Spray Engine Cleaner

[Brian Massey]

Some time ago I started using Nitro Force to clean engines. It does a great job; sprays hard, drys quickly and leaves no residue. The downside is it's price, about 7 bucks per 13.5 oz bottle at our LHS.

I use brake cleaner to clean my lines and to clean out mufflers; it too sprays hard, drys somewhat quickly and appears to leave very little residue. They are chemically different . . . and I am chemically challenged.

Nitro Force has "Alcohols" and Aliphatic Hydrocarbons . . .  OK. Brake cleaner has Methanol 67-56-1 (whatever), Tuluene 108-88-3 and Acetone 67-64-1.

The brake cleaner warns you to "keep off painted surfaces", while the Nitro Force says "safe on plastics". OK, so without trying to appear to stupid, will regular old brake cleaner do damage to the internals of an engine?? And yes, I clean them off the plane, in my hand and over the gravel.

Thanks,

Brian

[FLOYD CARTER]

If you're just trying to clean engines, why not use what most do:  Prestone Anti-Freeze in a warm crock pot? What kind of "dirt" is on your engines?

F.C.

[Brian Massey]

If you're just trying to clean engines, why not use what most do:  Prestone Anti-Freeze in a warm crock pot? What kind of "dirt" is on your engines?

F.C.

Hi Floyd; guess I should have been more specific; I'm talking about spraying an engine off that has been stuck in the dirt, or had a lot of grass etc. blown it's way. Such as when you crash on a grass field. I'm not talking about soaking an engine that has years of crud buildup.

Brian

[David M Johnson]

Hot soapy water and a good tooth brush works fine for that application. For baked on crud use something harsher.
David  Johnson
Who has planted his fair share of lawn darts

[Ward Van Duzer]

Hot, soapy water may clean crash derbris, but never put that engine away without a GOOD after run oil soak! That water WILL rust your bearings and any Iron/steel parts. Will also cause corrosion (uhh, rust) on bronze and brass and even aluminum.

You have been warned!

Ward 

[Joseph Lijoi]

Cleaning engines from crashing in dirt is something that I lot of experience in.  Pavement too but when you crash on pavemet the engine is "clean" but you no longer have a crankcase.

At the field I bring some old fuel (or rubbing alchohol) and put my thumb over the venturi and use my syringe as a pressure wash.  Wait till the motor cools.  Rock the prop back and forth (if you still have one) trying to feel for grit.  If the you have no grit in the engine and your plane is in one piece the you can fly it.  If not go to phase two.

Obtain some disposable aluiminum poundloaf baking tins and a quart of 70 or 90 percent Isopropol rubbing alchohol at the drug store.  The tins come in a backage of three.  In one tin use the alchohol to brush off loose dirt with a toothbrush for the exterior of the motor.

Take clean tin #2 and fill it enough to submerge the engine.  Take the backplate and head (or at least the glow plug) off.  If you take the head off put one of the head bolts (do not tighten) back in to keep the liner from coming out.  Place the engine in the alchohol with the exhaust port down.  Rock the crankshaft back and forth from TDC to BDC.  Do this until the grit goes away and don't be surprised if you see dirt and an aluminum chip from when the engine was new at the bottom of that tin.  Reassemble and lube the engine with after run oil.  Put a prop on and flip it making sure you got all the grit out.

That 90% isopropyl rubbing alchohol is great stuff for us.  It is a good solvent for cleaning an thins epoxy and it is cheap.  Stick your finger in it when forming epoxy.  Takes sharpie centerlines off of monokote.  Cleans monokote.  Put it in some Windex and it makes a good airplane cleaner.

Good luck. 
   

[Joseph Lijoi]

Forgot to mention those compressed air cans from the computer store help too if you don't have a compressor.

[Rafael Gonzalez]

Being one that has never stuffed an engine in the dirt...OK ,OK, MY NOSE IS GROWING....

I do not think that I had a Fox MKIII or IV that hadn't found the ground for me in my early combat years. Now, for that matter!! Tipically, if I loose the ground, I don't take a long time to find it...

DO NOT TURN AN ENGINE TO FEEL THE GRIT!!!!!!

