A Few Tips I have learned on Restoring the 19 to 40 Red/Blue Head McCoy Engines

CHELLIE Sat May 02, 2015 6:23 am

Hi Everyone Smile

I just wanted to pass on a few tips I have learned on working with the McCoy Engines,

1. The head has a recess where the head gasket goes, remove the gasket from the head with a T Pin or sharp instrument.
2. Use Bright Red VHT Paint for the Head, it wont discolor. Do a EBay search, VHT Paint High-Temperature Engine Enamel Gloss Bright Red 11 oz Spray
3. Use a Dremel tool with a Stainless steel wire brush to polish the engine case with, it will also clean heavy deposits off the cyl.
4. to resize the Crankcase bushing / case use a 7/16" - 20 Tap, this wont remove any metal, but it will knurl the bushing back to its original size.
5. Polish the Piston and inside the Cylinder with 1000 grit sand paper, wet/dry, if the cyl has a scratch in it, sand the scratch with 1000 sand paper to remove the metal that has lifted up along the scratch mark, dont try to remove the scratch, the lifted up metal will prevent good compression from happening, it causes the piston to be held away from the cylinder. one big cause of poor compression on the McCoy engines.
6. to expand the piston, remove the piston from the rod, lay the piston on a flat piece of solid metal, lay the cylinder over the piston, top side up on the piston and cylinder, tap the top of the piston with a brass 1/4" punch, not to hard, dont tap on the piston divider, but just keep tapping and checking the piston fit, the 19 and 29 engines may need to have the piston heated up with a propane torch to soften the up a little to expand easier, if the piston fit is a tad to tight, use some tooth paste and oil and lap the piston in, replace the rod on the piston, hold the cylinder with a leather glove, use a Philip screw driver in the rod end to hold onto the piston while lapping in, lap the piston untill it takes a little force to push the piston out of the top of the cylinder, remove all debris from the cylinder so its smooth inside. you will notice a 3/16" shiny band on top of the piston after it has been resized and broken in, thats your new sealing surface Smile

an expanded piston will normally last for 2 flying seasons, then it will have to be resized again.Travel at your own Risk, But it works great for me Smile

7. use a hot glow plug with a idle bar for smooth performance and easy starting.
8. a scotch bright pad works great to clean the inside of the cylinder of gum.
9. I made a cylinder holder that I can push into the cylinder and mount it to a drill press, i use some folded paper to clean inside the the cylinder fins with, and use a small wire brush to clean the outside of the cylinder while spinning it on the drill press.
10. I use the plastic end of a screw driver to tap the head and cylinder to get them apart, be careful not to break any fins on the head.

Hope this info helps to restore your McCoy Engines, Take care, Chellie

GallopingGhostler Mon May 04, 2015 8:18 am

Thanks to your permission in the other McCoy engine thread, Chellie, I've posted your advice to:

Brotherhood of the Ring > Engine and Tank Talk > General Engine Discussion > posts=1#M30687
Stunt Hanger > Engine basics > Engine set up tips > topic,39198.0
Stuka Stunt Main Forum > topic #393042
Hip Pocket Builders' Forum > Control Line Forum > Engines for Control Line Aircraft > topic=19088.0

It is still early in the morning here in the Mountain Time Zone, but your advice has already received a good number of hits. Beer Cheers

Chellie, please note that in Hip Pocket I felt I needed to clarify that although I put a positive plug in for your gasket sets, I had to add a disclaimer that I am not a promoter of your products. They have stricter posting guidelines and I gather some vendor posters may have in the past used their forums to extol their products to the point of abusing their forums.

Also I did a little clean up in the post to Forums 2 through 4 to make your post flow better for easier reading by breaking Paragraph 6 into several paragraphs, and longer sentences into multiple sentences. No changes were made to wording or grammar.

GallopingGhostler Wed May 06, 2015 11:47 am

GallopingGhostler wrote:Thanks to your permission in the other McCoy engine thread, Chellie, I've posted your advice to:
Brotherhood of the Ring > Engine and Tank Talk > General Engine Discussion > posts=1#M30687

25 hits but no replies.

Stunt Hanger > Engine basics > Engine set up tips > topic,39198.0

125 hits but no replies.

Stuka Stunt Main Forum > topic #393042

108 hits but no replies.

Hip Pocket Builders' Forum > Control Line Forum > Engines for Control Line Aircraft > topic=19088.0

36 hits but no replies.

It is still early in the morning here in the Mountain Time Zone, but your advice has already received a good number of hits.

