some interior shots (corrosion?)

[3 in the green]

Aircraft is a 170B that was stripped, repainted in 2013, treated with corrosion x and also some spray-in treatment since. Most of this is all sticky when I touched it. I can't tell if any of this is corrosion though, or how bad it is if it is. What do the PoA'ers think?

 

[Tom-D]

99.9% Dirt.

 

[Raymo]

What Tom said. If they used the heavy duty Corrosion-X, it leaves a darker, sticky coating than the regular Corrosion-X, which is much thinner and lighter in color.

 

[3 in the green]

99.9% Dirt.

Thanks, that's better than the other answer I suppose. Haha

 

[Tom-D]

What Tom said. If they used the heavy duty Corrosion-X, it leaves a darker, sticky coating than the regular Corrosion-X, which is much thinner and lighter in color.

The guy who did this mess should have their head caved in for not cleaning first.

 

[Dan Thomas]

Looks pretty good for an airplane in its sixties.

 

[GeorgeC]

The guy who did this mess should have their head caved in for not cleaning first.

Serious question: how do you clean out the inside of the wing without removing the skins?

 

[Tom-D]

Serious question: how do you clean out the inside of the wing without removing the skins?

very slowly with lots of WD40 and rags, swabs, and any thing else you can get in there.

Its a hell of a job.

 

[Dan Thomas]

very slowly with lots of WD40 and rags, swabs, and any thing else you can get in there.

Its a hell of a job.

I've used a vacuum cleaner with various sizes of clear poly tubing as extensions to reach the crazy places. You need three or four hands, with lights and mirrors and the hose, and end up pulling the hose out frequently to remove junk that plugs the tip. It's no fun at all.

 

[3 in the green]

I wonder how much weight that ends up being.

 

[3 in the green]

Looks pretty good for an airplane in its sixties.

Sure does. I thought so. I'm hoping to make it mine...we'll see.

 

[Tom-D]

or you could simply strip and scrub it inside and out.

 

[3 in the green]

or you could simply strip and scrub it inside and out.

I like the usage of the word "simply" there

 

[saddletramp]

When i did the annual/pre-buy on my 182 it looked similar inside. It too had corrosion-x applied in the wings. I was relieved when I realized what it was. On a hot summer day it will still weep a little.

Interesting note, the fuselage was zinc chromated. It all green & clean. It appears to have come from the factory like that.

 

[Tom-D]

I do 170s a lot, most customers are 170 owners

 

[pigpenracing]

Aircraft is a 170B that was stripped, repainted in 2013, treated with corrosion x and also some spray-in treatment since. Most of this is all sticky when I touched it. I can't tell if any of this is corrosion though, or how bad it is if it is. What do the PoA'ers think?

It looks pretty ratty to me. I am really particular with my airplanes though.

 

[Timbeck2]

Looks pretty good for an airplane in its sixties.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Tom-D]

When i did the annual/pre-buy on my 182 it looked similar inside. It too had corrosion-x applied in the wings. I was relieved when I realized what it was. On a hot summer day it will still weep a little.

Interesting note, the fuselage was zinc chromated. It all green & clean. It appears to have come from the factory like that.

@ Cessna that was a $45 option. If the wings are not, they have been changed.

 

[Stewartb]

All those corrosion sprays attract dirt, dust, spiderwebs, insects, and anything else that can find it's way in. They’re advertised as thin film products but most applicators spooge it on thick and the stuff weeps for months. I’ll never do it again.

To clean You could use hot water and a garden hose and let the water wash out what it releases. I need to do the same to the belly of my 180 where hydraulic fluid and grit have left a crusty gooey mess.

 

[Dan Thomas]

All those corrosion sprays attract dirt, dust, spiderwebs, insects, and anything else that can find it's way in. They’re advertised as thin film products but most applicators spooge it on thick and the stuff weeps for months. I’ll never do it again.

To clean You could use hot water and a garden hose and let the water wash out what it releases. I need to do the same to the belly of my 180 where hydraulic fluid and grit have left a crusty gooey mess.

Sprayed water, especially with soap, gets into control cables and pulley bearings. Not good at all. I've cleaned out bellies, but I use varsol, various brushes and an air-powered vacuum liquid extractor. It takes time, and you scrape a lot wherever you can reach. And your arms get scraped up, too.

 

[strangebird]

I would get rid the insulation above the headliner and anywhere else if it still there, looks like some still is, and that area might not have been treated with C-X, I also think that a lot of areas might have been missed, but it does look fairly good inside the wings.

 

[GeorgeC]

Above the headliner, below the carpet, anywhere moisture can get trapped.

 

[Tom-D]

Above the headliner, below the carpet, anywhere moisture can get trapped.

Unless you are going to do the whole job and clean it to bare metal you might better leave it alone.

they usually look like this.
That is Contact cement, and is removed by Epoxy Stripper. (hell of a mess). or acetone (bigger mess)
this is a case of ,, good enough (is) good enough

 

[thomasdr72]

I took the wings off our C-172 and after carefully removing the controls & cables (and electrical bits) I washed them internally with hot water and mild soap. It did a fairly good job of removing a lot of the dirt and grease, then follow up with many rags dampened with mineral spirits. However, it's a huge job and better left for a time when you'll be doing a complete repaint of the wings. If you get bored, there are some pics on my "This Old Airplane" facebook page...

Our other option was to have the wings completely reskinned, which was also on my options list. Probably costs about $10k...

 

[GeorgeC]

Our other option was to have the wings completely reskinned, which was also on my options list. Probably costs about $10k...

You could call Airframe Components and find out, but take a seat first.

 

[NordicDave]

or you could simply strip and scrub it inside and out.

Classic Tom project.

Thumbs up.

-David

 

[thomasdr72]

Unless you are going to do the whole job and clean it to bare metal you might better leave it alone.

they usually look like this.
That is Contact cement, and is removed by Epoxy Stripper. (hell of a mess). or acetone (bigger mess)
this is a case of ,, good enough (is) good enough

AFAIK, MEK and/or Lacquer thinner on a scotchbrite pad work as well... But bring your fresh air respirator and good PPE to keep you from killing yourself with the fumes.

 

[Dan Thomas]

AFAIK, MEK and/or Lacquer thinner on a scotchbrite pad work as well... But bring your fresh air respirator and good PPE to keep you from killing yourself with the fumes.

Do it outside, with the mask, and far from any ignition sources. Take the battery out of the airplane. And keep the stuff away from any vinyl or plexiglass or other plastics.

 

[Tom-D]

Our other option was to have the wings completely reskinned, which was also on my options list. Probably costs about $10k...

Now it is well north of 15k to reskin a 170/172 wing. that's each.