Keeping engine clean
05-16-2011 | 03:53 PM
#26
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From: Berthoud,
CO
RE: Keeping engine clean
Also, check the muffler fittings for tightness. Sometimes fuel can leak from there right onto the muffler where it will bake and turn brown very quickly. Again, tighten but not like a gorilla on steroids!
05-17-2011 | 09:24 AM
#27
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From: Poolesville, MD
RE: Keeping engine clean
ORIGINAL: Gray Beard
Every one of the engines I had would loosen up the head screws right away unless I did this.
Every one of the engines I had would loosen up the head screws right away unless I did this.
05-17-2011 | 10:36 AM
#28
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RE: Keeping engine clean
ORIGINAL: opjose
Yup and on every engine I've ever owned.
ORIGINAL: Gray Beard
Every one of the engines I had would loosen up the head screws right away unless I did this.
Every one of the engines I had would loosen up the head screws right away unless I did this.
05-17-2011 | 10:53 AM
#29
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From: Poolesville, MD
RE: Keeping engine clean
I mistakenly purchased a LA46 for a Sig Spacewalker II .40... the plane came out just under 9lbs AUW(!!).
Big mistake!
The LA46 ended up going into a .32 sized Extra, turning that into a wonderfully overpowered plane.
The light weight design of the LA46 let the plane balance out perfectly even though it originally called for a smaller engine.
That engine never misses a beat too.
They are great engines when properly sized for the plane they are going into.
Big mistake!
The LA46 ended up going into a .32 sized Extra, turning that into a wonderfully overpowered plane.
The light weight design of the LA46 let the plane balance out perfectly even though it originally called for a smaller engine.
That engine never misses a beat too.
They are great engines when properly sized for the plane they are going into.
05-17-2011 | 11:09 AM
#30
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RE: Keeping engine clean
My 46LA is on my trainer Avistar (5.25#) and it's a dog. Very slow.
I will check it after I tightening the screws a little and the glow that was kind of loose.
I will check it after I tightening the screws a little and the glow that was kind of loose.
05-17-2011 | 11:54 AM
#31
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From: Rockwall TX
RE: Keeping engine clean
ORIGINAL: ameyam
What you are getting is bake-on castor varnish. Basically, when you run the engine, the fuel (which contains castor) spurts out of the carb and on to the hot cylinger etc. Since castor has a high flash-point (in other words, it burns at a much higher temperature. This by the way is why it is used as a lubricant- it remains intact and continues to lubricate when the other components of the fuel burn. That is another story) it does not burn but forms long polymeric chains that bake on to the surface in the form of a varnish. While this is normal, it may mean you are running the engine very rich.
Tuning the engine being another issue, it is normal for the brown staining to appear. Just ensure they stay brown and do not go black. When that happens, the varnish has oxidised & carbonised and will intefere with heat transfer from the engine surface i.e. your engine may overheat (though I have seen many engines operate well even in this condition). The best way to prevent this is to regularly (may be once a month) scrub down your engine with a tooth brush and soap water (you can also use the windex / Colin etc that you use to clean the airplane). Make sure you completely dry the engine afterwards with a hair drier or heat gun otherwise the MS parts will begin to rust. Scrubbing regularly only prevents the buildup of the varnish, you may have difficulty in removing it later though a wire brush and a bit of elbow-grease may help
If you already have difficulty removing the stains, just keep an eye on them. If they start to go black, you need to wash your engine. There are various ways to do that but the way I do it is to remove the needle, carb, backplate and glow plug and immerse the engine for a couple of days in plain alcohol. Some also use the crock-pot method (they boil the engine in anti-freeze). You may need to do a bit of scrubbing afterwards. Just ensure that you dont open up the head as then you may need another gasket
As always, prevention is better than cure
Ameyam
What you are getting is bake-on castor varnish. Basically, when you run the engine, the fuel (which contains castor) spurts out of the carb and on to the hot cylinger etc. Since castor has a high flash-point (in other words, it burns at a much higher temperature. This by the way is why it is used as a lubricant- it remains intact and continues to lubricate when the other components of the fuel burn. That is another story) it does not burn but forms long polymeric chains that bake on to the surface in the form of a varnish. While this is normal, it may mean you are running the engine very rich.
