What do you clean the outside of your engine with?

How to keep the Cessna 170 flying and airworthy.

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mmcmillan2
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What do you clean the outside of your engine with?

Post by mmcmillan2 »

Oil changes, do you clean the engine exterior and if so, what do you use? I thought about a degreaser mixed with water in pump sprayer, but didn’t want to invite corrosion.
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bgiesbrecht
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Re: What do you clean the outside of your engine with?

Post by bgiesbrecht »

I use a simple spray bottle with alcohol and a rag, it's what my IA does. Works great and any residual quickly evaporates.
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: What do you clean the outside of your engine with?

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

We use odorless mineral spirits if we are doing an entire engine wash. If we are cleaning spillage from an oil change we use an aerosol from Hi-Line of Industrial Contact Cleaner. The latter is probably not the most economical but is expedient. Similar products from LPS and CRC would work just as well.
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mit
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Re: What do you clean the outside of your engine with?

Post by mit »

Stoddard solvent.
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lowNslow
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Re: What do you clean the outside of your engine with?

Post by lowNslow »

Brake Cleaner in the spray cans (acetone).
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GAHorn
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Re: What do you clean the outside of your engine with?

Post by GAHorn »

Gunk Engine De-Greaser or WalMarts Engine De-greaser….followed by a water hose and blow-dry with air compressor.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/GUNK-Origina ... lsrc=aw.ds

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Super-Tech-E ... lsrc=aw.ds

This is a good time to mention again… it’s a good idea to take an ice-pick or awl and poke a small hole at the lowest point of your cabin heat and carb heat sceet/scat hoses to allow them to drain any water that may accumulate in them. (This is not my idea…it came from Cessna…. just don’t recall off the top of my head the SL.) Water can pool in a lower loop of the hose…then in flight if the carb heat is pulled the sudden gulp of water into the engine intakes creates havoc. The hole is so small as to not cause any other problems and no leak of import is created despite some folks concern.)
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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bgiesbrecht
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Re: What do you clean the outside of your engine with?

Post by bgiesbrecht »

GAHorn wrote:This is a good time to mention again… it’s a good idea to take an ice-pick or awl and poke a small hole at the lowest point of your cabin heat and carb heat sceet/scat hoses to allow them to drain any water that may accumulate in them. (This is not my idea…it came from Cessna…. just don’t recall off the top of my head the SL.) Water can pool in a lower loop of the hose…then in flight if the carb heat is pulled the sudden gulp of water into the engine intakes creates havoc. The hole is so small as to not cause any other problems and no leak of import is created despite some folks concern.)
I second this. After a heavy rain last spring, I happened to bump the lower scat hose during a preflight, and it was heavy and sounded full of liquid. It was. I dumped a solid 2-3 cups of water out of the lower hose!! 8O My cowl plugs were a little worn and letting water collect and drain in. I added the small drain hole after reading about this issue elsewhere on the forums, and also make it a point to shake the hose (as part of the gascolater sumping process) to make sure it's clear. I haven't had an issue since, and we've had some pretty heavy rains here in the last several weeks.
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GAHorn
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Re: What do you clean the outside of your engine with?

Post by GAHorn »

Sadly, when this was suggested some years ago some very experienced operators ridiculed the idea. It had never happened to them so it must not be possible. :roll:

The FAA issued an Alert over it: FAA MX Alert (#368) :

Cessna: A150K; Water Block of Air Intake; ATA 7160
A mechanic provides this excellent analysis of his customer's aircraft problems. "The owner took off for some pattern work. (Since ...) the weather had been cold and clear for several days he thought it perfect for touch-&-goes. On the downwind leg he began his normal landing check list — including checking the carburetor heat. After pulling (this heat control) 'ON' the engine died. He turned off carburetor heat and the engine restarted on its own without pilot input. He continued the pattern and gradually reapplied carburetor heat on base and final. On short final the engine died and the pilot glided to a safe touchdown just beyond the end of the runway. He was able to restart the engine and taxi back to parking without incident. We looked at the engine ... and found the Scat hose (model 150 & A150; 1970-77 parts manual; figure 56; sheet 2; item 29) coming from the front baffle down to the front of the exhaust shroud had filled with water. The installed hose is in the form of a 'J', and the bottom of this 'J' was full of water and ice. In our damp climate we have noticed this before and usually ensure each scat hose has a drain hole in any low areas. Somehow this (particular) aircraft had been missed. We have found water and ice in similar installations on Cessna 150 and 172 series aircraft. Because of their location, the air intake scoops in the front baffle funnel rain water into the SCAT hose, (filling) the forward hose. Sometimes the water overflows the front hose and flows along the lower inside of the heater shroud, (attempting ...) to also fill the carburetor heat box-to-right-shroud Scat hose (model 150 & A150; 1970-77 parts manual; figure 56; sheet 2; item 19). This results in the engine receiving a large slug of water or ice when the carburetor heat is applied. Whether the water is in a liquid or solid form depends on the duration of the flight and whether the heat of the operating engine has melted any ice that may have formed during periods of inactivity. Any aircraft showing abnormal wire deterioration in those areas should consider installing drain holes.” (See Cessna 170B parts manual: figure 50; items 35 & 36. See also Cessna 172A, B, C and 175A, B, C parts manual: figure 59; items 31 & 33.)
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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mmcmillan2
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Re: What do you clean the outside of your engine with?

Post by mmcmillan2 »

Thanks for the tips!
170B owner, KCFD, CFI(I), ATP Multi
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