The XL600 thread

[m2h]

Originally Posted by Stretchah

Cheers Guys, that makes sense at least then I know it's all 100%, definitely don't want to have to pull it apart again any time soon :)

Hi Stretchah, Well i finally got back to my bike had very similar symptoms to yours. Pulled the motor out and took the head off with great trepidation! Turned it over and cleaned it up NO BROKEN SEATSYah Heavy carbon on the inlets but exhausts looked a good colour. So WTF!! Pulled the ex. valves and the seats were ok but the vlv faces had small erosion marks all round. One inlet had similar marks but very minor and the back of the valve had some build up of greycrust. The other inlet was not too bad you coulse were it had actully been seating. My conclusion is that the valve clearances have been too tight on these valves and have been getting blow by on the firing stroke. I am hoping a valve grind will fix the problem. Anyone else have a theory? Need to measure the bore and piston next. There is some scoring on the forward wall that you can feel but the rest still shows hone marks. will need to borrow some micrometers etc. hopefully maybe another hone and ringswill fix it all!!
Just as an interest thing my Honda dealer quoted me as follows for parts ex Japan:
Head gasket $NZ 64.00 100mm Head Stud bolt $14.60 Piston $178.54 Rings $133.89 Wrist pin $47.75
How does that compare to the States?
NZ exchange rate is around $0.80 US cents for our dollar at the moment.
Hope you got your bike sorted out and your back on the road again!!
M2h

[brucifer]

Originally Posted by Zombie_Stomp

Very good advice on the other reply. I would just like to add that, yes, the shaft seals may become leaky, and so you might want to get all the shaft seals and replace. All except the decompressor shaft on the head cover can be done without taking any engine cases off. You just have to gently pry the seals out being careful not to scratch the shafts themselves. The shifter shaft leaks sometimes too. Then there is the kickstarter shaft. If you need to replace a leaking decompressor shaft, it requires removing the engine because the XL600 can't have the head cover removed while the engine is still in the frame, unfortunately. If only they had made that a splined shaft with an attaching lever, then we could be leak free very easily. +1 on the ricky stator. Great product, great warranty.

Joel, you forgot one--the clutch arm shaft. Have to pull the cover to do that one.

[davek181]

Originally Posted by Dracus124

my head lights went out as soon as I got off the marine base after work

The light started to dim as revs increased and then it just cut out. I tried to switch to the hi-beams but nothing except the blue light came one.

wtf guys? I had a head light problem before, I cleaned all the contacts and changed all the connectors. It worked after I did that for like a week and then this happens

I would guess that your headlight ground went away. Mine did that once and I just ran an additional solid ground to the frame and all is well.

According to the wiring diagram the headlight high beam indicator is on the same circuit as the headlight and powered by the high beam switch. If it works, you are getting switched power to the headlight circuit. Also take a look at the junction box where all the connectors meet near the ignition switch, pretty handy test point and weak link too.

[Stretchah]

Originally Posted by m2h

Hi Stretchah, Well i finally got back to my bike had very similar symptoms to yours. Pulled the motor out and took the head off with great trepidation! Turned it over and cleaned it up NO BROKEN SEATSYah Heavy carbon on the inlets but exhausts looked a good colour. So WTF!! Pulled the ex. valves and the seats were ok but the vlv faces had small erosion marks all round. One inlet had similar marks but very minor and the back of the valve had some build up of greycrust. The other inlet was not too bad you coulse were it had actully been seating. My conclusion is that the valve clearances have been too tight on these valves and have been getting blow by on the firing stroke. I am hoping a valve grind will fix the problem. Anyone else have a theory? Need to measure the bore and piston next. There is some scoring on the forward wall that you can feel but the rest still shows hone marks. will need to borrow some micrometers etc. hopefully maybe another hone and ringswill fix it all!!
Just as an interest thing my Honda dealer quoted me as follows for parts ex Japan:
Head gasket $NZ 64.00 100mm Head Stud bolt $14.60 Piston $178.54 Rings $133.89 Wrist pin $47.75
How does that compare to the States?
NZ exchange rate is around $0.80 US cents for our dollar at the moment.
Hope you got your bike sorted out and your back on the road again!!
M2h

