Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Shed-loads of movement with the piston in the barrel, head removed. Rotational play as well as side to side (rocking).

Some fine scoring nothing mega-deep. A couple you can feel with fingernail but also the rings move beyond the indexing/stopper points.

It took a couple hours of hanging out at the mechanics before the main guy had time to look at it, but he thinks it needs a new piston and bore/sleeve. He thinks it’s too far gone for a light clean and rings, says I’d be lucky to get 500 miles with a new bearing without proper engine work.

The numbers inside the piston look like it’s already oversize but maybe I’m wrong.

I left them there but they won’t have time to get a quote from the machinist until late this week. I’ll swing by tomorrow and grab them to ask a local business recommended by another rider.

There’s play in the rod, loads of side to side (unacceptable level), and also a little bit of up-down in various stroke positions.

So. Looks like total engine rebuild and all that comes with it!!

Bugger. But I guess I’m learning. Very late in the day of 2T to be learning this stuff, but I guess it’s experience I won’t soon forget.

Now, on one hand I could reassemble with new little end bearing and deal with reduced piston slap and compromised compression. It’s supposed to be a beater bike. But on the other hand I’ve gone this deep, I might as well rebuild it properly and have an engine that works properly.

I’ll be spending a lot of money on a bike with practically zero value. By the time I do a complete nut and bolt rebuild, I doubt I will see any increase in resale against leaving bottom end noisy sold as seen with “slight rattle”.

So, if I sold it now with only the new bearing and gasket, maybe I lose a couple hundred on resale as a ‘project’. If I do a full rebuild I’ll lose a couple or a few hundred in resale as a fully working bike. My heart says rebuild it, my head says get shot.

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