Walbro Carb-Long Term Storage
11-20-2017, 10:23 AM
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Walbro Carb-Long Term Storage
Attached is a pic of a friend's Walbro carb from an engine that hadn't been flown in a long time.
What's the best process for long term storage of a Walbro carb so that it doesn't have to be rebuilt after it has been sitting up for a while?
I'm thinking a Seafoam flush of the carb might work.
What say ye?
What's the best process for long term storage of a Walbro carb so that it doesn't have to be rebuilt after it has been sitting up for a while?
I'm thinking a Seafoam flush of the carb might work.
What say ye?
12-21-2017, 10:51 AM
#2
Well, I'll tell ya... If anyone figures out a way to deal with this problem; TELL ME FIRST!!
I just went through a horrible experience with this. I had left fuel sit in my dual quad hot rod boat, and all but ruined 800 dollars worth of carburetors. I think I've got them cleaned now, finally, but what a nightmare!!! The deposits that were left behind after the fuel degraded and evaporated could not be dissolved even with acetone!!
As far as our airplane engines, the biggest problem is with the regulator diaphragm. Every time I talk about this, I get a slew of comments from people saying "Oh bullcrap, I have my fuel sit for a year and my engines fire right up and work perfectly." Well, I don't know about that, but I DO know that is NOT the case here in Tucson, Arizona. I fix hundreds of machines with fuel system malfunctions here, and fight the battle with my airplane engines too. It doesn't seem to matter whether you store them "wet" or "dry" here. Walbro has supposedly invented a better diaphragm, and they announced it in a "news flash", but I have since contacted them several times and no answer on the diaphragm issue. Don't know what's up with that....
There are several things you can do, shown here in no particular order.
1. Set your e-mail to send you an appointment notice every month that says; "CHANGE GAS IN TANK AND RUN ENGINE WITH FRESH FUEL!!"
2. You can use Avgas. It seems to evaporate away cleanly, though it will still leave the oil behind and that can cause its own problem with your felt clunk filter and carb filter. Also, the FAA has gotten tough on selling Avgas only when put directly in an airplane fuel tank. I can't even get the "out in the country" small airports to sell it to me now.
3. I use a mixture of Coleman Fuel mixed at 20:1 with dino oil and a touch of Sta-Bil as a storage fuel. Fill the tank nearly full, run the engine long enough to get the fuel in all the jets, then cap off the vent line and wrap the carb in plastic to prevent evaporation. I DO NOT AND WILL NOT FLY WITH THIS FUEL AND DO NOT RECOMMEND IT. (A bunch of people will jump in here and tell us that it is fine. The bottom line is the engine manufacturers never, ever recommend fuel below 87 octane, and Coleman fuel is around 50 octane more or less. So there you have it.)
4. You can use the special, non alcohol two stroke fuel sold in home improvement stores. This is expensive. Also, any time your fuel evaporates, you are going to have a mess in the carb and in the fuel filter clunk. So preventing evaporation is a good step with ANY fuel.
I use number 3 myself, though I admit number 1 is the best of all options. But getting 10 airplanes out of storage and servicing the fuel system each month would be a PITA!!
The bottom line is, if the engine has sat for very long, pop the two covers off the carb and check things out. On the pump side, the diaphragm should not be distended, and the filter screen should be clean. On the regulator side, the diaphragm must be floppy loose and flexible. If not, replace it. A partially stiff one will drive you nuts trying to tune the engine. Lastly, if all the fuel evaporated away, you should replace the felt filter clunk in your gas tank, and check that the fuel lines are still soft and pliable. If all this makes you think maybe you should change to fresh fuel and run the engine every month.... you would be correct!
AV8TOR
I just went through a horrible experience with this. I had left fuel sit in my dual quad hot rod boat, and all but ruined 800 dollars worth of carburetors. I think I've got them cleaned now, finally, but what a nightmare!!! The deposits that were left behind after the fuel degraded and evaporated could not be dissolved even with acetone!!
As far as our airplane engines, the biggest problem is with the regulator diaphragm. Every time I talk about this, I get a slew of comments from people saying "Oh bullcrap, I have my fuel sit for a year and my engines fire right up and work perfectly." Well, I don't know about that, but I DO know that is NOT the case here in Tucson, Arizona. I fix hundreds of machines with fuel system malfunctions here, and fight the battle with my airplane engines too. It doesn't seem to matter whether you store them "wet" or "dry" here. Walbro has supposedly invented a better diaphragm, and they announced it in a "news flash", but I have since contacted them several times and no answer on the diaphragm issue. Don't know what's up with that....
There are several things you can do, shown here in no particular order.
1. Set your e-mail to send you an appointment notice every month that says; "CHANGE GAS IN TANK AND RUN ENGINE WITH FRESH FUEL!!"
2. You can use Avgas. It seems to evaporate away cleanly, though it will still leave the oil behind and that can cause its own problem with your felt clunk filter and carb filter. Also, the FAA has gotten tough on selling Avgas only when put directly in an airplane fuel tank. I can't even get the "out in the country" small airports to sell it to me now.