M2H, Glad to hear it isn't the same issue that's great news.... I'll leave it to one of the experts for other theories, but, it sounds like your on the right track and a good grind and clean up can only help, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you I'm based in the UK and a lot of the parts arseem to be quite expensive here, os, probalby wouldn't help much. THe heads being welded etc at the moment, os, hopefully not too long till she's back on the road

[Dracus124]

If the stator was bad, why would only the head light not work? my turn lights and brake light are as bright as ever. I'm feeling it is a bad ground.

Anyway, I just woke up having some coffee and about to tear into this old beast. I don't know why I got so upset over this, I think I was stressed out from work the other night and my light going out = sad me Now that I got my nerve back, I'll probably enjoy fixing this problem, I'm weird like that ha ha. I'll be back in a couple minutes to a couple hours depening on what I run into. I'll let ya'll know whats up.

10:50AM EDIT: I took the fairing off and found my H-plug is melted and seemed to have disconnected itself from the head light. When i changed the H-plug the last time, the autozoner said the cheap one will eventually melt and burn so I should get the High temperature one. I shoulda listened but I thought he was just selling me on the more expensive one. d'oh!

[cynicwanderer]

the headlight is on it's own AC circuit. it's separate from the turn signal/brake light and ignition. however, I think the blue instrument light, runs form the headlight circuit, but doesn't take much current to run it. if the connector is burned, you might want to check if the AC regulator is working, i.e. hook up a AC voltage meter and check if the voltage goes much above 14VAC when you rev it. higher voltage means more current in the light, and can cook the connector as well. bad/loose electrical connections, will also heat up the connector.

Originally Posted by Dracus124

If the stator was bad, why would only the head light not work? my turn lights and brake light are as bright as ever. I'm feeling it is a bad ground.

Anyway, I just woke up having some coffee and about to tear into this old beast. I don't know why I got so upset over this, I think I was stressed out from work the other night and my light going out = sad me Now that I got my nerve back, I'll probably enjoy fixing this problem, I'm weird like that ha ha. I'll be back in a couple minutes to a couple hours depening on what I run into. I'll let ya'll know whats up.

10:50AM EDIT: I took the fairing off and found my H-plug is melted and seemed to have disconnected itself from the head light. When i changed the H-plug the last time, the autozoner said the cheap one will eventually melt and burn so I should get the High temperature one. I shoulda listened but I thought he was just selling me on the more expensive one. d'oh!

[Dracus124]

Originally Posted by cynicwanderer

the headlight is on it's own AC circuit. it's separate from the turn signal/brake light and ignition. however, I think the blue instrument light, runs form the headlight circuit, but doesn't take much current to run it. if the connector is burned, you might want to check if the AC regulator is working, i.e. hook up a AC voltage meter and check if the voltage goes much above 14VAC when you rev it. higher voltage means more current in the light, and can cook the connector as well. bad/loose electrical connections, will also heat up the connector.

I think it just came loose it was just a $2.99 plug. I just fitted a hi-temp plug on it and the light is working. The plug is much better in quality too. I'm about to take my bike to uncle's so I can test the AC regulator like you suggested.

[Homerb]