I don't know what gives. People seem interested in reading, but in not replying, which is unusual. Do they feel intimidated to hear advice coming from a woman? I hope not, but it does seem a little unusual.

Marleysky Wed May 06, 2015 1:14 pm

Hello Chellie and George and all the others reading. I think they 're called "lurkers" as they just lurk and don't post...I was one once upon a time. Then I jumped in, and now sometimes can't stop myself from posting. I think the hits received vs the response is all in timing. It is very good information, I do plan on using it, I thank you for sharing it. it's just that right now I've got too many "pokers in the fire" or more "plane ly" I've got Cox, Wen-Mac, Testors, Gilbert's, OK cubs, a Spitfire, and most recently an Enya spread out across the bench / workshop. The " engine"...not the singer. I also have from my youth a group of red heads 19, 29 and 35, that I'll use her gaskets and information on restoring when I get around to it. I even purchased a rattle can of VHT RED paint to use.
So, NO I do not feel " intimidated to hear advice coming from a woman? I hope not, but it does seem a little unusual." No, I hear advice from a women all the time, it is after I do not HEED that advise that causes problems lol!

PS: before I do any further damage, do you have any advise on removing Phillips head screws from the Red Heads that have been "rounded out" by a slipping screwdriver??

GallopingGhostler Wed May 06, 2015 1:58 pm

Marleysky wrote:Hello Chellie and George and all the others reading. I think they 're called "lurkers" as they just lurk and don't post...

That could very well be, Marleysky.

it's just that right now I've got too many "pokers in the fire" or more "plane ly" I've got Cox, Wen-Mac, Testors, Gilbert's, OK cubs, a Spitfire, and most recently an Enya spread out across the bench / workshop. The " engine"...not the singer. I also have from my youth a group of red heads 19, 29 and 35, that I'll use her gaskets and information on restoring when I get around to it. I even purchased a rattle can of VHT RED paint to use.

I've got a good mix of engines similar to your collection, OS, Enya, Fox, Cox, Testors 049, 19, 35's and a 40 Black Head.

So, NO I do not feel "intimidated to hear advice coming from a woman? I hope not, but it does seem a little unusual." No, I hear advice from a women all the time, it is after I do not HEED that advise that causes problems

Yes, I find the honey-do's very important and listening important. Wink

PS: before I do any further damage, do you have any advise on removing Phillips head screws from the Red Heads that have been "rounded out" by a slipping screwdriver??

Those that you can back out with trying different screw drivers is a best bet. That failing, you can take a very fine hacksaw blade and carefully cut the offending screw by the shaft between the cylinder cooling fins. Nothing is perfect and of course you risk possibly marring the fins.

I drilled off the head of a muffler mount screw on my Fuji 099S-II engine, then tapped muffler with a 4-40 UNC American thread and used a new bolt since I lacked the correct metric. In drilling out the screw head I did slightly mar the crankcase aluminum around the bolt head, but otherwise I would have had a less than functioning engine. It is not noticeable unless one looks really close.

**Cribbs74** Wed May 06, 2015 2:13 pm

Don't be discouraged George, many of those forums deal mostly with modern PA type stuff. Those engines are relics to most and at that many have figured out what works for them (they have had 50-60yrs to figure it out)

Rest assured those searching for the info will find it.

Mike1484 Wed May 06, 2015 7:21 pm

I find this all interesting and after 50+ years of working on motors ( and ruining some along the way ) I can only say that a stainless brush will mess up an aluminum case . Try tumbling them in walnut shells in a case cleaner ( gun thing ) to bring back the shine.

Mike1484

roddie Wed May 06, 2015 8:33 pm

Marleysky wrote:

PS: before I do any further damage, do you have any advise on removing Phillips head screws from the Red Heads that have been "rounded out" by a slipping screwdriver??

Do you have a rotary tool? (Dremel) There are very thin (non-reinforced) cut-off wheels that would cut a slot in the screw-head.. but you need to have a steady hand. If you're like me.. (optically challenged..) you work fine-stuff under a magnifier-light. You have to "stay" on-center between the fins and on the screw-head. If you hit a fin, the wheel could shatter. Mount the engine so it doesn't move.. at a comfortable; well-illuminated work-angle.. and protect your eyes.

GallopingGhostler Wed May 06, 2015 8:51 pm

Cribbs74 wrote:Don't be discouraged George, many of those forums deal mostly with modern PA type stuff. Those engines are relics to most and at that many have figured out what works for them (they have had 50-60yrs to figure it out) Rest assured those searching for the info will find it.

