Certified no BS: How to clean out crankcase?

[teacherman]

OK, this is a rarity today, an actual serious thread. I know, I know, that's no fun. But I am rebuilding sum saws, and I wanna be sure the cases are clean.
On the first 026 (the one with the cotter pin in the aircleaner), I Q-Tipped as much debris as I could reach, and squirted sum mix down in there and dumped it out, repeating several times. Is there a less smelly/messy, or more effective way to clean out cases before installing the P/C?

No, I dont wanna put it in the dishwasher

I did a search, and I found in "Project 064" sum advice to do just what I've done (thanks Andy), except i didn't turn it upside down. :bang: That saw RLABOH. I don't notice any roughness at all, was careful in disassesmbly, lots of compressed air. I now have a science wash bottle to squirt with. If I hold the case upside down, can I squirt mix onto the bearing itself, or should I avoid that? Also, how many times should I repeat this process, or just until it comes out clear?

Many thanks.

 

[Stihl #1]

I just use a can of choke spray or brake cleen while holding it upside down and rinse it then turn the crank and do it some more. Wear safety glasses because no matter what direction or angle or regardless of what you are spraying it on or at it will ALWAYS come out somewhere else and shoot directly into your eye.

 

[blsnelling]

Fill the CC full of mix and rotate the crank several times. Dump and repeat.

 

[04ultra]

Fill the CC full of mix and rotate the crank several times. Dump and repeat.

Brad you giving up your liquid rebuild secrets.......

 

[cjnspecial]

If you use carb cleaner make sure to test it out on the paint/coating first....a lot of cleaners will bubble the paint right off. Better yet, use mix.

 

[Bowtie]

Fill the CC full of mix and rotate the crank several times. Dump and repeat.

Thats how i do it. I prefer using mix oil because it keeps the bearings and seals lubricated.

 

[pioneerguy600]

What has worked well for me is that I took an old beat off shop vac and bushed down the pickup hose to accept a 3/8 " clear vinyl hose approx 3' long. I vacuum out the loose bits first, then spray in cleaner and let the hose suck up the cleaner and particles as they fill the bottom of the crankcase and I can move the small hose around under the crank, also have made up various 1/4 diameter extensions with offsets and bends etc to get into most corners. Once all the stuff I can see is picked up I will spray cleaner in with a pressurised cleaner gun hooked to an air line and it washes most of the stuff left from the vac job with the crankcase inverted. Finally fill the crankcase with mixed fuel and slowly rotate the crank and this turns the bearings and lets most of the junk out of the bearings and races, dump the mess and repeat one more time. I still vacuum out one more time and hope most of it is clean as you can get it. I have done more than 50 p&c jobs and had no failures as yet doing it this way so it works for me.
Pioneerguy600

 

[volks-man]

What has worked well for me is that I took an old beat off shop vac and bushed down the pickup hose to accept a 3/8 " clear vinyl hose approx 3' long. I vacuum out the loose bits first, then spray in cleaner and let the hose suck up the cleaner and particles as they fill the bottom of the crankcase and I can move the small hose around under the crank, also have made up various 1/4 diameter extensions with offsets and bends etc to get into most corners. Once all the stuff I can see is picked up I will spray cleaner in with a pressurised cleaner gun hooked to an air line and it washes most of the stuff left from the vac job with the crankcase inverted. Finally fill the crankcase with mixed fuel and slowly rotate the crank and this turns the bearings and lets most of the junk out of the bearings and races, dump the mess and repeat one more time. I still vacuum out one more time and hope most of it is clean as you can get it. I have done more than 50 p&c jobs and had no failures as yet doing it this way so it works for me.
Pioneerguy600

couldn't that vacuum motor ignite the cleaner fumes?:angry2:

 

[Lakeside53]

Don't use carb cleaner...

If you want to do it right... pop the seals the flush THROUGH the bearings... tons of mix... or brake cleaner... or as I've done often, use diluted purpile cleaner then the garden hose... then isopropal alcohol to get rid of any water, then heat to dry, then mix...

If you've ever looked behind the bearings... you see why you need to pop the seals out.

Teacherman - if the crank bearings are smooth, and you don't want to pop the seals - put NOTHING in the crankcase. Mop out what you can see... a 2-stroke is one heck of self-cleaning pump..

 

[mattinky]

couldn't that vacuum motor ignite the cleaner fumes?:angry2:

That's what I was thinking..... I know a guy whos son tried to siphon gas out of a truck with a shop vac for the lawn mower. It blew up and burned him very, very badly.

 

[volks-man]

Mop out what you can see... a 2-stroke is one heck of self-cleaning pump..

even pumps out water if you accidentally fill it up!
(yes i did)

 

[sILlogger]

to go along with this thread...what is the preferred method if the coating is coming off inside of the crankcase??

and how do you guys clean up the crankcases for repainting? media blasting?

 

[Lakeside53]

Inside? do nothing other than remove any loose material. Outside... bead works well, but the powder coat is the best substate you have so wet/dry works great ..

 

[sILlogger]

Inside? do nothing other than remove any loose material. Outside... bead works well, but the powder coat is the best substate you have so wet/dry works great ..

yea..ive had some lately that had the coating coming off inside the crankcase chamber..inside the crank cradle.

 

[Bowtie]

yea..ive had some lately that had the coating coming off inside the crankcase chamber..inside the crank cradle.

My 026 had some paint starting to ripple in the crankcase when I re piston and ringed it. None was popping loose so I ignored it and put it back together.

 

[teacherman]

if the crank bearings are smooth, and you don't want to pop the seals - put NOTHING in the crankcase. Mop out what you can see... a 2-stroke is one heck of self-cleaning pump..

Andy, thanks for telling me what I want to hear. :greenchainsaw: I am not yet equipped for seal replacement, and the "one heck of a self-cleaning pump" is the part I relate to the most! Many thanks!!

 

[pioneerguy600]

couldn't that vacuum motor ignite the cleaner fumes?:angry2:

No its non combustible.
Pioneerguy600