RE: I live in a country where I can't get Methanol, any ideas for how to run a glow engine!
Hi Downunder and others, I started this post off on this premis. When I was a kid I distinctly remember the Racing A and the Castrol M, From memory Racing A (if that is what it was called) was just straight Ethanol and Castrol M was just Castor oil. Now if you had money or you could get it you could add 5% nitro, and that would make the engine run more reliably, but if you couldn't get it would still run and might just be a bit more of a pain to start. If you wanted to terminate your engine early you might have added 10% nitro, but people who did so were shunned for their lack of responsibility, there was two schools of thoughts those that said the new OS engines etc could handle the extra nitro and those that said you are ruining your engine, Anyway that is how I remember it all, back 23 years ago! After trying metho (95%) and castor oil, and not being able to run the Tmaxx engine reliably I can only conclude it really needs Nitro, I think from stated above it runs lower compression and runs higher nitro 20-30 percent in aid of reliability and use frendlyness. It also will run, being a pain to start!, but trying to idle back it tended to just stop, no matter what air/fuel mixture I worked on. With a plane wouldd probably be fine as you only go 50-100 percent during flight. Again as suggested above, I could just shave the head in an aid to increase compression and that may do it. If it was as simple as sanding with 2000 grit emery paper for half an hour I would probably do it I should just get some fuel over in a shipping container,,,,, although I think there are dangerous goods, it complicates things for that container. I did once talk to the petroleum people here about all this but nothing was going to be cheap! Your not planning a Cruise Boat trip here any time soon? Mike.
Posted on: 3/30/2012 1:04 AM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "RC Fuels"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11020743

RE: I live in a country where I can't get Methanol, any ideas for how to run a glow engine!
Sorry meant Methonol not Ethanol. That Diesel kit looks inviting but for the price I would have to question spending that much, still if it gets it running, it will achieve its purpose. The problem I see with this from the looks of it is just requires again another special fuel, which again would just put me in the same place. Michael. TRX3.3K TRAXXAS 3.3 Diesel head assy. including heavy duty connecting rod 159.95
Posted on: 3/29/2012 2:57 AM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "RC Fuels"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11019558

RE: I live in a country where I can't get Methanol, any ideas for how to run a glow engine!
Have tried Metho (Metholated Spirits) with the castor oil. which on the label from memory states 95% (at least 95% ethanol) Just will not run properly. When I was in Australia ran perfectly on 20% nitro. Perhaps the Tmax engine for reliability runs lower compression and designed to run a higher nitro amount for reliability????? Either way simply will not run reliably without nitro it seems.
Posted on: 3/25/2012 5:32 PM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "RC Fuels"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11014790

RE: I live in a country where I can't get Methanol, any ideas for how to run a glow engine!
I guess there are ways to make it work!!! However the easiest way is just to run it the way it was intended. Although even running under a lit coil wasn't superbly reliable! I think at the end of the day they are just designed to run with nitro, even if it is only 5% I figure I will just have to find a way to get some over here...... Nobody coming on a P&O cruise boat that is willing to bring some over for me!!!! I figure that would be the easiest way. I know somebody previously mentioned putting some in a booze bottle and taking it over in airline luggage, but even if it is 1 in a 100 or a thousand of getting caught, it is a very awkward situation to be in if that were to happen. Mick.
Posted on: 3/25/2012 4:11 PM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "RC Fuels"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11014670

RE: I live in a country where I can't get Methanol, any ideas for how to run a glow engine!
Oh, I did some investigation on Methylated Spirits, it is certain that the biggest sale here is for personal consumption.
Posted on: 2/17/2011 3:14 AM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "RC Fuels"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10342291

