How long will a scored P/C last if cleaned up?

[Spring1898]

A while back I picked up a 288xp that needed work. RPM was stuck at around 9000 and when I pulled the recoil cover the coil wire was in 3 pieces so not sure how it was even running...
Regardless it looked like the previous owner leaned out the carb to try and raise RPM and ended up smearing the piston and cylinder a little, though it did get past the plating in some places.

I cleaned up and polished the piston and cylinder best I could. How long might I get out of it as is?

 

[TBS]

It won't go very long if much cylinder plating is gone.

 

[Little Al]

A long time if you don't run it Depends on the loss of cylinder plating it with need work so run it like you stole it & when it coughs you'll know it's time to dig out the $

 

[s sidewall]

Aluminum against aluminum, not long, at least two or three tanks of fuel if a lot of plating is gone.

Steve

 

[blsnelling]

Post some pics.

 

[Spring1898]

Didn't take any pics before I put it back together.
The piston is a little rough. Smoothed over the ridges but some of the canyons were too deep to polish out.

The cylinder is in better shape. 3 small sections where the bulk of the transfer was have 2 or 3 thin vertical "cuts" (probably from the ridges on the piston) each that went past the plating.

I had thought about putting a new piston into it, but decided against it since I will have to replace both before long anyway.

 

[Duke Thieroff]

Didn't take any pics before I put it back together.
The piston is a little rough. Smoothed over the ridges but some of the canyons were too deep to polish out.

The cylinder is in better shape. 3 small sections where the bulk of the transfer was have 2 or 3 thin vertical "cuts" (probably from the ridges on the piston) each that went past the plating.

I had thought about putting a new piston into it, but decided against it since I will have to replace both before long anyway.

You could potentially clean that cylinder up using one of a few different methods.

You could take it back apart and check to see if it can be cleaned up and then you'll only have to replace the piston.

It is NOT advisable to run it as is.

 

[Spring1898]

I wasn't aware of any ways to clean up damaged plating

 

[blsnelling]

If cleaned up properly, it has the potential to last indefinitely.

 

[cuinrearview]

I'm curious, when you say "past the plating", what you mean. It is possible to scratch into the plating but not through it.

 

[Spring1898]

They aren't too deep. Enough to see, feel, and catch a finger nail. It may have only scratched into it, but definitely too deep to be polished out.

After I got the transfer off, I took a rotary with a scotch brite, to get it to where it is.

 

[cuinrearview]

That's what I do. Scratches you can feel will run. Some will even run as new. The key is to remove all of the melted aluminum. If you did that, and the ring seals enough to make good compression, it could run a long time as your personal saw. I wouldn't let it go out like that though.

 

[Spring1898]

Well I guess the question is do I pull the old piston or just run it. No raised edges just some scratches that were too deep to polish out

 

[Ketchup]

You should pull the top end again.

Post some pics.

Yep.

If cleaned up properly, it has the potential to last indefinitely.

That's what it sounds like.

That's what I do. Scratches you can feel will run. Some will even run as new. The key is to remove all of the melted aluminum. If you did that, and the ring seals enough to make good compression, it could run a long time as your personal saw. I wouldn't let it go out like that though.

Yep. Many jugs have vertical scratches and run fine after transfer is removed. But the piston is trash. If you run it like that it will damage the jug more in a short time. If you do a good job on cleaning the cylinder and put in a new piston and rings the saw should run a long time.

Unless, of course, the original cause of the damage isn't fixed. So you have to pressure/vac test and be careful with your carb settings too.

You may get lucky and only be in for a piston kit and coil.

 

[blsnelling]

Can't tell you without pics.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Light vertical scoring, may be ok. Horizontal scoring, good luck. Post some pics as already said.

 

[rupedoggy]

It will last longer with 32:1

 

[brandonstc6]

After you get the cylinder cleaned up, install a meteor piston. It’s only like $36. But pressure/vacuum test for sure


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Got some out there still running cutting firewood today. Just clean the cylinder up and remove the transfer. If plating still good your golden.

I have even cleaned up scored pistons and reused them for folks on the cheap with a new ring.

IMO get a good used or new oem or new meteor piston kt.

steps 1 2 3 for me

 

[cuinrearview]

Here's my even lower tech setup