All Things 288XP

[Frank bierce]

I can post pics of the decals if you'd like to see if you can get some made

That would be awesome!!

 

[Daserlon]

That would be awesome!!

I'll do it tomorrow if I remember

 

[Master Bud II]

I Need a Set of Decals for a Dominator top Also.

 

[Daserlon]

That would be awesome!!

I forgot my 288 doesnt have the original stickers. These are on one of my 266 covers. I hope they still help some.
Its supposed to say "By Perormance Connection" under ELIMINATOR.

Maybe someone else has the correct and better stickers they could post pics of.

 

[CJ Brown]

It's been close to a year I think since I last posted in here with any progress on my 288xp. I've been away from the saws for a while but am getting back into it recently. I just finished a 357xp a couple weeks ago and am now back to working on my 288. I was going to keep this saw exactly as it came from the factory. However, after running my 272xp a while back, it would be nice to have a decomp cylinder for easier starting. GoBigBlue1984 supplied me a nice decomp cylinder, so I figured I was on my way. Then I picked up a 181SE that needs a top end... so... now the decomp cylinder I got is going on the 181, and once I rebuild the bottom end, it will likely go to Canadianfarmboy for the "treatment". So back to the 288 - I bought a Meteor piston/cylinder kit from HLSupply during their black Friday sale. It was a good price, it gives me a decomp cylinder, and it lets me see how a Meteor cylinder measures up against a Mahle cylinder.
Here are some pics:


I checked the squish with no base gasket in four places and it came in at: .021, .020, .020, .020 using .026 solder.

I checked the timing numbers and got the following:
Exhaust: 101
Transfers: 120
Intake: 71

Those numbers are practically identical to the Mahle cylinder that came on the saw originally. What is NOT identical is the combustion chamber. The squish band on the Meteor is noticeably narrower, and the combustion chamber is noticeably larger.

 

[PA Dan]

It's been close to a year I think since I last posted in here with any progress on my 288xp. I've been away from the saws for a while but am getting back into it recently. I just finished a 357xp a couple weeks ago and am now back to working on my 288. I was going to keep this saw exactly as it came from the factory. However, after running my 272xp a while back, it would be nice to have a decomp cylinder for easier starting. GoBigBlue1984 supplied me a nice decomp cylinder, so I figured I was on my way. Then I picked up a 181SE that needs a top end... so... now the decomp cylinder I got is going on the 181, and once I rebuild the bottom end, it will likely go to Canadianfarmboy for the "treatment". So back to the 288 - I bought a Meteor piston/cylinder kit from HLSupply during their black Friday sale. It was a good price, it gives me a decomp cylinder, and it lets me see how a Meteor cylinder measures up against a Mahle cylinder.
Here are some pics:
View attachment 213449 View attachment 213450 View attachment 213451 View attachment 213452 View attachment 213454

I checked the squish with no base gasket in four places and it came in at: .021, .020, .020, .020 using .026 solder.

I checked the timing numbers and got the following:
Exhaust: 101
Transfers: 120
Intake: 71

Those numbers are practically identical to the Mahle cylinder that came on the saw originally. What is NOT identical is the combustion chamber. The squish band on the Meteor is noticeably narrower, and the combustion chamber is noticeably larger.

Heck ya Chris! Glad to see your back at it! I should get back to my 281!

 

[CJ Brown]

Heck ya Chris! Glad to see your back at it! I should get back to my 281!

Yeah it's nice to get back out into the garage again. I have a chunk of aluminum round bar on it's way that I will turn into a 54mm mandrel. I am thinking this cylinder would be a good candidate for my first go on the lathe. I'm thinking of taking .030" off the squish band and base, then raising the exhaust and transfers back up to where they are now. I have to check and see where my intake timing would be with the cylinder .030" lower.

Maybe someone has some thoughts as to whether that would be a good plan or has some ideas that would be better. My main goal is to get a smaller combustion chamber and a little more intake timing. I will be doing a bit of porting while I am at it. The intake port needs to be smoothed and matched to the intake block, and the exhaust could be widened a bit.

 

[XP_Slinger]

Yeah it's nice to get back out into the garage again. I have a chunk of aluminum round bar on it's way that I will turn into a 54mm mandrel. I am thinking this cylinder would be a good candidate for my first go on the lathe. I'm thinking of taking .030" off the squish band and base, then raising the exhaust and transfers back up to where they are now. I have to check and see where my intake timing would be with the cylinder .030" lower.