Ron, I guess then I have attained to relic status. Very Happy

Mike1484 wrote:I find this all interesting and after 50+ years of working on motors ( and ruining some along the way ) I can only say that a stainless brush will mess up an aluminum case . Try tumbling them in walnut shells in a case cleaner ( gun thing ) to bring back the shine. Mike1484

Mike, I guess it would depend how fine a stainless steel brush is. I can see how it is done if one is meticulous and dexterous. I've used fine steel wool gently by hand, then if need be polish out any swirls with Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish.

Mark Boesen Wed May 06, 2015 9:01 pm

I agree, there's so many better ways of cleaning up a case then using a steel brush on a Dremel. The screw head slot cutting works great, saved my butt many times doing that!

Oldenginerod Wed May 06, 2015 9:06 pm

roddie wrote:
Marleysky wrote:

PS: before I do any further damage, do you have any advise on removing Phillips head screws from the Red Heads that have been "rounded out" by a slipping screwdriver??

Do you have a rotary tool? (Dremel) There are very thin (non-reinforced) cut-off wheels that would cut a slot in the screw-head.. but you need to have a steady hand. If you're like me.. (optically challenged..) you work fine-stuff under a magnifier-light. You have to "stay" on-center between the fins and on the screw-head. If you hit a fin, the wheel could shatter. Mount the engine so it doesn't move.. at a comfortable; well-illuminated work-angle.. and protect your eyes.

If worse comes to worse, you can carefully drill the head off, but only shallow enough to be able to break the head off. With the head or backplate removed you will have about 1/8" of the screw sticking out of the case which you can grip with Vise Grips to remove.

GallopingGhostler Wed May 06, 2015 9:36 pm

Mark Boesen wrote:I agree, there's so many better ways of cleaning up a case then using a steel brush on a Dremel. The screw head slot cutting works great, saved my butt many times doing that!

True, there are many ways to clean up a case. Here I did a 2 day soak in heated anti-freeze bath. Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish removed scratches in the machined aluminum surfaces such as the head edges and cylinder cooling fins on this Enya .35-III TV engine. It also removed discoloration and untreatable stains from this dingy muffler.

Before:
A Few Tips I have learned on Restoring the 19 to 40 Red/Blue Head McCoy Engines Enya3510

A Few Tips I have learned on Restoring the 19 to 40 Red/Blue Head McCoy Engines Enya3510

A Few Tips I have learned on Restoring the 19 to 40 Red/Blue Head McCoy Engines Enya3511

A Few Tips I have learned on Restoring the 19 to 40 Red/Blue Head McCoy Engines Enya_210

After:

A Few Tips I have learned on Restoring the 19 to 40 Red/Blue Head McCoy Engines Enya3512

dinsdale Wed May 06, 2015 10:31 pm

Marleysky wrote:PS: before I do any further damage, do you have any advise on removing Phillips head screws from the Red Heads that have been "rounded out" by a slipping screwdriver??

Once a screw head has been chewed up enough any set of butchers' tools that work will do. My usual, if there is space, is to use a hacksaw to simply cut a slot into the screw head and then use a common screwdriver on it. Light, continuous tapping on the end of the driver handle with a hammer whilst applying torque helps A LOT! Sort of like a poor man's impact driver.

However, the preventative part of my reply is: Most people refer to "Philips" head screws, but equally most people don't realize that there are 2 different types which look the same at a casual glance. "Pozidrive" screws ( http://www.hafele.com/us/services/haefele-library/4300.htm ) are different from Philips and are almost equally common. It's worth learning how to recognize the 2 and having the correct drivers for each. This way we may have fewer chewed up screw heads to deal with. The link above explains the differences, pros and cons very succinctly. A Pozidrive screwdriver will often (not always) work better on a dodgy Philips screw than an actual Philips screwdriver. Personally I think Pozidrive heads are far superior to Philips heads.

On generally cleaning up an old weather beaten engines and parts, I have a co-operative system with a nearby friend. We each have small bench mounted sandblasting cabinets (in fact he's more affluent than I - he has 2). The ones we use were only $AU159.00 from Supa-Cheap Autos. I have fine grade glass beads in mine and my friend has soda in one and walnut shell in the other (coconut shell is just as good). Between us we can restore even the worst of old stuff - including plastic parts, without fear of damaging them. If one was to have only one blaster, I reckon the glass beads are the way to go, and my friend reckons the soda would be the one.

**Cribbs74** Wed May 06, 2015 11:39 pm

Excellent find George,

The Enya .35 is a great stunt engine. Swap that carb out and you are in business. They also last a long time.

