1:_ How Many Times Should i Clean my O.S. .46 FX

2:_ What should i use to clean it.

3:_ How Should i Clean it.

4:_ The Goods and Bads about cleaning your engine...........if they're are any

Thanks for the Help...

why are you cleaning it? Just to keep it in top condition, or cleaning out tera furma from a crash?

well i was told to clean it about every 5 to 10 tanks of gas so that the engine doesnt get rusty or to dirty[sm=confused.gif]

What do you mean clean? Are you talking exterior or interior? For me I clean the interior after each crash or about 5 gallons. I disassemble the whole engine and I will polish it to remove all carbon. The engine will alway sound great after a nice polishing.

Is it safe to just take aprt the engine? like taking off the head to clean inside where the piston is? Cause I have an old webra 40 that could use a cleaning.

Can you totally disassemble an engine... or should i leave that to the people who make the engine?

I don't tear an engine down unless it has been crashed and has mud in it. I have never cleaned an engine that was running good. Maintenance is good but I don't recomend taking it apart for cleaning if it running good.

my webra doesn't start unless you have an electric starter, and even then it is a challenge...

well how about the exterior, how would i clean that and with what type of cleaning stuff

after every flight i spray my the outside of the plane down with Windex and wipe down all the oil and make it clean because
i heard if you don't do that the oil on the back elevator push rod can build up back there and cause flutter or major problems

then i heard your engine can rust very easily so whats the best way to clean it / Maintain it?

p.s. Yesterday i sprayed the engine down with WD-40 and then wiped it down "WAS THAT A GOOD THING" [sm=confused.gif]

WD-40 is seldom a good thing.

It is sold as the fix-it-all oil, but really, all it does is attract dirt and moisture .....

Best thing to do:
Fill an ice-cream tub half full with your regular brand of glow fuel. Get a tooth-brush( not the one you regularly use...)

Dump the engine into the fuel. Use the toothebrush to scrub the outside.

Remove the glow plug.

Crank the engine under the fuel a few times.

Leave it for 1/2 hour.

take it out, let the fuel evapourate.

Put the engine in a zip-lock bacg until used again.

gus

wow okay Thanks

can i reuse the gas =)~

Don;t reuse the gas.

Schedule a clean up for lots of engiens at once, and then use the same gas for all. Don;t get your engines dirty otherwise, and you'll have to clean up fewer times ... ;-)

gus

Here's my take on this.. Keep in mind I'm still young in this
hobby.. But..Cleaning an engine "per say" will never hurt it,
you may need new seals, gaskets etc... I use a tooth brush
and light solvent to clean the exterior when it starts staining
a little from burned fuel/oil and it gets most off, As it gets
worse say six mouths, year?? We have a club member that
boils the engine in Antifreeze which makes them look brand
new... And we all know what not to do with antifreeze or
containers after using it...

If you use fuel to clean the engine then clean the fuel off with alcohol when finished.
The nitro-methane is corrosive.
Reassemble the engine and put some after run oil in it.
Substitutions for after run oil are Marvel Mystery Oil, Automatic transmission fluid or
(I've heard) brake fluid.
KW_Counter

Do as the engine manual suggest.
Typicaly fly till you are done. Remove the excess fuel from the tank with a pump. Crank the engine and run it out of the last bit of fuel in the lines. Remove the glow plug. Add a few drops of after run oil in the glow hole. Spin the engine with the oil in it. Take it home.

For the outside I have never had to clean an airplane engine unless I crashed, and I have. I use alcohol and whatever; to wipe with; as others have suggested. High pressure air and alcohol work well. I use that for general dirt on my gound vehicles.

Any engine is going to wear and get deposits. If you have a significant RPM drop, starting problems, loss of compression it is time for an overhaul.

Personal option to clean the piston and head each time. I do not suggest this for several reasons. If you want that list PM me

M

If your going to use after run oil.. I do, Don't forget the bottom
half of the engine... I just put 4-5 drops in the carb, turn the
prop 4-5 turns, wipe down the engine and cover with my rag...

I use to be into gas powered cars and I polish my engines to keep it in top condition. For the experior I just use a brush and spirit. As for the inside I will take the whole engine apart and do it every 3-5 gallons. s for polish, I use Autosol (metal polish).

Carb - polish the needles, go easy on it
Piston - polish the top of the piston, DO NOT polish the sides!!!
Cylinder head -polish the inside of the head
Sleeve - polish the outside (NOT INSIDE) of the sleeve till its gleaming
Crank - polish the whole crank till it gleams
Conrod - polish till it gleams

You can use a dremel as to hand polish will take too long. Remember to oil everything as you are assembling the engine. As for after run oils, do not waste money on the branded stuff RC cars use, just get light air tool oil, light machine oil or even auto transmission fluid. Its heck of a lot cheaper.

I had a carb gasket deteriorate in my OS46FX. I too just put a few drops in the carb and spun the motor a few times. Can't say for certain that after run oil in the carb did that but OS says it will and not to do it. On the other hand the after run oil says to add it in the carb. venturi.
I take the extra minute to remove the glow plug as suggested these days.

La la la ho hum I would simply delete this pointless commentary if I knew how. I usually try to help, really I do.

Ok, way out in left field here guys but this works, really it does. I had a ST .45 that had run to hot and the carb barrel froze up. Well after that it was real hard to move so I took it apart and buffed it real good with a toothbrush and crest toothpaste, yes I said crest! I learned this from an older gent who has been rebuilding these engines since Moses was a corporal in the Army.
I have used it on pistons and liners also and it does work and sometimes the most simple way of doing something can be the best. I hate a dirty engine and all I do after a day of flying is wipe it down real good to get the residue off, nothing more.

Art - do you mean the inside of the liner with Crest? I have to try that ... not as hard on the skin as metal polish.

Mblue - I have some friends who stored engines using branded after run oils, there was gunk. Airtool oil, light machine oil and auto trans oils do not gunk up and they are kinds to rubbers.

Brake fluid attracts moisture. It is also corrosive. Not good for glow engines.

When my engines, and engine compartments get all oily and gucky, I hold the plane over a garbage, or better yet outside, and hose her all down with pressurized ether. That's 'starting fluid' for those that don't know. Works great, cuts the crud, and dries without any residue.

Yes inside the liner. It's so fine of an abrasive that it really just polishes it up and makes it slick.

Art - I'll try it and see ... hope its fine enough to ensure that there is no loss of compression.

I don't see what cleaning it would harm however NEVER EVER boil a engine in Anti Freeze....it's been known to cause castings to explode.....this was a very bad tip off someone who has been lucky enough to yet to have one explode but when it does they'll be sorry. Just clean your engine with fuel is all.

I've been cleaning caseings and mufflers by crockpot and antifreeze for years, never have had or heard of a problem with it till I saw your post.

Cleaning an engine in antifreeze is quite safe, provided the heat is correct. In a crockpot the setting used is no higher than "Medium"

Ed S