Engine rebuild

Might want to check with Jbone motorworks. Never heard a bad thing about them.

I would find a shop and ask them if they use supplied parts or not. Some guys will only rebuild the motor with oem parts or approved brands. An engine builder risks reputation if they use wiseco cranks with namura pistons and the motor blows up.

I would be first concerned with who your going to have do the rebuild. If they are reputable then chances are they also wont be trying to hose you. If your comfortable with them its probably best to let them order parts since you never know what your going to find until you open up the motor ie; oversized piston etc and you may have ordered a stock piston and now you need to return it and the shop is now waiting on you for parts with a motor torn apart taking up space on their bench ....

walent215 wrote:

I would be first concerned with who your going to have do the rebuild. If they are reputable then chances are they also wont be trying to hose you. If your comfortable with them its probably best to let them order parts since you never know what your going to find until you open up the motor ie; oversized piston etc and you may have ordered a stock piston and now you need to return it and the shop is now waiting on you for parts with a motor torn apart taking up space on their bench ....

I just did the top end and so I know it’s everything is standard size. I wasn’t really wanting to just drop $450-$700 at a time on my engine so my thinking was just buying stuff a little at a time, a gasket kit and rod kit one week that way I could just have to pay for labor and possibly some porting.

Hit up YouTube for the 'how to' videos, Rocky Mountain for the tools, and do it yourself. It's really not that hard.
Once you've done one rebuild, you'll ask yourself, "why did I wait so long to do this?". Then you will only be out for porting the cylinder.

danman wrote:

Hit up YouTube for the 'how to' videos, Rocky Mountain for the tools, and do it yourself. It's really not that hard.
Once you've done one rebuild, you'll ask yourself, "why did I wait so long to do this?". Then you will only be out for porting the cylinder.

I have the confidence to do it but I feel like by the time I bought all the tools to do it and I would already have to send the crank out to get rebuilt it just wouldn’t be worth it.

danman wrote:

Hit up YouTube for the 'how to' videos, Rocky Mountain for the tools, and do it yourself. It's really not that hard.
Once you've done one rebuild, you'll ask yourself, "why did I wait so long to do this?". Then you will only be out for porting the cylinder.

zac_k3 wrote:

I have the confidence to do it but I feel like by the time I bought all the tools to do it and I would already have to send the crank out to get rebuilt it just wouldn’t be worth it.

The tools to do it is cheaper than paying a guy for labor to redo it - especially if you use tusk tools. I believe its like $1000 labor for a rebuild?? Ive always done my own so idk for sure but thats what ive heard. RM & harbor freight is your friend.

Just using the piston as an example but nonetheless, buying a piece at a time is a good idea if not wanting to drop a large chunk at once. Good luck !

danman wrote:

Hit up YouTube for the 'how to' videos, Rocky Mountain for the tools, and do it yourself. It's really not that hard.
Once you've done one rebuild, you'll ask yourself, "why did I wait so long to do this?". Then you will only be out for porting the cylinder.

zac_k3 wrote:

I have the confidence to do it but I feel like by the time I bought all the tools to do it and I would already have to send the crank out to get rebuilt it just wouldn’t be worth it.

kb228 wrote:

The tools to do it is cheaper than paying a guy for labor to redo it - especially if you use tusk tools. I believe its like $1000 labor for a rebuild?? Ive always done my own so idk for sure but thats what ive heard. RM & harbor freight is your friend.

I’ve been quoted $250-$450 at max for two stroke labor, I honestly don’t plan on keeping the bike for to much longer before getting a new 250 and I’m definitely not going to do a bottom end on it so honestly me buying the tools would be a waste.

danman wrote:

Hit up YouTube for the 'how to' videos, Rocky Mountain for the tools, and do it yourself. It's really not that hard.
Once you've done one rebuild, you'll ask yourself, "why did I wait so long to do this?". Then you will only be out for porting the cylinder.

This is the correct answer. You have an RM125, one of the easiest bikes ever to work on. Also, should you "mess it up", it will be relatively affordable to fix. Seriously, grab some tools, watch some videos, and do as much wrenching as you can by yourself.

Wanna save money? You aren't gonna save money by NOT buying tools, ever. LOL

gt80rider wrote:

This is the correct answer. You have an RM125, one of the easiest bikes ever to work on. Also, should you "mess it up", it will be relatively affordable to fix. Seriously, grab some tools, watch some videos, and do as much wrenching as you can by yourself.

