rrengineer

My Feedback: (3)

I got an NIB O.S. FSR ABC engine on Ebay recently and taking the head off and looking in other places it certainly looks to be never run. The problem is when I turn the drive washer through the bottom of the stroke, there is a gritty, notchy feel in the bearings. I don't know if it just one or both. This is an easy engine to swap bearings on, but I was wondering if it could be just some dried lubricant form years ago. When I opened it up for the first time, there was only clear oil on the parts. I put some after run oil in it to try to smooth the bearings out, but it did nothing. Am I going to have to change bearings on a brand new engine?
Mike MacLean

Rendegade

That's pretty odd, I have a few FSR's stil in their box, but they all seem ok.

Personally i'd take off the backplate and flush the engines out, just to make sure it's not swarf or anything, then run them for a short while, If the bearings get worse, you need to replace them, if they come good, go fly.

Sport_Pilot

The engine was probably lubed with castor oil.   The oil coats the bearings and dries hard causing the notchy feeling. It may not be visable if nerver run as it would not turn brown but be a faint amber color even when dried.  The feel of rust is more gritty not notchy.  I would soak it in denatured alcohol or fuel.  Be sure to add some oil or fuel to the denatured alcohol as the methanol can attack aluminum and the oil will help prevent that.

TFF

I love my FSRs, but you have to remember it is 30 years old. It could have been stored in a dozen places over the years from storage buildings to under the bed. If you plan to run the engine, replacing the bearings is a lot better than replacing a near irreplaceable piston and sleeve. If it is a collectable then clean and lube and not disturb.

Rodney

When adding after run oil, it takes much more than a few drops to do any good. You need to get about a teaspoon full into the crankcase on a 2 stroke and then turn the engine over a few times to make sure that the oil completely saturates all the bearings. Marvel mystery oil is not a very good after run oil, much to thin but better than nothing. Any ATF (automatic transmission fluid) or Rislone (in the yellow container) is much better, also any air tool oil works well. Those who put just a few drops into the carb or exhaust are only kidding themselves if they think that might help.

Sport_Pilot

IMO none of those are a good afterun oil. To my knowledge only castor and synthetic oil used to mix in your fuel is a good afterun oil. However those oils are good for storage, used well after all fuel has dried out.

I simply use plenty of castor and make sure all of the fuel is used up, Keep the piston at BDC to allow remaining fuel to dry out. I never had a rusted bearing, other than one I had taken apart for years.

earlwb

You might check the drive washer closely, it ,may be set back too far and is rubbing up against the crankcase front or bearing housing.
Even in a un-run new in box engine, it is possible for the bearings to go bad after many years. it depends on how well the factory oiled it before they boxed it up. Plus you never know if someone flushed it out in preparation to use it and they didn't use it.

rrengineer

My Feedback: (3)

The drive washer was not the problem Earl. I opened the back plate to expose the big bearing and flushed it with fuel and then Corrosion-X lubricant. I then put it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. I am single so no wife to yell at this point. Completely smooth now. Just some dried up lubricant/fuel I guess. Thanks for the suggestions guys. Now another new engine to break in.
Mike

Rodney

I'm sure Clarence Lee will like your opinion of whether or not these are good after run oils. He must be making a bad mistake over the last dozen or more years. Of course he is only a well known expert.

rcdude7

My Feedback: (264)

Air tool oil works well for storage and afterrun oil, it has corrosion inhibitors and won't gum up over time.

Rendegade

you're a braver man than I, I can't bring myself to use the FSR's I have. []

rrengineer

My Feedback: (3)

I have two. One is ABC and the other ringed. I bought the ringed one well used on Ebay and replaced the liner and put a new Bowman ring in it as well as new bearings. Hardly a pristine example. I don't mind using that one. I will be hard pressed to use the NIB ABC version I have though.
Mike

Gizmo-RCU

My Feedback: (27)

Have a pair of 32 FSR's that I found NIB they ere stored in a wood shed...I replaced bearings before ever running them, they are great little engines on a twinstar! I wasn't willing to run a little rust around in the case.

Roary m

My Feedback: (67)

Sounds like the castor gummed up and hardened; hit him with a heat gun and loosen him up.

MetallicaJunkie

i screwed up, i ran a virgin Gold Head FSR i had, its pretty rare.... all though i do have a NIB std FSR that im saving

Sport_Pilot

He is a very good mechanic and designer. Not a corrosion engineer. YS and a fuel company or two have giventhe same information I have given. Some of the fuel companies have seen more testing and reported problems than Mr. Lee has.

earlwb

I think that the special packing oil or whatever the stuff is that they use is the best. it is used on some engines that we used to get imported occasionally.
Whatever it is, it is real sticky stuff, it doesn't want to come off if you get it on your hands either. It goes on oily and thin, but after the solvents evaporate, it gets real sticky, but the engines will never rust though. unfortunately, you have to remove the head and backplate and soak the engine in a solvent like gasoline, to get it dissolved enough for you to re-oil and reassemble before use. But as long as the engine has that stuff in it, it will never rust or corrode though. I think a engine would survive being immersed in water for a time with that stuff too.


Anyway here is one that is made byPhillips for piston engined airplanes, Phillips Anti-Rust Oil.



These dehydrator plugs look interesting too: They turn pink when they have absorbed their fill of moisture:

Gizmo-RCU

My Feedback: (27)

Roary,
The bearings were rough when I turned the cranks. Both engines were still packed as new and never saw fuel. Once you have rust on the ball bearings they are pitted and there is danger of them failing under heat and high speed as the chrome has holes thru it.
You can slather them up with various lubes and they will rotate smoothly but I have never heard of metal healing it's self. I choose not to take chances on such, you will "get bit" sooner or later.

jaka

Hi!
Yeah!
Never rely on just oil and heat when fixing old engine bearings! Once you have felt a gritty bearing...replace it!!

Pilotsmoe

I'd just spend the 7 bucks for a new set
http://www.rc-bearings.com/catalog/p...roducts_id=722

iskandar taib

My Feedback: (5)

Is it still possible to buy Cosmoline?

Iskandar

rrengineer

My Feedback: (3)

http://www.schafco.com/cosmoline.asp

Sport_Pilot

Rusted bearing do not have a notchy feel.  In fact you usually cannot feel a pitted bearing.  The rust would have to have a good build up, and he said they looked like new.

Roary m

My Feedback: (67)

I would not suggest you run it after heating up the engine but rather working the play by turning it over. I would not advocate runnig an engine with questionable bearings myself, but castor does harden up and give that 'feel' of the bearing retainer coming apart. Replacing the bearings is playing it safe but you must still degum the case in order to remove them. Bearings are cheap; I think Dar Zeelon recommends RCBearings for replacements.

Gizmo-RCU

My Feedback: (27)

This was a NIB engine so it should have no gummed Castor in it. (according to the origional post)