by pumpguy » Mon Sep 18, 2023 8:00 pm
Did some checking and the source I found confirmed the Topper is a reed valve engine. The comments I made earlier about inlet port duration would only apply to a piston controlled inlet port type engine and wouldn't apply to a reed valve engine.
From the looks of the Topper engine, I expect this is a case reed type engine. If true, the condition of the cylinder's ports shouldn't have any bearing on the inlet gas flow.
On the other hand, the condition of the reeds and the reed seating surface are really quite important. I would suggest you inspect the reeds and seats to be sure they hold gas against the pressurized crank case.
Might also be a good idea to look into pressure testing 2 stroke engines. There's quite a bit of information on this to be found online. Setting up the hardware to do this test isn't all that difficult; just some hardware store items, a low pressure pressure gauge, and a squeeze bulb from a blood pressure cuff should fill the bill.