Rotor Rage Helicopter Fuel From Byron Originals
Posted on June 2, 2009 by aaronredbaron
Byron Originals has long been an established name in the hobby industry, but their presence has shifted in the last decade. Once a market leader in Giant Scale RC airplanes, Byron Originals Inc, has poured their efforts into the new focal point of their business, specialized fuels for model engines. This fuel has been developed specifically for the unique demands of radio control helicopter engines, and Byron Originals goes to great lengths to insure quality.
When I was in Las Vegas for the 2009 Align Ultimate Helicopter Competition, I was given the opportunity to burn a few gallons of Rotor Rage fuel, and was asked to provide an honest assessment of its performance. I had been flying my helicopter, a Hirobo Sceadu with an OS .50 Hyper engine and a CY MP5 muffler, on 30% Cool Power, and was having great success with it. I broke in the engine, and had burned approximately 6 gallons through it when I was given the chance to fly the Rotor Rage fuel.
My Sceadu is a bit on the heavy side compared to more modern 3D helicopters, but it is set up very nicely and performs admirably. I felt the heavy helicopter was also a great chance to really see how the power was with the different fuels. I use every bit of power available, and changes to the amount of power should be easily noticed. I have become very accustomed to the helicopter, and despite the slight extra weight, it is a machine capable of all the maneuvers, if perhaps a bit slower and less aggressive. With the Morgan Cool Power 30% fuel I had been running, I was able to keep the engine at or below 210 degrees, and was very happy with how it performed.
Before I began the test with the Rotor Rage fuel, I considered whether I should disassemble the engine and inspect it. I consulted a few knowledgeable people, and considered starting the test with two identical new engines, but limiting finacial factors were not the only reason I decided against that test. There is no guarantee any two engines will have the exact same tolerances and perform the same. I chose not to disassemble my best running engine to double check for something wrong, it seemed to go against the age old adage “don’t try to fix what ain’t broken.” I decided my best option was to just switch fuels “cold turkey,” and tune for the new fuel.
It turned out to not be that big of a deal switching fuels. The engine ran well before on 30% nitro Cool Power, and it ran well after on 30% nitro Rotor Rage. The entire experience does change slightly, however, and although it isn’t a problem, it is worth noting. First of all, the smell of the exhaust is different than other fuels, I cannot put my finger on exactly what or why, but it was immediately apparent to me the smell was alterted compared to what I had been used to. The new smell is not bad, just different. The engine did require a few clicks change to the needle valve, but once tuned, the engine was able to hold the temperature I wanted. It was also quickly apparent there is less visible smoke in the exhaust. This is important to note because if you try to tune the engine to get the smoke to look like what you are used to, you will end up way too rich. By tuning the engine with the temperature, I arrived at a setting some 3-4 clicks richer than I had been running on Cool Power. The engine runs strong and pulls well through hard maneuvers. I have also noticed there seems to be significantly less slimy residue on the model than usual. It’s still a nitro model, there’s not doubt, but it seems to be a little bit cleaner at the end of the day.
Byron Originals claims their new fuel “…is a cutting edge lubrication formula that provides greater flowibility… at lower operating temperatures. The higher flash points, as evidenced in the decrease in smoke and the absence of deposits inside the engine, insure lubrication survives the combustion chamber and continues to do its job.” Without the means to test other than my own opinion of how the power feels and how the engine performs, I would have to agree that Byron Originals seems to have come up with a formula that runs strong, clean, and cool. In the end, as a testament to both fuels and the engine itself, I could not tell if either one had more power, and neither could my flying buddies who watched the before and after. I did push the old girl quite hard and didn’t hold anything back, and it held up well through my abuse.
Click here to visit Byron Originals website here for more information.