Tuning the engine being another issue, it is normal for the brown staining to appear. Just ensure they stay brown and do not go black. When that happens, the varnish has oxidised & carbonised and will intefere with heat transfer from the engine surface i.e. your engine may overheat (though I have seen many engines operate well even in this condition). The best way to prevent this is to regularly (may be once a month) scrub down your engine with a tooth brush and soap water (you can also use the windex / Colin etc that you use to clean the airplane). Make sure you completely dry the engine afterwards with a hair drier or heat gun otherwise the MS parts will begin to rust. Scrubbing regularly only prevents the buildup of the varnish, you may have difficulty in removing it later though a wire brush and a bit of elbow-grease may help
If you already have difficulty removing the stains, just keep an eye on them. If they start to go black, you need to wash your engine. There are various ways to do that but the way I do it is to remove the needle, carb, backplate and glow plug and immerse the engine for a couple of days in plain alcohol. Some also use the crock-pot method (they boil the engine in anti-freeze). You may need to do a bit of scrubbing afterwards. Just ensure that you dont open up the head as then you may need another gasket
As always, prevention is better than cure
Ameyam
Just ensure that you dont open up the head as then you may need another gasket
05-17-2011 | 02:09 PM
#32
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From: Poolesville, MD
RE: Keeping engine clean
ORIGINAL: armody
Do engines have Gaskets in their heads? I'm curious if anyone can post a picture, sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread!!
Do engines have Gaskets in their heads? I'm curious if anyone can post a picture, sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread!!
There is the head gasket and/or there may be a small think compression gasket, that is often so squashed it can be missed.
05-17-2011 | 03:18 PM
#33
My Feedback: (-1)
RE: Keeping engine clean
Gaskets???I run into shims, brass, on a few engines but not gaskets. I don't recall any shims on the LAs though. I guess I could pull the heads off a couple if anyone really needed to know for sure. Harry, a loose glow plug is going to make the engine loose compression and it isn't going to run very well at all. For people that are going to buy a new engine and plan on sticking with the planes that work ell with a .46 I try to steer them over to the OS .55 AX. It's small enough to power a 40 size plane and has enough power to fly a number of the 60 size ARFs. Not the power of a .60 but strong enough, sort of a multi use engine.
OP, I once bought a kit built Super Sportster at auction that was glassed and painted, I used a .46 LA and it flew the plane kinda OK, no ball of fire but OK if you had the air. I let a friend fly the plane and he didn't have the air!! I bought one of the 32 size Extras at auction for the engine that was in it. The plane was under my bench for over a year until I decided to assemble and fly it. I used the LA .46 and it was way good!! Until one of my solder joints broke on the elevator rod. The LAs do have a place in RC, not a real brute but an all around good engine. In the 40 size Up-Roar they are perfect.
OP, I once bought a kit built Super Sportster at auction that was glassed and painted, I used a .46 LA and it flew the plane kinda OK, no ball of fire but OK if you had the air. I let a friend fly the plane and he didn't have the air!! I bought one of the 32 size Extras at auction for the engine that was in it. The plane was under my bench for over a year until I decided to assemble and fly it. I used the LA .46 and it was way good!! Until one of my solder joints broke on the elevator rod. The LAs do have a place in RC, not a real brute but an all around good engine. In the 40 size Up-Roar they are perfect.
05-17-2011 | 06:40 PM
#34
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From: Mumbai, INDIA
RE: Keeping engine clean
Gaskets or brass shims, whatever you want to call them. There is a small soft brass ring in a groove in the cylinder head that serves the purpose.
I always had 55ax-es but somehow the ones that I bought from my LHS always seemed to go off within a year or so with some problem or the other. Not that they would stop running but that they lost reliability. May be the LHS bought them in the time OS was having those liner issue people keep referring to
Ameyam
I always had 55ax-es but somehow the ones that I bought from my LHS always seemed to go off within a year or so with some problem or the other. Not that they would stop running but that they lost reliability. May be the LHS bought them in the time OS was having those liner issue people keep referring to
Ameyam
05-18-2011 | 09:14 AM
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From: Poolesville, MD
RE: Keeping engine clean
Yeah the shim is just a metal gasket.
It serves two purposes... it can be used to lower compression, but it also helps form a seal so technically it is a gasket.
It serves two purposes... it can be used to lower compression, but it also helps form a seal so technically it is a gasket.
05-18-2011 | 03:08 PM
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From: South Wales, UNITED KINGDOM
RE: Keeping engine clean
hello guys new to rc flying would be great if you could help me on some stuff :<font face="Verdana">Beginer need some help on some parts needed! Help please. </font><font face="Verdana">
</font> please have a look and see if you can help would be great if you could
</font> please have a look and see if you can help would be great if you could
