TRAJ

How do people flush their nitro motors?

I did the following

Cleaned the outside
Took apart/cleaned
flushed the case and parts with fuel
Drained the fuel
lub parts with after run oil and put back together adding additional after run oil
Put in ziplock bag

Is this ok to do or will it somehow harm my motor?

Thanks

Speedypeterb

iTrader: (16)

you answered your own Question and also did a good job of cleaning your motor! why did you put it away are you not using it to race? talk later Peter

TRAJ

I just put it back in the bag cause i didnt have time to install it but the engine is back in the car now.

Thanks for letting me know!

Phroziac

I never take my engines apart until there's a problem. I'm only getting ready to break-in my 3rd engine though, so they haven't been lasting that long for me....still slightly new at this.

Also, if you turn the engine over until its around tdc so the exhaust port is closed, and leave an air filter on it, there's no reason to keep it in a ziplock bag.

Joe Chaplow

i am still new at this, so someone let me know if i am correct, i would think if you position your piston at the top of the sleeve to store it away it would maybe stretch the sleeve (making wear)

Phroziac

It won't stretch, and wear won't occur unless the piston is moving. It doesn't need to be at tdc, as long as its blocking the exhaust port so dirt can't get in there.
Of course you could always just put tape over it, or put an exhaust on it.

The TDC thing is that if your breaking in the engine and leave the piston at TDC, it can interfere with the sleeve contracting as the engine cools. It's completely possible to break-in an engine properly and ignore piston position, I've done it before and most manufacturers never mention it.

Phroziac

I forgot to mention, but you shouldn't really take your engine apart to clean it unless you either got dirt in it (its already ruined), or you're rebuilding it. It won't get dirty other then some carbon buildup and possibly varnish on the inside if you're using the wrong fuels.
The problem is that taking it apart, depending on the type of gaskets being used, can ruin the gaskets. If you have to replace gaskets that were fine before you did unneeded maintenance, what was the point?

regg151

who needs to buy gaskets just seal up the engine with rtv silicon.
I open each one of my engines before I ever install them, so far i've found metal dust and shavings as well as burrs inside various engines.
I open em up and flush them out inspect them then rebuild and seal em. so far i've not had a problem with any of the engines i've done this to.

as to getting dirt in the engine if you catch it early you can save the engine. it's not nessacerally the end of the engine. is the life of the engine shortened, yes most likely but is it shot probably not considering most of the dirt just gets blown out the exhaust port.

TRAJ

Thats exactly why i flushed the motor just incase there was some dirt in it (better safe than sorry) None was found and i know my way around a motor so its not hard to do.

Much easier to keep in ziplock bag i uninstall my motor every time i race since my races are around 3weeks apart.

Phroziac

maintenance freaks! lol.
That is rediculous. If you maintain your air filter well and dont do something else stupid, why would there be dirt in it? How often do you do this to your real cars? :P
"Oh, you got another 1,000 miles on there. Gotta take the engine off and put it in a ziplock bag and wash it out!" Sorry, just what I was thinking.

By the way, my dad had 4 gallons or so in his trx 2.5, which he didnt clean the air filter until it was BLACK. He had to replace the carb body at one point from dirt inhalation, and kept doing it! It's life ended when the case broke because he was trying to wiggle a tight header off (which i told him not to force on in the first place..). Oh yes, and the overheating before getting an aftermarket head was the rod rubbing the crankcase.
The P/S was pretty shot though. There was chrome worn all the way through in spots, and nasty stuff like that.

I think we'll do fine.

Kyle Hazell

iTrader: (17)

Phrosmong, For someone new to this you sure know a lot.....

Traj,

Flushing the engines is something we do after every race meeting. Our race engines (RB) get stripped after every major race meeting and are inspected, cleaned and generally the rod, pin and clips are replaced. The engines are then after runned and put away.

Our normal club engines (RB) just get flushed and after runned. Unless we have problem with them, we generally just log the run time and pull them down at a specific time and do routine maintance.

If the engines are out of the cars, they are always capped off at the ports and bagged up. Im quite sure the Ferrari F1 team dont leave there engines in the workshop unsealed.....

Your doing the right thing, and have asked good questions, you can never be to careful.....

Regards

Kyle

Phroziac

I've only been doing this for 2 years, and only worn out 2 engines.

Don't make fun of my name please.

Kyle Hazell

iTrader: (17)

Dont post crap then....

Phroziac

I didnt post crap.

Kyle Hazell

iTrader: (17)

Fair enough then....