Yamaha RD350 clean up/rebuild *Help*

[east high]

Do yourself a favor and replace the coils and plug wires while you're at it. Those old things go bad in the worst way.

[H96669]

But make it look like this, sorry wrong colors that is a 74, my second road bike from when I worked at the Yamaha dealer.... in 74. I have the rest of the pamphlet if you'd like I can scan it.

Now go make a little smoke but....set it right, no holes in them pistons please.

[thomasac92]

Originally Posted by concours

OP, tell us a bout yourself, specifically your skillset. We need to know at which level you will begin. Past repairs? Lawnmowers? Cars? Boats? Cylinder index? more info please...

This is my first real mechanical project. I've only worked on bicycles. My dad and brother know a lot more about engines than I do and they're still pretty clueless.

Originally Posted by Skowinski

Looks pretty original, nice find. Had a friend who had a 350 and a 400 back in the day, and I alway kinda wanted one myself. If you get tired of messing with it just PM me and I will give you my address for forwarding it to...

The seller said everything is original. And it definitely looks it, too. I may be under skilled and intimidated, but I'm not fed up with it yet!

Originally Posted by Mattbastard

Don't worry about taking the lines off. There's these things called Corbin Clamps. They work great for spring clamping down hoses.

When I bought my first RD350 project I just took it apart, cleaned everything, then modified as I put it back together.

Also, http://www.HVCcycle.com

I'm trying just to go piece by piece because if I strip this thing down to the frame, I'm not sure if I could put it back together again!

[stainlesscycle]

Originally Posted by Mattbastard

Don't worry about taking the lines off. There's these things called Corbin Clamps. They work great for spring clamping down hoses.

the issue isn't the line, it's the nipple. they break, and also they get very loose in the carb. i've had one fall out also...

[lrutt]

Originally Posted by thomasac92

This is my first real mechanical project. I've only worked on bicycles. My dad and brother know a lot more about engines than I do and they're still pretty clueless.



The seller said everything is original. And it definitely looks it, too. I may be under skilled and intimidated, but I'm not fed up with it yet!



I'm trying just to go piece by piece because if I strip this thing down to the frame, I'm not sure if I could put it back together again!

Zip lock baggies are your friend. Bag and label everything, ie all the bolts that hold the front wheel and fender on, bagged and labeled. etc. etc. etc. Help a lot to keep things straight.

Best advice and this is coming from someone who has brought a LOT of old iron back to life: Clean it up and get it mechanically all proper first, then make it pretty. That way you don't mess up paint etc. Get the carbs rebuilt, do your leak down test and replace crank seals, do the motor top end of need be, get the brakes all rebuilt, get all the electrics working, forks rebuilt etc.

Once it runs right and all is well, then tear it down to paint etc. and put new tires on or do the chroming you need to do. Piece of cake after that.

[Skowinski]

Originally Posted by lrutt

Zip lock baggies are your friend. Bag and label everything, ie all the bolts that hold the front wheel and fender on, bagged and labeled. etc. etc. etc. Help a lot to keep things straight....

Currently restoring a 71 Honda CB500. Almost everything gets stuffed in marked bags, or has a tape label on it. There will be no question on anything when it goes back together.

[thomasac92]

Finally got them out, and found this....



Is this normal? Looks pretty clean to me. The bottom bowl wasn't too bad either.





Progress

[SOLO LOBO]

You'll find if you toss the carbs in a vat of Berryman chemdip and leave 'em for a few hours the black paint comes right off (even if your prefer that is didn't)

[markjenn]

You need to read up on carb cleaning techniques. This is not something where you just throw them in a vat of cleaner and they come out ready to use. You can't tell didlly-squat just looking down the throats.

- Mark

[Witness]

[JonnyCash]

I hate to be the guy to say it, but it seems like maybe you're in over your head. These bikes are very simple, but not very forgiving. This is a 38 year old bike, with lots of old rubber parts. An air leak anywhere in your engine will create a lean condition, and either seize the engine or hole a piston. With your first question about how to get the carbs off, it showed the you are pretty unfamiliar not only with this bike, but with mechanical stuff in general. I really do not mean to throw sand in your eyes here, but I think a better thing to do would be to get a bike that runs and rides, and ease into maintenance, then repair and modification when you've gained familiarity with things of this nature. Do you have a friend or family member who can hold your hand through this? That is invaluable, though I realize that these forums act in a similar way.

[welder]

http://www.motocarrera.com/advice.htm read this advice page very carefully. Especially the part about ignition timing. Also do a leak down test to check the crank seals. They need to be in good shape for the bike to run right. You can find the instructions on youtube.

[thomasac92]

Originally Posted by JonnyCash

I hate to be the guy to say it, but it seems like maybe you're in over your head. These bikes are very simple, but not very forgiving. This is a 38 year old bike, with lots of old rubber parts. An air leak anywhere in your engine will create a lean condition, and either seize the engine or hole a piston. With your first question about how to get the carbs off, it showed the you are pretty unfamiliar not only with this bike, but with mechanical stuff in general. I really do not mean to throw sand in your eyes here, but I think a better thing to do would be to get a bike that runs and rides, and ease into maintenance, then repair and modification when you've gained familiarity with things of this nature. Do you have a friend or family member who can hold your hand through this? That is invaluable, though I realize that these forums act in a similar way.

When people tell me stuff like this, it just makes me want to do it even more. I understand what youre saying, though.

[OD650]

Originally Posted by thomasac92

When people tell me stuff like this, it just makes me want to do it even more. I understand what youre saying, though.

That's some pretty sage advice you're getting here, might want to take it to heart. From the looks of those photos the carbs have a bunch of crap in them, and regardless of that they will need a good cleaning to get all the old varnished fuel out. Get yourself a few cans of brakleen and go over the manual till those things are nice and clean. It's a pretty bike and it would suck to hole a piston due to laziness/apathy, also I don't know about you but I don't have $750 to throw away when I could just ride it away. Have fun with it, and learn to wrench your own ride! I always wanted an RD but they never come up for sale round here, at least not for 750.

[concours]

Originally Posted by thomasac92

This is my first real mechanical project. I've only worked on bicycles. My dad and brother know a lot more about engines than I do and they're still pretty clueless.



The seller said everything is original. And it definitely looks it, too. I may be under skilled and intimidated, but I'm not fed up with it yet!



I'm trying just to go piece by piece because if I strip this thing down to the frame, I'm not sure if I could put it back together again!

Go very carefully, lot's of mis-information floating about. First get a FACTORY service manual, not a Clymer or Haynes. Two stroke engines are simple in theory, a bit more complex in design. The devil is in the details. Crankshaft seals are CRUCIAL. Read and understand about fuel mixture, the fatal consequences of a lean mixture and resultant high temperatures which are very different from a four stroke.