Ron

CHELLIE Thu May 07, 2015 3:47 am

Mark Boesen wrote:I agree, there's so many better ways of cleaning up a case then using a steel brush on a Dremel. The screw head slot cutting works great, saved my butt many times doing that!

Yes, There are a lot of ways to clean up the cases, I have used small stainless rotory steel wire brushes and Brass wire brushes bought at Harbor Freight tools, I also have a small Glass Beader that works the best IMHO, The engines in my Avatar were cleaned using rotory brushes and a Glass beader, when removing the head and cyl. screws, use a t pin and dig out any debris in the middle of the philips head screw, and buy yourself a brand new Quality screw driver, tap the Screw driver on the head bolts to loosen them up with a small hammer, I have always gotten the screws out of the head doing that, Also use a 4-40 tap, and clean out all the screw threads,

I am a Retired Engineer, and I Totally believe that being involved in Model Aviation, building and repairing planes and engines at a Early Age, is what caused me to become a Engineer, I really do Smile

and the fact that my Father is a Handyman, and has taught me a lot on how to repair stuff at a early age, also contributed to that knowledge, My Father also got me started in CL Flying, Take care and have fun everyone, Chellie

A Few Tips I have learned on Restoring the 19 to 40 Red/Blue Head McCoy Engines Auth.aspx

A Few Tips I have learned on Restoring the 19 to 40 Red/Blue Head McCoy Engines Auth.aspx

stuntflyr Thu May 07, 2015 4:13 am

Thanks for your great contributions here, Chellie. I love McCoys.
Chris...
A Few Tips I have learned on Restoring the 19 to 40 Red/Blue Head McCoy Engines Tigerc10

A Few Tips I have learned on Restoring the 19 to 40 Red/Blue Head McCoy Engines Tigerc10

CHELLIE Thu May 07, 2015 4:21 am

stuntflyr wrote:Thanks for your great contributions here, Chellie. I love McCoys.
Chris...

Hi Chris

Thats a awesome looking Twin plane Smile

Can I fly it lol!

Take care and have fun, Chellie

GallopingGhostler Thu May 07, 2015 8:57 am

CHELLIE wrote:I am a Retired Engineer, and I Totally believe that being involved in Model Aviation, building and repairing planes and engines at a Early Age, is what caused me to become a Engineer, I really do and the fact that my Father is a Handyman, and has taught me a lot on how to repair stuff at a early age, also contributed to that knowledge, My Father also got me started in CL Flying, Take care and have fun everyone, Chellie

Chellie, that is interesting that model airplanes led to your engineering career all the way to retirement, congratulations by the way. I can relate to that. Also what I thought was precious was your YouTube video, hearing your grandson exclaiming with surprise and excitement as he watched grandma fly an electric CL doing stunts. Cool

CHELLIE Thu May 07, 2015 1:26 pm

GallopingGhostler wrote:
CHELLIE wrote:I am a Retired Engineer, and I Totally believe that being involved in Model Aviation, building and repairing planes and engines at a Early Age, is what caused me to become a Engineer, I really do and the fact that my Father is a Handyman, and has taught me a lot on how to repair stuff at a early age, also contributed to that knowledge, My Father also got me started in CL Flying, Take care and have fun everyone, Chellie
Chellie, that is interesting that model airplanes led to your engineering career all the way to retirement, congratulations by the way. I can relate to that. Also what I thought was precious was your YouTube video, hearing your grandson exclaiming with surprise and excitement as he watched grandma fly an electric CL doing stunts.

Hi Galloping Ghostler Smile

I have to get my Grandson involved with CL Flying Smile

I am going to make him a Depron Foam plane with an electric motor to get started with, at first when i was trying to fly CL, I would go up and then straight down Laughing

Then I shortened the cables and whipped the plane around with the engine off and that taught me to keep the plane level and to land it at the age of about 12, then I would fly the plane on shortened cables/string with the engine running rich and slow and got used to flying with the engine on, Only problem was when the engine started to run out of fuel and leaned out, then it really took off and almost got me dizzy untill the engine stopped Laughing

If Anyone wants to see my You Tube video flying the CL E Powered Buster, Type into a You Tube search,
60 Year Old Grandma Flying CL E Power Buster , Take care and have fun, Chellie

getback Fri May 08, 2015 8:30 am

Way to fly Grandma Chellie , And Thank You for taking the time to give some good hints and tips for repairs . That's one thing about this Forum compared to some others WE are all here to help each other achieve what they are doing Very Happy

Just to have some good ole time fun. Eric Babe Bee

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A Few Tips I have learned on Restoring the 19 to 40 Red/Blue Head McCoy Engines

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