pixelator

I just read a thread on here about After Run oil, and end of day procedures to prolong the life of the engine.

I'm fairly new to Flying, and was curious as to what the procedures are. When I first learned, my instructor taught me to fly well, but failed to mention anything that I needed to do between flights.

In the past, I've typically drained the fuel tank after a day of flying, take the plane home and hang it on the wall, nose down.

I've never run any oil or anything through the engine after... also, after the first 15-20 flights, I was forced to store my plane for 2 years in the closet, with no usage.

Any thoughts on this?
Thanks.

RCPAUL

My Feedback: (1)

If you don't get a zillion replies to this post I'll be surprised.

Here is what I do:

Disconnect the fuel line after flying, and try and start the engine at part throttle. Keep doing this until the engine no longer fires.
Then, put in about 10 drops of a mixture of half Marvel Mystery oil and automatic transmission fluid. Turn the engine over with a starter. put a plastic grocery bag over the front of the airplane to keep dirt out and after run oil in.

RCPAUL

SDR-Hammer

If you get 150 replies you will get 150 different variations on after run procedures.

So here is my .02 cents.
Run it just as Paul described to burn out any remaining fuel.

Open the carb and dump in some oil. (Now this is where you will get most of the variations) My preference is to use pneumatic nail gun oil for its moisture reducing qualities. Oil is cheap compared to engines so I use a very liberal amount that cannot be measured in “drops”. As an example in my four strokes I shoot an entire syringe full of oil into the crankcase breather line. Then I flip the prop several times to work it through the engine.

CCRC1

My Feedback: (13)

I agree, you will get a bunch of replies, all different! Some folks will fiercely argue you don't need to use it if you have castor oil in your fuel and will complain its a big waste of time. I disagree, and have always used after run in all my engines for many years and NEVER replaced a bearing due to rust or corrosion. I have used Marvel Air Tool Oil with great results and if the engine is going to be stored for a long period I use a product called Corrosion Block. You can find it at most marine supply stores. After run oil is cheap insurance.
Also be careful not to use a petroleum based after run oil in YS 4-stroke engines as it will attack the diaphragm. YS recommends a specific oil for this purpose.

JamesUK

Hey Guys, just to add another twist to this -

Should one use WD-40* when cleaning up the engine/after run?

WD-40* with or without After Run Oil?
*(may not have WD-40 in USA!)

(This is the sort of question that prompted intense debates in RC Car forums, but I'd like to know the Aircraft Pilots view of things).

James
UK

*(may not have WD-40 in USA! - Sorry!)

Strykaas

WD 40 is available here, which is not the case for Marvel Mystery Oil ...

SDR-Hammer

Yep we’ve heard of WD-40 on this side of the pond

I have used WD- 40 on engines several times from a cleaner to dislodge grime and dirt after a crash, to loosing up engine bearings that haven’t moved in a number of years. However it should NOT be used as an after-run oil. It has practically zero rust inhibiting qualities.

Parkerm

My Feedback: (6)

I would think WD 40 would make things worse. It would dissolve out any oil that was in the engine.

Spaceclam

first drain all the fuel out of your tank. tilt it back if you have to to make sure it is completely empty. second, attatch all fuel lines and start it up at about 1/4 throttle. when it starts to lean out, lower the throtle to idle. once it is completely empty, open up the throttle to full and disconnect the fuel and muffler lines. This step is only necessary with four strokes: keep the glow starter on it to burn anything leftover away. crank it over for 5 seconds at full throttle. your engine shouldn't start up for long, idealy by then it would only fire a couple times if any. cranking it for 5 seconds helps to get all the nitromethane vapours out of the crankcase that might condense later. you want to do this because it is hard to get any significant abount of after-run oil to that part of the engine. This step applies to all engines: squeeze your after-run oil bottle hard enough that it doesn't drip, instead it is a steady stream. squirt if in for about 1 second. they say only to use 3-4 drops, but that's useless. you want a bottle of that stuff to last you about a month. you should use enough that your engine will smoke for maybe 5 -6 seconds after you start it up, but not so much it is difficult to start. crank it over with the throtle at full for about 3 seconds. hyrdaulic lock shouldn't be a problem because by then there will be no fluid in there anyway. close the throttle to the shutoff position to prefent dust from settling.