A stuffed engine should not be turned until it is taken completely apart and cleaned with liquid detergent and extremely hot water. Flush at full water pressure. Then grab one of those photo or keyboard cans and blow all the water away from all the parts. Rotate only the crank in its bearings to feel if there is still some dirt. Repeat washing until it is free of particles. Then assemble the engine after all parts are dry adding pure silicon oil from a spray at the auto shop. It is tedious but the engine WILL be damaged if it is cleaned in any other way. Please do not clean any engine after it is crashed at the field.
I had back up engines ready to transfer to the planes that were slightly damaged after stuffing them.
Take 2 or more planes to the field, if you crash one, you have the other.

[Mike Griffin]

Some time ago I started using Nitro Force to clean engines. It does a great job; sprays hard, drys quickly and leaves no residue. The downside is it's price, about 7 bucks per 13.5 oz bottle at our LHS.

I use brake cleaner to clean my lines and to clean out mufflers; it too sprays hard, drys somewhat quickly and appears to leave very little residue. They are chemically different . . . and I am chemically challenged.

Nitro Force has "Alcohols" and Aliphatic Hydrocarbons . . .  OK. Brake cleaner has Methanol 67-56-1 (whatever), Tuluene 108-88-3 and Acetone 67-64-1.

The brake cleaner warns you to "keep off painted surfaces", while the Nitro Force says "safe on plastics". OK, so without trying to appear to stupid, will regular old brake cleaner do damage to the internals of an engine?? And yes, I clean them off the plane, in my hand and over the gravel.

Brian just for a good general cleaning, one of the best spray cleaners I have found is Dawn Power Dissolver.  It is made for greasy dishes but if you will spray it on the engine and wait a few moments and then take a toothbrush to it, it does a wonderful job.  You can find this in most grocery stores or anywhere that sells dish detergent or cleaners.

Mike

Thanks,

Brian

[Michael Massey]

I have seen Dawn Power Dissolver recommended before.  I live near Eugene, Oregon and cannot find this product anywhere.  I assumed they stopped making it.  I have tried Walmart, Hardwares, Grocery stores, etc etc.   I wonder if it is a "regional" product and not available country wide?  Anyone know?

[john e. holliday]

My local Wally World Neighborhood Market has it on the shelves.   It's in the dish washing aisle.   

$25.00 a bottle plus shipping if you want some.

[Marvin Denny]

I have seen Dawn Power Dissolver recommended before.  I live near Eugene, Oregon and cannot find this product anywhere.  I assumed they stopped making it.  I have tried Walmart, Hardwares, Grocery stores, etc etc.   I wonder if it is a "regional" product and not available country wide?  Anyone know?

  Michael, I found it at Wal-Mart but it was in the "mops, brooms, and scrubbing materials" department.
  Funny thing--- I had previously asked if they had any Dawn Power dissolver, and the clerk/stocker said "no". I just happened to see it and picked up a bottle and took it up to the check out  counter with some other stuff that I was buying.  I showed it to the check out clerk and asked "do you have any of this stuff"?  She scanned the bar code, it showed a price, but also showed "out of stock".  She said "we don't have any". ?  I didn't, but I should have, just took it on out since they "didn't have any" I couldn't steal it ----could I ??

  Bigiron

[Jim Thomerson]

WD-40 is a fair low level solvent.

[Mike Griffin]

  Michael, I found it at Wal-Mart but it was in the "mops, brooms, and scrubbing materials" department.
  Funny thing--- I had previously asked if they had any Dawn Power dissolver, and the clerk/stocker said "no". I just happened to see it and picked up a bottle and took it up to the check out  counter with some other stuff that I was buying.  I showed it to the check out clerk and asked "do you have any of this stuff"?  She scanned the bar code, it showed a price, but also showed "out of stock".  She said "we don't have any". ?  I didn't, but I should have, just took it on out since they "didn't have any" I couldn't steal it ----could I ??

  Bigiron

LMAO Marvin.. sounds about right....geeezz

[Brian Massey]

LMAO Marvin.. sounds about right....geeezz

I think all you did is help get their computer info corrected  . . . did you leave enough for me to help too??

Brian

[John Stiles]

Black powder "bore blaster"