Engine Rebuild Advice?

Harry Backmon 3/11/2014 4:46am
3/11/2014 4:46am
mrquick wrote:
I love my enginecycle...I ride it every weekend at enginesports park.
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AP_151
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AP_151 3/11/2014 6:46am
3/11/2014 6:46am
BobbyM wrote:
Have you ever rebuilt or fixed anything before?
Engine/motor wise no.
AP_151
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AP_151 3/11/2014 6:49am
3/11/2014 6:49am
Radical wrote:
Motor/engine, whatever. There's a lot of good advice on here. If you're going to tackle it, leave the bottom end alone unless you suspect there are...
Motor/engine, whatever.

There's a lot of good advice on here.
If you're going to tackle it, leave the bottom end alone unless you suspect there are problems. Splitting the cases and dealing with every single part is too ambitious for your first rebuild. Besides, the bike's not very old, so unless you suspect damage, let it be.

Once the top end is disassembled check for vertical play in the connecting rod. If you can move it side to side a small amount, fine. Without the crank turning, if you can lift it up and down, or it doesn't turn completely smoothly, then you need bottom end work. Decide at that time whether you're up to doing it yourself.

As you reassemble, pay attention to aligning the timing chain correctly. Being one tooth off and your bike will barely run. Just follow the directions to a tee, and you'll be OK.

After you remove the valve cover, and before you remove the camshafts, measure the valve clearance of each valve. If you need shims, this will save you from having to remove the camshafts twice. Just order the correct shims before you reassemble the engine.

There isn't much to the head, but I agree. It must be done right. You won't have the tools to rebuild the head, so if it needs it, take it to a reputable shop.

You'll need a metric socket set with the smaller sizes taking a 1/4" ratchet.

You'll need 2 torque wrenches, one in in-lbs, and another in ft-lbs or the metric equivalent. There are also some nuts that you won't be able to get to without a torque wrench converter or a Crowfoot wrench set.

The following are decent tools, not top of the line, but good quality at a decent price.

To check the valve clearance, you'll need feeler gauges in .001" increments.

1/4" Torque wrench 20-200 Inch/Pounds for the light stuff.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C5ZL2EG/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?…

Crowfoot Wrench Set
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NPR2BC/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?…

Those were some tips for doing the work itself.

My best advice though is to study how engines work in as much detail as you can, down to the purpose of each and every part. Then read the entire service manual from cover to cover and try to understand as much as you possibly can about the entire bike. It seems unrelated, but it's not. The more you learn about how mechanical things work and of course especially the engine, the easier and smoother the job will go.

That's it for now.

Good Luck!
Great advice. Thanks for taking the time to type all that out.
hillbilly
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hillbilly 3/11/2014 9:04am
3/11/2014 9:04am
Exturnal combustion motor

Internal combustion motor,

Just dont sound rite.

External combustion engine,is a steam engine,not a steam motor.

Hey,its just a thing with me,

For the dildo commit,go ahead,tear that motor down bro

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erikcrvjl
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erikcrvjl 3/11/2014 10:40am
3/11/2014 10:40am
Personally, I would say if you've at least shimmed valves before, and replaced a clutch then you're ready to tackle the top end. The problem with doing it yourself if you don't have much experience is that you may be in a little over your head and accidentally cut some corners or put things back together incorrectly. Your motor is the most expensive part of your bike so be very careful doing any kind of work to it.
TbonesPop
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TbonesPop 3/11/2014 1:09pm
3/11/2014 1:09pm
MXD wrote:
To do it right you'll need to (or probably want to depending on the condition and hours on the bike) cut new valve seats, install new...
To do it right you'll need to (or probably want to depending on the condition and hours on the bike) cut new valve seats, install new valves, split the cases and do a crank and a ton of other small stuff in between. First off, it will cost you the same money to buy all the tools you'll need as it will to get the job done by someone else. Second, if you're going to tackle it yourself, having someone help you out is a potential disaster. What you'd really need is someone to do it for you and teach you along the way. There is a big difference between the two. If you've never done it before I would say you're probably in over your head. There is more to it than replacing parts. You need to be able to spot things that aren't right as well. Good luck.
THIS^^ is spot on in my opinion. I'm very mechanically inclined, have an engineering (motoreering to some) degree and have been working on bikes since I was 12. So I have the aptitude and grey matter upstairs if you know what I mean to figure a lot of technical stuff out. i found out what MXD posted the hard way in terms of $$. Plus, there are many nuances and details to working on the newer bikes that really require some training or expert oversight at least the first time you do a job as you are describing. Just having a good manual and some Youtube videos can get you in a lot of trouble or it could get the job done - it depends on the work being done. Sometimes the job is easy sometimes, it can get pretty hairy. I've found that if you have to buy the tools to do the job, you could have paid someone to do it for you right with a lot less headaches and probably spend the same amount of money. When it comes to the details of the job, something as simple as not putting your camchain tensioner back together correctly can cause a lot of damage. Details like that comes from training and experience, not a manual. I think by the time you spend the money to get all the tools needed to do the job correctly, you could pay someone to do it for you and not worry about it being done right. The absolute best scenario is taking to someone you know who is a trained professional (or was professionally trained), has all the tools, and they walk you through everything the first time (or even the second time). The job you're trying to do really isn't that bad, but the details are extremely important to get it done right. Just my $0.02
Electro
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Electro 3/11/2014 1:18pm
3/11/2014 1:18pm
hillbilly wrote:
Call it a engine instead of a motor and i may help.

