What I recommened is not a "short cut". It's a proven method.
Not saying it doesn't work; I'm saying it's not the best idea for someone who is new to nitro RC. I've freed a great many stuck pistons by rotating the flywheel alone, but those of us with experience know by feel how much force is too much.
So you thinking telling a newbie to expose his engine to the elements, then put a foreign object inside of it to knock something loose is better then trying to loosen the flywheel itself with a screw driver.
Did I tell him to wait until there's a stiff breeze in a dusty area to do this? No, and common sense would dictate that you be careful not to let debris enter the bore. He'll not be tamping the dowel with enough force to splinter it (unless he's using a giant's interpretation of "very gently")
What I instructed not only minimizes the forces on the crankshaft and connecting rod by simple mechanics, but also will let him see the path of least resistance. If something is stuck in a taper, you want to remove it toward the wider end, not jam it further into the taper. If he just attacks it with a screwdriver and tries to push an already stuck piston further into the taper, he could most definitely taco the rod or damage the bearings.
Also, by removing the backplate to see which way is the best direction to rotate, he will be able to confirm that the seizure is, in fact, a stuck piston. If it is a mechanical failure and he starts just twisting the crankshaft, he could do further damage to the engine.
I'm sorry if you somehow felt insulted by my last reply, because you certainly seem very defensive. That was not my intention, but it also doesn't change the fact that certain approaches should only be taken by experienced people.
