How to Clean a Varnished Model Aircraft Engine

Detergent Method

• 1

  Wipe away any grime or sludge with a microfiber towel. Scrub the outside of the engine with a toothbrush and powder dish detergent.

• 2

  Take your model engine apart. Set aside the air filter and any rubber or plastic parts. Clean these parts with a microfiber towel.

• 3

  Boil water in a steel pot. When it reaches a boil, slowly add 2 tablespoons of detergent.

• 4

  Place your metal engine parts into the boiling water-detergent mix for 30 seconds. Pour the water out through a metal strainer and then lay the engine parts on a terrycloth towel.

• 5

  Dry the engine parts with a terrycloth towel and oil them with engine oil, as needed. Reassemble the engine.

Antifreeze Method

• 6

  Disassemble your model airplane engine and set aside the air filter and any rubber or plastic parts. Take the small engine parts, such as ball bearings, and place them in the wire mesh container.

• 7

  Place the engine parts and the wire mesh container containing the small parts inside a slow cooker. Fill the cooker with antifreeze until the level reaches to about 1 inch below the lip of the pot. Plug the slow cooker into an outlet in a well-ventilated area, such as a garage or patio.

• 8

  Set the cooker to 170 degrees Fahrenheit and let it simmer for four hours. Turn the cooker off and let the antifreeze cool over several hours.

• 9

  Put on the safety gloves and remove the engine parts from the antifreeze and lay them on a terrycloth towel. Boil water in a steel pot and place the engine parts in the boiling water for 15 minutes. After the water cools, take the parts out and set them on a terrycloth towel.

• 10

  Dry the engine parts with another terrycloth towel and oil them with engine oil, as needed. Reassemble the engine.