REPAIR: 1971 Suzuki T350

Greetings -

Does anyone know off a shop or a mechanic who would work on a 1971
Suzuki T350 engine? I live in SF, but would be glad to hear of
anywhere in the Bay Area.

SPECIFICS:
One of the piston heads broke and it's likely some pieces fell inside
the engine. Due to this problem, the motorcycle did not run when I
bought it, and it has since been disassembled. I have replacement
piston heads and rings. Service-wise, I would like to have the piston
heads professionally replaced at the very least.

This is the first motorized vehicle I have ever wrenched on.

All suggestions are greatly appreciated.

- John

 

(a the) wrote in @posting.google.com:

I'd go talk to Joe at MotoJava on 9th & Bryant. If he can't do the
work, I am certain he will recommend you to an honest 2 stroke mechanic
who can.



--
Assuring you of my best intentions at all times,

Charles Statman
Rocket Scientist/Wonderboy/Women's Legs Shaven

DoD the Un-Numbered One

 

thats probably gonna take a complete engine assembly. If a piston
grenaded, chances are real good the cases and/or cylinders are damaged.
its even possible the crankshaft is dinged or bent. the piston rods
could well be trashed too. if metal bits got in the oil galleys, it could
be really ugly.

 

They're just called pistons. The head is the top part of the piston
and it doesn't come off, at least not in normal service.

That does happen on two-strokes sometimes, but usually
when pistons come apart the bottom end is fine.
It's always a good idea to check, and of course the
mechanic will need to figure out what caused the piston
damage in the first place lest it happen again.

If the piston came apart it's likely that the cylinder
wall will have been damaged. The cylinder can be bored to
the next oversize and appropriately oversize
pistons (and rings) installed. The edges of the ports
in the newly bored cylinder need to be chamfered; ask the
shop if they will do that and find someone else if
they say it doesn't need to be done.

I've never seen two-stroke cases damaged from something
in the top-end breaking. In fact I've broken a crank coming
out of turn 9 at Sears and the cases were fine.

Two strokes don't have oil galleys.


The original poster would do well to check out the
two-strokes mailing list, where he can get answers
from people who actually work on two-strokes.

it's at dorje.com

Eric

 

It's really important to check for any loose metal in the crankcases, and
especially in the crankshaft bearings.

Before the engine is run, find out why the piston failed. If the piston
crown actually melted, I'd check for advanced timing. A seized piston is
generally caused by a lean mixture (or a failure of the oil injection - less
likely). A suddenly lean mixture could be a bad crank seal, or a
cracked/loose carburetor mounting, or even a clogged main jet.

Harry