It occurred to me that some of the R320 users may not be used to storing ball raced engines.
As your competition season has now ended there may be a few R320's which won't be run for a month or more and if they aren't lubricated properly now, then they will need new bearings next season, and if a bearing fails in use it can do much worse damage to the rest of the engine.
Castor oil is a fantastic lubricant but after running it dries out and eventually gets to the point where the balls in the bearings don't roll but skid. It is very difficult to wash out once it has gotten to this stage.
For long storage ( more than a few weeks ) I recommend that the engine is removed from the model, spray inside and out with WD40 or similar, then lubricate with after run oil.
There are many good oils for this purpose, I use and recommend automotive automatic transmission fluid. Some down the venturi, in the exhaust and around the prop driver, put in a few drops and flip it over, a few more and flip it over, don't over do it and you do and it locks as you try to turn it over simply allow the excess to drain out the exhaust.
Wrap the engine in a rag and as long as you are sure there is no moisture present you can also pop it in a plastic bag and store it in a dry place.
After every days flying they should get a spray with wd and then lubricated with the after run, it would most likely be fine for a week but often a week turns into 2 then 3 and so on, and before you know it there is a problem which could so easily have been avoided.
If the engine is expected to be stored for only a few weeks then by all means leave it in the model but give it the oil.
Before starting for the first time flush it through with some fuel to wash the oil out.
With this treatment I have engines which have been used for years with out a bearing change, and on the other hand seen too many with only a couiple of hours running ruined through neglect.
As your competition season has now ended there may be a few R320's which won't be run for a month or more and if they aren't lubricated properly now, then they will need new bearings next season, and if a bearing fails in use it can do much worse damage to the rest of the engine.
Castor oil is a fantastic lubricant but after running it dries out and eventually gets to the point where the balls in the bearings don't roll but skid. It is very difficult to wash out once it has gotten to this stage.
For long storage ( more than a few weeks ) I recommend that the engine is removed from the model, spray inside and out with WD40 or similar, then lubricate with after run oil.
There are many good oils for this purpose, I use and recommend automotive automatic transmission fluid. Some down the venturi, in the exhaust and around the prop driver, put in a few drops and flip it over, a few more and flip it over, don't over do it and you do and it locks as you try to turn it over simply allow the excess to drain out the exhaust.
Wrap the engine in a rag and as long as you are sure there is no moisture present you can also pop it in a plastic bag and store it in a dry place.
After every days flying they should get a spray with wd and then lubricated with the after run, it would most likely be fine for a week but often a week turns into 2 then 3 and so on, and before you know it there is a problem which could so easily have been avoided.
If the engine is expected to be stored for only a few weeks then by all means leave it in the model but give it the oil.
Before starting for the first time flush it through with some fuel to wash the oil out.
With this treatment I have engines which have been used for years with out a bearing change, and on the other hand seen too many with only a couiple of hours running ruined through neglect.
Steve Rothwell
SMR Pty. Ltd.
tel 02 9653 2533
fax 02 9653 2544
www.smrpl.com.au
smrpl@smrpl.com.au
SMR Pty. Ltd.
tel 02 9653 2533
fax 02 9653 2544
www.smrpl.com.au
smrpl@smrpl.com.au
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