jship

My Feedback: (4)

I have been flying for approximently six years. I have several engines that are covered in varnish and their performance is suffering. I have just oppened an evo 1.00 and the piston was covered in brown and a little black, like tar inside.

The last three years I have been burning Wildcat 15%, that is 80% synthetic and 20%degummed racing castor.

I have had good luck with this fuel and would like to keep useing it.

Please help, I have heard that there are products that you can buy at wall-mart that will clean engines up.

Thanks for your help

john

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

Walmat carries crock pots and antifreeze.

A poor idle is also a sign of the same problems.

rwright142

For varnish on the OUTSIDE of the engine, try Dawn Power Dissolver. Spray it on, wait, use old toothbrush to brush the varnish off. Do a search here on RCU for more details.

Others will have to respond to your comments on the inside of the engine.

Good Luck!

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

What HighPlains set.

Ethelene Glycol antifreeze, the real green stuff on low in a crock pot over night. No scrubbing, just take all the seals and gaskets off.

Dont eat out of it ever again, the fumes are bad, do it in a vented area and keep kids and animals away.

john_s3

My Feedback: (1)

There IS A Product At You Mercury Marine dealer Called Power Tune.I Have Used It to Clean Vernish From Outboard Carbs For Many Years. Put Parts In Plactic Cantainer,Spray Foam And Let Turn To Luqid Then Keep Filling Till Covered.Let Stand For 24 Hours .Rince With Water Or Carb Cleaner And Blow Dry.
It Will Be Clean And You Don't Waste A Crock Pot. .

driedjello

This is the technique to use. Seriously. I have tried them all and this one is a MIRACLE. Your engine will look brand new! Please please use this method!

WILDCRASHWILLY

I agree with rwright142, the power disolve works great. I just spray it on, wait an hour. Sometimes I respray it. wait another hour then rinse it off. Don't even have to dissassemble the engine, just cover openings with foam ear plugs so nothing enters the engine.

RhyanO

Where do you get Dawn Power Dissolver?

Could you post a picture of it for us, so we know what it looks like when we goto the store.

Thanks much,
Ryan

Deadstik

My Feedback: (8)

Little helpful hint here... DO NOT TURN THE CROCK POT UP ON HIGH !!!!!! The antifreeze will turn your engine a dull, dull grey... gets the varnish off, but looks terrible... now.. if anyone has a way to turn the grey dull look into like new, I'd love to hear it. It must be a chemical reaction because I've tried to "polish" out the engines with absolutely no luck.. so...

Do it on low.. looks great.. but, please don't turn it up on high... it will clean, but make your engine look terrible....


Dan
Carolina Custom Aircraft

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Dan,

I haven’t tried this on a RC engine but when I needed to clean the cast aluminum intake manifold on my Pantera I used Mag Wheel cleaner. The intake was off the engine at the time and I used a cleaner like http://www.eagleone.com/pages/produc...=1001&cat=5006 The cleaner has an acid etch that makes aluminum have a bright silver color and look like new. Do not use it on polished surfaces or on the ferrous metal parts, e.g. engine bolts, liner, etc. If you deicide to try it please let me know how it works.

fredscz

My Feedback: (47)

I really like the antifreeze method and it works but like it was previously stated use it only on low. Crock pots are $10 or less at the discount stores.
Dawn power dissolver also works but it too will cause the engine to look sort of mottled. It will also burn your skin so use rubber gloves and eye protection when using an old toothbrush to scrub the gunk off.
Fred

mikenlapaz

Did a Google. Check this out for major active ingredient.

http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov...ds&id=16003343

My read is ethanol. Chemical Name: Monoethanolamine (MEA)
CAS Registry Number: 000141-43-5
Synonyms: Ethanolamine; . Ethanol (grain alcohol) . , 2-amino-; 2-Aminoethanol; 2-Hydroxyethanamine; MEA

I think I would try some cheap vodka or Ethyl alcohol - C2H5OH - CH3-CH2-OH. A good solvent alcohol.

Many household cleaners use MEA as an active ingredient. I would guess:
1) The alcohol in the anti-freeze is the major active solvent ingredient that slowly soaks off the grime.
2) The crock pot provides a relative safe (controlled non-open flame heat source.)
3) The sweetness in the anti-freeze is largely from the alcohol content. It lures pets and small children to sample and ingest the poisons in the other part of the anti-freeze.

Here in Mexico industrial (grain) alcohol is available everywhere. Solvent alcohol in a paint section should work.

I sold myself on this idea, I will try it in the future.

WILDCRASHWILLY

I got the Dawn Power disolver at the grocery section of Wal-Mart in the dish washing soap isle, but you should be able to get it at any grocery. It comes in a pump spray bottle. I don't have a pic of it, but it should be easy to find, if you don't,, post again and I'll borrow a camera from work and take a pic. I found out about it here on RCuniverse. Actually there is a comparison pic in either MAN or Rcreport magizine in the Nov. Dec. Or Jan. issue, I can't remember. I'll look tonight and see if I can find the article.

jship

My Feedback: (4)

thankyou, I just tryed the Dawn Power disolver, will Report back, I'm going to let it set for a wile.

john

tlgibson97

Has anyone tried oven cleaner on their engines or do you think it would be too corrosive?