Wanna save money? You aren't gonna save money by NOT buying tools, ever. LOL

I understand that they’re fairly easy to work on but I’m 17 and as much as I’d like to be able to build my own engines I’d just feel better knowing a professional did it. If I had someone looking over me and helping me I’d be out there right now pulling the engine but unfortunately I don’t.

danman wrote:

Hit up YouTube for the 'how to' videos, Rocky Mountain for the tools, and do it yourself. It's really not that hard.
Once you've done one rebuild, you'll ask yourself, "why did I wait so long to do this?". Then you will only be out for porting the cylinder.

gt80rider wrote:

This is the correct answer. You have an RM125, one of the easiest bikes ever to work on. Also, should you "mess it up", it will be relatively affordable to fix. Seriously, grab some tools, watch some videos, and do as much wrenching as you can by yourself.

Wanna save money? You aren't gonna save money by NOT buying tools, ever. LOL

zac_k3 wrote:

I understand that they’re fairly easy to work on but I’m 17 and as much as I’d like to be able to build my own engines I’d just feel better knowing a professional did it. If I had someone looking over me and helping me I’d be out there right now pulling the engine but unfortunately I don’t.

So to the original question... some builders don’t let you buy parts. You can save money by buying your own if they let you. Sometimes you don’t know everything you need until you open her up.

Invest in the tools to rebuild this one and continue building your own in the future.
You will save thousands later down the road.

danman wrote:

Hit up YouTube for the 'how to' videos, Rocky Mountain for the tools, and do it yourself. It's really not that hard.
Once you've done one rebuild, you'll ask yourself, "why did I wait so long to do this?". Then you will only be out for porting the cylinder.

gt80rider wrote:

This is the correct answer. You have an RM125, one of the easiest bikes ever to work on. Also, should you "mess it up", it will be relatively affordable to fix. Seriously, grab some tools, watch some videos, and do as much wrenching as you can by yourself.

Wanna save money? You aren't gonna save money by NOT buying tools, ever. LOL

zac_k3 wrote:

I understand that they’re fairly easy to work on but I’m 17 and as much as I’d like to be able to build my own engines I’d just feel better knowing a professional did it. If I had someone looking over me and helping me I’d be out there right now pulling the engine but unfortunately I don’t.

Buddy I'm 15 and I've done multiple top and bottom ends, they really arnt that hard. Just follow your service manual, that's what shops do anyway.

gt80rider wrote:

This is the correct answer. You have an RM125, one of the easiest bikes ever to work on. Also, should you "mess it up", it will be relatively affordable to fix. Seriously, grab some tools, watch some videos, and do as much wrenching as you can by yourself.

Wanna save money? You aren't gonna save money by NOT buying tools, ever. LOL

zac_k3 wrote:

I understand that they’re fairly easy to work on but I’m 17 and as much as I’d like to be able to build my own engines I’d just feel better knowing a professional did it. If I had someone looking over me and helping me I’d be out there right now pulling the engine but unfortunately I don’t.

Marty1028 wrote:

Buddy I'm 15 and I've done multiple top and bottom ends, they really arnt that hard. Just follow your service manual, that's what shops do anyway.

zac_k3 wrote:

I understand that they’re fairly easy to work on but I’m 17 and as much as I’d like to be able to build my own engines I’d just feel better knowing a professional did it. If I had someone looking over me and helping me I’d be out there right now pulling the engine but unfortunately I don’t.

Marty1028 wrote:

Buddy I'm 15 and I've done multiple top and bottom ends, they really arnt that hard. Just follow your service manual, that's what shops do anyway.

slipdog wrote:

LOL amazing

zac_k3 wrote:

I understand that they’re fairly easy to work on but I’m 17 and as much as I’d like to be able to build my own engines I’d just feel better knowing a professional did it. If I had someone looking over me and helping me I’d be out there right now pulling the engine but unfortunately I don’t.

Marty1028 wrote:

Buddy I'm 15 and I've done multiple top and bottom ends, they really arnt that hard. Just follow your service manual, that's what shops do anyway.

slipdog wrote:

Canadians...smh

Marty1028 wrote:

Buddy I'm 15 and I've done multiple top and bottom ends, they really arnt that hard. Just follow your service manual, that's what shops do anyway.

I love when an engine gets carried into the shop in a box by someone who said it's not that hard.lol If you don't feel comfortable doing the job, don't do it. You'll be paying a shop for the second go round. 30% of our business is from customers trying to do it in their garage, using junk chinese parts or going to another shop because they quoted them $50 cheaper. Pay a reputable shop to fix it right and you'll be happier in the long run.

zac_k3 wrote:

I have the confidence to do it but I feel like by the time I bought all the tools to do it and I would already have to send the crank out to get rebuilt it just wouldn’t be worth it.

kb228 wrote:

The tools to do it is cheaper than paying a guy for labor to redo it - especially if you use tusk tools. I believe its like $1000 labor for a rebuild?? Ive always done my own so idk for sure but thats what ive heard. RM & harbor freight is your friend.

