MadManAndrew

So, about two years ago I ran my Baja in the rain, and the next day I couldn't get it to start. Shelved it as I had a rapidly declining interest in RC anyway...Fast forward 2 years and here I am with a completely locked up motor. I pulled it out and tore it apart and there were literally flakes and chunks of rust falling out when I pulled the head off. My first question is if it's salvageable? If I pull everything apart and scrub it in my parts washer will it be good to go again, or will the rust have done permanent damage? Second is if it IS salvageable, what are some cost effective upgrades I could throw at it while it's torn down? Thanks for any help, Andrew.

willclark77

My Feedback: (2)

Look at the cylinder plating.  Surface rust can be cleaned off.  Feel of it and make sure the cylinder isn't pitted after cleaning.  If you can feel any "depth" after cleaning then it's shot and will need a new top end.  The bottom end (crank, rod, and cases) SHOULD be fine.  I'd at least replace the bearings and seals.  You definitely don't want to put a new top end on and have pieces of the bearings go through it.  And, if the engine was rusted I'd imagine the seals dried out too and may leak.  Won't hurt to try just cleaning it all VERY well (as long as the plating isn't pitted) and trying it out as is with nothing but a new ring though.  I'd imagine the ring is pitted and won't seal.  It is iron.

MadManAndrew

I'm breaking it completely down and am gonna give it the run down in my parts washer. I'll make sure and check for oitting as you said and replace any items that have it. The seals weree complete and total trash, already have them on the parts list. I don't know what ring you're talking about though, would you mind elaborating? Also, where's a good place to get fifth scale parts? Thanks for the help, Andrew.

DarkFire989

[link]http://www.davesmotors.com/site/index.html[/link]

I order EVERYTHING for my Baja from here.

Lars from Norway

I guess Will is talking about the piston ring, but i guess you have seen the sad state it (most assuming) is in already so you figure it out yourself

MadManAndrew

When looking for parts, my motor is the same as a CY26, right?

edit: Found the Chung Yang part # molded into it. Hadn't realised it actually WAS a CY motor.

MadManAndrew

How do I get the flywheel off without a flywheel puller? What they charge for them is ridiclous.

willclark77

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks Lars. Yes I was. It will usually be the first thing to rust badly. IMO, I think you'd be better off hitting up ebay for one of the engines from an ss kit. Lots of sellers buy the truck kits then part them out. By the time you order bearings, seals, a ring, gaskets, and whatever else you'll be in for over half the price of a new engine. That or price the engines at Daves Motors. Add to the fact that after sitting that long the diaphragm in your carb is probably dry rotted as well as the carb itself all gunked up from rotted fuel and you're looking at not really the money expense, but the headaches that come with it. You won't know if your newly rebuilt engine is the problem or something else like the carb, fuel line, etc.

Oh, to get the flywheel off wo a puller, try to find two bolts long enough to screw through the bolt holes against the engine case. Once they contact the case turn each one about 1/2 a round at a time. That should pop it off. You may have to rap the crank where the nut screws on with a hammer while the bolts are still tight. Be careful not to bugger the threads.

MadManAndrew

After cleaning it up more today, I found some pretty nasty scratches on the piston, and scratches in the head to match. No pitting though, all surface rust just came right off. Also got the crankshaft freed up after soaking it in the parts washer a couple times and giving it a couple taps. Then cleaned it the best I could without having the crankcase apart. Got it to spin perfectly, just need to pull it apart to make sure all the rusts out. I priced out a repair/upgrade with a big bore head kit, new gaskets, and new bearings, and it came out to $40 less than the brand new motor at Dave's. And now that y'all have me thinking I need a new carb too, it'd be more! So I think I'm just gonna get a new motor and keep the old one around as a...idk. A spare I guess. Thanks for all the help guys, I'll post what I end up with once it's in

DarkFire989

What motor did you get for it?