Maybe someone has some thoughts as to whether that would be a good plan or has some ideas that would be better. My main goal is to get a smaller combustion chamber and a little more intake timing. I will be doing a bit of porting while I am at it. The intake port needs to be smoothed and matched to the intake block, and the exhaust could be widened a bit.

Cylinder looks like a nice clean casting. 030 off the base should get your intake to about 75 or 76ish. Personally I would set it to 80 with some additional grinding. Dont forget to grind down the case where the carb partition rests or it will interfere with the cylinder bolting down properly.

 

[XP_Slinger]

Heck ya Chris! Glad to see your back at it! I should get back to my 281!

Yes you do!

 

[CJ Brown]

Got my chunk of aluminum today so I put it on the lathe and turned one end to 54mm. I then slipped the Meteor cylinder on the mandrel to do a mock up of my setup to check swing and carriage clearances before I actually try turning the base.

 

[PA Dan]

Got my chunk of aluminum today so I put it on the lathe and turned one end to 54mm. I then slipped the Meteor cylinder on the mandrel to do a mock up of my setup to check swing and carriage clearances before I actually try turning the base.
View attachment 213575 View attachment 213576

Killer looking setup Chris!

 

[CJ Brown]

Killer looking setup Chris!

Thanks Dan! Let's hope I don't mess up this cylinder lol.

 

[CJ Brown]

I will likely turn the base on this cylinder this weekend. I wonder if anyone could chime in with regards to turning the squish band. I have been wondering if it would be better (or as good) to turn a pop-up piston rather than cutting the squish band. An advantage of this is a lighter piston. What would the disadvantages be?

 

[XP_Slinger]

I will likely turn the base on this cylinder this weekend. I wonder if anyone could chime in with regards to turning the squish band. I have been wondering if it would be better (or as good) to turn a pop-up piston rather than cutting the squish band. An advantage of this is a lighter piston. What would the disadvantages be?

I think it will run good either way. Might get a little more compression with a chamber cut, but that’s just a guess.

 

[CJ Brown]

I think it will run good either way. Might get a little more compression with a chamber cut, but that’s just a guess.

I am leaning towards cutting a pop-up mainly because I am a novice machinist at best, and setting up and cutting the squish band will a lot more difficult and risky for me. If I mess up the piston it is cheaper to replace than a cylinder. But if cutting the band is the way to do it properly, then that is what I will attempt.

 

[XP_Slinger]

I am leaning towards cutting a pop-up mainly because I am a novice machinist at best, and setting up and cutting the squish band will a lot more difficult and risky for me. If I mess up the piston it is cheaper to replace than a cylinder. But if cutting the band is the way to do it properly, then that is what I will attempt.

Do what you’re comfortable with man. Haven’t really seen many folks cutting pop ups for a 288, might be badass.

 

[Canadian farm boy]

@CJ Brown
Just my $.02 here. If you’re planning to cut the squish on the meteor jug you might be in for a real headache. The meteor plating is some tough stuff and from what I’ve seen the meteor jugs have a plated squish band. I’ve only tried to cut the squish band on 1 meteor jug and I ruined a couple cutters doing it and my lathe wasn’t happy doing it. I eventually got it done but swore I’d never do another.

 

[CJ Brown]

@CJ Brown
Just my $.02 here. If you’re planning to cut the squish on the meteor jug you might be in for a real headache. The meteor plating is some tough stuff and from what I’ve seen the meteor jugs have a plated squish band. I’ve only tried to cut the squish band on 1 meteor jug and I ruined a couple cutters doing it and my lathe wasn’t happy doing it. I eventually got it done but swore I’d never do another.

Yes I think this cylinder has a plated squish band and the plating also runs into the ports a ways as well. So I will take your advice and just avoid trying to cut the band on this cylinder - I think it above my abilities at this point in time.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge Mike - I appreciate it.

 

[CJ Brown]

Do what you’re comfortable with man. Haven’t really seen many folks cutting pop ups for a 288, might be badass.

Yep I think this is good advice, so I will try the pop-up.

Badass? haha I will be happy if it runs lol.

 

[XP_Slinger]

Yep I think this is good advice, so I will try the pop-up.

Badass? haha I will be happy if it runs lol.

Lol! I feel the same way about saws I grind on. But in all seriousness, with all the experience on here there ain’t no way your saw will be a turd. She’s gonna run nice, looking forward to hearing your saw rip.