Cleaning engine

[ls6pilot]

How do you clean your engine? Poll

 

I think I remember Dean at the lockwood course saying dawn in a bucket of water poured over then gently washed off with water.

Thanks in advance

 

 

[FlyingMonkey]

I don't think I'd do the bucket method.  There are just too many little spaces that the water could sit and cause corrosion. 

I usually use a spray bottle of Simple Green or other degreaser...spray on, wipe off.

[Skunkworks85]

5 hours ago, ls6pilot said:

How do you clean your engine? Poll

 

I think I remember Dean at the lockwood course saying dawn in a bucket of water poured over then gently washed off with water.

Thanks in advance

 

[procharger]

These things have enough electrical problems I will not pour water onto my engine

it stays clean enough as is.

[airhound]

Amen

[ls6pilot]

I got in contact with Dean at Lockwood. He does recommend Dawn. No bucket. Sprayed on gently with a foam hose attachment. Let sit and then rinse with light water spray. Run engine to evaporate water.

 

FWIW

 

[Roger Lee]

I’ve sprayed many with “Oil Eater” and used a pressure sprayer at a distance and not directed it at or into any electronics. I start the engine right after and let it get hot to fully dry. I’ve never had an issue in 20 years. Common sense has to prevail just like many things.

if the engine was sensitive to water you could never fly in the rain.

[sandpiper]

X2. But just 14 years on Rotax engines. 

[Anticept]

https://www.harborfreight.com/engine-cleaning-gun-68290.html

I use mineral spirits, and let it sit for several hours with cowling off to make sure it dries. You can follow up with isopropyl if you want to really make sure.

As was said, don't blast it right up on sensitive parts. It will create a very nice aerosol mist that is very, very fine, almost like paint dusting a surface, and even the gunkiest greasiest engines will use maybe a half gallon of mineral spirits to shine up. I also use this to blast clear the fins of the radiator. We just had brood X here in ohio this year, and I think we generated more thrust off chopped bug bits than actually biting air on takeoff. It was pretty gross the amount of bugbits that I was blasting out.

This is a classic method that's been used in cars for decades. Though as I run low on mineral spirits, I am thinking of switching to a citrus based degreaser going forward.