Engine cleaning

getback wrote:Came out Nice heck i am impressed the spring came out so good from the old fuel tube I struggle with this part .. Let me ask you does this stuff foam if vibrated ? I have a small parts cleaner that i use Simple Green in a jar for the small stuff (that way it don't evaporate as bad) Hope you do a build thread !?!?

I think it will foam up if vibrated.

Thank you!
Here is how I get the spring out of the tube. Keep in mind that although Dawn Power Dissolver smells good, it is very caustic stuff. Use it with caution. Do not drink it, do not get it in your eyes, do not get it on your skin. Attempt the following at your own risk. Do not attempt this if you are a stupid idiot. This is how I do it, it works and I have never injured myself doing it this way.

I take a 12" or so long piece of silicon fuel tubing, stick the end an inch or two into the dawn cleanser, bob it up and down a couple of times to get some dawn up into the tubing, fit the end of the dawn filled tubing over the tube with the spring in it, put clean end of tube in your mouth (point end of tube AWAY from your face) and blow, GENTLY!, until the dawn passes thru the tube with the spring in it. Let sit for 30 minutes and spring should slide right out of the tube. Works for me every time.

OK Thanks and Thanks for the CAUTIONS LOL but you are right , i think most of my problems are with the tube being bent and hard as a rock ! I have picked them out with a PIC Tool I had a friend that worked at a spring Co. made me 1.5' of the .049 size springs Been thinking of dropping by Lee Spring Here in NC and see what they would charge to make 2-3 ' for me .

The spring inside the lighter the one for the flintstones Some are the same diameter tink the one found in bic lighter work Fine cost 0$recycle parts from like the oring To from inside valve for the fuel tank ventury

There she is, all gussied up like a debutante.
Great find, good eye, and excellent restore.
Wish I could be there for the start-up.  
Bob

Great bit of recycling, better than the lighter ending up inside an albatross...

Nice job on the PeeWee….Thanks for sharing!

Any thoughts on cleaners to “avoid” particularly concerning glow heads with backed on castor oil? I used Hoppes # 9 on a couple of test engines after learning about it here and really like the results but I wonder if it’s hard on the plating on the element…I only soaked for about 30 min and it did a great job…. Kind of brightens the aluminum too..,Works great on crusty back plates but left the plating a little more copper colored than brassy…

What’s easiest on glow elements or does it matter that much?…. I did run one of the Hoppes cleaned glo heads so may have answered my own question….Thoughts?

I have not seen any problems with the Hobbies #9 that is what i use if the plug is very dirty corroded with build up from running with incorrect fuel or low rpms ,, Here is a read that may interest you on glows .. http://www.fubarhill.com/GLOW.htm

Thanks for that link, good information there!

Very informative link, Thanks! Also confirmation on cleaning heads with Hoppes…..

After reading the article I bet Cox element wire is an alloy instead of plated…. If that’s the case I would think a strong chemical clean would do them good if they have been crusted up

Now that's all pretty cool! Nice to see everyone restoring engines.

I like to use Aerokroil to soak the engine, which usually disassemble easily from there. A HF basic vibra cleaner (water and a bit of degreaser) does a great job on the parts. You might have to soak a really "stuck on" gunk engine in a good degreaser. Then WD and a toothbrush for cleaning.

Now, to restore a bit of luster to an engine I do go over the aluminum parts gently with bronze wool--same stuff I use to refurbish Whaler rails.

There is a certain satisfaction in a lovely collection of restored/maintained .049 engines. Makes one want to build one of those monster Dornier flying boats to use them all at once!!!!

I realize there are many ways to cleaan our engines but I have found a aerosol spray brake cleaner ( available at any auto parts store) does a marvelous job. I like to just spray the engine at the end of each flight day and the engine stays looking new all the time. Not long ago I dug out of my stuff an old crudy engine that had been in a box for the past 44 years and wouldn't even turn over and the spray brake cleaner freed it up and made it look great. I just wanted to share my thoughts on the subject.