Posts: 5831
Joined: 1/25/2002 From: Hesperia,
MI, USA Status: offline
I had one given to me...like new... ran good, but the prop danced all over the place. I suppose a thrust washer installed or a ball bearing placed in some how may help. Good luck Capt,n
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Joined: 5/3/2003 From: ASH FORK,
AZ, USA Status: offline
If/when I run across one of these needle bearing engines, I just move on to another. In general, engines are so cheap and easy to come by usually, that it's just not worth messing with one that needs a lot of work or is less than desireable in some manner.
If you really need to use the engine for some reason, you could probably rig some brass shims to take the end thrust. A neater solution would be to use a Torrington bearing. A Torrington bearing is like a 3 piece washer assembly, with the center washer having roller bearings. They make a really nice thrust bearing, but you would probably have to machine the case and/or the crank to make room for one. Might have to do that for a brass shim as well....
AV8TOR
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Posts: 655
Joined: 4/10/2007 From: Lancaster,
WI, USA Status: offline
Av8tor-Thanks, I don't need the engine, just playing. Going to go through 20 of these till i fine a few that would make good engines without extensive work or expense. I have another engine off a craftsman weed trimmer-says 26cc. Could you ID it for me.
Posts: 5831
Joined: 1/25/2002 From: Hesperia,
MI, USA Status: offline
I think if you run it and the prop keeps a strait arc and the crankshaft does not seem to float all over....it should be ok. I would rather have ball bearings any day. Capt,n
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Joined: 7/14/2002 From: Irvine, CA, USA Status: offline
No question that ball bearings are the best, but needle bearings with the proper thrust bearing have been used in our model engines for many years.....
Posts: 5831
Joined: 1/25/2002 From: Hesperia,
MI, USA Status: offline
OK...I looked at the photo.....looks ok...but it is the amount of "slop" that counts when put together. How much end play do you have? If not much...run the engine with a prop on it. That is very easy to do test. Best Regards Capt,n
Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003 From: Moreauville, LA, USA Status: offline
That looks just like the one I took out of an old XL saw. Mine is a 26.2cc, but there's also one that looks very similar and is a little larger. I had a thread back in 2004 I think, where someone explained how to determine which one it is. I ran mine for a while on an airboat, and am currently in the process of putting it on a Four Star 120. Actually the plane is done, just waiting on the servos to arrive and I can get it finished up and flying! I do have a bit of slop (less than 1/16" , but the crank doesn't seem to float at all when it's running, I've had no problems at all. Mine had a twin needle Walbro carb on it, not sure what size, but the intake is marked "28". I don't have a tach, but I know it seems to spin a 16x8 just fine. It runs great, and I haven't had to touch the needles in the 4 years I've had it running in the boat!
Here's a picture of the plane. One thing to keep in mind too, is the odd angle of the carb makes for some extra challenges when mounting the engine and hooking up a throttle cable.
Posts: 655
Joined: 4/10/2007 From: Lancaster,
WI, USA Status: offline
Interesting-thanks. I sidelined that engine for others that make better conversions, but it is on the shelf for one day. I'm am going to check the bore just to see what i got.
Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003 From: Moreauville, LA, USA Status: offline
By the way, I was reading about the engine some more last night after searching for that thread. The HDC carbs that came on these are supposedly pretty good, and a bit larger than what's standard on most newer engines. I know I looked at mine and it's got the original HDC-65 carb on it, and it's quite a bit larger than all the other Walbro's I've got here. Nice to know!
By the way here's the thread I started when I did mine. It may have some other useful info as well.
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All Forums >> Glow Engines, Gas Engines, Fuel & Mfg Support Forums >> Engine Conversions >> Homelite Classic 200 saw-Needle bearings 
Homelite Classic 200 saw-Needle bearings - 
, but the crank doesn't seem to float at all when it's running, I've had no problems at all. Mine had a twin needle Walbro carb on it, not sure what size, but the intake is marked "28". I don't have a tach, but I know it seems to spin a 16x8 just fine. It runs great, and I haven't had to touch the needles in the 4 years I've had it running in the boat! 
