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Old 10-31-2012, 10:26 PM   #18
Tom Wesenberg
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
Default Re: Radiator Cleaning and Mess





I had to use WD-40 and my fingernails to get the rust junk off the generator. The paint held up OK, but the plating on the cutout took a bit of a hit. I still have to clean the hood, but I got everything back together and put a few miles on it today. Sure is nice to have the radiator flowing like it should. I think these rust flakes are the answer to two other mysteries I've had about this engine.

This is not an oil burner and doesn't have carbon buildup. It has the correct heat range spark plugs and only has 50 lbs compression on each cylinder, but the engine always liked to ping with the slightest throttle unless I really retarded the spark. This made no sense on a low compression stock engine, but now I'm sure a bunch of these rust flakes were piled in one spot and made a hot spot for one cylinder, causing ping. No more ping since the cleanout.

Also this engine always had a light noise that I figured was a loose piston skirt or loose wrist pin. I'll bet the cylinder with the rust flakes ran hot and caused a loose piston skirt. Anyway, now that it's cleaned out it's running fine and highway drives should be no problem, even though I try to stick to back roads.

BTW, I oiled all the bolts and hood hinges, and that's what you see.
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