RE: I live in a country where I can't get Methanol, any ideas for how to run a glow engine!
Okay, Promised to post an update so here I am. Got my castor oil in from the Uk, and bought Methylated Spirits and hot glow plugs that were ordered all arrived. * Engine for the first time is really hard to start * Tried three different types of "hot" glow plugs ( Bottom line is it will just run when the glow plug power plug thing is kept on soon as it is off, it will die. Sometimes on an idle I could keep it runing but add power and die * Mucked around with numerous fuel settings for ages but didn't seem to make any progress, other than making it easier to keep running after a sputter. So I have ordered a couple of long reach hot glow plugs to see whether this makes a difference. *If there is a more suitable plug let me know, I am only going what I can find off ebay under ; (super, hot, turbo) glow plug -medium -p4 -p5 Bottom line I think is I might need to fill up a bottle of racing fuel and post to myself next time I go back. When I was a kid I would mix Racing A and Castrol M together no Nitro and planes ran fine on that. Perhaps the metho I purchase is not 95% ethanol, it doesn't say percentages? Maybe I should be trying a different brand of metho. Incidentally I talked to a guy here who said he had a friend of his in Australia who used to run his model plane of Metho, because it was cheaper than paying for racing fuel, so it obviously can work. Michael.
Posted on: 2/17/2011 2:56 AM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "RC Fuels"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10342275

RE: I live in a country where I can't get Methanol, any ideas for how to run a glow engine!
Okay, they have Castor Oil here medicinal $13USD (equivalent) for 100 ml Ouch.... I bawked at that. I searched ebay, in the US is cheap enough but all the places I asked say that you can't post intercontinental. That's funny of course as all the health food shops do for castor oil! Australia is quite expensive for post. Ebay has this from the UK http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-Litre-CASTOR-OIL-Base-Carrier-Massage-Cold-Pressed-BP-/190466046835?pt=UK_Health_Massage_RL&hash=item2c58a93b73 Equates to around $38 (USD/Aud) delivered and is cold pressed. Interestingly enough they have Methanol here, found some at one of the cleaning shops but at equivalent of $40Aud/USD for 1 liter I kind of bawk at paying that! The Metho (Methylated spirits) which isn't in stock by comparison was only about $7 a litre. If both are almost the same for the alcohol, is there any difference in running either in a glow engine?
Posted on: 1/13/2011 6:30 PM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "RC Fuels"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10261697

RE: I am in an obscure country! Can't buy Methanol what fuel can I use for glow Engine?
Thanks guys, I wil repost once I am up and running! I don't have any castor oil here at the moment so may take a while before I am underway! Thanks again.
Posted on: 1/9/2011 3:13 AM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "Car Nitro & Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10249746

RE: I live in a country where I can't get Methanol, any ideas for how to run a glow engine!
It is telling a story but because I have had locals work for me here, I stopped storing Metho in the shed. I had a 2 bottles that appeared as if they were consumed, as there was certainly no other use for them. To me that sounds like it goes along with going underneath the car for a high on the back pipe!!! Although I am yet to see that done here, although I was told by a friend it happens in aboriginal communities in Australia, that and the Metho. So if Metho is straight alcohol, that is like 100% alcohol, people then buy it for a cheap fix. I dont' know whether you remember, "The Gods must be crazy" where the guy gets out his vodka? when the ultralight runs out of fuel, and runs the engine on that! Maybe not so far fetched after all? Mike.
Posted on: 1/8/2011 5:51 PM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "RC Fuels"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10249118

