New Engine Teardown; Gaskets & such

[Bones]

I've read about as much as I can about the things to do to a new Chinese engine but seemed to have missed something.

I am receiving 2 Flying Horse 66cc kits.

I will be taking it apart to ensure bearings are seated properly, trim excess material, replace bolts, etc. Do I need to order gaskets if its a new engine or can I almost always reuse the originals?

Can I start the engine briefly (minutes) to make sure it actually works first (for the warranty) or will that seat / melt the gasket material to where I will have to order new gaskets for a teardown?

Will it cause any other issues with poorly installed components?

Is it just expected to have a CDI go bad shortly after initiAL use & should I have one on hand?

Sorry if this info is already listed, & thank you for the assistance!

-bones-

 

[HeadSmess]

gaskets are cardboard and or metal and i havent seen sealant used yet.

they can stick after maybe ten hours of use, but usually they just slip off. razor blade perhaps?

worst comes to worst, i lay parts on the scanner/photocopier and print em out onto heavy paper(200gsm) and start cutting...

havent had 1 CDI itself die in 6 or more years. the magneto, on the otherhand...if it has a white wire, chances are 50/50. if its only blue and black wires... so far, seem unkillable


other than the "trimming excess material" i think you really just wasting time

 

[ddesens]

I wouldnt start it before tearing it down. Take it apart and blow out the lower crankcase with compressed air. Check cylinder ports for excess casting material. Port match the intake and exhaust. Put back together with original gaskets and run it. Just my 2cents.

 

[Purple Haze]

I wouldnt start it before tearing it down. Take it apart and blow out the lower crankcase with compressed air. Check cylinder ports for excess casting material. Port match the intake and exhaust. Put back together with original gaskets and run it. Just my 2cents.

This is good advice. I've seen some of these engines come with foreign matter inside the case, missing parts, loose or overly tight bolts and screws, etc. Quality is NOT job one on these kits. They can be blueprinted with a little effort and attention to detail, and will be a hundred times more reliable. Also, the gaskets are very brittle, especially the bottom cylinder gasket. I have never been able to remove one without tearing it up once the engine has been run. And, I agree with HeadSmess about the cdi. It's mostly the coil that goes bad.

 

[Bones]

Thanks! I received the kits on Thursday, a day ahead of what FedEx quoted, and have hardly touched them. I did open one and spread across the floor in awe. I had wrenches available at my desk at work but couldn't get to the sockets. I tried cracking the head bolts loose but just couldn't budge it with the wrench. I was hoping to mill the head on a granite slab at work. I'm home now and will try to get that done later tonight. I also brought my Dremel home for the ports. I'll make sure to stop by the auto parts store to get some extra gasket material, before they close for today.