chery 800cc FI quit, I need advice

Posts: 18 · Rookie Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 18 Pictures: 0

I was doing laps on my kids gokart track yesterday when I noticed a large smoke trail that must be coming from my buggy. It could not have been smoking no more than 10 seconds when I noticed it. I quickly looked at guages to see if the vitals were ok and everything looked normal. I came to stop to get out and look at motor and it died on its own. It will turn over but will not start. Smoke is white. When I crank it over it exhaust a white smoke from the pvc canister. It did this even today. It leads me to believe its blow by. I pulled all plugs and checked for fire at each cylinder. Even with plugs pulled i get a large amount of smoke from Pvc canister. If i had a bad ring or hole in piston I didnt really expect to get that amount of smoke from canister with plugs out. With the plugs being so far recessed in the head I am unable to do a compression test with my tester.

Any other Ideas what is wrong???

Also does anybody know where the plug is to hook up ecu reader to get the trouble codes? Is it OBD2??

Thanks,
volt2amp

Posts: 36

I have a buggy in my shop with the same problem. If you are getting that much smoke from the blow by vent and the plug hole, you have more than likely broke a piston. I am having trouble getting 800cc EFI pistons, They are different from the carb model. You should get a comp gauge that will work to prove my theory.

Posts: 313

Your piston most likely looks like one of these pictured below, I have replaced 6-8 just like them with new oem or good JE pistons.
The JE's are a little expencive but you wont ever have piston problems again and they have a thicker comp ring with no valve reliefs.

Southern Thunder Racing Tell me how are the efi and carb pistons differant? I went out in my shop to compare them and didnt see anything. I have noticed the newer ( late 07and 08 ) engines seem to have a much better piston than the earlier ones. They look to be better material.

The bottom piston actually didnt show any compression loss, the rings stayed seated untill the engine was started and then the large white clowd would fill the shop.

Later W.C.

Posts: 36

I have a car in the race shop with two of the pistons the same as the top pic. I have found on several carb pistons to have a deeper dish to the top then the newer EFI pistons, about .080" I will get some pics of them with a scale to show difference

Posts: 313

Here are some photos of the new custom made JE's,
If you want some let me know.
There is a two to three week wait, they are not a standard piece. They make them for us only.

As you can see they are made correctly with more ring land thickness and top ring grove to piston top was incresed by 1/8th of an inch to add strength for us turbo guys.
The skirt was shortened for less friction and better cooling.
Oil ring has holes not a slot like stock, much stronger.

No valve cut outs , they have plenty of clearance even running my .375 lift cam.

They will also work in a stock engine with no mod's needed.

Later W.C.

Posts: 18 · Rookie Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 18 Pictures: 0

my motor is efi model, and I think the manufacture date on motor is 04/07. Buggy has 188 miles on it.

do yall find more damaged when you tear into the motor? Is it likely to have block, head or valvetrain damage caused by the piston failure?

If piston is only thing that I have to replace I will do it. If it has alot more damage I would rather junk the motor and fab the buggy for a Honda v-tec or GM ecotec.

I guess I will find out soon enough. I plan on tearing down the motor tomorrow.

WC can you post or PM some prices on the JE pistons.

Thanks,
volt2amp

Posts: 313

I have never seen any valve or cylinder damage from piston failure on these , they usually smoke enough that you shut them down pretty quickly.

Will do on prices.

Later W.C.

Posts: 273

Holy crap! 188 miles. I thought those Chery engines were supposed to be bullet proof. I wonder if it was running to lean?
Good luck on the fix.

jojano

Posts: 18 · Rookie Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 18 Pictures: 0

I dont think it was lean. Color of plugs is between a perfect brown and a little black. Plus the characteristics of motor did not feel lean when driving.

I got the motor and trans out of the buggy today. I am going engine shopping tomorrow. I am hoping to come up with a good alternative for pushing my buggy around.

Posts: 313

If you meen your going to do a swap with another power plant let me know what you want for your broken engine.

Later WiC.