The front power valve disintegrated into little pieces and got in the way of the piston. It left a bur on the top of the piston that is preventing it from cycling. A friend told me he thought I could gently file the edge and not have to replace it. This friend helped me get everything apart and now don't have time to help. I am not a mechanic and I am uneasy about trying to take a pile of parts to a mechanic. You guys have any advice how to properly file the head of the piston?
File edge of piston.
- Thread starter tnman
- Start date
- Location
- Cleveland, Ohio
Post up some detailed photos of the piston.
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
Hmmm..that looks like it would be a lot of filing to just clean it up. The problem now is that because there is an angle on the corner edge of the piston it will act like altering the height of the port changing the timing. That big angle will open the port sooner and close it later. Having mismatched port timing will most certainly hurt performance in a substantial way. It would be a much safer choice to replace both pistons and ring sets at this stage to maintain equlibrium between both cylinders. If the piston only had some minor marks on it, but the edges were still for the most part quite decent, then yes you can take emery cloth to smooth out minor scuff lines when in a pinch. But if that were to happen to my engine, there would be a full top end rebuild under way. In the world of water fun, don't take chances. I have had to tow guys back due to empty fuel tanks, bad batteries, or carburetors that needed to be rebuilt 4 years prior. If they were out there on their own, the swim to shore would have been brutal providing boaters didn't clip them from being so nearly invisible on the water. One little engine failure that could have been prevented by doing a proper job in the beginning could mean being a 20 inch tall white cap speed bump to a bow high boater.
- Location
- Saskatoon,SK
You can file it smooth........but you shouldn't!
snowxr
V watch your daughters V
- Location
- Waterford, MI
File it in Circular file #13 (aka the trash can)
SXIPro
JM781 Big Bore
- Location
- Here on the 'X' mostly
I've got a piston in much better shape than that on my desk as a pen/pencil holder.
- Location
- Lake Havasu City, AZ USA
Make sure you have WaveEater clips or R&D power valves next time so it can't happen again..
Blue
Judging your cheapness
- Location
- St Cloud Florida
I bet it has also pinched the ring. Replace it.....
- Location
- central florida
Please, keep in mind that pistons and rings in a 2 stroke engine , especially a/m, have a very finite lifespan - might have gotten close to end of life cycle. Post what you have there, maybe someone will advise you: how much it would cost and where to get it.
- Location
- central florida
I see the "speck" but that's outside the area the piston could have hit- hopefully it's "nothing"