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Inspecting a stored engine for rust in cylinders.

PostPosted:Tue Apr 23, 2019 1:19 pm
by Boxkite
Any tips on the above please?
Are the cheap borescopes (Aldi/Screwfix) good enough?
Will going through the top spark plug holes (flat four) only be enough?
Thanks.

Re: Inspecting a stored engine for rust in cylinders.

PostPosted:Tue Apr 23, 2019 3:28 pm
by Sooty25
I have a cheap (£9) ebay camera that plugs straight into a android tablet. Came with a 90degree mirror and has led's in it.

Not perfect and takes a little fiddling with in use, but will certainly show you the difference between rust and clean.

Re: Inspecting a stored engine for rust in cylinders.

PostPosted:Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:14 pm
by Flyin'Dutch'
I would have thought that anyone who can do a meaningful inspection of an engine will have the equipment?

Sure I can have a look with a borescope or something from LIDL/ALDI but would not chance anything more important on it than the 30 quid to buy the kit in the first place. Would you not be better off in getting someone who knows what they are looking at who has the kit to look at it?

Re: Inspecting a stored engine for rust in cylinders.

PostPosted:Wed Apr 24, 2019 1:10 am
by riverrock
The kit that you can get from discount locations now show better pictures than expensive "professional" kit that I've seen a mechanic use from a few years ago.
Just work out what angle you need on the camera and whether you want it attached to a fixed stick. Having a built in "take photo" button is also useful as a record (and saves having to press a button on a laptop screen).

Re: Inspecting a stored engine for rust in cylinders.

PostPosted:Wed Apr 24, 2019 1:22 am
by T67M
I'm not an engine expert, but it strikes me that getting the images these days is easy and cheap, the skill is in interpreting them correctly. Simply looking for corrosion may not be enough - you probably also ought to be checking the valve seats for good sealing, and the cylinder walls for good honing, for example. That can involve looking for subtle colouration changes across the surface of the valve.

I remember one fellow pilot getting very irate when he received a £500 bill from an engineer for hitting an engine with a hammer to make it start for the umpteenth time after the pilot failed to heed the engineer's advice to have the fault properly rectified. The pilot demanded an intemised bill from the engineer. Use of hammer: £1. Knowing where to hit: £499.

Re: Inspecting a stored engine for rust in cylinders.

PostPosted:Wed Apr 24, 2019 11:18 am
by Boxkite
Thanks peeps.
It's for a 'zero timed' engine, so wear and tear shouldn't be a problem. The issue is whether it was inhibited correctly for long term storage, just squirting oil in the cylinders may not be good enough over time as the oil will drain to the lowest point and the cylinders with valves open will be subject to atmospheric humidity. It has spark plugs fitted not inhibiting plugs.

Re: Inspecting a stored engine for rust in cylinders.

PostPosted:Wed Apr 24, 2019 11:19 pm
by Sooty25
I don't recall the OP stating he didn't know what he was looking it, his query was on the performance of the camers.

Re: Inspecting a stored engine for rust in cylinders.

PostPosted:Sat Apr 27, 2019 7:35 am
by Charliesixtysix
I would suggest looking at more than just cylinders, particularly if it is a Lycoming where cam and cam followers are especially prone to corrosion if inadequately protected.