How can I look into a cylinder?

[Anonymous]

Despite using a can of compressed air to clean around my sparkplugs I suspect a little stone about 1/32" x 1/64" may have fallen in. I'm not sure if it did or not but I was pouring oil into my cylinders and the little bugger disappeared (I couldn't get it completely out of the way so I pushed it as far away as possible) so I want to look in. I won't be able to rest easy until I know for sure.

If it is in there I figure I can get the bike up to TDC exhaust/intake and flush it out with varsol but it's a lot of trouble if not needed. I've done this successfully with a CR250 with a muddy spark plug so I'm pretty sure it will work in this case.

Thanks, Steve

[RacingJake]

Just use a vacuum cleaner and tape a small hose on the end like 5/16's or 3/8's and put it in the spark plug hole and move it all around on top of the piston.

Jake
It might just work

[mcconnell]

This was my response to another thread about a stripped plug thread, but it applies here too:


DO NOT use a vacuum cleaner to get out suspected chips without removing the carbs from the bike. If the intake valve is open while you are vacuuming, the carburator for that cylinder will gladly deliver a fuel-air mix into the cylinder. And vacuum cleaner. Disaster far beyond a stripped thread could result.

[RacingJake]

Yeah, Right

I do it all the time on cars, bikes and boats. So you think your going to suck in 14-1 air/fuel ratio with a 5/16 hose with the throttle plates closed. More air will flow into the cylinder around the tube going through the spark plug hole, the least path of resistance.

Jake
I like to play with fire

[redliner1973]

I've got a set of Jumper cables........... :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[mcconnell]

Jake, as with 'playing with fire', it's all risk management. I, too, get away with things that I could do differently and probably safer, though would be more effort. This trick works very well on modern cars and to some extent boats as they are fuel injected. And I agree, with a small enough hose, a carburated engine probably won't be a problem either. But the bike has to be able to idle, so it has to be able to get a fuel/air mix through the almost-closed throttle plates. So, when the shade tree mechanic doesn't have a small enough piece of hose, but grabs one that nearly fills the spark plug hole because he doesn't know any better, there is a potential for disaster.

[RacingJake]

Yeah,
I'd just flip the bike upside down and shake it around until that piece of FOD fell out, then I would mop up the leaking fuel from the tank and pour it in the toilet then take a dump while smoking a cigar.

Jake

[Anonymous]

I've got my carbs off for a rebuild and the exhaust off to get the bike on the stand so all should be safe. I'll do some tests with the vacuum to see if it can suck up oily pebbles first. I bet it would be fun to use an undercoating wand to suck the stuff out of the motor. Then you could light the spray on fire and chase around coworkers.

Cheers, Steve

[RacingJake]

Sounds like fun to me Steve. I'll bring the lighter fluid soak tennis balls that we can lite and throw at the co-workers too. People can move pretty fast when flamming ball's are coming there way.

Jake

[Billy Ricks]

I could bring a potato launcher.

[Hap Call]

There is something called a bore scope. They are expensive and are used in industy to inspect piping, gear boxes, internal combustion engines, and any piece of equipment that would be expensive to open up or just plain impossible to get to by normal means. Contact a large machine repair shop and see if they have one...they might let one of their techs look in you engine for kicks or for a small charge...

Hap

[KennyJ]

Call the local Ford or other dealer. Most have a "bore scope" and light source (also used in the medical industry for Laproscopy (sp?) procedures). They did this on my brother in laws Bronco, cost $50 for the scope and removal of the missing lock washer.

Kenny