Hi I hope someone can help me!

I just bought a .91 OS four stroke engine S/H on this website. Only problem is I think that the needle valve got bent in the transportation. Is it supposed to be like this? If not are spares available?
Thanks
Gareth

I've had luck by searching the carb numbers. you should be able to find one pretty easy

Make sure the threads aren't damaged, or that the body isn't damaged. Most of the time the needle housings are made out of brass and can be damaged pretty easily.

Buy a new needle.

Where is the bend? If it is on the outside portion and the threads and actual needle that go into the carburetor are good then it may still work fine. If not then you will have a problem. Was the package insured? If so maybe you can contact the seller and you can file an insurance claim for the damage?

You can likely get a new needle through Tower Hobbies/Hobbico. There may even be an OS service & parts dealer closer to you or even OS directly.

If it's just the outside of the needle you may be able to just straighten it, been there and done that. When I did mess up an engines complete assembly I just went to my LHS, at that time I think it was a hobby town and they just ordered the complete assembly for me. They had just the needle valve in stock too. They had a complete break down of the engine with all the numbers on there computer. Are you sure it wasn't bent before it was shipped to you??

Our club president just went through a bent needle valve on an O.S four stroke. It wsn't badly bent, but you could feel it drag as it got near the sweet point. In theory this shouldn't be a problem but I was, What I think was happening was that as the interferrence maximized, it pushed sideways and the O ring lost some of it seal, if not all.

I've got a few different O.S engines both four stroke and two stroke. Most of them would work in a pinch as the tread size and needle length were the same. What was different was the taper on fineness of the point. That would change the sensitivity of the adjustment. THe other difference was the extention on the outer end that let you attach a long extention to the needle valve, IE a hole for a wire and a set screw to hold it.

Compaire a couple needles from other engines to see if they might not work. The Magnum engines use just one part number for almos their hole line of engines, even though the ones orginally in the engnie may be different from the Replacement part. IE the Mag 52 has a stubbyer taper compaired to the replacemnt needle, or one from a Mag 61 two stroke. The replacement works better for fine tuning the engine.

Don

Check here:

http://www.osengines.com/parts/carbs.html

Hi guys thanks a lot- I am pretty sure the rest fo the engine is in perfect condition - it's just the actual needle valve. The threads also seem good- will try and straighten in if not will just get a replacement.