How to clean a RC gas engine

If you have been flying for awhile you might have noticed that your engines might be discoloring or they look dirty. I doubt that you want to clean every little piece of the engine with a toothpick or something. There is an easy way but it is a toxic and should be done outside away from children and animals. I learned this from a veteran RC pilot and I do it every time that a engine seizes or needs to be clean. First you need a bottle of antifreeze and a crock pot. You will not be able to use the crock pot for anything else but this after. I would suggest you buy a cheap one and not the expensive one that your wife or mother uses because they might not like that too much. I went to Walmart and bought a $30 crock pot and it works just fine. Make sure that the crock pot is big enough for the whole engine. You will also need a mesh basket or a rag. Fill the crock to the top and turn it on low so it will heat while you prepare the engine for its "bath". To prepare the engine you will need it off the plane and all the necessary tools to take it apart. You start with the glow plug and muffler then start takin everything else off. I would then go and take all the screws off the head. Then take the carburetor off and leave everything on it. Make sure the prop washer and nut ore off then take the back plate off. Pull the piston off the shaft and push it out the top with the sleeve. Now you can take the shaft out and get ready to soak it. You do not need the screws so leave them out and put every thing in your rag or wire mesh basket. when everything is ready lower it into the crock and let the part sit for at least a day in the crock while it is on low. When you think it is done open the crock and take all of the part out. BE CAREFUL AND TRY NOT TO BREATHE IN ANY FUMES BECAUSE ANTIFREEZE IS VERY TOXIC. Let the parts cool to a bearable temperature and then start to put the engine back together. When putting the piston and the sleeve back into the engine use a synthetic oil to coat ever thing so it slides in nice. If it gets scratched or dinged then the piston will not move well so you have to be carefully putting it back together. I would oil everything that makes contact. You can also use after run oil from Great Planes, it works just the same. When everything is put back together put your engine on the plane and run it. Before you take off make sure it is tuned and ready to go. I will go over tuning in another post. If you have any questions email me at metalmole@citlink.net or comment here.