Infaltion and rebuilding a 2 stroke engine

[windtrader]

It's not really different than working on any vehicle that is decades out of production. Nearly all the parts out there for any vintage muscle car are going to be aftermarket, with the same issues regarding questionable quality on some parts.

Best thing I know to do is seek out a reputable parts supplier who as skin in the game and buy from them. This extra layer adds a middle man but it also adds someone that is looking at the parts and doing at least a preliminary investigation regarding quality before sending them out.

Buying aftermarket parts direct from unknown sellers online is a recipe for getting bad parts.

An example would be buying from someone like Luke. True, on occasion even he has had to deal with bad parts. But when that happens he stops sending them out and seeks out a better source, if one is available. He knows what we need and tries to screen out the junk before we ever see it.

Good points on the difference between OEM and aftermarket parts and those involved in the aftermarket supply chain.

[belfert]

Yes, beyond soft, non-existant. Covid has blown the top, middle and bottom ends out of the bus industry.

Nobody to buy those buses, no work. Many fleets gone, never to return.

A local shop here in Minneapolis that works pretty much only on coach buses was booked solid last summer.  I usually have them grease the bus and inspect everything, but I called six or eight weeks before my big trip in late September and they couldn't get me in.

The summer of 2020 I had no issue getting my bus into the shop.  The service advisor stated they had even worked on some motorhomes to stay busy.

[BusNit]

I've noticed that many businesses here are slowing down. My tile guy was always 8 months out. Now he is 2 weeks out. He did the bus shower and is now doing the LVP today. I went to Home Depot to order carpet for the bedroom thinking I would be doing it myself. I know that many places will not do any motorhome carpet. Not only did HD tell me for the $50 they'd send a guy to measure but they are sending him out tomorrow! Although this is great, it makes me nervous as to what's up the road in terms of this economy. Signs of slowing it seems.

[richard5933]

Economies are cyclical. The shop that works on my bus has been through periods of being extremely busy and quite slow during the past year and a half. They don't seem to be struggling overall, just having a wider swing.

Most businesses I've been frequenting recently are seeing a return towards normal, and restaurants are quite crowded.

I'm not sure that there is any need for panic.

[luvrbus]

You would think Wal-Mart, Sams Club and Costco with their buying power could keep the stores well stocked not the case in most of their stores now.What is in stock is costing 20% or more

[richard5933]

You would think Wal-Mart, Sams Club and Costco with their buying power could keep the stores well stocked not the case in most of their stores now.What is in stock is costing 20% or more

It would be a great time for companies to bring manufacturing back to the US. I've seen recent stories about production still being shut down in many areas of China as they go through their rolling lockdowns to deal with the spread of Covid. As they near the Olympics it looks like they'll lock down an entire city if one case is found. Combine that with the backup in shipping and it's not surprising to see things out of stock at the stores.

Doesn't much matter how big the buying power of Walmart is if they can't even get their inspectors and company reps into China to check on production.

Not saying it's the sole cause of the shortages we're seeing in stores, but it isn't helping. I'm not saying this as a direct dig against China either, as much as against the concept of outsourcing such a large chunk of production to one foreign country which we have little to no control over.

[luvrbus]

It's  stupid a nation like the US depending on other nations for our food supply,people. are hurting sad when you see the seniors on fixed income with a basket full of the cheap packages of noodle soup in the checkout

[chessie4905]

Ramen noodles and Cup of Soup is major staple for the students in this college town.I like them too, btw. Beats eating a tin of cat food.lol

[luvrbus]

I tried a cup of noodles once,the cup if you ate it would have more food  value I think

[chessie4905]

Cliff! You gotta add water first!🙄
Yeah. I like them. Linda won't touch them.

[richard5933]

As part of my winter boredom abatement plan for this year I learned how to make noodles from scratch. Nothing in them but flour, water, and maybe eggs. Not difficult to make. In the end, the taste was only marginally better.

Then I learned to make my own broth - and that made all the difference.

Boredom is a cruel taskmaster.

How long till the salt's off the roads and we can start traveling in the bus again??

[chessie4905]

I remember that. About 30 years ago, I made homemade noodles. Good bit of work. No rolling machine like they have now. They almost were the same as store bought. Never made them since.