Havent really had the Pilot out this year and a couple of months back I dug it out for a short spin with some 8 or 9 month old gas in the tank and it really ran bad. I rode it maybe 10-15 minutes and took home and did a compression test and it was down from the normal 138 to 131. I let it sit until today and drained the gas, put in a couple gallons of fresh gas and rode it again about 15 minutes & it seems to run great. I brought it home and rechecked the compression and it was still right about 131. I know it likely needs ringed at the very least & I guess I was just hoping for a miracle and it would be back up to the normal compression but no so lucky . lol..

When I pulled the plug it was pretty caked up with soot or ?? like a dummy I scrapped most of it off before my pics but hopefully you guys can still see it. So I pulled the exhaust expecting to see a scared up cylinder or piston but it looks really good from the little I can see through the exhaust port. I know I really need to pull the top end and inspect everything, but I guess I was just expecting to see some damage through the exhaust port and I don't see anything? The pipe had some build up right in the neck where it attaches to the cylinder but it doesnt look like piston material?? Is it possible to burn the piston top and nothing on the sides?

Do you guys see anything that stands out from these lousy pics?

Is your Engine stock, no porting stock head?

I would go through the top end if it was mine, you can pull the cylinder and leave the head on to check the rings and piston and if they are ok reinstall the cylinder and it will only cost you a cylinder gasket, just make sure you put the rings back into the same groove, top in top groove bottom in bottom groove and make sure the side that was facing up is still facing up, these 2 strokes unlike 4 strokes have the locator pins so the rings end up back in the cylinder where they were before you took it apart, if your using the same rings you don't even have to hone the cylinder.

A top end gasket kit is not all that much, looking at the plug and exhaust tunnel you will probably want to DE-carbonize anyways.

At your elevation I would run a modified head if your not already set to 49cc you could probably easily get away with a 47cc dome too, for sure the 49cc dome would be good all the way to sea level the 47cc you would need to keep a ear our for detonation, the 49cc might need a jetting change at lower elevations on a dry day.

As you know the Honda manual says to tear down the top end every 30 hrs and inspect, we know that is ultra conservative but probably would not be a bad idea at 60 hrs, myself I never worried about the hours I just ran it hard as I wanted all season long then took it apart for inspection at the end of each season and replaced the piston and rings regardless of their condition, yeah I have a bunch of used pistons I can reuse in the future if need be You can bet the first time I get a cylinder sleeved the finish bore will be sized to accept the smallest of my used pistons..

Thank you sir, yes stock head no porting.

I never thought about leaving the head on and pulling the cylinder that way, great idea! I was a little worried about finding a head gasket as I haven't seen any Veserah kits lately just the athena & cometic sets. I think I will put the pipe back on and run it down to the carwash and clean it up and pull it apart.
Thank you again.

I do not see anything out of the ordinary other then the soot on the plug, probably from sitting, was the exhaust plugged that whole time rarerat? You live in a area where humidity is very low correct?

Thank you sir, the exhaust system was on it the whole time but open at the silencer. I store it in a garage and we are in a very low humidity area, should I be plugging the silencers if I store them in a garage? I know I just need to pull it apart and do the top end but sinse I am still just guessing here, ;-) could it have detonated when I rode it with the old gas and started to eat just the top of the piston? I plan too follow Hoser's advice and pull the top end here in the next couple of days.
Thank you again,
Nick

Scott have a borescope you can run into the exhaust port and look at the top of the piston to see if it was deto?

I doubt low octane caused the problem with your elevation and stock compression but anything is possible.

Thank you sir, yes he does and was kind enough to offer it to me. I guess either way it needs to come apart so probably not worth the drive to go get & return it. I ordered one of Speedchasers base gaskets on feebay last night so I want to do as you suggested and just pull it off with the head still on it.

I have always plugged me exhausts when stored, but I do live in a completely different climate here in NJ. I was always told that you should plug them to deter any to all moisture from accumulating in them.