Stymied With Stuck Stinger

[Sheldon Potter]

Howdy – I’m getting the Rotax Max ready for summer play and am trying to get the exhaust packing out to replace w/ new, but the stinking stinger seems to be stuck and I’m stymied. Sh**.

I drilled out the rivets (a bloody brilliant design by Rotax for securing this highly consumable set of exhaust system components if I may say so), there are no visible burrs or deformations around the rivet holes, I can get the thing to rotate inside the pipe to some extent and have gotten it so it will move up and down within the pipe about a 1/2 inch, but the damn thing won’t come out.

It stops when the stinger cap rim is flush with the end of the tailpipe. It feels like metal may be hanging up on metal somewhere. No obvious deformations of stinger cap or pipe end.

I’ve got about 15 hours on it; I know, everyone says replace at around 10…

I’ve been pulling on it with everything I have with a hook, but no joy. I don’t have anything (yet) in my toolbox to reach beyond about the first couple inches into the pipe. I’ve read that sometimes the *other end deforms somehow??

I’ve heard you gotta be smarter than the stinger, so, for those of you who are, what can you suggest?

Thanks in advance – Sheldon Potter

[cgordon]

Sheldon,

I’ve had this problem. I used external snap ring pliers to pull the baffle out as far as possible. It usually stops with about 1/8″ of the baffle sticking out of the pipe. Then take a pair of vice grips and latch them onto the exposed edge of the baffle. You can then use a hammer or mallet to tap on the vice grips, which will pull the baffle out. Spray some lubricant on the end of the pipe and baffle before you try this.

Charles

[cgordon]

BTW, I usually found that 10 hours between replacements was too long. I usually replaced at about 7 hours because that’s when I would start to find evidence of the baffle being scorched.

Charles

[Jon Romenesko]

Old packing makes things difficult, seems like it’s more stubborn when it has a lot of hours. Also, you might have the old style stinger (Rotax updated it) that tends to break at the furthest end. I’ve been through several, so I feel your pain. Once I upgraded to the new style (read: better built) stinger I haven’t had problems. Unfortunately your best bet is to just pull on it until it comes out. That old packing might be stuck to the walls of the pipe, so you might need something long you can stick down In there and hook on to the packing.

Tip: Stick a sticker at the end of the pipe closest to the U-bend. When the sticker starts to discolor, it’s time to change the packing.

[Doug Welch]

Sheldon

I have a slide hammer that works great on knocking them out. Bring the pipe by the shop, only take a minute.

[Greg Welch]

Slide hammer is the only way to go. It always works on the first try and there is no headache involved.

[Sheldon Potter]

Thanks to all for your responses, and a special tip of the Hatlo-Hat to the Shockwave bunch for your Rotax exhaust system proctology services. Did the trick as predicted, and, also as predicted, no headache afterwards.

I know I can always count on you guys for friendly help with my Shockwave machine, along with the occasional juicy doggy greetings from your two furry assistants as well.

Sheldon

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