DR650 790 Big Bore Installation and Review

[baloneyskin daddy]

You're right about the do unto others . I didn't mean to pile on , it was meant for the others who are thinking about this mod. The manufacturer spends a lot of time and money developing these powerplants to be both reliable andlong lasting with a warranty also.

[acap650]

Originally Posted by procycle

When someone orders a BB kit I have no way to know if they are a newby or a vetreran engine builder. I know I would not want to receive 'pre-gapped' rings in a kit I bought. I want to make my own decision about what spec to use. The sheet that comes with the rings gives the specs for ring gap. There are different specs for different kinds of applications. Info about ring gaps is easily found on the web. In addition, the time involved to gap rings would just drive the price up. The cost is already high and anybody who want to do it themselves shouldn't have to pay extra for us to do it. I suppose I could offer it as an additional service but that really shouldn't be necessary. It's a simple enough procedure.

IMO anyone who has the tools/skills to R&R a cylinder and piston should have a file and feeler gauge and the skills to file/measure a ring gap. No need for the supplier to pre-gap rings.

[davesupreme]

Originally Posted by baloneyskin daddy

You're right about the do unto others . I didn't mean to pile on , it was meant for the others who are thinking about this mod. The manufacturer spends a lot of time and money developing these powerplants to be both reliable andlong lasting with a warranty also.

so that's the reason half the KLR's burn oil like a 2 stroke?....

i bet that ProCycle kit is good stuff, and the bike will run great if done right....now in saying that, i'd never install w/out checking out the lower end first and making sure everything was tight and right....

[Mr. Canoehead]

Originally Posted by davesupreme

so that's the reason half the KLR's burn oil like a 2 stroke?....

It's not the aftermarket kits than burn oil on the klr - it's a factory QA issue. The aftermarket kits fix the problem.

Send from my Droid using Tapatalk

[davesupreme]

Originally Posted by Mr. Canoehead

It's not the aftermarket kits than burn oil on the klr - it's a factory QA issue. The aftermarket kits fix the problem.

Send from my Droid using Tapatalk

i think 'yer missin' my sarcasm....

[Mr. Canoehead]

Originally Posted by davesupreme

i think 'yer missin' my sarcasm....

LOL - yep. :

I've been looking at this kit for a while and if anything, Procycle's support of the client makes it more appealing. Good on ya, Jeff.

Planeman, you have a great attitude to this - you didn't try to make it someone else's problem.

Send from my Droid using Tapatalk

[Rob.G]

Jeff has some great points on the pre-gapped stuff. Hey Jeff... any thoughts on doing up a page on the ProCycle site that has step by step instructions on gapping rings? The ones you have on the fork and shock builds are great.


If planemanx15 wanted to post his Paypal address here, I'd be up for chipping in a little towards his replacement parts. The educational content of this thread is absolutely PRICELESS and it's the least I can do, as somebody who could face the same challenges when doing my own kit later this year.

Rob

[Rustycage]

Originally Posted by procycle

I've offered planemanx15 a deep discount on a replacement piston to help him through this 'learning experience'. But first we'll take a good look at the cylinder and make sure it is salvageable. There's a pretty good chance it can be saved. The nodular iron sleeve material is incredibly durable. I know it looks like toast in the photos but a lot of what looks like damage will turn out to be aluminum from the piston that has transferred onto the cylinder.

This kinda leads into my question, is there a next size overbore piston available? Or does cylinder need to be resleeved, say if it goes out of spec due to wear?

[planemanx15]

Rob, thanks for the offer, but no worries, the advice on this thread is payment enough for me.

I took some more pics today, here they are:

Burns:







I think those burns prove that oil could not get through, and that cylinder and piston got hotter than I care to imagine.

First ring:

(All of the gap are on the top in all pics)



Second ring:



Oil 1:



Oil 2:









No rings, notice the larger gap on the top of the pic. I hope that's the piston deformed and not the cylinder. I'll take measurements soon.

[TinkerinWstuff]

Can you place the rings somewhere in the bore that isn't scored (bottom?) and measure the gaps with a feeler?

[baloneyskin daddy]

Yer right,theres so much piston material stuck to the cyl you can't possibly measure correct end gap there.

[planemanx15]

Originally Posted by baloneyskin daddy

Yer right,theres so much piston material stuck to the cyl you can't possibly measure correct end gap there.

What he said...

I just checked it out. Pushed the ring to the bottom of the cylinder. There is no gap at all. Can't even get a slice of paper in.

[itsatdm]

Kind of late for thisBack to your installation pictorial on page 3 you state how hard was to force the cylinder down. You mention it getting harder the farther you pushed it down.

I have only done one big bore it was not a Suzuki, but it was quite easy. The piston-cylinder gap was .0022. I put the cylinder over the piston by using my fingers to compress the rings and it all slid into position with little effort.

I had checked end gap buy pushing the rings into the cylinder and measuring them. They came with the piston and no filing required.

Since these kits are aimed at customers for DIY purposes, if the rings are not pre fitted, than I think some mention of that should be make in the directions.

I hope your cylinder is still square.

[TinkerinWstuff]

Originally Posted by itsatdm

Since these kits are aimed at customers for DIY purposes, if the rings are not pre fitted, than I think some mention of that should be make in the directions.

I hope your cylinder is still square.

And people who sell horse shoes should send them out with shaping instructions. Auto retailers should give every customer a driving test.
Home Depot and Lowes should test every customer before letting them leave with an electrical socket.

[Xcuvator]

Originally Posted by itsatdm

Kind of late for this

Since these kits are aimed at customers for DIY purposes, if the rings are not pre fitted, than I think some mention of that should be make in the directions.

I hope your cylinder is still square.

I agree.
To say that they aren't gaped because the owner should have the option of deciding how much gap to use is lame.
There should have been a bold notice in the directions.