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I think my picco is hurt!

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J

jschleer

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Well, I noticed that I was a little short on power and my tune wasn't being very consistant. It kept getting hot! I pulled the engine and looked in the exhaust port and to my surprise, I see several scratches on my piston! $h!t!

Will it hurt to run it like this or am I OK for a while without doing further damage? :\
 
If you see scratches on your piston, then i would say its time for a new piston and sleeve. I had the same thing happen to my picco and i replaced the piston and sleeve and i had no issues. But one thing you want to most definatly do is to clean out the crank case, I.E: take out the crank and soak it in denatured alcohol then blow it out with compressed air to make sure there is no dirt, metal debris, ect
 
I have seen the same engine eat dirt twice before it was even broken in. I cleaned it both times for my driver and installed new bearings the second go around. It still had pinch and was running 10+ minutes, you would never guess it had seen what it did by the way it performed. A real benefit using billet pistons over the usual cast. Clean it good, total tear down, re-assemble and try it, it may be fine.
 
Extreme RC Mods said:
I have seen the same engine eat dirt twice before it was even broken in. I cleaned it both times for my driver and installed new bearings the second go around. It still had pinch and was running 10+ minutes, you would never guess it had seen what it did by the way it performed. A real benefit using billet pistons over the usual cast. Clean it good, total tear down, re-assemble and try it, it may be fine.
Click to expand...

it seems to have a decent pinch, and ok compression. but I know I've lost some power! will that get any better, maybe re-seat it's self over time, if I clean it real good and re-assemble. Picco's have billet pistons?
 
I'm definitely going to try that. maybe it will give me some time to save for a new sleeve and piston.

Thanks RC mods
 
My Picco .21 has a gouge down the exhaust side of the piston, deep enough to put your fingernail into...it still is a beast, idles perfect, tunes perfect. Stay on top of the bearings. That sounds like your issue. Sometimes when the bearings and or rod wears, they send debri through the engine. Clean it, polish the scratches with some fine grit compound and a cotton buffing wheel LIGHTLY. Install new bearings and the rod if it is shot. She'll run like new again or even better. New plug of course too. If the scratches go past the oil grooves in the piston, you may be out of luck though. Fuel fills the groove and creates compression. A scratch all the way thru the oil ring will cause blow-by.
 
Scrogg said:
My Picco .21 has a gouge down the exhaust side of the piston, deep enough to put your fingernail into...it still is a beast, idles perfect, tunes perfect. Stay on top of the bearings. That sounds like your issue. Sometimes when the bearings and or rod wears, they send debri through the engine. Clean it, polish the scratches with some fine grit compound and a cotton buffing wheel LIGHTLY. Install new bearings and the rod if it is shot. She'll run like new again or even better. New plug of course too. If the scratches go past the oil grooves in the piston, you may be out of luck though. Fuel fills the groove and creates compression. A scratch all the way thru the oil ring will cause blow-by.
Click to expand...

This engine is only a month old and has had only 1 1/2 gal through it. do you think the bearings would already go bad?
 
Depends on if you pushed it too hard to soon. I've seen it happen. Tear it down, and inspect it. I have seen 2 Picco's puke under 2 gallons from an improper break-in.
 
pics of piston

What do you think guys? doesn't look like it can be polished out:\

DSC_0052.webp

DSC_0053.webp

DSC_0051.webp
 
As long as the scratches aren't flared, just scratched, you could put it back together and try running it. Run it a little rich to start and then tune for performance, it's quite possible it will run again. You won't know until you try.
 
She's baaaaaaaack! disassembled it, cleaned it up real good. put some ceramic bearings from boca in it. and she screams again!

Thanks for all your help guys.
 

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