Callidus

I have a .42 engine that hasn't been used in well over a year and was stored uncleaned full of fuel.... The fuel had gone really think and started to smell like paint ?!? and the throttle appears to be seized...

I only used this engine maybe 3 times and now have an application for it... Question is how would you go about cleaning what would you use?

Cheers

Mike18

I had the same thing with a K&B 40 that was put away for about 18 years.

My local hobbie shop guy told me to soak it in a can of glow fuel for a couple days and keep messing with it till it comes loose.
Don't force it, you might break something.

I am by no means an expert ,but this worked for me.

CafeenMan

If you didn't take the fuel out then there's a good possibility the bearings are rusted. Take off the carburetor, head and back plate. Soak the engine in glow fuel, mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, alcohol or something to loosen up the gunk. I would just pull the barrel out of the carb and clean the whole carb with Q-tips and oil.

Gene Chernosky

My Feedback: (182)

A blind smattering of solvents can leave you somewhat unhappy as some can and do attack rubber, plastics and gaskets. Lacquer thinner is great on bare metal parts, same as mineral spirits...keep both away from rubber parts though. Denatured alcohol is your best bet to clean glow engines as a very close derivitive of it is used for the base of glow fuel...methanol.

CafeenMan

That's why I said pull the carb and backplate. Yes, the oil-based solvents can destroy O-rings and such.

I like to use mineral spirits because it is oil based and won't attract moisture like alcohol does. I would never soak my engine in fuel simply because the stuff costs a lot more than solvent.

Denature alcohol will work fine, but again, you have to be sure to get all the alcohol out and oil it real well.

CafeenMan

Actually, I hardly ever open my engines unless they have been stored for a long time or I stuck the engine into the ground pretty hard. I mean hard enough that I broke something off the engine or I am positive dirt entered the engine somehow.

In that case, this is how I clean my engines. The thing is you have to rinse and dry them immediately - especially anything that can rust.

http://www.airfieldmodels.com/engines_maintenance.htm

99.9% of the time I just use an air compressor to blow crud from the outside of the engine when I get home. The engine stays clean that way and I never have to worry about cooked on oil.

Callidus

Cheers Guys, Thanks for all the great replies. Much appretiated.

One last question any particular oil to re-lubricate a completely clean dry engine?

CafeenMan

I use sewing machine oil. Any light oil that you have will work fine. But don't use WD 40 or anything like it. It's not as much of an oil as it is a solvent.

Spaceclam

it's probably ruined. it it was stored full of fuel, i will bet the insides are rusted together

Callidus

However a 24 hour soak in glow fuel and its working better than it ever has!

I was very suprised.

Spaceclam

it may have loosened the parts, but have you opened it up? just take the backplate off, it is probably rusted.

Homebrewer

My Feedback: (8)

He said .42 engine and I'm guessing a Thunder Tiger GP .42 and if it is, then it has no bearings to rust.

Spaceclam

who specified bearings? i meant for instance, crank shaft rusted to the piston arm, or rough metal because of corrosion. it is probably ruined. i wouldn't trust it