If you have never done any I'd say your fucking up bad
BobbyM wrote:
Wrong Billy hill. Better not work on any outboard motors ...work for Honda motor company or a hundred other entities.
I know I can't wait ta, watch some enginesports this weekend .Specifically AMA Enginecross
KMC440
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KMC440 3/11/2014 3:19pm
3/11/2014 3:19pm
Get all the parts you need (within reason) ahead of time. The last thing you want is to pull it all apart, take inventory, order the parts, wait a week then find out a couple are on back order. You eventually get back to the motor 4 weeks after you did the initial tear down. You'll look at everything and yell AHHHHH FFFFHHHHUUUUUU.... you get the idea.

Large clean bench with plenty of shop towels on it. Please clean the hell out of the motor before you start too.
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hillbilly 3/11/2014 3:30pm
3/11/2014 3:30pm
hillbilly wrote:
Call it a engine instead of a motor and i may help.

If you have never done any I'd say your fucking up bad
BobbyM wrote:
Wrong Billy hill. Better not work on any outboard motors ...work for Honda motor company or a hundred other entities.
Electro wrote:
I know I can't wait ta, watch some enginesports this weekend .Specifically AMA Enginecross
TDumass,its moto,not motorcross,geez

There was motor oil long before there was engines,it was lube to oil axels and water wheels,

Had a mill up creek from me that had a turbine,it turned metal laves,motive oil cans in it,hence ,motor oil.

Seems to bother you all each time i post about it,funny.
Electro
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Electro 3/11/2014 3:50pm
3/11/2014 3:50pm
BobbyM wrote:
Wrong Billy hill. Better not work on any outboard motors ...work for Honda motor company or a hundred other entities.
Electro wrote:
I know I can't wait ta, watch some enginesports this weekend .Specifically AMA Enginecross
hillbilly wrote:
TDumass,its moto,not motorcross,geez There was motor oil long before there was engines,it was lube to oil axels and water wheels, Had a mill up creek from...
TDumass,its moto,not motorcross,geez

There was motor oil long before there was engines,it was lube to oil axels and water wheels,

Had a mill up creek from me that had a turbine,it turned metal laves,motive oil cans in it,hence ,motor oil.

Seems to bother you all each time i post about it,funny.
I actually don't disagree , I'm an electrician so I am usually the smart ass and points it out ta people. All that being said, I just can't wait till the snow melts and I can get my enginecycle out and ride.
mx5471
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mx5471 3/11/2014 6:17pm
3/11/2014 6:17pm
Forget the motor/engine stuff. Who cares? You don't say why you need a complete rebuild. If you have never worked on a 4 stroke motor before, this is not the job for you. It takes experience in using tools, and understanding how things work together, which many on here have learned over time from working on many things, including their bikes. But bikes were much simpler then. If it was a 2 stroke, I'd say go for it. You could pay a dealer to split the cases, and even install the crank, and put the cases back together if you had to. You could put the cases together back easily yourself with no tools and help from here. But a 4 stroke is much different, and more difficult. The lower end is pretty much the same, (some differences, depending make and model) , but the big difference is the head and valves. A mistake there leads to disaster very quickly. It's only a couple of years old, maybe the head and/or valves are in good shape, but if not, you can't do that work yourself. You could bring in the head and they can do the head work and new valves, but it's expensive. Then you have to put it together properly, and get the timing right. This is not something you can do with no experience without help from a knowledgeable person. There is no way you are doing this without help from some one who has done it.
hillbilly
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hillbilly 3/11/2014 6:34pm
3/11/2014 6:34pm
You could prolly find someone on thumper talk to box it up and send it to,

I could but dont want the responsibility anymore

Vital is full of salty ole bastards.asking us is like walking into your local waterhole and saying" reckon i could rebuild my blowed MOTOR ???"to a hodge podge of phycos ,drunks,and drunk phycos
jstein639
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jstein639 3/11/2014 6:38pm
3/11/2014 6:38pm
AP. if you've never done motor work you can do the top end by yourself. I highly recommend not getting into the bottom end at all without proper help and tools. Also remember to check the valves after you reassemble the head and make sure you put the shims and buckets in the right holes.

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