Clean the screen every time?

static · Post by **static** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:02 pm

This question is more for the weekend amateurs, not the slightly anal retentive itinerant professionals:

Scenario: Getting ready to go on a small road trip, oughta check the valves and change the oil before I go. These days, the bus doesn't get out as often, so the oil isn't that bad, it's just that I cannot remember when the last time it was that I changed it. (This is on a 1600 upright)

In a perfect world, one would remove the screen and then run it under the solvent tank to remove any stray metal shavings or whatever.

This isn't a perfect world and I don't have a shop with one of those cool solvent tanks (with the snazzy fountain nozzle) that continually gushes out solvent. If anything, I would have to get some non-flammable solvent and a coffee can and a steel brush and have at it. In my driveway.

Frankly, I am more concerned about the small stuff that has been encapsulated by the oil (that I can't see) than the (relatively) big stuff that gets caught in the screen that I can see. Fresh, clean oil is always a good idea, says I.

What about you? Do you clean the screen each and every time? And, if so, what method do you use?

I realize that this falls into the category of things that we all know that we are supposed to do (but that we don't always do) along with flossing our teeth and backing up our hard drive.

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 3:27 pm

I don't, maybe once a year, my type 1 has an external oil system with cooler, thermostat and filter. When I do clean it, I justed dooosh it with a can of brake cleaner or carb cleaner whichever I have.

Bill

Post by **Amskeptic** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 11:35 pm

vdubyah73 wrote: When I do clean it, I justed dooosh it with a can of brake cleaner or carb cleaner whichever I have.

Every time, static. You do not know the exact moment your engine will decide to throw metal in the engine. You have a chance to avoid a total wipe-out by catching the first deposits. Remember, you can get 25 oil changes under your belt that never show a speck of trouble, then one day. . . . grey swirl sludge. . . . or ask bookwus about his copper mine on the strainer plate. You just don't know what may happen or when, but comprehensive and frequent inspections of the strainer plate will let you have an important heads-up so you can decide when to deal with it instead of it deciding when you shall deal with it.
Colin

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 4:24 pm

I clean it every other time with carb cleaner. Those lil' cap screws seem very delicate to me, don't want to push my luck. Type1....

vwlover77 · Post by **vwlover77** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 4:36 pm

Is it also necassary / worthwhile to do this on the Type IV engines with the standard oil filter? (Since there is a removeable screen, I'm assuming "yes".)

Vdubtech · Post by **Vdubtech** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 8:14 pm

T4 or T1 I clean te screen EVERY time. It just doesn't make sense to me to go through the trouble to change the oil regularly, adjust the vlaves every 3K miles, check the tires. wax the paint, etc., etc. and not take the extra 2 minutes to clean the screen. A $3 can of Brakleen is all you need to spray the screen out. Don't bother with the $1.50 Wal Mart crap, get the actual Brakleen. I clean it out right into the pan I drain the oil into. Take the time, it's 2 minutes well spent. I've never heard of anyone losing an engine while out on the road from overmaintaining it.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:55 am

You guys are probably right. I'm going to start cleaning the screen at every oil change. It just takes a while to take apart the screen gizmo, and I worry about stripping those little nuts.
Blast from the past!

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 2:27 pm

Please use the non-chlorinated brake kleen if you clean rite into the drain oil. 1 can of chlorinated brake kleen in your local recyclers oil tank can contaminate the whole tank and it becomes difficult for the recyclers to dispose of properly. The regular guy tests the oil before pumping out the tank. If the chlorinated cleaners go over a certain threshold it becomes a whole 'nother headache. Did that stuff for near 20 years.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 2:45 pm

It's great that someone is taking the time to reuse/sample waste products. No sense dumping it somewhere.

airkooledchris · Post by **airkooledchris** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:44 pm

if your doing this on your type4 motor, be VERY VERY CAREFUL how tight you tighten the screen back up. go too far and you'll need a rebuild. seriously, don't F that up, your better off not touching it if your not prepared to get it right.

check your bently for the proper FT/lbs

(torque value is 9 ft/lbs - ed)

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Clean the screen every time?

Clean the screen every time?