Nitro fuel for RC cars in the UK

Fuel is the one thing a nitro car can't run without, and it's also the thing beginners get most confused about: what the percentages mean, how much oil, whether you need a licence and how to get it delivered. This guide answers all of those for UK drivers.

New to nitro? Start with what you need to run a nitro car.

What's in nitro fuel

RC "nitro" fuel is properly called glow fuel. It has three ingredients (Wikipedia: glow fuel):

Model engines have no separate oil supply, so the oil in the fuel is what keeps the engine alive.

Which nitro percentage?

• Follow your engine maker. Many ready-to-run cars and trucks are set up for around 16–20%.
• More nitro means a bit more power and easier starting, but also more heat, more wear and higher cost.
• Changing percentage means re-tuning the needles. Don't swap back and forth.
• "By weight" or "by volume": UK and European fuels are often labelled by weight; 16% by weight is less nitro than 16% by volume. Compare like with like.

For most beginners, a mid-range car fuel (around 16–20%) from an established brand is the sensible choice.

Oil content

Oil matters more for engine life than the brand of fuel. Fuels sold for bashers and ready-to-run cars tend to carry more oil to protect the engine from inexperienced tuning, while racing fuels often use less for maximum power. Owners commonly recommend matching the oil content of the fuel your engine was set up on, and not going too lean on oil (RCTalk owners' discussion).

UK rules on nitro fuel

In Great Britain, nitromethane is controlled under the Poisons Act 1972. Members of the public can buy fuel up to 30% nitromethane by weight without a licence; above that you need an Explosives Precursors and Poisons (EPP) licence from the Home Office (GOV.UK). A 2022 proposal to lower the threshold to 16% was dropped (BMFA).

Normal car fuels are comfortably within the limit. (The rules for where you can run models are a separate matter, covered in UK rules for RC models.) The EU is stricter: sales of nitromethane to the public there are limited to 16% by weight (rsrc.biz), so fuel from EU shops is usually 16% or less.

Buying fuel in the UK

Nitro fuel is a flammable liquid, so it can't be sent by ordinary post. UK model shops send it by courier as a restricted item, typically:

• mainland UK only (often not Northern Ireland, the Highlands or islands);
• with a separate delivery charge that doesn't count towards free delivery;
• with a limit per order, for example 10 litres.

That's how Access Models' delivery policy works, and other shops are similar. It makes 5-litre cans the usual buy: the delivery charge is the same, and the cost per litre is lower.

You'll find car fuel from brands such as Nitrolux, sold by UK model shops in 2 and 5-litre cans at 16% and 25% (RC Car Shop). US brands such as Traxxas Top Fuel generally aren't sold here, so UK owners use UK and European fuels instead.

If you live where couriers won't deliver fuel, ask your local model shop or club. Many clubs know who supplies locally.

Storing fuel safely

• Keep cans sealed, cool and out of sunlight, away from heat, flames and children, ideally in a shed or garage rather than the house.
• Keep the lid tight. Methanol absorbs moisture from the air, which makes engines harder to tune.
• Don't mix brands or percentages, and use a proper fuel bottle with a sealing spout (EuroRC).
• Don't decant fuel into drinks bottles. Ever.
• Unopened, fuel keeps for many months; one European supplier suggests about 12 months for a sealed can stored well (rsrc.biz).

After the run

Fuel left in an engine causes corrosion. After your last run, run the tank dry and use after-run oil, as described in nitro starter kits and RC car maintenance. Weighing up whether nitro is worth it at all? See nitro vs electric RC cars. Back to the RC cars hub.