What is this?

[JGplanes]

Found this on Craigslist for $20 and thought I’d satisfy my curiosity for tinkering on a gasser. What is it? Worth it? Next steps?

If nothing else I’ll try to convert it to electric.

 

[Joker 53150]

It looks like a PVC post for the fuselage, what kind of wing does it have (if any)? It's worth the $20 in my opinion, I'd buy it for the engine and servos alone. Does the engine rotate smoothly or is it gummed up?

 

[mjmccarron]

Depending on the wing, it could be a Sturdy Birdie, a Duraplane or a Combat Gremlin.

 

[JGplanes]

The engine is gummed up, but I have some small engine repair experience so I can probably clean it out.

It’s a foam core wing covered in monokote with balsa wingtips. You can see it propped up behind the fuselage in one of the pics.

It appears that the fuel tank and battery is inaccessible in the fuselage. I’m not sure how to get it and the receiver out without disassembling the whole thing.

 

[mjmccarron]

http://manuals.hobbico.com/hca/hca-sturdybirdy-original-manual.pdf

looks like a sturdy birdie to me.

 

[Joker 53150]

I’ve put gummed up glow engines in an old crock pot with green antifreeze and let them simmer. It really does a fantastic job cleaning the old deposits. Disassemble as much as possible first, don’t boil the carb, and final clean with dish soap and an old toothbrush. Dry and then oil the heck out of it and you’re all set!

 

[JGplanes]

http://manuals.hobbico.com/hca/hca-sturdybirdy-original-manual.pdf

looks like a sturdy birdie to me.

Yep, that's exactly what it looks like! Thanks for the manual. I'm sure that will come in handy.

I’ve put gummed up glow engines in an old crock pot with green antifreeze and let them simmer. It really does a fantastic job cleaning the old deposits. Disassemble as much as possible first, don’t boil the carb, and final clean with dish soap and an old toothbrush. Dry and then oil the heck out of it and you’re all set!

Interesting. What kind of oil do you use? Is there a YouTube channel/videos that helps beginners with glow engines? I was hoping FT would do something like this eventually.

 

[Joker 53150]

I use after-run oil made for glow engines, some people blend their own starting with automatic transmission fluid.

 

[Bricks]

I use Corrosion X and put a small piece of rag soaked in it and push it into the carb to keep dust and dirt out.