SwampFlier-RCU

I was pondering (too much pnky & the brain) how to clean an engine from its baked castor crust. I have known of and tried the methodthat uses a crock pot and coolant; however it has its drawbacks as we all know.
The I have an inspiration and now I think that I have an alternative to the antifreeze method and it goes as follows:

1. Get (ask, beg, plead or... steal) a suitable cooking pot to immerse the engine into
2. Fill the pan with water and add 2 or 3 (two or three) tablespoons liquid dishwasher detergent, yes the one used for cleaning pots and pans (Palmolive is a good brand)
3. Bring mixture to a boil in a stove top, keep boiling for 3 - 5 minutes
4. Take pot out of fire and put engine in..... ( i just take teh muffler out and put the engine in seals and everytging)
5. Let it soak for about 20 min to 1 hour as you van handle it
6. Take engine out and clean with a wire brush and clean to you hearts content
7. After cleaning put the lubricant of your choice for storage

VOILA!!! the gunk is gone.

The temperature of the mixture is below the temperature of an operating egine and the detergent is not as hard on o rings and plastic and you can afterwards clean the pot and return it to your significant other.

I took a trusty and dirty OS40 LA and tried my method of cleaning...... with one caveat (I left it for 4 to 6 hours soaking) and the my 14 yr old son cleaned it up with the wire brush and I was surprised at the god job he did!! The 40 LA now sits atop his pbf bright and shiny


(Edited for accuracy )

RCPAUL

My Feedback: (1)

and add 2 or 3 (two or three) liquid dishwasher

Two or three what?

Paul

SwampFlier-RCU

Hey Paul I'm keeping the secret to myself

I was hasty typing it... I alreadey edited it: It's two or three tablespoons

VeeAte

Awesome.
Another good one is toothpaste and hot water.

Can be done the same way you did yours. Although I just soaked it in hot water for a while then got stuck into the motor with a toothbrush and toothpaste.

Came up like new.

Thanks for the tip.

loughbd

And then there is high-tech Perfect engine cleaner by Cheveron Hobby Products. It works great cold but when heated it will an engine look NEW without all the scratches caused by using a wire brush.

joesabido

Don't forget to use Sensodyne for sensitive crankcases

RaceCity

I use Crest Anti-Plaque rinse. Provides up to 12hrs protection against crud build up, no alcohol to attract bearing rusting water, and leaves a fresh minty scent.


Seriously, I'd be a bit concerned using abrasive tools (wirebrush), abrasive compounds (toothpaste) or strong detergents on aluminum engines. Most of these detergents come with warnings against using them on aluminum due to the possibility of discoloration.

If it works for you...that's good, but beware nonetheless....

downunder

I've been using dishwashing powder for some time now and it works great but one thing to watch out for is not to have the water too hot. There's been some discussion about boiling an engine in just water at http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4224960/tm.htm

loughbd

Too hot in water?? Water boils at 212 and an engine runs hotter than that. I heat crankcases to 300 in an oven to get the bearings out when I replace bearings. Or I use a propane torch to heat the case. Either way is hotter than boiling water.

When I use cheveron High-tech engine cleaner, I heat it to boiling amd have had zero problems doing this.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Something happens to the metal on a model airplane engine when it is boiled in antifreeze and other cleaning agents as well as some waters.

Apparently there is oxidation taking place by the boiling action?

However, it is often very effective to have them "HOT" but not boiling.

You are taking your engine into your own hands when you use anything caustic whether room temperature, hot, or boiling.

Enjoy,

Jim

loughbd

Funny, I have cleaned dozens, if not scores, of engines in Perfect engine cleaner. It is an alkaline cleaner and I heat it to boiling. I have NEVER had any aluminum engine I cleaned in it oxidize. I guess though that one of these days they will all just fall to pieces. It works even better in an ultra sonic cleaner. Again, I'm doing it all wrong. Some day I'll learn. Then again maybe not.

Sheldon's sells this stuff knowing that it will destroy any engine cleaned in it and he can sell more engines that way. Smart guy, that Ron.

I don't take my engines into my own hands when doing this. They are way too hot. I do enjoy.

"some waters"? I only know of one kind of water. It is made from two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom combined by a covalent bond.

downunder

If you'd take the time to read that link I provided above you'd see that we were wondering about the affect of the various dissolved metals, salts, fluoridation etc of tap water and how the heat at boiling point may activate them to discolour the surface. Don't give lectures when you don't know what we were talking about.

RCPAUL

My Feedback: (1)

loughbd


There is no call for sarcasm.

Paul

loughbd

If there is dissolved salts, metals etc then it's contaminated water. However pure distilled water promotes rust and other corrosion so I guess we better not ever let water touch our engines. Especially boiling water because heat speeds up chemical reactions.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

From my many years of industrial boiler experience

Even distilled water will have impurities that may cause corrosion.

loughbd

By definition, distilled water has zero impurities. That's why it's distilled. You may have worked in boilers but I lived and worked on nuclear submarines. The water in our reactors had less than three parts per million of ANY impurities. Any impurities become radioactive and that is unacceptable. Our primary coolant (water) was so pure that Rickover would drink it when he was reporting to congress. The crap you used in your boilers wouldn't even be used as drinking water on a submarine. Water that pure will still cause iron to rust and other metals to corrode. That's why all our piping was monel metal.

loughbd

By definition, distilled water has no impurities. You may buy poorly distilled water but the process is supposed to remove impurities. Now you may have worked in boilers but I lived and worked on nuclear submarines for 25 years. Our reactor water (primary coolant) had to be pure to less than 3 parts per million. We made that right on the boat. Our drinking water was more pure than your boiler water. Same with our battery water. Impurities in reactor water became radioactive which was unsat. Rickover used to drink primary coolant when he was before congress to prove a point. Even water that pure will cause iron and other metals to corrode. That's why we used monel metal in our piping.

Glen Wearden

I did the dish soap and hot water thing to a Fox 35, but I went one further and added a little ammonia. Ever seen a black Fox 35? Apparently, the aluminum wasn't damaged, just discolored, and very clean. Glen

Sport_Pilot

I don't know what the deal is with the discoloration, unless you are a proffesional flyer, or have a show plane, so what if the engine is a little darker? But then again its not to hard to heat up to 180 or so instead. Though I plan to use the antifreeze method next time.

SwampFlier-RCU

Heating the with the liquid dishwasher detergent (I think they'e less abrasive than powders downunder) in water and then immersing the engine did not discolored the engine; if you plan to heat it up with the engine in do not bring to boil....(individual results may vary ).. anyway it's probably prohibited in the state of Califronia

downunder

I bought the powder just to try it out but first I heat the water to get all the powder dissolved then let it cool down to warm/hot before I put the parts in it. The temp I like to use is at the point where I'm starting to curse groping around for the odd loose bolt

loughbd

By definition distilled water has no impurities. That's what distilling does. You worked in boilers?? I worked with nuclear reactors. I spent 25+ years in the submarine service. Our primary coolant was water and it was pure to less than three parts per million. Any impurities bacame radioactive and that was unsat. Our drinking water was more pure than your boiler water. Compared to primary coolant (water) your boiler water was crap.

Even primary coolant will cause iron toe rust and other metals to corrode.

oda134

I have a half bottle on Perfect Engine Cleaner that's 20 years old and it still works great. Is it still made and where can I purchase?????

huck1199

Dawn Power Disolver works for me.