So I have a 30cc Homelite and I dis-assembled the engine and noticed the piston and cylinder need replaced or does it? Can anyone tell me if I need to replace these part's?
It looks to me to be worn quite a bit. If it does need replaced, where can I get a new piston and sleeve or anyone have any they want to part with?

Here are a few pic's

Actually the wear looks normal, piston skirts always take the brunt of the wear! Should go quite a while if the rings and bore are good? The bad part is that our local small engine shop (the owner is an RC'er) will not work on Homelite or Mac's due to no parts being available. He has a sign behind the counter so stating.

Parts for those brands and others are available if you really look for them.I've found them on Ebay,online parts sales and sometimes fellow forum members.Also from junked trimmers along the curb or salvage yards.The shop owner probably only wants to order parts from a catalog or his favorite vender and doesn't want to spend the time looking for them.

Thanks. So this engine is good to go then? I figured Aviator would chime in.

I would guess he doesn't want to spend the time repairing a very cheap item that is not worth the repair cost. He would have to charge for the time in locating part machines, taking them apart to see if they were good.........this is a looser
for a business but fine for someone doing a hobby project. Homelite and McCullough haven't made a good commercial item for years, just little homeowner items with short service life spans. I have personally worked on such for friends and
vowed never to do that again. They are cheap throw-away machines with very short service lives. Haven't seen new ones for sale in years think they ran the products into the ground? Many years ago both brands were top-of-the line
but they failed to keep with Stihl, Husky and several other foreign made saws, just a fact.

I would put the engine back together and see what happens.....it's not critical if it's in a boat.

Clean it up, lightly sand the bore with #400 sandpaper wetted with solvent, clean it again, lightly oil it, and put it together properly with a new ring. That is normal, somewhat mild wear and simple carbon buildup and staining, and it will run great for a long, long time with a new ring, especially in an airboat. I have engines that looked like that in airplanes that turn over 9000 rpms.

I haven't had one that looked like that not respond well to a basic rebuild yet, in many, many years of working on them. I haven't had one lose compression nor blow up in many happy hours of flying, usually all day long per outing, and usually in 100+ degree heat. (unfortunately...)

AV8TOR

Any ideas where to purchase the ring from? I see Frank Bowman retired.

There was a guy on Ebay,but I can't find him now.I'd just order one from Ebay that's for a 30cc trimmer http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...+ring&_sacat=0

I found out that it's best to use a caliper and find the thickness of the old ring as there were two thicknesses for the 30cc. Find that out and ask the seller if his ring is that thickness.Some sellers list the thickness in their description.

Gavin Carter sells reproduction rings on eBay of very good quality. Is eBay username is Gaviscool.

Browse this site and you will find what you need, and they are high quality rings. I've been using them since good old Frank bailed on us, bless his soul. You might need to search the site by ring size and notch style, but that's how I ordered my rings from Frank as well.

http://www.dlastore.com/e_store/cyli...obikes-ln.html

AV8TOR

Thanks,
Do I sand the bore up an down or follow the bore in a round circle? Do I do this by hand or wrap the sand paper around a piece of PVC or dowel?

Actually, you kind of do both. Sand up and down while turning the cylinder, and try to keep the sandpaper wet with a solvent such as mineral spirits. Use 400 or 600 sandpaper and don't over do it. You are only trying to break/clean off the oil glaze on the cylinder surface, NOT trying to make a new cross hatch pattern such as one does when prepping a cast iron bore cylinder. Easy does it by hand.

AV8TOR

Do I need to do anything to the cylinder?

I just told you.

BTW, "Thanks" for removing the thread "Av8tor1977" about me and all the nice things others had to say.

AV8TOR

I meant the piston.

I meant the piston. I didn't!!!!!

I just gently clean the piston with Scotchbrite. Except for the carbon in the ring groove. For that I break the old ring in half and use it to scrape the carbon out.

That AV8TOR1977 thread no longer exists. I figured only the originator could delete it...

AV8TOR

Yep, it shows that you deleted it right here:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/engi...v8tor1977.html

BUSTED! Thanks. And after all I have done for you....

AV8TOR

Yea, like the junk engines you sold me, including the one in this thread. Busted!!!

One disgruntled customer that knows nothing about engines amongst hundreds of very happy customers. I can live with that. And even you were extremely happy until this last used engine you bought for 25 bucks for a rebuild/hopup project and as a learning experience that I spent hours helping you with, then wanted me to replace it with a new one.

Anyone dealing with this poster, please beware of your dealings.

That's all from here, and apologies to all readers for the drama. But the good of it is this might help others avoid issues with this ungrateful and difficult member.

AV8TOR

Perhaps I should post all the e-mails from you for everyone to read. Quit being all SALTY. Adios!!!

Junk... Pitch the top end. Look at. the wear patterns. The piston skirt is well worn and it has caused some wear in the jug. Most two strokes that die for causes other than melting down die because the piston wears, it starts rocking in the bore, then breaks the skirt off then boom.... Hint is all of those machining grooves you can see in the piston near the rod.... Guess what on a new piston you will see those run all the way around all nice and even... They actually help hold the oil film for lubrication and reduce drag. Notice how near the ring they are all still there but as you move down the piston, they dissapear. You can see the wear the rocking has caused in the jug.. you would probably need to go well over .030 on a bore to get it round... Dont waste money on a new ring, it will just get you to the end sooner. Find another in better condition for your final product and use this one to learn on...


I'd be going back to the seller asking for a refund or something and using a different powerplant. Given the wear shown on the piston, I'd tend to agree with not doing a lot of work to this engine. It'll run I'm sure, but if the piston and cylinder are worn, ring sealing will suffer even if using new rings.

I have a Homelite 30cc engine laying around myself but I'm unsure of its condition internally. It appears to be low runtime and came off a weed trimmer. Has a Zama carb on it.
__________________

Junk... Pitch the top end. Look at. the wear patterns. The piston skirt is well worn and it has caused some wear in the jug. Most two strokes that die for causes other than melting down die because the piston wears, it starts rocking in the bore, then breaks the skirt off then boom.... Hint is all of those machining grooves you can see in the piston near the rod.... Guess what on a new piston you will see those run all the way around all nice and even... They actually help hold the oil film for lubrication and reduce drag. Notice how near the ring they are all still there but as you move down the piston, they dissapear. You can see the wear the rocking has caused in the jug.. you would probably need to go well over .030 on a bore to get it round... Dont waste money on a new ring, it will just get you to the end sooner. Find another in better condition for your final product and use this one to learn on...


I'd be going back to the seller asking for a refund or something and using a different powerplant. Given the wear shown on the piston, I'd tend to agree with not doing a lot of work to this engine. It'll run I'm sure, but if the piston and cylinder are worn, ring sealing will suffer even if using new rings.

I have a Homelite 30cc engine laying around myself but I'm unsure of its condition internally. It appears to be low runtime and came off a weed trimmer. Has a Zama carb on it.
__________________

These are just a few comments on the engine.

I sold you a used engine to experiment with for 25 bucks, and you wanted a brand new one. How unreasonable can you be? I also provided you with extensive support, info, tutoring, etc. Many hours worth, with photos and step by step instructions and exhaustive text. It is quite clear who the cry baby is here, and who has a lot of respect and well known integrity. Get over yourself and move on. You'll hear no more from me.

AV8TOR