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Source: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3825/is_200307/ai_n9256556/pg_1
Source: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3825/is_200307/ai_n9256556/pg_1
Radio Control Car Action said:EXPERT ENGINE ADVICE
It's amazing how many of us expect our engines to run well no matter how we neglect them or how dirty they may be. Not only is it difficult to see broken and loose parts through dirt, but a filthy engine is also just plain ugly. If you haven't been able to see your crankcase or carburetor in months because of a filth buildup, this article is for you.
1 DE-GUNK IT! Engines and exhaust systems run best when they are clean. A clean engine dissipates heat more effectively (baked-on grime retains power-robbing heat), and it's easier to solve a problem when your engine is clean because you can actually see its components. If your engine runs poorly and is so dirty that it looks as though you dipped it in chocolate and rolled it in sawdust, don't bother to troubleshoot. Get cleaning!
* First, remove your engine from your vehicle, and then use an old toothbrush or a stiff-bristle paintbrush to rub away as much grime as you can. Aerosol nitro cleaners work well as long as the gunk buildup hasn't been left for so long that it's baked onto the engine like armor. Before you use the cleaner, remove the air cleaner and the exhaust header, and stuff little wads of paper towel into the engine openings. Next, slide a thin rag between the flywheel and the front bearing, wrapping it around the flywheel to protect the front bearing (an old Ron Paris tip). Spray the engine liberally with nitro cleaner, and wipe away the excess cleaner with paper towels and your trusty old toothbrush. Using paper towels and a brush, clean your engine, reinstall the air filter and the exhaust, and remove the rag from the flywheel.
* So far, so good. If your engine or exhaust has been dirty so long that the gunk has baked and become varnish, disassemble the engine and use an RC nitro cleaner (Trinity's Nitro Blast, for example) to loosen and remove this varnish. If your engine needs more help than nitro spray can provide, try Gunk, which is an automotive engine cleaner. If you have to resort to something even stronger, wear rubber gloves and eye protection, and be aware that really aggressive cleansing agents may strip off any coatings your engine has (goodbye, anodizing and paint); these products are best reserved for raw aluminum). But if you've allowed your engine to get so dirty that milder products don't work, really strong cleaners may be your only option to restore your engine's performance and looks.
2 CLEAN GLOW-PLUG AREA. You'd never intentionally dump dirt into your engine's combustion chamber, would you? For this reason, before you remove the glow plug from the cooling head, you must thoroughly clean the area around it with motor spray. If you don't, you risk allowing the dirt that has collected around the glow plug to drop into the combustion chamber.
This maintenance "trick" isn't difficult or time-consuming, so be one of the few who take the time to clean this area before you remove the glow plug. If your engine runs poorly and you plan to install a new plug to fix this, clean the glow-plug area first. At the end of a day of running, allow your engine to cool completely, and then clean the area around the glow plug before you drop after-run oil into the glow-plug hole. (You do use after-run oil, don't you?)
3 REBUILD THE CARBURETOR. Many of us rebuild our engines with replacement parts for everything except the carburetor. These engines are usually the ones that are hard to tune and never seem to hold a "good tune" if you do manage to tune them. If your engine still has good compression, your carb's 0-rings may be causing the problem. These small, rubber 0-rings on the needle valves serve a dual purpose: they seal the needles against air and fuel leaks, and they provide the resistance against their housings that's required to keep the needle-valve settings stable while you drive the car.\
* First, turn each needle with a screwdriver to check for resistance. Do the needles feel loose and offer hardly any resistance when you turn them, or are they very difficult to turn? If they feel loose, the 0-rings have worn out; replace them. If a needle is hard to budge, its 0-ring has probably torn and is binding up the threads. In either case, your carb may have an air leak or a fuel leak and simply needs a rebuild.
* Some engine manufacturers offer engine-sealing kits. The kits typically include every seal you'll need for the carb, and some have other engine seals, too. If you don't find all the seals you need in one package, check your engine's manual for the individual 0-rings' part numbers, and order them from the manufacturer. 0-rings are cheap, and replacing them is an affordable fix for carb leaks and erratic engine performance. This is the most overlooked area of maintenance, yet it may be the one thing that makes a difference between running a temperamental, difficult-to-tune engine and one that's a breeze.
4 SEAL IT. After you've cleaned your engine thoroughly (or you'll contaminate inner areas) and replaced any worn carb parts, seal certain areas to further protect it. Sealing takes only a few minutes, and it can save you hours of frustration later. Take the engine out of your vehicle, and remove its carb and back-plate. I recommend a high-temperature, oxygen-sensor-safe automotive silicone sealant such as Permatex Ultra Copper (available in auto-supply departments of hardware stores). Use a small flat-head screwdriver or the end of a zip-tie to apply a bead of sealant around the carb neck and the backplate area. Don't apply too much; excess can easily be sucked into the engine. Reinstall the components, allow the sealant to cure overnight, and your engine will be ready to go.
5 REPLACE THE FUEL TUBING REGULARLY. This is yet another relatively cheap, easy-to-replace item that is often overlooked. Over time, fuel tubing is likely to crack or develop tiny puncture holes, and most bashers will run it until it fails. Unfortunately, a leaky fuel tube can mimic defects such as bad needle settings and a dead glow plug, so it's difficult to track down the cause of the problem. Incorporate fuel-tubing replacement into your engine-maintenance routine, and you'll avoid problems. When you route the fuel tubing, keep it away from moving gears and drive shafts, and the fuel-delivery and pressure lines should not be longer than 10 inches. Excessively long fuel tubing can be kinked easily, and this will starve your engine of fuel.
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No one can expect an engine to perform well forever, but good maintenance can help you to avoid poor performance caused by negligence. Simple maintenance steps such as the ones outlined here will quickly become a habit if you do them regularly. Don't be that guy with the filthy "mystery engine"; keep your 2-stroke clean for better performance and easier problem-solving.
Copyright Air Age Publishing Jul 2003
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved
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