3. I use a mixture of Coleman Fuel mixed at 20:1 with dino oil and a touch of Sta-Bil as a storage fuel. Fill the tank nearly full, run the engine long enough to get the fuel in all the jets, then cap off the vent line and wrap the carb in plastic to prevent evaporation. I DO NOT AND WILL NOT FLY WITH THIS FUEL AND DO NOT RECOMMEND IT. (A bunch of people will jump in here and tell us that it is fine. The bottom line is the engine manufacturers never, ever recommend fuel below 87 octane, and Coleman fuel is around 50 octane more or less. So there you have it.)
4. You can use the special, non alcohol two stroke fuel sold in home improvement stores. This is expensive. Also, any time your fuel evaporates, you are going to have a mess in the carb and in the fuel filter clunk. So preventing evaporation is a good step with ANY fuel.
I use number 3 myself, though I admit number 1 is the best of all options. But getting 10 airplanes out of storage and servicing the fuel system each month would be a PITA!!
The bottom line is, if the engine has sat for very long, pop the two covers off the carb and check things out. On the pump side, the diaphragm should not be distended, and the filter screen should be clean. On the regulator side, the diaphragm must be floppy loose and flexible. If not, replace it. A partially stiff one will drive you nuts trying to tune the engine. Lastly, if all the fuel evaporated away, you should replace the felt filter clunk in your gas tank, and check that the fuel lines are still soft and pliable. If all this makes you think maybe you should change to fresh fuel and run the engine every month.... you would be correct!
AV8TOR
Last edited by av8tor1977; 12-21-2017 at 11:03 AM.
12-22-2017, 08:56 AM
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Thanks Av8tor,
For comparison, I have a Super Tigre 90 glow engine that hasn't been run since 2005 (12 years).
Last night I took off the glow plug, loosened it up with a heat gun, and did a light flush with some automatic transmission fluid.
This morning, I put the glow plug back on, primed the engine, and hit it with the starter. It started on the first flip.
These glow engines are amazing.
However, I did spend the next 10 minutes cleaning the residual oil from the glow fuel off the airplane.
For comparison, I have a Super Tigre 90 glow engine that hasn't been run since 2005 (12 years).
Last night I took off the glow plug, loosened it up with a heat gun, and did a light flush with some automatic transmission fluid.
This morning, I put the glow plug back on, primed the engine, and hit it with the starter. It started on the first flip.
These glow engines are amazing.
However, I did spend the next 10 minutes cleaning the residual oil from the glow fuel off the airplane.
01-01-2018, 01:56 PM
#4
Yep, I too have numerous times used the heat treat method to loosen up a glow engine. Then as you say, oil it, a shot of carb cleaner spray through the fuel inlet with the throttle open, then hook it all up and fire it!
My personal glow engines that were carefully run dry then oiled with ATF don't tend to lock up; even after years of storage. I have an old Fox .78 that I bought around 1981. It has never been apart yet runs perfectly. It's actually one of my favorites in my glow engine collection because it runs so nice. It starts so easy I've never used a starter on it. It has at times sat for years, then takes off and runs like a charm!
AV8TOR
My personal glow engines that were carefully run dry then oiled with ATF don't tend to lock up; even after years of storage. I have an old Fox .78 that I bought around 1981. It has never been apart yet runs perfectly. It's actually one of my favorites in my glow engine collection because it runs so nice. It starts so easy I've never used a starter on it. It has at times sat for years, then takes off and runs like a charm!
AV8TOR
Last edited by av8tor1977; 01-01-2018 at 03:06 PM.
01-04-2018, 09:31 AM
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Thanks Av8tor,
Your secret may be running the glow engine dry before oiling it with ATF.
Mine was liberally treated with ATF about 12 years ago, but it wasn't run dry first.
My guess is that residual caster in the front bearing area hardened over the years.
Another recurring area that requires heat is the throttle barrel.
Guessing not enough ATF washes through that area to get all the castor out.
Happy New Year!
Your secret may be running the glow engine dry before oiling it with ATF.
Mine was liberally treated with ATF about 12 years ago, but it wasn't run dry first.
My guess is that residual caster in the front bearing area hardened over the years.
Another recurring area that requires heat is the throttle barrel.
Guessing not enough ATF washes through that area to get all the castor out.
Happy New Year!
01-06-2018, 05:11 PM
#6
Very true.
Say, I should be back in Tucson around the 15th, and able to finally get that core engine sent to you. The holidays and various problems at my other place have really taken up my time. Then we've made a trip up to far northwestern Arizona to visit my 74 year old sister whom is not doing so well. Sorry for the delay. I know you said not to worry about it, but I want to get that sent to you. You were very kind in buying and sending that Homey 30 to me!
AV8TOR
Say, I should be back in Tucson around the 15th, and able to finally get that core engine sent to you. The holidays and various problems at my other place have really taken up my time. Then we've made a trip up to far northwestern Arizona to visit my 74 year old sister whom is not doing so well. Sorry for the delay. I know you said not to worry about it, but I want to get that sent to you. You were very kind in buying and sending that Homey 30 to me!
AV8TOR