MadManAndrew

Thinking [link]http://www.davesmotors.com/s.nl/c.885035/n.1/it.A/id.4449/.f[/link]this one. My dad tried to tell me that my motor was fine, despite two bad bearings and the deep scratches in the head and piston, so I bet him on a new motor that it wouldn't run worth poo. So I'm gonna try amd fire it up tomorrow now that I've got it all freed up, and then have my dad order my new motor. Haha

MadManAndrew

Oh, and also, I did get my flywheel pulled just using a tap and hammer in the vice. Cleaned out the crankcase and scrubbed the crank real good, and now have the whole motor reassembled awaiting installation.

willclark77

My Feedback: (2)

Hey, it may fire up and run. I didn't actually look at it. I would bet against it based off of your description though. It all depends on how much $$ you think your time is worth with the frustration vs the cost of the new engine. Heck, it could be a great learning experience just getting it to fire up! Good luck with it.

That is a pretty good engine. I had that same one in a 5b. Good performance for the price. Here's some vids of me ringin it out.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Othf9Z-Kzz4[/youtube]


It's been a while ago so I can't be positive, but I think this is after I did some mild porting on it. More vids on my youtube.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7ueyzNRxCU[/youtube]

MadManAndrew

That thing definetely has a lot of get up and go, can definetely say I'd be satisfied with that. I can also definetely say I will sh*t myself if I can get this thing to run without replacing anything. Gonna run with it if it does though. Don't fix it unless it's broke, but if it's broke...upgrade! What about exhaust pipes? Are they seriously worth as much as a motor?

Lars from Norway

A good pipe can turn a lazy engine into a real screamer, so it is well worth the money it takes to get. Deep scratches -or scratches in general- can be enough to loose just enough compression so the engine won't start, so you did the right decision to buy a new head kit

MadManAndrew

I'm actually gonna go ahead with buying a whole new motor. It's not really reasonable to put that much money into a used motor I'm not sure about when I can get a brand new one for the same or less. As for the pipe...hmm. Are there any mods I can do to the stock pipe to improve it's performance? Maybe bore out the outlet?

DarkFire989

Nah the stock pipe wont do you much good. You need to actually buy a new one, or go used and get one off the Baja forum. I have a rear dominator, great for low end power.

willclark77

My Feedback: (2)

Any luck in gettin it to run?

A good tuned pipe on a two stroke completely changes the engine's characteristic.  They can be worth 50% more hp vs a straight pipe and with some, depending on the engine's porting, 75% or nearly double it.  Pretty sure I have an extra clone dominator pipe around here somewhere.  Actually, it's the one on the car in the videos I posted.

MadManAndrew

No, I went to try to start it and in three pulls the pullstart snapped. It's like the thing's begging to be replaced, lol. Hopefully I'll have a new motor on it's way soon. I guess I'm just gonna stick with the stock pipe too until I can justify a good one.

Lars from Norway

Stay away from the "pigtail" pipe from HPI, it is only screaming noise and little or none power gain.

MadManAndrew

Okay, thanks for the tip. I ordered my motor today, should be here in 2-5 days. Yay

MadManAndrew

Okay, thanks for the tip. I ordered my motor today, should be here in 2-5 days. Yay

46u

My Feedback: (3)

I agree with the others. The number one up grade for a motor is a good pipe. Makes a night and day difference!!!!!!! I have and run both the standard and big bore CPI pipe depending on what motor I am running which I run. In my opinion the CPI pipes are great all around pipe.

The standard CPI woke my stock 26 up to the point I could not beleive it. Just installed a race ported 30.5 with the CPI big bore pipe. Just got the motor broke in and do to the darn heat and humidity have not done much with it since. All so the CPI pipe is well protected.

They make two versions. The standard CPI is for stock 23 and 26 engines and the big bore is make for larger displacement engines. They come in two different finishes black or chrome.

CPI has been making exhaust for 2 cycle ATV for many years and are not new to 2 cycle pipes. Check out the links below and videos.
http://www.largescalerc.com/cpituned...rbaja5b5t.aspx
http://www.largescalerc.com/cpituned...aja5b5t-1.aspx
http://www.cpiracing.com/

MadManAndrew

Got my motor today! It has a mirror finish. Pics once it's installed...But before I can, is the muffler included with it any better or worse than my 5T muffler?

46u

My Feedback: (3)

Never ran a 5T can but from what I have read is the best can you can run. But nothing like a good tuned pipe. Take your time and break in your new motor properly and have fun.