DMalyuta

I have the O.S. .46 LA. I've currently decided to do a following cleanup of it:

1. Disassmeble the entire engine into its components.

2. Dump everyhting in a volume of hot water + dish cleaning detergent, let it soak in there overnight.

3. Wipe each component and spray it all down with a degreaser. Then wipe with papers towel and blow over each peace with a compressed air stream.

4. Reassemble the engine.

The parts I am not sure about- do I have to separate the 2 ball bearings from the engine case? From a youtube video I saw a guy had to use a blow torch/oven to heat the engine to make the bearings come out- but it looks like my mom won't allow me to do that (18 year old here haha).

ALSO, do I have to absolutely re-lube the engine with oil after? I now the fuel has oil in it so it will naturaly re-lube itself in the first run after the cleaning? If I do have to use oil, which kind would I have to buy?

Any advice much appreciated,

Daniel.

pimmnz

Daniel, the 46LA does not have ball bearings, so you do not have to heat anything. Water and detergent is probably not the best way to clean this engine. Remove the plug, head and backplate. Remove the carb and the prop driver. Mark with a small 'dot' the rear side of the connecting rod. Remove the liner from the cylinder and then the piston/rod assembly. Remove the crankshaft. Clean all the parts in thinners/alchohol, then coat the steel parts with air tool oil (Marvel Mystery Oil) or auto trans fluid. That about it. Reassemble the opposite way, ensure that the piston/rod goes back in the same way, hence the mark on the rod. Note that the case has a small pin at the top of the cylinder making the liner impossible to put in around the wrong way.
Evan, WB #12.

DMalyuta

Typo- I meant just "bearings". Surely any engine/rotating assmebly has that?

Thank you for the reply!

Daniel.

DMalyuta

Could you also please explain what air tool oil is? What type of oil (can you point to a specific product) should I use to lubricate the engine after the clean?

Daniel.

jester_s1

No, the LA series really doesn't have any bearings. They have bronze bushings that are permanently pressed into the crankcase.

Now the question that hasn't been asked yet: Why do you want to clean the engine? If it's because it's old and gummy. take the back plate, head, and carburetor off and soak it in some old fuel for a few days (or denatured alcohol if you have it) and then work it a bit to loosen everything up then drop it back in for a day or two. It it's because it's ugly on the outside, get some Dawn Power Dissolver and go at it with a toothbrush without disassembling anything. If it's just because you noticed that the inside is all brown but the engine still runs right, then leave it alone.

DMalyuta

Haha- well, it isn't any of those reasons. The engine has only been run once before (2 years ago) and has not beet touched since. It looks brand new from a distance of 2 meters. Why for the love of all that is living should I want to take it apart then? Well- because aeronautics is a field I am purusing for a career, and all things plane related interest me. I took apart a really old engine a few days ago and it's soaking in water outside my window right now. It's fun, and it'll help me understand the working of an engine beyond that of "well, there's a cylinder going up and and down and magically we get a turning propeller". You know what I'm saying? I'm exploring my way around in R/C aircraft, and taking apart an engine in perfect condition it part of my exploration!

Thank you got the clarification on bearings though!

Daniel.

jester_s1

Take it apart all you want to then, but don't soak it in water. The wrist pin and crank are steel and will rust.

pimmnz

Any oil will do to lubricate after cleaning, but the idea isn't really to lubricate, but protect. Air tool oil, of any brand, will do as it acts as a water dispersant, as does auto trans oil. If you intend to run the engine there will be plenty of oil in the fuel. The problem is after the run, the by-products of combustion are acidic, and the fuel itself attracts water. In combination, if you don't take some precautions this will lead to rapid corrosion of the steel parts of the engine. The general recommendation is to run the engine hot, clamp or remove the fuel line and allow the engine to run until all the fuel in the case has been used. When you get it home a carb full of oil, as above, flicked through the engine will coat most exposed engine parts. Hanging the engine nose up will allow any residue to drain to the backplate, and away from the bearings, shafts and the like. The backplate is either ally or plastic, and not affected by the fuel. Water will not clean the engine parts.
Evan, WB #12.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Not a lot to learn from the LA engine but so far you have learned that not all engines have or require bearings and water will rust steel, oil use in an air tool is called air tool oil.
Before I ever open up an engine I first find and read a book about them. If you already have some knowlage about an engine then the hands on tear down will teach you a lot more.
I rebuild four stroke glow engines and have some good books about the different brands. You can find some good web sites for a lot of different brands and print things out to build your own books on the subject.
Try to find yourself a cheap four stroke to tear down. I do use a pot of boiling water to soak my engines in before I start to tear them down, it loosens up the screws by expanding the case evenly. I have some thick oven mits to hold the engine while I start to disassemble. When it is time to remove the bearings I boil or use the over to heat up the case again and knock out the bearings.
For just cleaning engines there are a number of ways like the crock pot and anti freeze but you are just wanting to see what makes them tick. Living in America as a teenager was great, we had auto shop in school and had to take a car engine apart and put it back together then start it to proove it still ran. We had to read books about engines before we touch a wrench and had to take a test and pass it before we were even allowed in the shop. You can learn anything from a book. That should be your first stop!!