how often do you take your engine apart?
06-24-2003, 01:11 AM
#2
If you overheated your engine or if you have problems tuning it, then I suggest to take it apart and inspect the conrod and the bushings. I also would check the compression of the piston and sleeve to see if they are ok. If I find or suspect that dirt has gone into the carb, I will take it apart and wash them with a nitro blaster or denatured alchohol.
Normally, I make it a habbit to open the plug and check with a torch light to see the top surface of the piston and check if there are any foreign matters in the engine after the end of every race day.
I inspect and open my engines up after 2 or 3 race weekends if I do not run into engine problems especially if I ran the engine of a high speed track which requires a lot of high RPM engine revving. I check if the side pins that locks the piston to the conrod is still intact. I've experienced before that one of the pins came out and scratched the piston sleeve and the piston itself and along the way pitted the surface of the piston and button head. I also check if there is excessive play between the conrod and the crankshaft pin and if the brass bushings are still intact for the same reason.
Polishing? I don't polish the engine internals. I would like to try it out and hope to have the tools to do it. I know that there are special polishing compounds that you can use. Maybe somebody else can fill you in on this. If I had the chance, the first thing that I would like to try and polish is the internals of the crankcase especially the exhaust port outlet.
Normally, I make it a habbit to open the plug and check with a torch light to see the top surface of the piston and check if there are any foreign matters in the engine after the end of every race day.
I inspect and open my engines up after 2 or 3 race weekends if I do not run into engine problems especially if I ran the engine of a high speed track which requires a lot of high RPM engine revving. I check if the side pins that locks the piston to the conrod is still intact. I've experienced before that one of the pins came out and scratched the piston sleeve and the piston itself and along the way pitted the surface of the piston and button head. I also check if there is excessive play between the conrod and the crankshaft pin and if the brass bushings are still intact for the same reason.
Polishing? I don't polish the engine internals. I would like to try it out and hope to have the tools to do it. I know that there are special polishing compounds that you can use. Maybe somebody else can fill you in on this. If I had the chance, the first thing that I would like to try and polish is the internals of the crankcase especially the exhaust port outlet.
06-24-2003, 01:49 AM
#3
Thanks InitialD, I am still too chicken to disassemble my nova. I have checked the conrod throught the backplate and piston head. Looks okay to me except for some brown stains on the internal parts. In fact there is nothing wrong with the performance, which is why I am afraid if I disassemble and reassemble it, it will not run properly again. I am also afraid to scratching the piston and sleeve. I sometimes have butterfingers.
06-24-2003, 02:02 AM
#4
The thing is you need to be daring. There is always a first time and you'll only learn when you make mistakes. Trust me, there's always enough mistakes to make
Anyway, what you could do is watch how it is done when you're at the LHS. This way, it can give you enough confidence to take the first bold step.
The RB website in the FAQ section has some pretty good steps and pictures of what to do and not to do and tools that you need.
Most people on their first try would probably bungle up the first step (which would scare them away) by stripping the heatsink / button head screws. You need correct tools to be able to take these out without stripping the head. What I usually do is to change them all the screws to allen type. Easier to work on and to tighten / open them with confidence when you need to. No more stripping of screw heads for me
If you're already gone beyond that, then good. You need to work on a clean place with no dust particles flying around. If possible, do your engine maintenance on a piece of white clean cloth. That way if you drop any small part, you can find them easy. Good luck
Anyway, what you could do is watch how it is done when you're at the LHS. This way, it can give you enough confidence to take the first bold step.
The RB website in the FAQ section has some pretty good steps and pictures of what to do and not to do and tools that you need.
Most people on their first try would probably bungle up the first step (which would scare them away) by stripping the heatsink / button head screws. You need correct tools to be able to take these out without stripping the head. What I usually do is to change them all the screws to allen type. Easier to work on and to tighten / open them with confidence when you need to. No more stripping of screw heads for me
If you're already gone beyond that, then good. You need to work on a clean place with no dust particles flying around. If possible, do your engine maintenance on a piece of white clean cloth. That way if you drop any small part, you can find them easy. Good luck
06-24-2003, 02:24 AM
#5
Okay will hang out at Nam Lee more often!. Will have to pick out some tips from him. Also need to get the allen head screws for the head. Wanted to get this a long time ago but was too lazy to go to his shop to just get the screws.
The part which I am not to sure is whether I should remove the sleeve first then the piston or should I remove both at the same time. Also when I reinstall the piston back, do I do it with the sleeve or piston then sleeve?.
I heard some of the guys are now experimenting with porting their engine. something about widening the timing port of the crankshaft. I remember reading about 2 stroke timing that if it is incorrectly calculated, it consumes very much more fuel, that is why a timing gauge is highly recommended. Even balancing the engine is not the same as 4 stroke.
The part which I am not to sure is whether I should remove the sleeve first then the piston or should I remove both at the same time. Also when I reinstall the piston back, do I do it with the sleeve or piston then sleeve?.
I heard some of the guys are now experimenting with porting their engine. something about widening the timing port of the crankshaft. I remember reading about 2 stroke timing that if it is incorrectly calculated, it consumes very much more fuel, that is why a timing gauge is highly recommended. Even balancing the engine is not the same as 4 stroke.
06-24-2003, 02:40 AM
#6
The sleeve is connected to the conrod which is connected to the cranskshaft. When you disassemble the engine internals, you need to take the sleeve out before you can take out the conrod (which the piston is connected) from the crankshaft.
When you assemble it back, connect the conrod (with the piston) back to the crankshaft while taking note the position of the conrod and piston. This is all in the RB FAQ website. Then while the piston is still at the top in the crankcase, lower the sleeve in to the crankcase making sure that the piston fits in nicely at the bottom of the sleeve and that the notch on the sleeve will align properly with the notch on the crankcase. You have to take the sleeve and the piston out or in separately because installing or taking the conrod out of the crankshaft pin is difficult when the sleeve is still in the crankcase. There is no side movement space to take out the conrod from the crankshaft.
Yes, if you open the window port of the crankshaft wrongly, at worst you may alter the induction timings and may cause ignition problems. If it works, the engine may consume extra fuel than normal like you say may.
When you assemble it back, connect the conrod (with the piston) back to the crankshaft while taking note the position of the conrod and piston. This is all in the RB FAQ website. Then while the piston is still at the top in the crankcase, lower the sleeve in to the crankcase making sure that the piston fits in nicely at the bottom of the sleeve and that the notch on the sleeve will align properly with the notch on the crankcase. You have to take the sleeve and the piston out or in separately because installing or taking the conrod out of the crankshaft pin is difficult when the sleeve is still in the crankcase. There is no side movement space to take out the conrod from the crankshaft.
Yes, if you open the window port of the crankshaft wrongly, at worst you may alter the induction timings and may cause ignition problems. If it works, the engine may consume extra fuel than normal like you say may.
06-24-2003, 05:34 PM
#8
Originally posted by InitialD
The sleeve is connected to the conrod which is connected to the cranskshaft.
The sleeve is connected to the conrod which is connected to the cranskshaft.
06-24-2003, 06:53 PM
#9
Originally posted by Top Gun 777
The piston is connected to conrod, and conrod is connected to the cranckshaft ( I guess).
The piston is connected to conrod, and conrod is connected to the cranckshaft ( I guess).
Thanks for the correction. I guess I was in a hurry to go somewhere when I typed that
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