RE: metal in oil
I can definately say that the new ones are not at all like the old ones, mine has been running well but you can just look at them and tell that the quality has diminished, even in just the casting.I am afraid that thier metal quality has been reduced also.Hopefully I will get this one worked out. I am hoping that some of this metal is coming from some that snuck into the exhaust and is just now coming loose, from when I had to cut the stack and bevel the silencer. I thought I had kept it all out but I could have been wrong. I opened up the backplate, and took the head off, and everything was so spotless that I hated to take out the sleeve piston crank etc. I found no metal shavings inside the engine which makes me think that its all coming from what may have gotten into the muffler. No way to know until I tear it down to the crank. The piston/liner have no scratches or wear, so it looks good so far. I'm gonna run it a couple more times and if it is still doin it I am gonna take it all the way down and a have a look. I really hate to see that they moved production to china, that is a shame.