RE: I live in a country where I can't get Methanol, any ideas for how to run a glow engine!
Yes Vanuatu is a beautiful country, everything is green the locals here are both happy and friendly. Could seem like a Utopia if it it wasn't for corruption and a few others! For reference to American interests WW II had the US with a major Air Base on Santo one of the norther islands. Back then Vanuatu was called the New Hebrides (it is a group of islands), the movie "South Pacific" and Bali Hai originated. I have been here for around 9 years started a couple of electric cars, a couple of electric model planes originally, then coaxial heli's, I gave up from being shot out of the sky by interference which seems prevelent on every frequency, and no luck on 40hz 27mhz or any other! Be fine sometimes take a plane off and you can just see it get to 30 meters away and everything goes haywire. Only do that so many times before you give up. Once I was prepared to invest in 2.4ghz I started on Trex 450's as I bought a 2nd hand package deal as the new price on a Spektrum was almost as much. Without continuing on too much of a diatribe! As a result of 2.4ghz and electric power there are a few guys here who fly once a week together. I never brought the Tmax over simply because it was glow powered, but I figured how hard could it be. I am in a mid life crisis returning to the fun things I used to do as a kid! The novelty is doing something different, not that I could run an electric. So thanks for the Advise Ray & Downunder There are cleaning supply/distributor places here (because of the resorts) I guess I could try them for the Methanol cleaning fluid!! I'll let you know whether I come up with something! I do have a question though if Metho (Methylated Spirits) is 95% (85%?) ethanol, what is the 0ther 5% and why doesn't that 5% make a difference. Response from Loktite401 (Ray) >Well the modern "metho" is 95% Ethanol but the other 5% is likely to contain some methanol just to make it unpleasant to drink and to give you a headache. While I've never drunk it myself I'd imagine it to be a fairly bland liquid compared with the >complex and interesting tastes of say a nicely blended Scotch. Do you know whether the other 5% is methanol? Mike.
Posted on: 1/8/2011 5:44 PM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "RC Fuels"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10248982

RE: I am in an obscure country! Can't buy Methanol what fuel can I use for glow Engine?
Thanks, guys, I reposted in the fuel section (after finding it) and "downunder" also gave a response confirming what Ray said. I think he felt that it would run as is, well good enough for bashing, without taking out shims, don't suppose shaving a head is straightforward as rubbing it on a flat survace with 800grit for twenty minutes? If it works I could bring a couple of my old IC planes over I guess! I can take an engine apart, was just trying to avoid it as a last case scenario. Out of interest can you shave a head on your own, or does that require a machine shop? I guess I could search on the net for that one, but if you are happy to tell me! Mike.
Posted on: 1/8/2011 5:32 PM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "Car Nitro & Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10249071

RE: I am in an obscure country! Can't buy Methanol what fuel can I use for glow Engine?
Ray, your full of good advise! I have a good gallon of premixed fuel back in Aus so could be the trick. Having said that I would hate to be pulled up on the flammable liquids thing.... I can just picture it as I am taken aside and asked to drink from the bottle of "wine". Is uncompressed glow fuel with Nitro really as flammable as wine, or maybe as flammable as Vodka? I think sometimes aerosols are much more potentially volatile, as they can fill a space with gas. Having said all that it is still the law that we have to follow even though a plane is full of aviation jet fuel. Now after all this time I understand why people have bought Metho to drink..... Can you really get drunk on Metho? Mike.
Posted on: 1/8/2011 5:40 AM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "Car Nitro & Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10247648

RE: I live in a country where I can't get Methanol, any ideas for how to run a glow engine!
I don't think the Gas engine thing would work with a Traxxas Tmax 3.3!!!??!! would it? That is the vehicle in Q, I brought it over thinking I would find a way to run it. I have been living here for many years so thought why leave it collecting dust, so brought it over.
Posted on: 1/8/2011 5:13 AM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "RC Fuels"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10247612

I live in a country where I can't get Methanol, any ideas for how to run a glow engine!
I live in Vanuatu (South Pacific) I have just been to the only fuel importer here, and they don't sell Methanol. I have been reading as much forum content as possible, however I can't seem to find out what I need to know. Here are my options I can buy 100LL AVGAS (is this suitable?) I can also buy Diesel (Mazut) and Unleaded (Benzine) I can buy metholated spirits which should be around 85% ethanol (I am led to believe). I am also led to believe if I add the normal 20% of castor oil to this I may be able to run this with a hot glow plug. Copied Elsewhere on this forum >>>>>>> I have done some limited testing using E85 and 20% castor. So far I have not seen any reaction with the silicone fuel lines and the fuel works fine in glow engines except the need for a very hot plug. Q. I Cannot get E85 here, I am unaware if they add Methonol or Ethanol to existing fuel here Copied Elsewhere on this forum >>>>>>>>>I have run glowplug engines on commercial model diesel fuel. Keep the plug hot for about 20 sec and they should keep running. Q. Is this to say you can run a glow engine on Diesel?????????? Copied Elsewhere on this forum >>>>> castor is typically between SAE40-50. On the note of castor oil will any synthetic oil SAE40-50 do for a model engine?????? I am also led to believe that if you don't use Nitro in a glow engine it might be the case that you need to increase compression for the lack of Nitro, which means taking out the shims in the head. Will it still run anyway???? No nobody else here runs models unless they are electric!!!! Mike.
Posted on: 1/8/2011 4:44 AM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "RC Fuels"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10247586

