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AndyjcClod

Smoke Smelling Chassis and ideas on how to get rid of the smell?

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Hi Everyone

I was lucky enough to grab a Tamiya Falcon second hand (Great as it was my very first RC back in the 80s) but it must have belonged to a smoker as the chassis absolutley smells like its been bathing in a ash tray for 30years+/

My next step is to fully strip teh RC (Which im going to do anyway and wash them in soaps water but want to check thsi wont damage the old RC at all?

I cleaned it with a antibac wipe and it still stinks any ideas?

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Googles says soapy water bath or white vinegar.  Let it soak.  Cig smoke is oily and forms a film.  You’ll have to get that off. I would avoid harsh chemicals as they may damage the plastic.

Terry

 

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White vinegar is definitely a good shout. Don’t know what Falcon would taste like with 🧂 & vinegar though 😂

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as mentioned above, i have had this problem, i used hot water and washing powder, let it soak, then washed it with clean warm water after, smelt very floral after that!

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yup agree on the vinegar - I've used window cleaner spray which is largely vinegar based I think and it works a treat.

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54 minutes ago, Butler said:

Run it though the dishwasher?

If this, turn off the heater/dryer.  I’d hate to melt parts in my wife’s dishwasher. 

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Didn’t realise how hot they got until I put the fuselage of a 1/48 plane in to get any release agent off and it came out as a banana as well as the top and bottom wing sections peeled apart. It looked like a biplane 

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I know people have had this problem with Lego in the past, they just disassemble the model then tie the parts in an old pillow case and then put it in the washing machine on a cool wash. This should work for rc car plastics too but I’ve never tried it myself 

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Questions about washing: are we taking off the electronics? do we then block off the motor hole? are we disassembling the whole chassis down to parts?

Post-washing: how are we caring for bearings and bare metal bits? My ancient thundershot's driveshafts began rusting only moments after I'd puled them from soapy water last year. I put them in a baggy with just a few drops of singer sewing-machine oil and that seemed to restore them.

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My first 1:1 car was from a smoker.  I used soapy water to wash the hard parts (frequently) and lots of ventilation to get the odor to subside.  It took a long time, but the stink went away.

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If you have access to natural soap ( real homemade soap made from fat/lye ) it is way more gentle than “detergent “ based commercial soaps 

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1 hour ago, isomer1 said:

Questions about washing: are we taking off the electronics? do we then block off the motor hole? are we disassembling the whole chassis down to parts?

Post-washing: how are we caring for bearings and bare metal bits? My ancient thundershot's driveshafts began rusting only moments after I'd puled them from soapy water last year. I put them in a baggy with just a few drops of singer sewing-machine oil and that seemed to restore them.

I would trash the bearings and replace with new. Metal parts, I would wipe down with 3in1 oil and wipe dry.  Electronics, I would likely  trash but it depends on what it is.

Terry

 

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On 2/12/2021 at 2:52 PM, Frog Jumper said:

If this, turn off the heater/dryer.  I’d hate to melt parts in my wife’s dishwasher. 

In your wife's dishwasher?

I'm sure she would love to know it is hers. Don't say it was a present too.

🙂

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My weapon of choice for smoke smell is warm water with ammonia. 

But given all the little areas you have to reach in a chassis it will be a challenge.:wacko:

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Another vote for the dishwasher, love putting plastics through on the economy cycle 😂

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Try Simple Green or formula50 as I have had the same issues. But remember you are still goint to scrub the chassis with a tough sponge spray again let it sit in the chemical over night and scrub and rinse

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I recommend an ultrasonic bath of the disassembled car parts with a strong kitchen degreaser - pretty sure no smoke smell will be left and all parts are clinical clean.

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18 hours ago, Andy D. said:

In your wife's dishwasher?

I'm sure she would love to know it is hers. Don't say it was a present too.

🙂

My wife is happy to tell you everything in the house belongs to her!  LOL!

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