what to look for

[skeeter1255]

I'm going to take my engine apart to day Its a (AE .15) and look for worn parts and give it a good cleaning. what thing in the engine could look and be worn? How can I tell? and how do i give it a good cleaning? please Help?

 

[olds97_lss]

1) Crank bearings
- Look for slop in the crank bearings. Wiggle the crank up and down and look for movement.
- Roll the crank slowly in your fingers (without the piston attached) and feel for grittiness.
- Check the seals to see if they have been leaking on the front main.

2) Con-rod
- Connect the con-rod to the crank and rock the crank back and forth. Feel for a tick of play. Much more than a tick, and it's just about shot.
- Do the same on the piston end.
- Look at the con-rod holes. If they don't look round, it is shot.

3) Piston/Sleeve
- Push the piston into the sleeve. If you can easily push it to the top and possibly through the top, it's worn and the sleeve should be pinched or the piston/sleeve should be replaced.
- Look at the lower skirt of the piston. If it looks chipped up or jagged, it should be replaced.

4) Crank Case
- Look for cracks. Any cracks means it should be replaced.
- Backplate seal. Check it and when re-installing, put a light coat of RTV ([ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00085F4K8/002-3143159-8252810?v=glance&n=15684181]High Temp Sensor Safe[/ame]) around the perimeter of where the case meets the plate before installing the plate.

5) Carb
- Unscrew both needles, check the seals. If they look torn, dry, chewed up, replace them.
- Check the seal at the base of the carb. Again, If it looks torn, dry, chewed up, replace it. Put a light coat of RTV ([ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00085F4K8/002-3143159-8252810?v=glance&n=15684181]High Temp Sensor Safe[/ame]) around the neck before installing.
- Take of the HSN assembly, clean the banjo fitting (fuel inlet), put a light coat of RTV ([ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00085F4K8/002-3143159-8252810?v=glance&n=15684181]High Temp Sensor Safe[/ame]) on both sides before installing.
- Take out the carb barrel. The idle screw is what normally holds it in. Clean it, inspect it for wear marks, put some light oil back on it, re-install. Don't use WD-40. Use ARO. WD-40 has grease in it. It's too heavy and will make the carb action slow when it dries.

Final Thoughts...
Before replacing anything, inspect everything. You may add up the sum of the parts needed and realize for another 10% more, you could just buy a new engine. If you have to spend 60% or more to repair it, just replace it altogether.

If you think you can eek out a little more life from it, get the piston/sleeve pinched instead of buying a new one. Much cheaper and it can be done a couple times to any sleeve as long as it isn't scratched up and the piston is in good shape.

 

[skeeter1255]

I have a slight problem the nut that holds in place the fly weel is like srewed on with a machine, its unremovable. wat do i do to take it out, I have tried everything no body in my house hold can unscrew that nut. please help

 

[olds97_lss]

Are you holding the flywheel with channel locks to keep it from spinning? What kind of wrench are you using on the nut? I use a 4-way plug wrench. One of the 4 normally fits crank nuts. This way you have a good hold on the flywheel and the nut.

 

[skeeter1255]

i held the flyweel down with a wrench and used a glow plug wrench that fit the nut... i then ended up breaking the wrench

 

[Monkey Wrench]

1) Crank bearings
- Look for slop in the crank bearings. Wiggle the crank up and down and look for movement.
- Roll the crank slowly in your fingers (without the piston attached) and feel for grittiness.
- Check the seals to see if they have been leaking on the front main.

2) Con-rod
- Connect the con-rod to the crank and rock the crank back and forth. Feel for a tick of play. Much more than a tick, and it's just about shot.
- Do the same on the piston end.
- Look at the con-rod holes. If they don't look round, it is shot.

3) Piston/Sleeve
- Push the piston into the sleeve. If you can easily push it to the top and possibly through the top, it's worn and the sleeve should be pinched or the piston/sleeve should be replaced.
- Look at the lower skirt of the piston. If it looks chipped up or jagged, it should be replaced.

4) Crank Case
- Look for cracks. Any cracks means it should be replaced.
- Backplate seal. Check it and when re-installing, put a light coat of RTV (High Temp Sensor Safe) around the perimeter of where the case meets the plate before installing the plate.

5) Carb
- Unscrew both needles, check the seals. If they look torn, dry, chewed up, replace them.
- Check the seal at the base of the carb. Again, If it looks torn, dry, chewed up, replace it. Put a light coat of RTV (High Temp Sensor Safe) around the neck before installing.
- Take of the HSN assembly, clean the banjo fitting (fuel inlet), put a light coat of RTV (High Temp Sensor Safe) on both sides before installing.
- Take out the carb barrel. The idle screw is what normally holds it in. Clean it, inspect it for wear marks, put some light oil back on it, re-install. Don't use WD-40. Use ARO. WD-40 has grease in it. It's too heavy and will make the carb action slow when it dries.

Final Thoughts...
Before replacing anything, inspect everything. You may add up the sum of the parts needed and realize for another 10% more, you could just buy a new engine. If you have to spend 60% or more to repair it, just replace it altogether.

If you think you can eek out a little more life from it, get the piston/sleeve pinched instead of buying a new one. Much cheaper and it can be done a couple times to any sleeve as long as it isn't scratched up and the piston is in good shape.

Olds, awesome stuff, sir! Something like this should be turned into a "sticky" because I picked up a lot of great tips in this and I've broken down at least a dozen mills or more over the years! I'm going to print this and keep it in my workshop, just to double check myself next time I break a mill down!

I have a slight problem the nut that holds in place the fly weel is like srewed on with a machine, its unremovable. wat do i do to take it out, I have tried everything no body in my house hold can unscrew that nut. please help

I usually use a deep socket to get my clutch nut off and use either a pair of channel locks or a vise to hold the flywheel. If it's really on there, you may try taking a heat gun or soldering iron and heat the nut up. It's possible a lot of lock tight was used (been there).

 

[olds97_lss]

Thanks for the compliment MW!

Like a lot of people, I just don't have a lot of money to waste and I like to make sure everything is in tip top. Just because a $2 seal goes bad or a $15 bearing goes bad doesn't mean a $150 engine needs to die due to neglect.

I figure, if you have already gone through the effort of tearing something apart, spend 5 minutes looking at it to make sure it should be put back together.

As for the nut... try a better socket. Don't bother with pliers or "cast" wrenches if it's that tight. Some of those 4-way's are just cast aluminum, so they crumble under much strain. I have a nice chrome one that stands up to my heavy wrenching. I had the same problem with a cast one like you did. Twisted the end right off.