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Cleaning old 2 strokes - Where do I start?


Andy C
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I keep a Kilner Jar of "red" diesel in the garage. If I get an engine that is seized solid with old oil, I leave it soaking in that for a few days (remove the glow-plug and back-plate). That usually gets it to turn over. "Contaminated" diesel from a friendly garage (drained from diesel cars that have been filled with petrol) works even better and is usually cheaper!

 

This will usually also soften a lot of the gunk on the exterior of the engine.

 

However you do it, you will end up having to use a fair bit of elbow grease...!

 

--

Pete

 

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On 31/03/2022 at 11:38, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

Life is to short to clean planes and engines, as long as they don't dirty my car,,,,?

So I’ve owned my current car for 10 years, built in 2008. Properly serviced, fit for purpose, not (often for many thousands of kliks) thrashed.  Last autumn, SHMBO was complaining, it’s encrusting her clothes. I don’t clean cars, period.

So she went to a valeter/detailer. He said he knew the car, we are near neighbours, unknown to us. He recognized the algae deposits. She promised to be better in future.
But, a plane motor. It runs, a problem?

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Some fuel residue, non castor based fuels, when baked on, is very difficult to remove. It's as if it has a clear "glaze"...

 

For castor based fuels I find petrol will shift it. Get a large necked jar, like a gerkin jar, and place the engine in that for a day or two. Agitate the jar by shaking from time to  time. You will see the " crap" collect at the bottom of the jar. It can be filtered and reused till "spent".

 

Interestingly someone posted about petrol contaminated diesel.....

 

Obviously don't use petrol indoors or in a sonic cleaner, it's highly flamable and a very real fire risk, SO BE WARNED !!!

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My experience with an ultrasonic cleaner using just water was disappointing. Nothing like Frank's engine experience.  Soaking engine in old/stale glow fuel and scrubbing with a toothbrush helps.  Cooking the parts in a slow cooker filled with anti-freeze liquid (outside in a well-ventilated garage with door open) got loads of baked on muck off. The engine was really very clean and almost like new afterwards.

Edited by David Ovenden
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Warm ethylene glycol antifreeze is good for cleaning castor oil stains off engines and exhausts.

 

I read it somewhere (maybe on this esteemed forum, previous post excepted), tried it, and found it works a treat with a bit of scrubbing with an old toothbrush, where no other solvent or cleaning fluid would.

 

I’ve got several engines sparkling again with this method now, but you do have to be careful, as ethylene glycol is flammable and gives off toxic fumes when heated, so do it outside.

 

Edited by EvilC57
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  • 7 months later...

Hi folks just needed to post my question which is relevant here.  
 

I’ve tried all sorts of household cleaning products, rubbing alcohol, a particular penetrating form of wd40, hell, even drain unblocker as a mad last resort.  Bought an ultrasonic cleaner and repeated the above and concoctions in it but to absolutely no avail. I’m trying to clean or dissolve really the caked on tar like substance which I believe to be burnt castor oil(?) off my Saito silencer.

 

can anyone help guide me?

 

tx
 

 

542F446E-3F5B-49E6-9F3B-A8F088206992.jpeg

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12 hours ago, David Ovenden said:

Try "cooking" it in a slow cooker filled with car antifreeze. Should be outside or in a garage with door open because of fumes. Then will need a scub to remove baked-on oil. May help to work on stubborn areas with a piece of wood or plastic to help remove really burnt-on oil.

Yep, I can confirm the hot ethylene glycol antifreeze method works at treat. Like the OP, I tried all sorts of things to remove burnt on castor stains, then stumbled across the antifreeze method (read it somewhere online I think).

 

But as David says, do it outside. And I found that an old toothbrush is ideal for gently scrubbing between the cylinder head fins to remove more stubborn deposits once the engine has been ‘cooked’ for a while in the antifreeze.

Edited by EvilC57
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I used the antifreeze method on some well used engines but I think I had the crockpot turned up too high as the castings started to take on a dark grey appearance. The fumes that comes off hot antifreeze are most noxious So I used a carbon filter spray mask to approach it and I did it outdoors. Be warned glycol antifreeze is quite poisonous and any spills must be cleaned up immediately as pets can be attracted to the smell.

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Boiling in Glycol also worked for me but as others have stressed the fumes are poisonous. A few years ago someone sold fake vodka containing glycol and killed 10's of people.

Fairy power spray worked but left the Aluminum black - not a good result 😬

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I use an ultrasonic cleaner (UC) with non caustic truck wash (TFR) . The caustic variety can turn casings black or dark grey depending on alloy used.Turn temp up or fill UC with hot solution approx 50/50 water/TFR . Works very well. If metal casings have any scratches etc then I wash parts in thinners first and bead blast them . This brings them up like new but the glass beads get into small crevasses etc even when plugged before blasting  and the UC bath removes them leaving parts perfectly clean and ready for re - assembly. 

For some parts that need solvent rather than water cleaning I put them in a jar cover with solvent fit the screw lid then put that into the UC with plain water in it and no heat. 

Anyone trying this beware NOT  to use solvents directly in the UC bath and only use solvents out door or in a safe place should they ignite

Any polished areas like heads etc are mounted in the lathe and spun up using a green  pad to get a near original finish before the UC  bath.

The most annoying part of refurbish these parts is machining out the plier marks that some bodgers use to hold the prop drivers ? Why ?

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18 hours ago, Nick Stock 2 said:

Hi folks just needed to post my question which is relevant here.  
 

I’ve tried all sorts of household cleaning products, rubbing alcohol, a particular penetrating form of wd40, hell, even drain unblocker as a mad last resort.  Bought an ultrasonic cleaner and repeated the above and concoctions in it but to absolutely no avail. I’m trying to clean or dissolve really the caked on tar like substance which I believe to be burnt castor oil(?) off my Saito silencer.

 

can anyone help guide me?

 

tx
 

 

542F446E-3F5B-49E6-9F3B-A8F088206992.jpeg

The only way to remove castor when it's burnt on hard like that is in my experience to bead blast it using fine beads. After that avoid castor oil based fuel like the plague.  Good synthetic oil  keeps an engines clean outside as well as inside. Any other mechanical method like a wire wheel will destroy the finish and harsher chemicals may darken the alloy.

 

 

Re my previous post . I meant to use US  and not UC for ultrasonic cleaner  . Duh! Must have had a senior moment 🤦

Edited by Engine Doctor
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