you will lose top end. More top end usually results in less run time, also.

On the Spur Gear, the higher the number of teeth, the more acceleration the car will have, but the less top end. The lower the number of teeth the more top end you will have, but you will lose acceleration.

Changing the Gearing
On an electric car, the Pinion is changed by loosening the screws to the motor (or, in some cases, removing it from the car) and then removing the Pinion. Slide the new Pinion on, re-install in car (if applicable), and adjust the Gear mesh.

To change the Spur requires a little more work. Depending on the vehicle you own, it could be as easy as removing 2 screws or disassembling a whole portion of the car. See your instruction manual for the procedure as it applies to your vehicle.

On a Nitro vehicle, changing the Pinion gears requires the removal of the motor from the car (in most cases). You will then need to remove the gears from the clutch bell and replace with the appropriate gears.
Changing the Spur Gears on a Nitro vehicle requires the disassemble of a portion of the car (in most cases) to remove the gears and replace with the appropriate ones. See your instruction manual for the procedure as it applies to your vehicle. more

Gas vs Electric R/C Cars

Gas and electric powered radio control cars are both fun but are very different. Here are some side by side photos and comparison of on-road touring cars in electric and gas (i.e  nitro) models.


Here I am using the term gas and nitro interchangeably as when we talk about gas rc cars we commonly mean kits with nitro powered engines.

Comparison and Evaluation (Nitro or Electric?)

Below is a summary of the differences between a 1/10 scale on-road gas / nitro and electric rc car. Hope this helps you make an informed decision before choosing a model.

Criteria	Gas / Nitro	Electric
Playtime	X	-
Realism	X	-
Ease of use	-	X
Ease of maintenance	-	X
Speed	Tie	Tie
Cost	-	X

If you are new to the hobby, highly recommended is to start with an electric kit. These are simpler and easier to run. Plus speeds are more manageable for beginners.
Nitro is loud and fast out of the box. You will need a place that allows the noise and fumes of a gas rc car. Tuning a nitro engine requires advanced hobbyist skills. But if long playtime and realism is what you need, then nothing beats gas / nitro powered remote control cars.
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Nitro Engine Storage

While many engines always have a home in the vehicles that they are used in, there are a lot of drivers that may have a spare engine waiting to go, either for racing or as a back-up for a basher vehicle. For those that do, we hope you are properly storing that expensive mill so nothing happens to it while it’s waiting for its turn in the engine mounts. Here, we’re going to give you some simple tips to properly store your nitro powerplant.
WHY PREP YOUR ENGINE FOR STORAGE?
What could go wrong while an engine is in storage you ask? Plenty! If an engine is stored too long, there is a chance that unburnt fuel sitting in the engine or bearings can evaporate over time and, along with temperature changes, can start to turn the oils into gunk that can clog up and cause friction in the engine. Moisture is also a threat to any steel parts within the engine and finally, there is debris. You know, dust and dirt, which can make their way into any part of your vehicle, such as the engine’s carb or exhaust, and once in there can damage the engine when you fire it up. So lets talk steps to keep your engine protected.

OIL IT- The first step for engine storage is adding a number of drops of a good after-run oil. An after-run oil is much less likely to turn into that nasty gunk over time and it coats your engine internals to protect them. Add a few drops down the carb venturi as well and then add a few more into the exhaust port if it’s exposed. Or you can take out the plug, drop oil in the top of the chamber and replace the plug.

CAP IT- When you’re done adding after-run oil to the inside of the engine and you’ve rocked the crank back and forth a few times to coat the internals, it’s a good idea to ensure the oil stays in. Use caps, such as these shown here from TrakPower, to keep the oils in. Capping will also keep the debris out of your mill while it sits in your pit bag or on your bench. Cap the carb venturi, fuel nipple and exhuast port. If your exhaust is still fitted to your engine, add caps to the exhaust stinger and pressure nipple.

BAG IT- Now that your engine has been oiled and capped, its a good idea to place it in a plastic bag along with a silica gel packet and zip it closed to keep moisture and debris away from the engine.

GOING OVERBOARD- Looking for that extra bit of protection during storage? Consider an engine bag from Outerwears. This fabric bag with an inner liner keeps your engine neatly stowed and secured inside with its Velcro closure.
WRAP UP
A few simple steps and a few neat products are all you need to keep your engine stored and safe. Take the time to care for your engine and it will be there, ready to go, when you need it!
Author by: Greg Vogel