Parkerm

My Feedback: (6)

Naaah! Don't worry about it. Rust in the lower end is condensation from humidity in the air. After run oil won't stop it it just displaces it (my opinion). If you are really worried about it blow it out with bottled nitrogen that will remove the humid air. 4S fuel has oil and rust inhibitors already.

Smoky

I have a couple of OS .25 Engines and a cheapo Webra .40 that are at least 12 yrs old, An Webra .60 6yrs old, an OS .61 2 months old, A 2 week old approx. .91 4 stroke Saito. They run better today than they did when new.

After my last flight for the day. Tho Occasionally I run out of fuel in the air and deadstick em in. Otherwise I drain the fuel out of the tank. Fuel last longer if it is kept in a sealed container.

But for the Engine I just:
#1 just Close the throttle completely. (I am able to this with trim to kill the engine if need be).
#2 Turn off the Reciever radio
#3 Turn off the transmitter.

Doing this in this order. Ensures the Carb stays closed, (keeping all foreign matter out).

Then I just plug the end of the exhaust with a rolled up rag or lintless Papertowel. this lets the engine breath. and seems to prevent any moisture build up. at least I have never noticed any.
And I store em in my dark dungy damp basement. LOL

Only time I used after run oil is when parking em for the winter. and here that is about 6 months but feels like 6 yrs.

FWIW
Smoky.

Spaceclam

i am not talking about humidity condensation, i am talking about the nitromethane condensing. nitromethane is extremely corrosive, the entire idea of after-run oil is to hel neautralize that.

Spaceclam

if you leave the nitro in there, you lucky your engine has lasted 12 years.

Smoky

oh! OK! just call me lucky!

I didn't realize it was the nitro that was corrosive. all this time I thought it was the water that everyone was worried about.
thanks for putting me straight.
Smoky.

Parkerm

My Feedback: (6)

Nitro is corrosive but evaporates fast out of hot engine. The cool down condenses moisture from the air. That's why people at sea level swear by after run oil and inlanders don't worry about it much.

Spaceclam

it will evaporate out of a hot engine true, assuming there is an opening, and it won't all evaporate. just play it safe, if will only help

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

The nitro in the fuel lasts a very very short time in a hot engine. I have been flying for over 27 years and have never used after run oil, nor will I ever. I leave the fuel in the engine and it lubes it. There is pleanty of oil in it. You do more damage to the engine running the fuel out and having it go lean every time you put it away than just leaving it. I have engines that are 25 years old that run perfect. Never replaced a bearing. If I leave one sit for a couple years, I fill it with marvel mystery oil. Never had an engine go bad. Why change that. All my friends that run the fuel out and use after run oil ruin bearings and replace them every couple years.

As the mechanics say, why subject your engine to running all the fuel and oil out of it when you are done. It does more damage than good.

Spaceclam

There are some guys at my field who used their engines a lot, and never put in after-run oil. they had more problems than the guys that did. the guys that use after run oil never seem to have engine problems. they just start it up and it goes. However, the guys at my field who don't use it have negines that whine, rattle, sound like a stone grinder any all kinds of other things.

Parkerm

My Feedback: (6)

I'm with FlyBoy, The fuel manufacturers all have labels that indicate they have rust inhibitors in the fuel. The Nitro and methanol evaporate out of the engine in a few minutes after it stops (they are not sealed so tight that can't hapen). All that is left is oil (and a little fuel in the carb). If you use a good quality of fuel there is no need for after run oil. The major cause of rusted bearings is moisture condensation from high humidity and the engine cooling. The guys that run their engines "dry" are probably doing more harm than good and may need to put in some oil since they just got through blowing a bunch out. As for lubing the bottom end of a 4 stroke I have noticed that there is a lot of oil on the bottom of my plane after a good flying session. I know it did'nt all come out, so whats the point of adding more? The oil in any engine will probably puddle if it's in the hanger a long while so I go by and twist the props around a few times every month if they are not being used just to roll the bearings through the puddle. I try to store 'em in a nose slightly down attitude so that the oil puddles under the bearings. I haven't been doing it for 25 years but I'll know in a few years if my common sense approach is right, and if a set of bearings last me 25 years I probably came out ahead by not buying that extra oil.

