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[Sandy Leppan]

I bought my son's Junior Rotax last January and the engine had about 8hrs on it. Since then we have raced this season adding a further 12hrs.

Do we need to get it rebuilt for next season, and is this the top end , bottom end or both?!!

Ignorance is not bliss!

What cost should I anticipate?
Many thanks

[Alan Dove]

I would anticipate costs in the region of £200 plus for a full rebuild. Probably more.

This is a difficult question to answer because I have known people to keep their engines running for a long time before a rebuild.

Have you noticed any drop off in performance of the engine?

If your motor is runnning sweet, you may want to keep it as it is for the moment.

The problem with the Rotax is that is nearly impossible to tell if it needs rebuilt because you can not look inside your own motor and I would expect your average engine builder to reccomend a rebuild regardless ££

Really go for what you can afford, and if you haven't noticed any drop off, Rotax do say the engine can run up to 25+ hours so you shouldn't have to worry about the motor packing up.

So to conclude -

If motor is still running sweet leave it. If there has been a drop off in performance think about a rebuild.
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[Road_Rebel]

the rotax engine should last 120hrs tops some ppl have had them running longer. BUT the engine wil start 2 die dwn (start to go slower) after 50hrs. and it wil cost u way more than £200 if u want it done properly. a proper job from a decent agent will set u bak £600
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[Andy]

If it was me, I would get it opened up and a new conrod and main bearing put in, this way you know it's been done and you know exactly how many hours the main components have done.

I speak from experience as I just had a conrod go on me, when I got the engine I was told it had done 6 hours, I did another 10hrs then the rod went, my engine builder did say that sometimes people don't change the rod due to the cost, wish they had (the old engine was scrap, I've just had to shell out of a new one)

This is only my opinion but I'd bite the bullet and have a full rebuild done

[Road_Rebel]

andy has just said that u get certain bits replaced. this is gd if u wana save money in the short term but u will never EVER now how long ur engine will last. you should really always get ur engine fully rebuilt and this will deffenately save money in the long term
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[deemo]

best way is to get more than one engine
(saves looads of money in the long run )

i run my practice engine for between 60 and 80hrs
and my race engine gets a full rebuild every 25hrs

my practice motor gets a cheap as posible rebulid, witch like alan said useualy costs £200 plus (as long as it more or less works its fine )

race engine gets a total rebuild
(carb, bottom and top end, conrod, piston, cylinder head,balance gears, main bearings etc) i get it fiched, dynod and run in witch add to the price
that costs about £600 in total done by ogden and its verry competitive

BUT...
my mk3 practice motor, witch had done 30hrs from new and came seald and
totaly complete with exhaust, carb, rad also cost £600 (and its great for spares)

[procircuit58]

Why does the engine have to be re sealed evreytime after a re build? I race motocross and have rebuilt many engines it seems kinda stupid when an engine as simple as the max cant be done at home. just my view on it. what do you guys think?

[civic_eg8]

50 hours then a rebuild?? not shure on that..... every 8 hours i would do a piston ring change new gaskets and inspect all components, next 8 hours piston and ring change new gaskets inspection etc etc and so on until 50 hours then its complete rebuild time, yeah you can go a long time then rebuild, i keep to this schedule which keeps my engine on the edge all the time, as for doing it at home... i do all my own work on my motor saves me lots and ive never failed a tech inspection yet so all good.