DIY sleeve re-sizing

[crisis time]

That is a great idea
I will have to try it on a few of my nitro's

[towie964]

Ok sorry for rehashing an old thread, but I tried this tonight on my old trx 2.5. I ordered an new piston and sleeve for it so I thought what the heck ill give it a go, anyway went down to the local automotive store to buy a hose clamp. They didnt have any the right size. So I started looking around the shop for something else I could use, I was looking at the battery clamps and asked the shop assitant if he had a set of verniers. Measured the sleeve 17.98mm, found a brass clamp that was 18.03mm. And the good thing was it was machined with a taper. So the long of the short is the battery clamp is a lot sturdier than a hose clamp and its machined with a taper which seemed to suit the sleeve perfectly. $5.80 for the clamp slipped the sleeve tightened it so the piston had some pinch, shoved it on the stove in a pot for 3 mins quenched it, perfect! Motor has a stack of compression. Reset the carb back to factory and it started straight up. Ill run it in tomorrow and see how it goes


Daz

What did you use to quench the sleeve?

[PC WIZ]

Don't know if Ide bother quenching it, just let it cool naturally. Quenching it may cause the chrome to come away from the inside of the sleeve being two different metals that react at different temps.

[Daz972]

What did you use to quench the sleeve?

Just in room temp water. I've now run 4 tanks though it and it is still running well. compression(pinch) is still good


Daz

[Daz972]

The quick cooling process of quenching makes the metal contract. letting it cool naturally may give you a result but I cant see it happening. I am a boilermaker and often we would heat metal up and then quench it to make it contract. I've also used the process on dents in car body's heat the dent up and then quickly quench it with cold water. the metal would contract and pop the dent out.


Daz

[towie964]

Thanks for the info Daz

[Chayton789]

so i have a HPI nitro star t-15fe engine and i needs re-pinching bad so just wondering what temperature wound you recommend for the DIY?

[bond420]

shouldn't leaving the clamp tightened up on sleeve for like 10-20 min do the same thing ?

[girishsarwal]

Thank you for this wonderful post. I did try the procedure on my OS 0.46 and a TT 0.46 (both were almost end of life).

The piston seems to have a better fit, cannot be pushed back further by hand anymore. The compression certainly 'feels' better. I can tell because the fuel pull in the line is much much consistent than earlier and swinging the prop by hand gives a tighter feel. BUT, there are two significant problems

1. the engines do not want to start. They only start when they are cold, once they get a little warm, after a few failed starts, both the engines totally refuse to start.

2. When they start (best case), they do not hold for long (even with the glow booster on), like 5-6 seconds maximum.

Am i missing something? Any pointers are greatly appreciated.

gs