Just wondering aloud here - what if a guy was to thoroughly flush out an engine with FAI fuel (20% oil, 80% alcohol) with castor oil fuel prior to storage. Would the alcohol evaporate, leaving the castor behind? Sure, I know, old castor oil gets gummy, but it'll flush out. I'm more interested in preserving bearings, etc, and I haven't been too awful impressed with the after run oils I've used (Prather, mostly).

Any thoughts? I have several engines in a "collection" that I'd like to do a better job of preserving, without having to spend lots of time on a regular basis checking them.

I use a product called CorrosionX it is spray on but does a good job I would think a bottle of Transmission fluid would go along way too as far as preserving the internals go...

From what I've read here, Corrosion X is the best for that. A lot of people use ATF and Marvel Mystery Oil for air tools mixed half and half. If I had access to a can of Corrosion X, I would use that as my first choice.

But, you are right that the castor will coat and protect to some degree. And, it does flush out.

I use Rislone.

From personal experience, ATF is by far the best as it will not evaporate - it will give years of protection & will not dry out or gum up bearings. Literally FILL the crankcase with ATF, carb & down the glow plug hole. Sit engine upright in plastic bag (yes, the ATF may slowly leak out the front bearing but that is why you fill 'er right up [8D])

Castor will certainly protect the bearings BUT it will also gum & seize the bearings, piston in the sleeve, wrist pin in the conrod, etc. Then you will need to soak the engine is fresh fuel, apply the heat gun, maybe even strip down the engine when you pull it back out of the box.

Why temp fate ? The ATF is the better choice over FAI fuel.

NB: edit for spelling mistakes

Here in aus. I have yet to come across corossion x , I am sure( well actually unsure) there is something similar with a different name.Is there alist of ingredients I can look for to make sure I get something similar. Cheers the pope

Greetings Pope,

I can't find it either - I live on the north coast of NSW. Supacheap Auto stock a product called Marine 66 which, comparing datasheets, is very similar to Corrosion X.

Must try it one day.

Try a marine dealer for storage fogging oil. I use it all the time with no rust problems.

Bone,

I meant fuel containing some percentage of castor. I agree that it has gumming tendencies, but I don't agree that the engine will seize up. Soaking the engine for a short time in fuel is a good idea, and not so terribly hard if it has been stored for years anyway.

Corrosion X is some REALLY GOOD STUFF!

There is a web-site for it. It is even approved for aircraft use (certain formulas)! I was boating with a Fed-Ex pilot who agrees that the stuff is GREAT! My bro uses it on his twin Suzuki 140 outboards in the Gulf of Mexico. It is that good - even in salt water.

I just use (in normal use) MMO mixed with turbine oil or ATF or some other oil that I deam worthy.

For long term... as mentioned: Fill'er up! It can only help right?

TCW3 twostroke oil is also a great storage and after run oil, its designed for corrosive enviroments and the price is right.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeee all these super fantastic protection products out there,and in my 36 years of flying these things,i've never once used any of them. How could i be so dumb! All i ever did was remove engine from plane,place it back in it's box,stuck it in a cubbard and forgot about till i needed it again. Funny thing is,they always ran just the same as they did when i put them away,month's and even years befor. Guess i've just been lucky all these years. I hope my luck holds up,just took out my ole ENYA 60 MARK III to put in a Kaos.


Wish me luck guy's!


Art

I don't know if you are a lucky guy or not, I own several engines and most of them are in their original boxes some of them with ATF and some not, like you I have used some of those engines years after and I just use a new plug and they start right away. The ATF is so cheap that I try to use it so often, been the commonly that I sometimes forget to use it as an after run oil but my honest advise will be: Use ATF and like someone else said it before, plug all the engine's holes and place it upright and forget about it, when ever you will use it again just drain the ATF and place a new plug it will start like it is doing right now.
Alfred

I'm sure there are many products that will work. I use a 50-50 mixture of marvel Mystery oil and ATF - per a reccomendation of Clarence Lee many years ago.

I did once put an engine away without adding the after-run mixture - I got sent out of state uddenly on a job for several months. The engine crankshaft rusted.

Paul

Hi Guys

It does'nt matter what fancy name it has, thats just for promoting the stuff.

The word is SEWING MACHINE OIL.

It's acid free, non evaporating, lubricating, low viscosity and flushes right with a bit of nitro.

It'll set you back about 1 $ for a deci liter (thats 6.1 cubic inches)

Best of luck to ya.