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

Oven cleaner eats aluminum.

jship

My Feedback: (4)

As I had said earlier, I used the Dawn Power Dissolver method of engine cleaning. In fact I reapplied it a second time. Before you use the Dawn, You should ask yourself, what you want to accomplish? If you want the engine to look new, you will be disappointed. If you want to just get the gunk off your engine so that it will run cooler, you will be happy.

I put it on and waited two hours and then removed it with a tooth brush and warm running water. The gunk came right off, but the stains remained. After a second application most of the stain, still remained. There seemed to be nothing left on the engine, that would affect the performance of the engine, but it will effect the looks. (doesn't look new).


I did the best I could to dry everything off and allowed the parts to air dry until morning. The next morning before applying a liberal amount of after run oil, I noticed that there was rust showing up on the bearings. I applied a liberal amount of after run oil to all parts and reassembled the engine. It turned over good but I have not had a chance to start and run the engine yet. Will report more no this latter.

If I was going to do this again, I would not apply the second coat. Instead, immediately after removing the dissolver, I would dry the parts the best I could and then apply the after run oil, and lots of it! (Not give the engine a chance to rust any, before applying the after run oil.)

This engine should run much cooler (better). The head fins do take more work than the rest of the engine.

The Dawn Power dissolver and a tooth brush did a good job. I will use this method on My other engines.

john

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

Besides using the crock pot method, I also use an ultrasonic cleaner with water and dish washing soap. This really cleans the pores of the metal and really gets bearings clean. But after I flush the parts with clean tap water, I place the parts in the oven at 250 to quickly drive off the water, then oil with either after run or Marvels tool oil.

WILDCRASHWILLY

John,

Glad that you are satisfied with the Dawn considering your realistic expectations. I use it when I don't want to tear the engine down. Also I try to keep the engines reasonable clean to begin with, however for those engines that may not have been cleaned in years and that a person is going to tear down, I have another recommendation. I use to be a mechanic and did a lot of automobile carburator overhauls. You can go to the local autoparts store and buy a small pail of carburator cleasner, it can be used and reused for years and years. The pail will come with a dipping basket where you can lay the dissassembled engine. This cleaner will strip EVERYTHING that is not metal. Only soak the parts for about 30 minutes as this cleaner will damage the aluminum if left unattended for long periods of time. Rinse the parts with hot water and spray with wd40 or simular product immediately to keep rust from forming on iron and steel parts. Use out doors as the odor is bad. Also, use rubber gloves, long sleeves and eye protection as this cleaner can be dangerous if not properly handled. As I said this is for extreme needs where the engine will be torn down. The engine will shine like it was new as long as you don't over soak it. Anything over an hour will probably make your aluminum castings porus so watch your time element and remove the parts in 30 minutes unless unusually gunky. In fact, I think one of the manufacturs of this product is named Gunk.

Ugo Ferrari

My Feedback: (1)

Here's a pic of the Power Dissolver ! $2.10 at Walmarts !!

waross

Kerosene....it's easy let it soak for a day or two and then use and old toothbrush. No residue. Like I said easy.

jship

My Feedback: (4)

Thankyou for all the good ideas.
john

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

Gunk engine cleaner from any auto parts store. That and a tooth brush will clean an engine up nicely. BUT don't spray it in the carb. Its bad for the rubber O rings. Most solvents are.

Al Stein

You need to regoogle... amines are nitrogen radicals, so EthylAmine is structured like C-C-NH2... ethanolamine would have both radicals... HO-C-C-Nh2 it's essentially NitroEthane with a little acidic boost to help it attack organic stuff like castorgoo (that's a technical term, ya know )
Alcohols are defined by their hydroxyl radicals, so ethyl alcohol is structured like C-C-OH

It won't hurt anything to try cleaning with the alcohol, but it's very much less reactive and not likely to do the same job. To picture the difference, think of the difference between methyl alcohol ( C-OH ) and nitromethane ( C-NH2 )... the NH2 makes enough of a difference that we pay for every ounce of nitro they put into our model fuel.

jetpack

My Feedback: (1)

I am one of those that experienced darkening of the aluminum in the crock pot.

Wright's Copper Cleaner from the Pots and Pan cleaning isle at the grocery store, and various brushes ranging from a small stainless steel welding brush from ACE all the way down to an old toothbrush brought it back to a nice bright, even finish.

I also picked up a brass brush the same size as the stainless one. It didn't hold up well, but it was perfect for stiff brushing the inside corners. It will be toast by the time your done with it though, but it sacrificed itself well where the stainless couldn't reach.

While your standing at that isle at ACE, look for the long-stemmed bottle brushes. Those are nice for scrubbing inside the carb opening and crankshaft tunnel if you wish to go that far. Gun barrel cleaning brushes work well in that case also.

Water based so it can all be done at the kitchen sink with water. Rinses very well and doesn't eat your skin.

If you do a good job, it actually makes an engine look nicer than new in my opinion.

Aluminum has a metalurgically "high" content of copper.

The little OPS engine was taken from new, and cleaned with that method. It never hit the crock pot, and it removed all the dullness from sitting (note the assembled picture) and gave the skin of the aluminum an even, satin semi-gloss finish from the "gritty" easily marred glass bead blasted look.

However, the Webra 40 was given the anti-freeze bath, and it turned dark gray on me. It was all pretty easily brought back to a bright finish with the cream and brushes. The nooks and cranny's took a little persistance, but all came out good.