Originally Posted by m2h

Hi Stretchah, Well i finally got back to my bike had very similar symptoms to yours. Pulled the motor out and took the head off with great trepidation! Turned it over and cleaned it up NO BROKEN SEATSYah Heavy carbon on the inlets but exhausts looked a good colour. So WTF!! Pulled the ex. valves and the seats were ok but the vlv faces had small erosion marks all round. One inlet had similar marks but very minor and the back of the valve had some build up of greycrust. The other inlet was not too bad you coulse were it had actully been seating. My conclusion is that the valve clearances have been too tight on these valves and have been getting blow by on the firing stroke. I am hoping a valve grind will fix the problem. Anyone else have a theory? Need to measure the bore and piston next. There is some scoring on the forward wall that you can feel but the rest still shows hone marks. will need to borrow some micrometers etc. hopefully maybe another hone and ringswill fix it all!!
Just as an interest thing my Honda dealer quoted me as follows for parts ex Japan:
Head gasket $NZ 64.00 100mm Head Stud bolt $14.60 Piston $178.54 Rings $133.89 Wrist pin $47.75
How does that compare to the States?
NZ exchange rate is around $0.80 US cents for our dollar at the moment.
Hope you got your bike sorted out and your back on the road again!!
M2h

As for honda dealership prices, forget it. I bought all my parts, except for two honda only bearings, from powersports.com

Much cheaper than honda for genuine parts. And same delivery time or faster than out of japan. As for pistons, I got a wiseco 0.5mm oversize for $160us, and that included rings and wrist pin!

[lookfar]

Originally Posted by Homerb

As for honda dealership prices, forget it. I bought all my parts, except for two honda only bearings, from powersports.com

Much cheaper than honda for genuine parts. And same delivery time or faster than out of japan. As for pistons, I got a wiseco 0.5mm oversize for $160us, and that included rings and wrist pin!

Just be careful with aftermarket o-rings and seals.
Honda usually made their own, and are slightly different dimensions than similar commercially available items.


.

[noshoes]

I don't have it anymore, but took this one to Baja in 2000. Even had Jesse bags on it.

[m2h]

Originally Posted by Stretchah

M2H, Glad to hear it isn't the same issue that's great news.... I'll leave it to one of the experts for other theories, but, it sounds like your on the right track and a good grind and clean up can only help, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you I'm based in the UK and a lot of the parts arseem to be quite expensive here, os, probalby wouldn't help much. THe heads being welded etc at the moment, os, hopefully not too long till she's back on the road

Thanks for the reply
M2H

[m2h]

Originally Posted by Homerb

As for honda dealership prices, forget it. I bought all my parts, except for two honda only bearings, from powersports.com

Much cheaper than honda for genuine parts. And same delivery time or faster than out of japan. As for pistons, I got a wiseco 0.5mm oversize for $160us, and that included rings and wrist pin!

Thanks for the info. will try powersports for some prices
M2H

[davek181]

Originally Posted by Moparmanpete

I was ordering from them but they always had to order the parts from some where else so I just went back to getting things from my local dealer same wait time, but now they cut me a pretty good deal on things so it beats paying for shipping now.

Btw I think they just changed their name the other day

I too found my local dealer willing to nearly match online prices and usually gets it to me quicker to boot. When you figure shipping it is even cheaper yet. They have been much more wiling to deal lately, I think they figure a small percentage of any sale is better than none at all.

I really do want to support my local dealer so he will be around when I want to go drool on the new ones.

[joexr]

One of my local dealers only places orders once a month to save on shipping. So if you came in at the wrong time , your stuff wont even get ordered for a month. Needless to say I dont order anything from them.

[davek181]

We live in the wilderness here too, but my Honda motorcycle dealer still gets me parts in 2-4 days anyway. If it took much longer I would probably do it online too. I haven't bought anything for my Kawi lately to gauge their speed, same dealer though so that might be interesting.

I think it is the times and consumer demands that is changing the way dealers think, from the top down. I work on import cars for a living and both Honda and Toyota can have you parts overnight without freight if you order by their time limit. Toyota's limit is about 10 or 11 AM, Honda will send their order about 3 PM. Honda runs their own truck that gets filled at the big warehouse in Portland and travels at night to different dealers. The dealer in Spokane gets his order at 3-4 AM, and the dealer down here about 6 AM. The truck then returns home to get refilled. Quite efficient I would say. I have literally ordered parts at 3 in the afternoon and had them in my hand shortly after 8 AM. Consequently though due to that my local dealer carries very little stock on hand, and me too for that matter.