6 • REVO PLATINUM EDITION
INTRODUCTION
The TRX
®
3.3 Racing Engine is the next generation
of TRX nitro power. The large displacement
and advanced porting generate class-leading
horsepower while still maintaining the
TRX Racing Engine characteristics of broad,
linear power delivery and ease of tuning.
Focused engineering and rigorous testing
have yielded unprecedented power and
uncompromising performance.
The TRX 3.3 Racing Engine takes a
total-system approach. Each part of
the engine, from the air filter to the
exhaust tip, is carefully engineered to
work in harmony with other engine components. Each part complements
the next, to extract maximum power. The TRX 3.3 Racing Engine is
designed to be tolerant of variations in tuning, and to run successfully
through a wide range of variable atmospheric conditions such as changes
in temperature, humidity, and altitude.
In order to get the longest engine life and keep the TRX 3.3 Racing
Engine in top running condition, it is very important to perform regular
routine maintenance.
The number one cause of premature engine wear
and failure is lack of care and maintenance!
STARTER BOX AND GLOW IGNITER
The TRX 3.3 Racing engine in your Revo is equipped with a backplate the
pull start or EZ-Start system. A starter box is required for running. Starter
boxes designed to accommodate the Revo are available from your local
hobby dealer. You will also need a glow plug igniter (glow driver) to light
the glow plug. Use a high-high quality rechargeable glow igniter. Make
sure it is fully charged per the manufacturer’s instructions.
BREAK-IN
The TRX 3.3 Racing Engine is manufactured to exacting tolerances and
requires a specially-designed break-in procedure to accomplish the final
precision fitting of the internal engine components. It is very important
that you follow the new break-in procedure as closely as possible to
achieve the best performance and longest life from your TRX 3.3 Racing
Engine. Engine break-in will take between one and two hours. Old style
break-in procedures, such as idling the engine on the bench for several
tanks of fuel or simply running the engine with a very rich fuel mixture
for the first 4 tanks of fuel, will not achieve the best results. Follow the
easy steps in this manual.
AIR FILTER MAINTENANCE
A clean air filter is critical for long engine life. Due to the high-
performance nature of the TRX 3.3 Racing Engine, a tremendous amount
of vacuum is created to move a large volume of high-velocity air through
the carburetor. Dirt is the worst enemy to your engine. Clean the air filter
after each hour of running to prevent sucking dirt into the engine.
AFTER-RUN MAINTENANCE
Perform after-run maintenance on the engine to prevent corrosion
from building up on the internal engine components. The fuel naturally
attracts moisture and corrosion can build up very quickly inside the
engine if it is not prevented.
A few minutes spent before and after each time you run your model will
allow you to enjoy it for a long time to come. Read on for more exciting
details about your new engine.
THE FUEL
Use the Right Fuel
It’s imperative that you use the correct fuel in your
TRX 3.3 Racing Engine for maximum performance
and engine life. Traxxas Top Fuel
™
should be used to
ensure correct engine lubrication, performance, and
ease of tuning. Traxxas Top Fuel has been proven in
thousands of engines, so you can count on it every
day for great performance.
• Top Fuel is the only fuel which is 100% certified for
use in Traxxas engines.
• Traxxas Top Fuel is made with just the right balance of the highest
grade natural and synthetic lubricants to allow excellent throttle
response and the best top-end performance, without sacrificing long-
term durability.
• All of the components in the fuel are carefully selected from the
best materials available and then custom blended to match the
metallurgy and temperature characteristics of Traxxas engines.
You may use 10%, 20% or 33% nitro-content fuel. Try to use the same
percentage all the time and avoid switching back and forth between
fuels. We recommend that if you break in your engine on 20% fuel that
you continue to use that percentage. If you do move to a higher or lower
percentage, make sure you readjust your fuel mixture to compensate.
What about Other Fuels?
Can other brands of fuel be used besides Top Fuel? There are other fuels
that can provide satisfactory performance; however there could be long-
term costs in the form of decreased engine performance, loss of tuning
ease, and shorter engine life. Only use fuels that contain both castor and
synthetic oil.
Everyone has an opinion or a claim to make about fuel. The engineering
team at Traxxas has spent years developing TRX Racing Engines.
No one knows more about the specific fuel requirements of Traxxas
engines than Traxxas engineers. We strongly urge you not to take
chances with your engine investment and use the Traxxas fuel made for
the TRX 3.3 Racing Engine.
Choosing a Nitro Percentage
A commonly asked question is “what is the difference between 10%,
20%, and 33% fuels?” Increasing the nitro in the fuel is almost like adding
extra oxygen to the combustion process. It burns more efficiently,
improves combustion, and delivers more power. When increased nitro
is used, more of the other fuel components are then required inside the
combustion chamber to maintain the perfect air/fuel ratio. Therefore,
overall fuel mixtures need to be richened slightly (on the high speed
needle, about 3/4 of a turn counterclockwise when changing from 20%
to 33%, about 1/2 of a turn counterclockwise when changing from 10%
to 20%). This allows greater fuel flow through the engine and promotes
cooler running, even at the maximum lean settings.
Traxxas strongly discourages changing or modifying any part
of the TRX 3.3 Racing Engine. Old tech tips and tricks that may
have boosted the power of other engines could seriously diminish the
performance of the TRX 3.3 Racing Engine.
There’s more advanced thinking, development and testing in the
stock parts of your TRX 3.3 Racing Engine than in many aftermarket
manufacturer’s performance parts. The TRX 3.3 Racing Engine is already
the most powerful engine in its class and may not benefit from average,
low-tech, aftermarket bolt on performance items.
THE TRX 3.3 RACING ENGINE
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