bjfrankl

How often should a person clean an engine? For example, after awhile residue seems to accumulate on the outside of the engine. I have heard that too much residue build-up can eventually prevent the engine from cooling properly. Is this true? And if so, what should I use to clean the outside of the engine?

Thanks!
Bjfrankl

ChuckW

Aerosol brake cleaner from the auto parts store works well. It dissolves the oil, dries fast, leaves no residue and is fairly easy on rubber and silicone parts. Alcohol in a squirt bottle will work too.

jimmyjames213

My Feedback: (2)

unless it is really bad you should be fine if their is some oil stains. now if theirs dirt and such caked on then you may want to clean it but having a dirty engine is a good thing.....means youve been flying a lot (or crashing a lot)

Tom Nied

I only do it a maximum of once a year and my recent discovery is Dawn Power Dissolver available from Walmart where they sell dish detergent. Two treatments made a recent engine cleaning look brand new.

jester_s1

A little varnish doesn't hurt anything, so unless you're getting heat related deadsticks there's no reason to clean besides your pride.

repirazz

Brake cleaner and an old toothbrush works well. Avoid getting it on your plane. It won't harm the monocote, but it will seep under the edges & loosen the adhesive. It will also attack the coloring on some decals. Do NOT use carb cleaner.

-rep

ameyam

Varnish is a major issue if you are usnig plain castor in that overtime it goes black and the engine looks unsightly. Once in a while, I will clean the engine externally with some soap water and a toothbrush. This I follow-up with thorough drying with a hair-drier. I dont use a heat gun as it is too hot. Usually, when I am done, the engine is as hot as it has just come back from flying. Havent have had to do this since I changed over to Klotz though.

For internal cleaning, I keep immersed in plain alcohol overnight or so and then re assemble and oil thoroughly.

Ameyam

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

after your 1st 1000th flight,then you can begin to start to give xxxxxxx about a dirty engine, unless your anal about that kind of thing in which case...dont start to begin with because your hands will get dirty playing with the plane...Rog

ameyam

Ok, that's not very polite but I get what you are trying to say, flyinrog. Point is that in my country with outside temperature hovering between 45 and 50Deg C in many areas right now, it pays to be aware regarding keeping engines cool. No point in overheating them, a little effort goes a long way in extending their life

Ameyam

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

It just doesn't create a problem at all, it's just one of those ugly little things. I do have one friend that it really bothers. You would think the sky is falling if he has baked on castor stains on his muffler. The Dawn really does work and it isn't caustic, even smells pretty good. Not sure you can get in in your country or not but it works. I even have some in my shop and I have never bothered to really clean an engine. For some reason mine just don't get a lot of the nasty crud on them except for the mufflers on my four strokes?? Can't see it in the air. I live in a desert too and it really isn't a problem with over heating.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

Wow, a rodents posterior gets edited?...Ok sorry, ...ameyam that is a warm climate,, but I would make sure the engine was just a bit rich, that cools off an engine as well as anything,,I like to deadstick in so, for the most part, my engines cool off on the unpowered ride down....but on the down side richening up the engine tends to mean more gunk baking on the muffler,,but seriously, it takes a lot of flying to brown up an engine....Rog
some would wear that as a badge of honor and wouldnt dare clean it off!!