zac_k3 wrote:

I’ve been quoted $250-$450 at max for two stroke labor, I honestly don’t plan on keeping the bike for to much longer before getting a new 250 and I’m definitely not going to do a bottom end on it so honestly me buying the tools would be a waste.

zac,
I'd verify if that $250-$450 quote is for labor only, or if it's parts and labor. If it's labor only, you will be in the $1000 neighborhood when you are done.
Assuming you have a torque wrench, the only tools you absolutely need would be
1) flywheel puller - Which you can get creative and make you own as well.
2) blind side bearing puller - you can 'borrow' these from Autozone, Orielly's, etc
3) case separator(I think that's what it's called). Tusk brand works great and not crazy expensive
4) bearing/seal driver - you can 'borrow' these from Autozone, Orielly's, etc
Those are the only tools I can think of right now, so it's really only 1 or two tools that you'd have to buy right away. The other two you can just borrow from the auto parts stores until you have the $ to buy them.

walent215 wrote:

I would be first concerned with who your going to have do the rebuild. If they are reputable then chances are they also wont be trying to hose you. If your comfortable with them its probably best to let them order parts since you never know what your going to find until you open up the motor ie; oversized piston etc and you may have ordered a stock piston and now you need to return it and the shop is now waiting on you for parts with a motor torn apart taking up space on their bench ....

This.

slipdog wrote:

^^^That's what I'm talking a'boot!

Well I went to the garage and blacked out for 45 mins and now I have a motor sitting on the work bench. I’m just simply not confident in myself doing the work with no real help. Like Triplex said, “I love when an engine gets carried into the shop in a box.” I don’t wanna tear into the engine thinking I can do it and then have to take it to the local shop that i didn’t want touching it in the first place because I go talked into on the internet. I respect everyone’s opinion and thanks for the input on that.

http://www.litzracing.com Is in Tennessee and been doing MXers for years.

Barrs Competition is in western NC and been doing MX bikes since the 1970’s.

zac_k3 wrote:

I understand that they’re fairly easy to work on but I’m 17 and as much as I’d like to be able to build my own engines I’d just feel better knowing a professional did it. If I had someone looking over me and helping me I’d be out there right now pulling the engine but unfortunately I don’t.

Wanna be a man? Go for it! It's the American way to work on engines! Crack that thing open, it is the Best way to learn. Better, still, everything you learn, you can transfer to many, Many other things in everyday life (read- the kind of stuff that will make your wife happy 20 years from now).

Your response shows you are simply scared, which is a NORMAL part of life (scared is changing out a shift fork in a CCM). However, you are wayyyy more of a man cracking that engine open and fucking it all up (which you won't do, you sound plenty smart), than if you load it up and drop it off somewhere. Seriously, I know you love to ride and don't want that bike down any longer than it has to be, but you have No Idea how much pride you will have in Yourself if you fix it. Also, the guys here, including me, are all telling you that it is not too hard, we are Not kidding. If it was a task that was crazy hard, we would tell you so. You can do it, why not go for it? Invite some friends over and have a blast!

No matter how it turns out, the adventure will be worth it for the story alone. "Remember the time we seized up that old Suzuki after some asshat on Vital told me I could rebuild my engine??!!!". LOL. Have fun with it, instead of stressing.

triplex wrote:

I love when an engine gets carried into the shop in a box by someone who said it's not that hard.lol If you don't feel comfortable doing the job, don't do it. You'll be paying a shop for the second go round. 30% of our business is from customers trying to do it in their garage, using junk chinese parts or going to another shop because they quoted them $50 cheaper. Pay a reputable shop to fix it right and you'll be happier in the long run.

Have you been checked for low "T" lately? Might wanna have your numbers looked at, just say'n...

Honestly the only part that I’m worried about doing is the clutch side with all the gears, if it wasnt for all that I’d have this puppy opened and done in a few days. I also don’t have a service model for the bike so I’d have to either find one and buy it or use my little phone screen the entire time.

I have rebuilt 3 of these engines in the last year. They are a piece of cake, so just go for it. I am very happy to talk you through it and help you remotely if you get stuck. The detailed manual explains how to do everything, the Suzuki RM125 one is really good. I have one in pdf form fpr a K7 (basically covers 2004-2008), but I think it's too large to email. I could try compressing it or whatever.

Make sure you have a blowtorch as the primary gear might be loaded with loctite, and the Tusk case splitter is a very useful tool. A flywheel puller is a must, as is a torque wrench for the cylinder head bolts. A rubber mallet for gentle coaxing, and a breaker bar are nice to have's. These motors are so easy to work on, and used parts are plentiful on eBay. I had that many spares left over I ended up building an entire motor out of leftovers..

Some pictures to give you confidence (different engines):