OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Victa Two Stroke Engines Piston rings replacement on Victa VSX160

Hi all, I have a 6 years old Victa VSX160 engine and the cylinder and the crankcase appears to be all one casting. I was wondering how to replace the rings on piston.

Thank you for helping.

Most engines have the cylinder and crankcase in one casting: having them separate makes the engine too heavy, and less rigid. In general, you remove the cylinder head, then dismantle the connecting rod by undoing the "big end bolts" - the bolts that hold the two piece connecting rod together around the crankpin. After removing the lower piece of the connecting rod ("bearing cap") you push the rest of the connecting rod, still connected to the piston, up the bore and out.

Take off the head and the starter recoil, you will need to undo the crankpin (conrod is one peice) and the piston will slide out, I have undone the crankpin with a hammer and a punch before but there is a specialised tool around for it.

Hi All,
thank you very much for your immediate answer.
It is much appreciated!

Sorry Joe, I gave him a Briggs explanation, which didn't work very well for a PowerTorque. Have I ever mentioned that I detest built-up crankshafts? They fit into the same category as plastic carburetors.

Careful old mate! Your prejudice is starting to peek out!

No question it's prejudice, igor. I actually own a plastic carburetor - my backup mower, which I keep because its engine is interchangeable with my everyday mower, is a Briggs with a Minion (plastic) carburetor. It works properly, too, but they have a poor reputation, even with Briggs.

So far as built-up crankshafts are concerned, they have been used successfully in motorcycles and in light duty cheap engines such as full crank Victa 2-strokes, but those engines are difficult to overhaul. If you rebuild the big-end bearing, reassembling the crankshaft to original factory standards of accuracy is unlikely to happen. When it comes to cantilevered crank (half-crank) engines, they are not so much difficult to overhaul, as likely to require that attention far too often.

I just don't like throwaway engines or major engine parts. They are often good business for the manufacturer, but irritating to hobbyists and collectors.