Old timer at the hangar swore by using WD-40 on turbine blades for cleaning, but our lead mechanic says it's a disaster waiting to happen

The dude had been doing it for 20 years with no issues on radial engines, but now we're dealing with FADEC-controlled turbines and one bad spray could fry a sensor. Who's right here - the old school method or the modern caution?

3 comments

3 Comments

sullivan.spencer13d ago

Had a buddy try that on a newer engine, fried two thermocouples instantly.

the_alice9d ago

Oh man, I had a friend who was a hotshot mechanic back in the day, tried cleaning a turbine with some leftover solvent from a radial engine. Said the whole exhaust section lit up like a blowtorch for a second, scared the crap out of him. He never did that again.

karen_roberts413d ago

And what about the fire risk from residues on the hot section? Turbine temps are way higher than old radials, so even a trace of that stuff could be a flashpoint waiting to happen.