bigdogkanicsar

as much faith as everyone would like to put in their favorite engine manufacturer, not all quality control is as great as you might think.
when you buy a new engine, it is good practice to always check the manual for factory default needle settings.
then check the engine to ensure the needles are in fact set to those default settings before you fire it up for the first time on break in.
this will definitely keep you from destroying your high dollar race engine, and surely keep problems to a minimum.

-*GUNXTM*-

Very true mate, I bought a new engine the other day and fired it, sure enough it was screaming it's nut off so I shut it down asap, the slide in the carb looked correct for idle setting and only had about 1mm of gap so I guess you can never be to careful... Managed to run engine in and then I pulled it down for inspection of internal wear and all was good, must have been the 10% I was running that helped prevent premature wear.

bigdogkanicsar

i've found that settings from factory aren't always what they are supposed to be.
when it comes to the low speed needle if it's turned in too far, it'll make her scream with a quickness.

Argess

Some people go as far as to completely dismantle a brand new engine to check for bits of metal left over from any machining work. I've never done that, but it is a good idea.

Some may argue that's what a warranty is for, but dealing with a repair/replacement through warranty is a pain, not to mention the delay.

bigdogkanicsar

+1
i tear'em down even when they are new.
i dunno if it's that i like to tinker or that i like to make sure everything is correct.
i think both.
i surely don't wanna waste my cash

stussman

I always tear down and rinse out and lube up and then usually seal too.

bigdogkanicsar

+1
i'll never say sealing is bad and it can be extremely helpful on the lower end engines.
i do if needed, and if others do i can't say enough to not over do it as sealant can squish outside as well as inside the engine.
so use with discretion so you don't wind up with beads of silicone bouncing around inside of your engine.

calvino

Can't agree more! I had a Mach 427 I got used, the sleeve wore out after a runaway (heck it was old anyways ) so I put a new piston and sleeve in... half a gallon later the wrist pin broke and chewed the engine up.. sure i re-assembled it but still. Can't be to careful, heck for all you know the engine could have something inside and we don't know till its to late [&:] Best safe than one wrecked engine [:'(]

bigdogkanicsar

+1

bikeracer

I always strip a new engine completely and wash it out in a kerosene bath,then I put the shaft back in and spin it several times to clear the bearings from any grit,there's always some crud comes out.
After the first time you do it and see the debris in the kerosene,you'll never run another new engine without washing it out first.

Always lube the bearings, big end, little end and smear oil inside the liner on reassembly.

.

D.DJ

nowadays engines, at least race engines, dont come with a warranty right? Just because plainly they are race engines and will operate at extreme speeds! Yes, you should always tear it down and check for metal shards left inside the engine from machining. Ive heard of poeple getting new engines and inspecting them, they have found bits of metal in there and they are not cheapy engines. Just goes to show that anything can be left inside no matter what the engine is or how expensive it could be!
Inspection = clean engine
no inspection = possible $300+ mistake you will regret.

bigdogkanicsar

you are right on the money with this.
i also want to say that even though i know for some after run oil is a gray area and alot of people don't use it, but some do.
my personal experience is this use it or not the choice is the hobbyist's.
i use it for this simple reason.
i once got an engine that a buddy wanted me to fix and he had told me it just quit.
upon opening the engine i found the con rod at the crank end had been mushroomed against the starter shaft plate.
on further disassembly i noticed that the little oil hole at the base of the con rod was plugged completely with dried and gummed up caster oil.
if he had used after run which has cleaning agents and lubes similar to that of marvel mystery oil or trans fluid, that would have kept that oil hole free and clear of gumming and would have saved him $174 so he said he was gonna by a new engine and to throw it away.
the engine was only one month old.
i bought a new con rod for $38 and it's been runnin for two years, and i'm an after run junky.

D.DJ

I dont use after run oil because I usually drive my car a few times a week, if not then once a week. Only if I planned to put it into storage then I would flush it with WD-40 and plug up the holes. Once I want to start it up again, then I would take it apart and make sure everything is in a working order. When one thing goes wrong, it can take everything out in one hit, so to say.
Bad rod - possibly lose the P/S with it blowing
Bad bearing - overheated engine (seized)/blow something and destroy everything else (worn out)
Old P/S (no biggy) - Just a crap performing engine, no real harm in it. Only if it destroys plugs then you could lose that P/S set, but it would be time to replace it anyway