Hello, I am a recently started small engines student and right when my courses started I began looking for any Atvs, Atcs, snowmobiles, go karts, basically anything with an engine. Well earlier today I was contacted by somebody selling two 200cc Honda Atvs extremely cheap.

Anyway, more to the point. The person that is going to sell them to me didn't give me much information aside from that they are 200cc, Honda, and have low compression. Now I am well aware of what low compression is however I am not sure what the best route to fix it is.

I am not completely in the dark by any means, through various experiences with automobiles I have come to know that low compression is caused by various things, wether it be a bad exhaust valve, bad head gasket, or the rings and cylinders themselves being messed up. I do have some experience fixing these problems in bigger vehicles but I would like a few words from the more educated side of the field as far as small engines goes.

To my knowledge if worst comes to worst and the rings and cylinders are bad I would end up having to redo much of the top end of the engine.

In any case I would be grateful for any input from anybody that has any ideas or knowledge on the matter, and I thank you for your time.

 

Very first thing I would do since these are "extremely cheap" was be sure he has clear titles on both machines.

 

First thing to check is the intake valve clearance. If it tightens up, the compression drops dramaticly.

 

make sure the cylinders aren't dry and take a compression test and then a simple engine overhaul would get them going. would be good practice beings they are cheap and that is what you are getting into. when you are done with an overhaul make sure to check fuel filter air filter and carb well clean it. if you are gonna have a new motor you best have everything else working like new.

 

YEP THIS IS THE FIRST THING I WOULD DO!!!!
DOUBLE CHECK REGISTRATION AND TITLE WITH THE STATE DOT!

I can not yell this any louder!