francis-DISABLE

Ok, Okay, already, great thread on the afterrun oil. Pixalator, a thought on your technique for storing your airplane/engine. Hanging it on the wall nose down will only put all the exhaust residue from the muffler/ tuned pipe back into your engine. Not good, it is corrosive and will cause carbon buildup, better nose up and a paper plug in the exhaust for storing. Especially so for a tuned pipe. Has anyone thought about the possibility of a shortened life of the glow plug when it encounters other than normal oil to burn through? Seems to me that all the after run oils mentioned in this thread are a foreign substance as compared to the normal syn/cas the methanol is mixed with. So let me recap my thoughts here. Methanol, the greater part of the gallon of fuel is anhydrous, water absorbing, compared to the oil and the nitromethane is a volitile, easlily outgassed substance which we put far too much credability in its ability to stay in the fuel jug at the level that is stated on the label. So why rust? Probably for a number of reasons which have been thought of but if steel is plated with a patina of a compatible castor oil from the fuel burn the chances of a major rust problem is greatly lessened, not done away totally because of other factors, mainly moisture. Questions anyone?

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Think of it this way. When you pull the fuel line off the engine and run all the fuel out, you are also running all the oil out. Would you take the oil plug out of your car, dump all the oil, and then start it to make sure you got it all out? No way. Thats exactly what you are doing to your engine.

francis-DISABLE

Fly Boy, Are you replying to my post?? If so, what makes you think all the oil is gone from inside the engine when you run it so the engine doesn't run anymore?? If this is what you think then I suggest you look inside your engine after you are done flying for the day and see if it is oilless or has residule oil in it, hmmmm. You are comparing apples and oranges between a car, with a oil sump and a model engine without a oil sump?? Francis

Spaceclam

Why do engine manufacturers reccomend you use after-run oil if it is just a complete waste of time? they sureley can't be that retarded

pixelator

Thanks for all the input on this.

I had no idea I'd get a million responses, but those first posters sure called it.

I'm thinking I'll pick up the after run oil for those extended times when I'm not flying (winter), and um... not sure for when I am flying every weekend.

And I'll have to check out the hanging of my plane. I did notice that last time I flew, my engine wasn't running all that well. I tried a new glowplug and new fuel, and it still ran pretty poorly. I'm thinking I might have some buildup in the needle valve or something.

Thanks again.

SDR-Hammer

Some real good conflicting information here. For those reading and are confused as heck about weather to use after run oil or not may want to take a look at what one manufacturer says. Here are direct copies from the O.S. Engines web page.

After Run Oil

A lubricant designed to displace unburned fuel in the engine after running. The fuel can accelerate corrosion on some engine parts. By using after run oil, the fuel is displaced, and a protective coating lines sensitive engine parts. This is an inexpensive engine insurance, and promotes long engine life. There are several good after run oils on the market.

How do I use after run oil?

We recommend application through the glow plug hole or through the air inlet. When O.S. states to not put after-run oil into the carb, they are referring to the fuel inlet. If you introduce the oil into the air inlet, you will have no problems.
When you use after-run oil, 2-5 drops are next to useless. You'll need to literally flood the engine with oil, so much so that the next time you start the engine, it will be difficult. We use at least a 1/2 teaspoon of oil, and sometimes more. A 3 oz. bottle of oil lasts about a dozen flying sessions.
If you are going to store your model and are worried about it dripping out, you might try a shower cap over the engine and also cotton plugs in the exhaust to avoid dripping. We also recommend a cotton cloth in the carb to minimize fuel leakage.