Preventing Engine Goo

If you get tired of cleaning the excess exhaust 'goo' off your plane after each days flying, you can cut the mess quite a bit with a simple fix. It turns out that a major fuel/oil leakage source is the joint between the muffler and the engine cylinder. Simply cut a gasket to fit between the mufler and cylinder using paper from a brown paper grocery bag and then soak it in any kind of oil. Install the gasket and run the engine. The exposed edges of the paper gasket will char from the exhaust flame and provide a seal that will last until the muffler is removed. You will have to replace the gasket each time you remove the muffler from the engine, but the price is right and the results are well worth the effort.