Weeelll, just took apart the top end to find the piston destroyed with pieces broken off. Is there an easy way to make sure the crankcase is CLEAN and SAFE?? Would compressed air suffice? Really do not want to split the case lol.
Piston pieces in crankcase
- Thread starter Ol DirtyBlaster
- Start date
turn the engine upside down and keep rotating the crank... blowin some air in there would help dislodge any small pieces left yeah just keep workin it with the engine upside down.there is no way to be 100% sure without splitting the cases...but most likely itll be ok..no garuntees...ur call.
^^Best method, all right, w/o splittin' the cases^^ Now you've seen firsthand why many of us hate cast pistons. Lol.
Use some shots of carburetor cleaner and compressed air as needed to help flush the debris out. Usually, when you crater a piston, it will leave more chunks than fine particles behind, so... see how much debris comes out and use your judgement from there.You're probably gonna be OK to run after two or three of these inverted cleaning sessions. Remember, though, that any particles left in the crankcase can and will get into and slowly ruin bearings. If in doubt, save yourself some worrying and just go ahead and split the cases. BTW, be sure to take a VERY close look and measuring of your connecting rod. If there is any damage present to the connecting rod - especially bending - it MUST be fixed prior to R&R'ing anything else. Bent or weakened rods are a time bomb waiting to go off...
Appreciate the help, also any special tools to split the case? and how hard is it? dont really care how long it takes.. oh and the connecting rod looks to be ok not bent or damaged, but there is very very little play left and right; is that an issue?
You'll need a few special tools to split the cases, but it isn't that hard and the tools are readily available. Search the DIY forum here; there is a detailed thread on case-splitting, with pics.
Slight left-to-right play in the rod is normal and actually required for proper engine op. Up-and-down play in the big end is what's bad and would necessitate a crank rebuild...
wanted to mention alot of times you can look at the piston and see what broke off and went down in..then match the pieces up that you get out to the breaks...that is a way of insurance that you got all the pieces out.i have worked on a few blasters that had this happen.
