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Post by jerseyhighlander on Jun 29, 2019 23:45:24 GMT -5
Two of the Super EZ Auto's I picked up recently, one a runner & a recent frozen parts machine, both had crusty rusty mufflers. Taking the parts machine apart to see why it was seized I pulled the muffler and decided to try a restoration technique I've used on other things.
First was to just take a wire brush to it to remove all the scale and clean it up. Some parts got a little emery paper. Then outside to be heated with a mapp gas torch and wiped with Linseed oil while hot. It's essentially the same as seasoning a cast iron frying pan. The oil polymerizes and turns to carbon at the same time. A nice black color that I think looks better than black spray paint.
Half crusty, half wire brushed.
Night & well, not night.
The caution is something to think about when pulling these mufflers off. I had removed the spark plug and worked the flywheel till it was unstuck & moved the piston up till it covered the exhaust port before taking that ratty muffler off. If I hadn't, all this crusty metal debris would've fallen into the cylinder. The bolts being fairly well frozen, I had to have it on it's side while working those screws. A straight path down into the cylinder or crankcase.
Hard to tell if it was carbon seized or if it was from the sand I found in the airbox... or both. But the rings don't look too bad and the cylinder looks clean from what I can see. Can't complain for $12.50 + $13- shipping.
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Post by rowdy235 on Jun 30, 2019 20:05:00 GMT -5
That muffler looks sharp Jersey! I may do that to my SEZ muffler, as its looking pretty shoddy lately. I would have never thought to season with oil like that. Have you done this before and does it hold up good over time? Or more of a shelf queen treatment?
Also, ouch on the debris. Definitely a good idea to have the cylinder covering the port. If you remember, it was a piece of the exhaust gasket that fell into the cylinder on my XL98 when I was reassembling and caused me to believe something was amiss, had to tear all the way back down. Then again, glad I did that instead of running it with that in there.
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Post by jerseyhighlander on Jun 30, 2019 22:01:07 GMT -5
That muffler looks sharp Jersey! I may do that to my SEZ muffler, as its looking pretty shoddy lately. I would have never thought to season with oil like that. Have you done this before and does it hold up good over time? Or more of a shelf queen treatment? Also, ouch on the debris. Definitely a good idea to have the cylinder covering the port. If you remember, it was a piece of the exhaust gasket that fell into the cylinder on my XL98 when I was reassembling and caused me to believe something was amiss, had to tear all the way back down. Then again, glad I did that instead of running it with that in there. It was actually an old blacksmithing technique long ago. It's not totally without a need for maintenance but I've got a couple blacksmithed brackets & hooks that've been outside for a couple years now and doing pretty good fully exposed to the weather all the time. Once in a while when I've got a rag wet with linseed oil I'll go around and hit a bunch of things with a fresh coat. Was thinking I could even hit the mufflers again when they're still hot right after use every now & then but once they're blackened it can even be done cold. Just be sure it's only a thin film and wipe it dry after ten minutes or so.
One note of caution. The Linseed oil commonly available in hardware stores, sold as Boiled Linseed oil, isn't boiled anymore but has metallic salts added as dryers to react with oxygen and catalyze the polymerization. It smokes like hell when you apply it hot and it's not a smoke you want in your lungs or your house.
Also, especially the commercial type Linseed oil with those catalysts, the rags are prone to spontaneous combustion and should be put outside, unfolded. A crumpled up oil rag has burned down many a shop over the years. Ironically, the higher grade oils made the old way don't seem to be as prone to it but still not worth the chance.
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Post by sweepleader on Jul 1, 2019 18:54:41 GMT -5
That piston ring looks new to me, you can still see the machining marks that usually wear off when breaking in.
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Post by jerseyhighlander on Jul 2, 2019 0:23:54 GMT -5
That piston ring looks new to me, you can still see the machining marks that usually wear off when breaking in. My thoughts exactly. Can't be sure what the rest of it looks like but we'll see. I'm pretty sure the sand I found in the air box and all over the carb is responsible for it seizing. If nothing else I have a spare piston & cylinder I didn't expect along with the other parts. Will be interested to break it down the rest of the way and see what's inside.
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