ShuckyD

Well this one caught me by suprise. Ive only really had my cowling on my new Funtana x50 for a month and when i took it off last night, because of the accumulation of bug guts on my plane, i was quite suprised. Anyway I'll let the picture say 1000 words, but really how can an engine get that bad in only a short amount of time. The one half of my engine looks like its 5 years old and never been cleaned. In fact i bought the engine in mid august as well as muffler. So its about as new as the plane.

Whats the best suggestion on trying to clean this off and what exactly caused it to get this bad looking, how can i prevent it from doing it again? I dont want to have to take the whole engine apart and give it a bath in kerosene if i dont have to, especially since its brand new and it runs awesome. What is the best way to maybe brush this crap off my plane, and what kind of brush should i use, a toothbrush?

Theres also another picture attached, which baffles everyone at my club... The picture of the cowling, what happend where that hole was, i had a "Quik Fueler" valve that must of went bad while i was in the air, i didnt really notice it, but when i came in to land i saw some fuel splattering off the bottom of the cowl. Now i just went back to the 3 fuel line style and forgot about that stupid valve, but the weird thing is that the fuel actually stained my cowl, everyone in the club was like use alcohol it should come right out.. Ohh well not a huge deal, but is there anyway i can get the discoloration out without taking off the coating?

Thanks all [8D]

wcmorrison

My Feedback: (2)

Well, you may try Dawn Pots and Pans cleaner found at the super market. Spray it on and use a old tootb brush to clean it. The other solution is to remove the head and put it in a crock pot with Zerex anti-freeze, that will clean it for sure. Got to cook it about 8-10 hours (like over night).

The discoloration of course has no effect on the engines performance, just its outside beauty. So if it is running good, let it go and clean it later when you change it from one airplane to another. Since it is cowled no one sees it anyway.

Cheers,

Chip

ShuckyD

well why would it get that nasty looking, ive never seen that on other people's models

JustErik

It looks to me like castor residue. I burn 15% nitro and 20% oil (50/50 blend of castor and synthetic) and this is exactly what my engines look like. I agree it looks pretty bad, but I consider it a small price to pay for the benefits of castor. I don't want this to become a castor vs synthetic war, but I like the peace of mind the extra protection gives me.


Just my thoughts.....

ShuckyD

cool, so its not just me, although ive never seen ugly engines this bad in only a short amount of time (1 month) granted i do have a few hours on the engine/plane already

So it really wont effect performance and i can just leave it for the time being... Will it become harder to get off with time? As you can see in the first picture the flakes on the head where it was. I used my fingernail to get that little bit off... I guess you would be the right guy to ask (you can PM me if you like) about the differences in Castor vs. Synthetic... Ive never taken notice to it before, ive always used 15% S&W nitro that i get through my club...

Thanks [8D]

Ugo Ferrari

My Feedback: (1)

That "residue" is burnt Castor. First. see that your head bolts are tight! might be a leak there. Your muffler bolts too !
It looks like you may be running to lean and getting the engine to hot. Some raw fuel may be spewing over the cylinder head from the carb,inflight ,cooking the burnt castor.
Just a thought !
Ugo

ShuckyD

Yea i have figured it is running out of the carb, my carb is always wet Anyway im not running it too lean, sometimes too rich... I was thinking maybe the pitts muffler isnt sitting as flush up against the engine as i would like.. I do have a roll of paper gasket maker stuff that i could cut one and fit it for it... that is if you think it will help any...

Ohh & why would my carb be "leaking" some fuel, because i think that is some of my problem

Flyboy Dave

My Feedback: (21)

Your carb is spitting some fuel out, small droplets....this is normal for some
engines. Put an air cleaner on the carb and elininate this problem.

Problem #2 is the exhaust leak. Seal this with some high temp silicon and
eliminate this mess as well.

A gasket on the exhaust will usually fail, then the two parts rub together
and mess up the surfaces. []

FBD.

Ugo Ferrari

My Feedback: (1)

Well now..To rich could cause cause the problem also ! It is depositing fuel/oil on that hot cylinder head ! If it were an air leak at the carb, the engine wouldn't run so good as you say it does...
Ugo

Flyboy Dave

My Feedback: (21)

Here's a link for the air cleaner.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LX9160&P=ML

This silicon sealer is made for real high temps, like exhaust manifolds.

FBD.

ShuckyD

yea the engine runs great.. Its just right for that plane, athough if i wanted more "uummph" i woulda put a .61fx in it.. Yea no stalls or anything with it.. I run it slightly rich, which ive noticed my first few flights while i still had the cowling off, the carb was always wet as well as some of the engine right behind it... Does it just splash alot [X(]

YOGA FLY

try the dremel with the wire brush ull get the coated burnt oil residue off . and remember it will appear again if u use castor based fuels , but thats ok cause of some blowback thru the carb ( its normal) that sprays on the head and exhaust and cooks itself onto the surface, If u want a perfect fit from the muffler ull have to use find valve grinding paste on a glass surface and grind the mating area of the muffler till u see an even surface, dont use any gasket just use hitemp (red) exhaust sealent, or gasket maker.

ShuckyD

Wont the dremel with a wirebrush kill my coating of my engine, like it'll look like crap? How about if i use some kind of solvent and put it on the soft brushes i have for the dremel? Or wouldnt that cut it? How about turpentine or something else?

Flyboy Dave

My Feedback: (21)

Try some brake cleaner and a stiff plastic brush.

ShuckyD

cool, thanks for the advice, i also appreciate the link for the air filter, hopefully it will prevent much of what was "spittle" out of my carb

captinjohn

Clean that engine more often.....if you do not get a air cleaner and seal exhaust better. Easy to clean engine with Gumout carb cleaner and a rag and compressed air. Let the cleaner soak in....and wipe of crud. Do it more on all you engines .....its the "lazy" guys that have dirty everything. Just my 2 cents! Capt,n[:-]

ShuckyD

Yea, but i try to keep them clean, this is my first plane with a cowl and all my other engines whether they are 1 or 6 years old dont even look as bad as this month old engine

Ugo Ferrari

My Feedback: (1)

Maybe you need some more cooling openings on the cowl to reduce the engine heat....
Ugo

DLK

I'v been watching this thread and nobody has mentioned the crock pot and antifreeze. It is the best way by far to clean engines. I just did one of my friends Saito 1.50. We do use castor oil in our fuels. The engines get real nasty looking, 2 and 4 cycle.

Buy a cheap crock pot($10-$15). Use the GREEN automotive anti freeze straight, not deluded. Remove carb, back plate ect Set it on high and put engines in over night, OUTSIDE. Remove and use tooth brush and water to get loose gunk off engine, mainly fins. Of course do what you can to get water out and oil up good. I really like to run it on a test stand to get all traces of anti freeze and water out.

In 3 years I'm still on the same 1 gallon I started out with and I have done I'll bet 20-25. I keep it in pot, covered in garage.