Nitro Methanol or 'Glow' fuel is not the same as Petrol/Gasoline

Nitro Methanol or 'Glow' fuel, is I/C (Internal Combustion) model engine fuel. This is not the same as petrol, gasoline or diesel fuel. Nitro Methanol doesn't use a conventional spark plug rather a 'Glow' plug to ignite the fuelmix inside the engine.

	A glow plug has a small coil of wire inside that glows white hot when in use, it is this glow that ignites the fuel in your engine and makes it run. Before your engine will run you have to start the glow by using a glow clip battery, after the engine is started the glow is then maintained by the running engine itself and the battery connector lead can be removed from the engine.
	You can get a Glow Clip like this one which has a rechargeable battery.

What Oil is in Nitro Methanol Fuel, is it Castor Oil, Synthetic Oil or both? Oil in the RC model fuel helps reduce friction and helps the RC engine run cooler. Nitro fuel may contain castor oil, synthetic oil, or a mixture of both. When castor oil breaks down at high temperatures it creates a lubricating film, desirable but somewhat messy. Synthetic oil lubricates well at low temperatures but at high temperatures it burns off and provides little protection. Because RC car engines typically run hotter or have less efficient cooling systems than RC aircraft, nitro fuel for cars usually uses castor oil or, more commonly these days, a castor oil / synthetic oil mix.

Can RC Model Glow Fuel Go Off?

Yes it most certainly can! and very quickly if not stored in the right conditions. The largest portion of the fuel is methanol (alcohol). Methanol is hygroscopic; it attracts moisture. This can cause your fuel to be contaminated with water, which will cause poor engine performance. Additionally, the UV rays in sunlight will eventually break down the nitro methane if the fuel container is stored in sunlight for long periods of time. Keep your nitro fuel in a metal can and in a dry warm room. Only take what you need to fly/drive for the day.

You can get some indication that your fuel is 'off' when you can't start your engine easily or you cannot set the idle speed consistently or you cannot get the same maximum rpm as you did previously.

Which Nitro Methanol RC Model Cars?

Make sure this has and a castor oil content less than 10% and a nitro methane content of between 10 - 15%. Car engine run at around 29000 - 35000 rpm so they need the nitro. Model car engines don't run flat out all time so don't need lots of oil. Lots of oil.

Which Nitro Methanol for RC Model Boats?

Treat RC racing boat engines the same as a RC car engine as they run in very similar conditions and rpm speeds.

Which Nitro Methanol for RC Airplanes?

Make sure this has and an oil content between 15% to 20% and a nitro methane content around 5%. Aircraft run at around 12000-13000 rpm max so don't need a lot of nitro. Model Airplane engines can run flat out for most of working lives. Make sure you know the difference between a standard I/C airplane engine and a sport engine. The sport engines usually have ball bearings inside and run a higher rpm, where the standard engines use simple shell bearings and run at lower rpm. This may influence your oil and Nitro methanol mix.

If you are in any doubt, ask your supplier to recommend a fuel for you. It would help him if you know the make and model of your engine and what the engine is used for, car, boat or aircraft.

References:

NITROMETHANE

Also commonly referred to as NITRO for short. Nitromethane is derived from propane. In itself, nitro is not even extremely flammable as one might think. The real power producing potential of nitromethane is that it carries additional oxygen with it into the combustion process. It acts as a fuel too, but the molecule carries oxygen along with it. In a way, nitromethane is sort of like a chemical "supercharger" for an engine. Nitromethane helps get more oxygen into the engine to help burn more fuel and produce more power.

For the most part nitro engines used in RC trucks, a 20% nitro blend is probably a good balance.

Most nitro engines in cars and trucks could probably tolerate fuels with up to 30% nitro, but it's probably best to avoid going much over that in a typical nitro engine.

20% nitro is probably one of the most common fuel blends for rc truck nitro engines, and would be a safe choice for most people. Follow the recommendations of your engine manufacturer, and you should be safe.

METHANOL

Methanol is sometimes referred to as "wood alcohol", mainly because it was originally derived from distilled wood products. However, methanol can be made from more than one source, and today it is very commonly derived from natural gas.

Methanol is the primary fuel component of nitro fuels and is usually also the most dominant ingredient in a nitro fuel mixture. Methanol is also a common fuel used in full size motorsports and racing. The methanol has a natural intercooling effect that helps to cool both the intake air/fuel mixture which means cooler, denser (more oxygen) and more power potential. Also, the evaporative cooling effect of methanol can help keep engine temps running cooler than other fuels. Methanol contains the primary energy content of nitro fuels.