gunradd

My Feedback: (9)

This is how we compressor wash full scale engines. Just run it after the compressor wash and everything works its way out the back. The helicotpers I work on all have centrifigal compressors and we use some soap called RMC. We motor the engine with the starter 3 times with the RMC spray on the compressor. Then let it sit for 15 mins. Then we use a fresh water rinse and do a start to clear it all out.

That being said I would not do that with our little engines.
A small squirt bottle with some water sprayed into a running turbine would work well on our model turbines. To much water would trash the bearings so just little sprays into the engine running would not hurt anything.

sysiek

My Feedback: (176)

Just put in to oven and set for cleaning,

SushiHunter

If it were mine, I'd just send it in for servicing by the manufacturer. But that's just me. I don't like adding unnecessary risks which could result in a failure and subsequent total loss of a/c. It's got to be serviced after so many hours anyways, plus you say you broke 60% of the bolts trying to disassemble it. Send it in and have it done right.....done.....piece of mind.

gunradd

My Feedback: (9)

No one services his old turbine anymore...

SushiHunter

That sucks. And in this case, green lawn

Henke Torphammar

Yeah I agree! if you seriously think WD40 or break cleaner will dissolve grass, then you are probably not the engineer type of guy or hm... living in the USA.

Henke Torphammar

I use a soldering iron to heat the screws, this unbinds the locktite Small hex or torx are evil

SushiHunter

A better choice of words would be that WD40 or brake cleaner could help loosen not dissolve grass, for easier removal.

From what I've learned using these chemicals on auto applications, they can and will ruin sensors and certain coated surfaces, so I'd make damn sure they don't damage a turbine and/or any of the components before applying them. That could potentially turn into a very costly mistake.

bluescoobydoo

wd40 will not harm anything inside a turbine if you can dissolve tar from the paint work of a 100k car with it I think it will work it just needs time

The Great Squintini

Water is used on a everyday basis to rinse full scale turbine engines. It's one of the way to protect them from corrosion in the salt water environments. If rinsed properly and give a good 5min drying run, I wouldn't see the problem. However, full scale engines have drains to help clear out the water so I'm not sure how this would effect the tiny turbines. Probably a fine mist of continuous water while running would be fine. I would just make sure to leave the engine running for several min after you stop misting the engine.

fxvtol

Mikes68charger, I think you should contact this person, Andy Fioretti: from :

CRX Jet Turbines
1599 Mill Road
Buffalo, New York 14052
716-946-7493
[email protected]

http://www.crxdesigns.com

By emailing him I don't think he will be afraid to take apart your AMT turbine.

As far as those broken screws are concerned, I think it's time to break out the EDM machine. EDM stands for electrical discharge machining, I will run one as a machinist for many years, so I think you should contact the machine shop in your area and they can burn out those screws for you.

Good luck,

Al

lrb75

My Feedback: (12)

WD-40 makes a nice varnish on glow plugs in glow engines and ruins them as it prohibits the catalyst action of the platinum element. I also doesn't evaporate completely. Recommend the brake cleaner unless there are rubber or plastic parts. It will evaporate completely.

Henke Torphammar

Cleaning grass out of a diffuser or combustor with chemicals is like trying to get spaghetti through a strainer using only water(or WD40) As long as it doesn't evaporate the pasta it will stay in there, loose or not.

Jgwright

I am amazed that people on this thread are recommending things to others like this. There are rubber O rings in engines. Henke is quite right. you will not clean out grass by squirting water or other fluids into the engine. Just strip it down, renew the bearings and get it rebalanced. It is rare to have screws loctited in 'permanently'. They can easily be removed by heating up. The thing you all need to remember is that our turbines use part of the airflow through the bearings to cool them. If small particles are floating about in the engine some will get sucked into the bearings and blown through them. As I said a small amount of grass is unlikely to cause a problem. In the Uk there is at least one club that flies off a beach and engines are regularly sanded inside by small particles. I know this is similar to flying in the Middle East. If you can find any model turbine manufacturer that recommends squirting anything into an engine do let us know.

John

John

mikes68charger

My Feedback: (34)

Thanks, Yes As you said, mine has only digested small amount of grass as evendeance by the slight grass stans on the compressor. I put 3 flight on it yesterday, and its running as strong as the day I got it, so Im not really worried,

I only asked the question more of in a preventive measure, not trying to fix a motor that went down in the grass, and ate it all up.

But I think never the less this was still a very imformitive thread, and thanks for all those who gave sugesstions.

Mike

I live to fly and love doing it.

SushiHunter

What did you do in regards to the 60% broken bolts?

mikes68charger

My Feedback: (34)

Ohh I gave that motor away.