Trials
Well-known member
I can understand your skeptism. But before and after compression tests were night and day different on the cylinder. Eventually the top end got the refresh it deserved. It is much more common to get a stuck ring on a 2 stroke vs a four stroke.
The first engine I ever took apart as a kid was a 50cc solex moped given to me by a family friend.. One of my older brothers showed me the ring(s) were stuck solid in their grooves. We cleaned and freed up the rings/grooves, put the engine back together and...she runs! lol. Every friend in my neighbourhood crashed that top heavy moped at least once. A stuck ring can lower the compression enough that an engine stops firing. I would not recommend wd40 as a lubricant - but it is a good solvent cleaner.
I mention this as I was thinking there was a concern the engine may be stuck from sitting. wd40 sprayed in the cylinders via the spark plug holes wouldn't hurt before attempting first turnover..
Totally agree! The only time I had rings stuck was on my TY250 and on a chainsaw and both were the result of using the same batch of old oil that I shouldn't have used. Had to completely dismantle to clean both, especially behind the rings and it was so gummed up that no amount of spray applied through the plug holes would have done the job. Naphtha is what I used but with a Lot of rubbing and even had to use a piece of old piston ring to clear out the groves nice and square. ymmv
A disintegrating foam air filter element or a mouse nest will also make a real mess inside your engine, if that ever happens I highly recommend you go straight to dismantle and cleaning.
Once had mice build a nest inside the bottom end of my 360VA after they entered through the exhaust pipe :/ plug the opening on your expansion chamber over winter if you have a large displacement 2-stroke.