Every new nitro engine needs to be “broken-in”. The break-in process wears in the internal engine components safely and ensures maximum life of the engine.
The topic of how to break-in a nitro engine is hotly debated, but for bashing purposes it probably doesn’t matter too much as long as you do some kind of generally accepted break-in. I’ve found three different schools of thought on break-in and I present each below.
By the book
Every nitro RC manual outlines a break-in procedure and you really can’t go wrong by following that procedure. Some will argue that there are better procedures, which may be true, but experimentation and results are anecdotal.
If you don’t want to think too much about break-in, then simply follow the procedure in your manual.
The Adam Drake method
The most popular alternative to the manufacturer recommended break-in method is the Adam Drake break-in method. Adam Drake is a professional nitro RC racer that has become popular for engine modification and service. His break-in method, which you can learn about by watching the video below, is often recommended as the optimal way to break-in any nitro engine. The method takes more time than the standard break-in methods offered by the manufacturers, so it could be argued that the Adam Drake method is more conservative in preparing your nitro engine for full throttle abuse.
Heat cycles
The third school of thought is more relaxed, less stringent approach to breaking-in a nitro engine. The theory is that new engines simply need multiple heat cycles applied to allow the engine components to wear-in before the engine is run aggressively. A heat cycle is basically letting the engine get up to operating temperature for 10-15 minutes and then letting it cool down. Multiple heat cycles are applied with more throttle being applied with each cycle.
Heat cycles are basically what the other methods are doing with their procedures, it’s just not as defined. The point is to start by simply idling the engine for one heat cycle, then apply a little more throttle during each subsequent heat cycle. After 4 or 5 tanks of heat cycles, the engine should be ready for full throttle.
The bottom line
If it is your first time breaking-in a nitro RC engine, simply follow the instructions in your manual or if you want to take more time with the break-in, follow the Adam Drake method. The most important thing is that you do some type of break-in as operating your nitro RC at full throttle without breaking it in will shorten the life of the engine.
Also, a nitro engine will continue to break-in after the official break-in procedure is complete. Many nitro enthusiasts claim that a nitro RC engine isn’t fully broken-in until a half gallon or so has been run through it.