1956 3 piece piston Babe Bee hits 13680!

Too bad there is no way to transfer an aluminum rod over to a new piston. I think that has a big influence on how your getting those numbers.

I've never measured the weight difference but I know its got to be a good savings.

They were used until early '57 in Space Bugs, Space Hoppers, Thermal Hoppers, Space Bug Jrs, Strato Bugs and early Babe Bees. I have only had 1 3 piece piston so I have no idea if it should have some play between the piston and con rod.

jetpack wrote:Too bad there is no way to transfer an aluminum rod over to a new piston. I think that has a big influence on how your getting those numbers.

I've never measured the weight difference but I know its got to be a good savings.

You have a '56 Babe Bee don't you? Have you noticed how the crankshaft weighs less then a modern Babe bees crank? You can actually see the webbing is thinner in a early Babe Bee. It also has the thinnest .049 cylinder I have ever seen (thinner then a average thin cylinder). The aluminum connecting rod does feel lighter then a regular steel one although, because of the clips and rings holding the thing in, who knows if the whole piston assembly is lighter then a regular piston. I do have the engine sitting next to me right now and I could take it apart and weigh the piston but the cylinder is on there good and I really don't want to put another mark in the corner of the exhaust port...

I had a hard time with my cylinder and left small marks on mine. It was unmarked before I got my hands on it

It did strike me as being the most delicate looking cylinder I've seen. That is why I was so shocked it was still unbent.

When I got this engine, it came with a bunch of other mixed parts for other engines. If you didn't see in the wall of shame, I have some pictures of the original tank and crankcase. It was very corroded! Other then the extreme corrosion, the engine appeared to be in perfect condition. I pulled the cylinder (leaving the first marks ever put on it). I was very scared that I might twist or bend the cylinder so I was closely watching that while removing it. The engine looked as if I am the first to see the inside of it since 1956. I had to replace the crankcase and tank bowl. I couldn't find a early Babe Bee crankcase so I had to use one probably off a 1959-1962 engine. For the tank, it couldn't have the "Thimble Drome" etched around it so I had to use a 1970s bowl. I did however use the original crankshaft, backplate, needle, cylinder and piston. The original glow head was in perfect condition so I did what I do with all good condition old glow heads, I display it on old engines I have on my shelf. I have replaced the crankcase twice on it now, the first one was ruined after letting a friend use it on his "Snow Buggy" thing he made. I could have kicked his ass after what I heard he did with it. He used a damn electric starter to start it (and not knowing the needle has to be out a whopping 4.5 turns). Other then using it as a pusher engine (it always did like to start backwards for some reason, perhaps originally used on a prop rod...) he pushed hard enough on the crankshaft that the crankcase has worn to create some excessive play between the crankcase and driveplate. After yelling at him and what not, I replace the crankcase again using the original crankshaft.

I have always liked this engine as it starts on one flip and yes usually backwards no matter what way you flip it. The backplate used to be a bright brass color but it is starting to wear off as like I said, I like to play with this engine the most and handling it seems to wear the finish off and tarnish the aluminum. Unless I state it is "special" in some way such as saying it has a 3 piece piston in a ebay auction, the most I would probably get for it would be around $10. So no prize to anyone else, but I like it so it most likely will never get sold.

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Mudhen --

Very nicely written post with good tips on dis-assembly.

Heat and solvent can be your good friends when working on old engines.

andrew

In removing frozen cylinders (but not pistons) I've had good success by using two small pieces of soft wood (like pine) and small vice.

Place the frozen cylinder between the two pieces of wood and then clamp them LIGHTLy together in the vice. (Lightly meaning enough slightly indent the steel fins into the wood pieces).

Then twist the crankcase CCW. Very often this frees the cylinder from the crankcase.

Works for me.

andrew wrote:Mudhen --

Very nicely written post with good tips on dis-assembly.

Heat and solvent can be your good friends when working on old engines.

andrew

Yes and your mortal enemy if not used with caution.

SuperDave wrote:In removing frozen cylinders (but not pistons) I've had good success by using two small pieces of soft wood (like pine) and small vice.

Place the frozen cylinder between the two pieces of wood and then clamp them LIGHTLy together in the vice. (Lightly meaning enough slightly indent the steel fins into the wood pieces).

Then twist the crankcase CCW. Very often this frees the cylinder from the crankcase.

Works for me.

Same way i do it but not good for anything smaller that .010

nitroairplane wrote:

Yes and your mortal enemy if not used with caution.

Indeed, very true. I suppose I should have added, "Try this at home, but not at the same time!!!"

andrew wrote:

nitroairplane wrote:

Yes and your mortal enemy if not used with caution.

Indeed, very true. I suppose I should have added, "Try this at home, but not at the same time!!!"

yes put some ether in the engine and hit it with a blowtorch
ONLY KIDDING NEVER DO THAT,not that anyone here is silly enough to try it.

Great tutorial Mud! I do like to have spotless cylinders. I enjoy buying rough Babe Bees and other cox engines off ebay and get them running good. I clean them up but I rarely "restore" the aluminum finish (scratches, tarnish, slight corrosion...). I have only restored the aluminum finish on one engine.

back then, i never really cared what the engine looked like as ling as it worked. i would stick the wrench in the exhaust ports and rip it off. now i regret that, my black widows cylinder has exhaust ports that look trashed now. when i was removing the cylinder on my black widow once, the wrench slipped and chipped out a small piece from the exhaust port. i thought i had wreaked the engine for good that time. i eventually worked the chip out of the cylinder with a worn out piston and some fine steel wool.

I have a set of thick rubber jaw covers for my vice that grip and clamp quite well, then If I need to be a bit more aggresive with less give, I have some dead soft aluminum angle coated with the rubber tool dip stuff that slide in between the vise jaws.

I have always found a bit of gentle heat from the heat gun freed any stuck engine and also helped with un doing tight parts. I used a warm oil bath once but after that found the heat gun works just as well.

warrenlead wrote:I have always found a bit of gentle heat from the heat gun freed any stuck engine and also helped with un doing tight parts. I used a warm oil bath once but after that found the heat gun works just as well.

Yep, a heat gun or hair dryer helps tremendously.