Bad News and Good News on 72 Resto

rtaylor522 · Posted: August 4, 2009, 9:01 am Post subject: Bad News and Good News on 72 Resto

So I got the call from the machine shop today and he said my engine was in good shape (no need for oversize pistons etc.) no internal damage other than just basic wear and tear. He has already re-seated my valves and gave me a parts list (valve stem seals, rings, cam-chain master link, cam chain guide, top end gasket set) and maybee a few things I can't remember here. Thats the good news!

The bad news:
How much is too much for a top end overhaul? he figured he would be at about 6 hours of labor and $300 for labor (total) + parts. He said this would include re-timing the engine so all i have to do is hook up the carbs and fuel and fire it up. Does this sound reasonable? I guess I had hoped it would be a little less but whatever, I only paid 250 for the bike 4 years ago and rode it for 2 before I let it sit. I would have done the top end on my own, but it was purely a matter of time available, so while he was working on the engine, i've been doing the carbs.

Any ideas where I can get a set of rings for a 1972 engine, mikesxs only has them for 74 and later. also his website says the master links he sells for the new chains may not fit the old chain, but the guy said the chain looked fine, just needed a new master link. Also would it be cheaper to buy a whole gasket set, or what exact gaskets will I need to get him for the top end overhaul?

thanks for any help you can give me with this long winded post!

rtaylor522

Well I just put together a parts list (top end overhaul + carbs + road worthiness items) and I figure the whole re-build is going to cost me about 850-1000 bucks....think I should bag this project or keep trucking?

jayel

$300 sounds fair for labor, get the complete gasket set cheaper in the long run, you may need some of the lower end gaskets later, (clutch pushrod, gearshaft, sprocket, ect.) since you have the top end down I'd replace the camchain guides and the cam chain even if it does look ok, might save having to go back in later, piston rings, careful here your 72 is a 306 model code...
www.cmsnl.com/yamaha-x.../B-01.html

now you know why most of us do our own work $$$

rtaylor522

Yeah I looked into the rings already I guess i need the 256 rings instead of the 447 rings...found them for 50/side on 650central.com. I think I'm going to go ahead with the cam chain replacement while the guy is in there. the more I think about it, 1000 bucks spent is not too bad really. Only about 450 bucks of this is going toward the top end overhaul. The rest is all parts that I will be replacing/working on myself. I really just did'nt have the space/time/tools to be re-doing the top end on my own. Plus I did'nt have any of the tools to measure if the pistons/jugs/camshaft/valves/etc. were in proper order. It is a fairly stock XS2 also, and my cousin does autobody...he will be re-painting to original match, I would'nt be suprised if I could get 1000 bucks out of it if I sold it.

pumps

To me that cost sounds reasonable. I can't help you on the rings though.

tacoswild

You should be able to get more than $1000 for a 72 in good condition but it depends on what's original and where you live.

XSiveAl

Cost me 285.00 labour to have guides installed and new valves seated by the local machinist. The way the bike runs now.. I would have paid twice that much!!

-XsiveAl

rtaylor522

That is good to hear...I'm pretty pumped, talked to the guy I'm working with today and told him we were going to continue with the project so look out for parts coming his way. He said the engine looks like new so that should be pretty sweet considering the shape it was in. Off to mikes and 650central to get some parts.
-Rob

rtaylor522

Well 250 Bucks worth of parts ordered today...Piston rings (jeez those 256 rings for XS2's are expensive), gasket set, cam chain, cam front guide bar, petcock rebuild kit. I figure I have about 50 bucks worth of parts to buy for carbs, then the rest should be alot of cosmetic stuff. Another question:

It seems to me that the Front brake lever is very stiff, although it does apply pressure and stop the wheel. Just feels much stiffer than last time I rode the bike. Also it seems that the Rear Brake pedal depresses much further than it used to. How hard is it to take apart the back tire and look inside?

I also noticed when I apply the front brake, the disc stops, but it seems like the wheel will still rock back and forth a small amount is the bearing bad?

And as for the brake questions does that mean it's time for a front brake master cylinder overhaul or something?

pumps

If the front brake is original it surely couldn't hurt to rebuild it or at the least flush out the old fluid..unless it is a drum? What does a 72 have? Seems like that was the first year disc front? I just got some stainless braided upper and lower brake lines from mike I'm going to install. I'm sure my old rubber ones swell and give when brake is applied. Remember those brakes may save your life. Wheel bearings are not that expensive either. We have old bikes remember? I'd take it apart and look at a parts diagram to make sure all your parts are there just in case a PO has left something out. Taking off the rear wheel is not terribly complicated. Might be a good idea to get a look at the shoes anyway. Read up on it in the manual. I was able to get mine off just by putting it up on the center stand.

rtaylor522

Thanks for the pictures pumps. Yeah It's tough to visualize everything right now b/c the bike is up at the bro-in laws house and he does'nt exactly have good internet up there, so I try and ask all my questions before I drive 2 hours to work on the bike...Bad habit because it sometimes leads to redundant and silly questions. I appreciate the help though because it sure helps when I get up there and start working.

The disk on the front looks good, so it's my guess that I have a messed up wheel bearing...should be no problem to get and replace. Also when I was ordering the piston rings yesterday I talked to the fellow that owns 650central.com and he suggested I may have a stuck puck on the disc brake also.

I'll post back when I figure it all out. For now I'm just pumped that the parts are on their way to the machine shop.

xsleo

I think on the very early disc brakes the rotor isn't mounted solid to the hub. It has a floating mount of some sort. So you will get a bit of play.

JeffM

Leo is correct, the disc is not solidly mounted, mine rotates back and forth a bit as well, they are mounted in the center only;

biker.net/70-73_650_pa...0main.html

I cannot find it now, but there is a thread here somewhere that mentions part #36 in the link above. Apparently the spacer was made out of nylon/plastic and would disintegrate over time.

Does your wheel spin freely when the front wheel is lifted off the ground?

rtaylor522

I'm trying to think the last time i lifted it up. I think the front wheel spins freely unless the brake is applied but now that you bring it up who knows...bike is still up in VA at bro-inlaws. On a different note, the machine shop called and said he has all the parts and that he'll start reconstruction soon. Said the top end looks kick ass after the cleaning so I'm pretty pumped to see it. Bottom will need some serious work since he said he did'nt want to steam it without doing a bottom end re-build...probably makes sense...would make alot of gaskets and gunk loose up that I probably don't want to. I guess I'll have to put my back into it a little and start polishing

pumps

rtaylor522 wrote:

redundant and silly questions.

I ask them a lot because I forget a lot....uh what were we talking about again?

rtaylor522

Can't remember.......
But I'll try and post some pics of the engine when I get it back...it better look good dangit or i'll be dissapointed

What Happened to 650rider.com?

Yamaha xs650