RE: I am in an obscure country! Can't buy Methanol what fuel can I use for glow Engine?
I just found the right forum for the question on fuels http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_463/tt.htm and will repost there to see whether anybody has more advise!
Posted on: 1/8/2011 4:17 AM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "Car Nitro & Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10247567

RE: I am in an obscure country! Can't buy Methanol what fuel can I use for glow Engine?
Hi Ray, thanks for your ideas. (I do the same thing, in some ways, for example I buy and read RC magazines, even though for the most part I have no interest in what I am reading, somehow it is fun though!?!) I can obviously buy Metho here. I had no idea that Methylated spirits and methanol was the same thing (or close to it). Reducing head shims, to increase compression seems like not a straightforward thing. While I am prepared to do it, is there another thing that I can use to run it? I know nothing about fuel. Does a glow engine just need a very high explosion rating and normal fuel can't do that? Is that why we are supposed to use Methanol. I figured that AVgas might be suitable do you know,, or is that just a normal fuel? There is a little bit of a club here, about three guys, who fly model aircraft, but of course they are all electric. Actually the only reason why such a club exists is because of brushless motors and lipo's, which solve all the fuel problems. Perhaps somebody will go large scale many seem to run off normal fuel. I tried to find a model airplane gas forum to post this message but could only find engines under cars. I figure most of the plane guys have more experience with this sort of thing. Still I like the smoke and fun of a glow engine! I was told there were a couple of Frenchies that use to fly gas powered RC planes perhaps ten years but I have never heard of them. BP is no longer here, but a previous employee told me that over ten years ago they sold methanol. I also met a guy who ran a glow powered car long ago. But he was the kind of guy who probably just ran it with anything. I go back to NSW (Orange) a few times a year at least so I can take back Castrol M (castor oil?) next time I go back, unless you have some suggestion to different oil. (I have 1L of Castrol M left over from when I was a kid around 20 years ago when I used to mix my own fuel with Racing A (from memory) will it be all gummed up?) Mike. Last possiblity is to try and send glow fuel overt with someone bringing a container over, or sailing over. Seems quite complicated. I am in no real rush really I have had the TmAx for ages, just wasn't getting used, just figured I would be better to bring it over here, that way I might use it! Figure out the fuel problem after! Finding fuel means the possibility of running other glow engines though!
Posted on: 1/8/2011 1:59 AM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "Car Nitro & Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10247491

I am in an obscure country! Can't buy Methanol what fuel can I use for glow Engine?
I live in Vanuatu (South Pacific near Fiji) Apart from normal fuels (Diesal and unleaded) I can buy 100LL AVGAS. I can't buy Methanol, there is only one main importer of fuels here, and they don't import Methanol. I can't fly glow fuel in, obviously for airplane safety restrictions, and sea freight options I imagine to be expensive and may still impose safety restrictions on fuels. I can't seem to buy castor oil here either. But as this is an oil I should be able to fly in whatever I want, as this isn't highly flamable. What would happen if I used a normal 2 sroke oil ? If I can't use a normal 2 stroke oil what kind of oil can I use? What kind of oil should I be looking for? Go Kart 2 stoke oil? Chainsaw oil? What ingredients? what will work? I don't care about how much power is produced I care about how much damage it is doing to the engine. I have a TMax 3.3 and thought it would be fun to bring it over, so I did, now I don't know how to run it!?! Mike.
Posted on: 1/7/2011 11:44 PM by Author "MickMack" in the forum "Car Nitro & Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10247429