Hand lapping???
 

I keep stumbling across various mentions of hand lapping piston and sleeve to reduce run in time.

Has anyone actually tried this with any success?

I did a little quick research on hand lapping and came across info on 1/1 scale valve lapping that is apparently a stone age technique for service cyl head.

However concept seems interesting where you are hand fitting the two conical parts together..again sounds basically like what happens when you run in a nitro engine.

Anyone?

I believe Neal at Clockwork does this to his offroad engines with great success. Check out his thread in the offroad engine forum.

Interesting thanks.

Real issue is time it is taking to fully run in some of the newer Nova engines. I am to the point that I am less concerned with the longevity of the engine. My time is used better in other areas! Haha!

Perhaps putting more stress on it anyway with running it in with such tight fit.

I agree. I much prefer the earlier motors like the first Kangaroo and RB C4-C5 that can be broke in a just a few tanks and ready to race and still last many gallons.

:D Hand Lapping J you need to stop visiting those adult sites j/k
10-4 wish there was a easier way Im not a fan of the bench break in

Nice one George!

Even the new kangaroo engines are super tight. A couple guys had purchased them and they also took long time to run in.

Not sure the reason behind this but makes running in time consuming.

I actually like the concept of the bench but it is so f!@#g loud I can not tolerate it also drives everyone else around equally crazy. I got thru first tank and that was about it for me!

I hand lap many of my engines...works excellent ! saes my customers a whole pile of breakin time, as well seems to prolong the life of the rod and bearings....

I would just do a bench break in & then hit the track then get a lap dance instead of a hand lap:D
see ya in december man time flies

Ahhh Lapppiiing I love it
 

I have been lapping in engines for over 10 years and have won many championships/ races with them, It all started back in the 235mm days when novarossi supplied us very tight engines that were locking up during run in process. They recommended to "loose up with paste".
You can use the old hand tequnique or I use jigs and slow speed hand held devices to speed up the process. I always lap my personel engines 100% so as they can be turned over by hand when assembled. This has many benefits-
- no run in required race tune engine within 1 tank
- rod and bearings are still brand new and last much longer
- the polish in the bore is much more pronnounced hence the seal lasts about twice as long as normally run in engines.

Definately a very fiddly time consuming process but very worth wile.
Saying that let me warn you in my travels I have destroyed half a dozen liners perfecting this procedure.

Regards
KicKass

Hi Kickass,

Could you advise how you do the hand lapping.

Here you go-we did this topics 5 years ago. I put some pictures that time. Enjoy
http://www.rctech.net/forum/onroad-n...d-lapping.html

BTW, try to read all my post from past years, you might find some interesting info. I am out from Rc for last 4 years, so most likely new stuff came out, but for base-will be good to read.

hello edward been a while hope you are well family too im still using that same rod

Hi William.
I am OK. family too. Leo is finishing his school, he lives up north in Monterey.
It has been 3 years, the rod is still alive? Wow, that is crazy.
I am totaly out of this hobby. I got myself another hobby, so it takes all my spare time.

Good luck
Eduard

Hello Edward,

Would you be willing to sell your lapping tools ? If so PM ME

Thanks
Michael Palazzola

To all guys which send me PM regarding lapping. Guys I am out of RC for good. I do not have anything left. At my present work I have no ability to make tooling or anything else like that. I do belive in my that tread regarding lapping of piston I gave all basic info for start. Details of technics will come with expirience. I can answer basic questions, but I can't give further details due to the luck of new stuff on hands-I don't know what dimensions are right now, I have no idea what tapers on sleeves and pistons , I don't know how deep head butons are seating in the sleeve and so on.
That lapping compound I have mentioned in 2005-is very good and washing out from piston very easy. Just make sure, after you got your tool machined, it needs to be "lapped in" before you go to real pistons. The best way is too use this tool on old pistons, I would say 2-3 old pistons will do the job for tooling.

Good luck.