Yet another XL600 project...

[JimRidesThis]

Originally Posted by Moparmanpete

I working right along beside you, probly at a slower pace though over in the main XL thread.
Pete

Nice one Pete, I'll have a look for your thread... and keep up!


Project XL Update

Randy Crawford might well get all gloomy about A Rainy Night in Georgia, but it's been p!ssing down here for ages. I guess you don't get The Lake District without lakes, and you don't get lakes without rain, lots of rain. Fortunately for my XL project, this has meant I've had an afternoon in the workshop.

With the bottom-end at a stand still (not a euphemism... I hope ) it's time to have a look at the rocker cover, head, valves and so on.





Stripping out the rocker cover has thrown up a couple of issues...


No.1 – I haven't got the exhaust valve sub-rocker shafts out. Yet. The inlets were a very tight fit the took some force to 'crack'. The exhaust ones have defeated my efforts so far but it's not the end of the world if I can't get them out.
No. 2 – I can't get the peg out to release the kickstart operated decompressor shaft/lever. Again, it's not a huge stumbling block.

Next, the cylinder head.




The four of the five sub-chamber bolts were little more than finger tight . I guess it lowers the compression that little bit more eh!


Inlet manifold off

Next job is remove the valves. Now, where did I leave my valve spring compresssor?

[JimRidesThis]

Originally Posted by Kenno

Steve is right about Honda specific, the left side main non-genuine bearing to the same dimensions as the 6308 Honda bearing may have a smaller diameter relief radius and will not seat right up against the crank cheek which would make it tight when the cases are assembled.
I ordered it and when it turned up the bearing guy highlighted it so I checked the crank radius and he was right but there may be different dimensions on other brands.
I ordered the Honda bearing which only cost $20 more and got here quicker, it was for my XR600 but I imagine the crank specs match for bearings.
I had to get genuine balancer bearings as well because they could not match them in the time frame I had to get to the ADV OCR rally but 2012 XRL bearings might be the same part.

Ken

Yeah, I think I'll be ordering genuine main and balance-shaft bearings. The balance shaft bearings are a different size to the ones Steve linked to though so there are differences between the XL's and XR's inside the 'cases. I'll order by part number anyway.

Cheers,

Jim

[JimRidesThis]

Originally Posted by JimRidesThis

Next job is remove the valves. Now, where did I leave my valve spring compresssor?

Found it!


Just one more to remove


They all look fairly clean. No build up of oily carbon.

The valve springs all measure within 0.1mm of their respective 'others', but the lengths are outside the tolerance in section 6 of the Honda XL600 83/84 manual; inner springs are all 0.8mm under minimum length, but outer springs are 3mm over maximum length! Not sure what's going on there but I'm happy that they're all close to each other. Even though all that means is that they're probably all equally knackered! Does anyone have any alternative specifications they'd like to throw in at this point?

Meanwhile, back at the Bat Cave...


Time to give everything a bath in degreaser.

[Moparmanpete]

Originally Posted by JimRidesThis;
The valve springs all measure within 0.1mm of their respective 'others', but the lengths are outside the tolerance in section 6 of the Honda XL600 83/84 manual; inner springs are all 0.8mm [U

under[/U] minimum length, but outer springs are 3mm over maximum length! Not sure what''s going on there but I'm happy that they're all close to each other. Even though all that means is that they're equally knackered! Does anyone have any alternative specifications they'd like to throw in at this point?

Time to give everything a bath in degreaser.

My spring were the same way. Glad I'm not the only one

Try Pine Sol for degreaser, night and day!, I posted some pics of my experience in the pine sol degreaser thread
http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...560117&page=17

[JimRidesThis]

Originally Posted by Moparmanpete

Try Pine Sol for degreaser, night and day!, I posted some pics of my experience in the pine sol degreaser thread
http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...560117&page=17

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll see what the availability of Pine Sol is in the UK

OK, back to the rebuild.

Nothing has happened to the engine since my last post. I need to buy the main and balance shaft bearings before I can continue. Unfortunately 'spare' cash has had to go towards other priorities.

Still, I did have some paint already on the shelf in the garage, so I decided to repaint the frame and swing arm. I'd really like to shot-blast and powder coat the frame, but those saved £'s will buy the bearings

Having stripped the frame (wire wheel, wet and dry and elbow grease ) it was time to break out the 'Halfords Maracas' and cover up all the bare metal. First, two coats of etch primer, followed by two coats of red primer, rubbed down between each second coat with 400 grade wet and dry.

Here's the frame with the most of the first coat of red primer over the etch...



I'm not going for a professional finish, just a good protective coat that doesn't look too bad. It'll work out OK

[JimRidesThis]

I got the four coats of red followed by fours coats of lacquer sprayed on today. I've got to work quickly with the parts painting and make the most of any warm weather because I'm working in an unheated corrugated steel garage. Although I'm not aiming for a top finish, I want to avoid any bloom in the paint. Fortunately, my 'better half' is very understanding so I was able to bring the frame into the kitchen to harden off

(It's only occasionally that I have to remind her that I built her Honda 400/4 in the front room of our last house. It became quite a talking point with our friend and neighbours in the three years it was there)



Not the 'standard' red, but a nice shade nontheless - Honda Rio Red (Paint Code R63).

[Moparmanpete]

Nice!

[JimRidesThis]

Friday evening and I managed to grab an hour in the shed. Result?

Grommets and spacers in. Check!
Airbox in. Check!
Swing arm and suspension in. Check!
Rear wheel in. Check!
Front end in. Check!

It's starting to look like a bike again... almost

[JimRidesThis]

Originally Posted by Moparmanpete

Nice!

Cheers feller. How are you getting on with yours? Can't see an update on the XL600 thread...

When we get these things finished, how about a meet half way between your place and mine? That'll be somewhere near Irkutsk in Russia by my reckoning

[Moparmanpete]

Originally Posted by JimRidesThis

Cheers feller. How are you getting on with yours Pete?

Still waiting on the machine shop to fix my three broken bolts, I messed up and told him I wasn't in a big hurry
won't do that again.

So far I'm trying to aleast have some adventures on my scoot, so far so good but, I miss that Whine sound of the XL.

[mcma111]

MOPARMANPETE

I pulled a XR600 apart yesterday and one of the head/cylinder bolts woudn't come out. Oh-well. I had to get it apart. I just snapped it off.

Took it to Engine Dynamics in Petaluma and he drilled it out and Helicoiled it WHILE I WAITED. Then we measured it and found it out of spec so I left it for an over bore piston. Should be done in about a week.

[JimRidesThis]

Originally Posted by mcma111

Took it to Engine Dynamics in Petaluma and he drilled it out and Helicoiled it WHILE I WAITED. Then we measured it and found it out of spec so I left it for an over bore piston. Should be done in about a week.

You need to look after those guys!

A few years ago I took a frame to be blasted and powder coated by a local company. "It'll take about a week, possibly two" says the man. "Fair enough" says I. He phoned me up at work later that day, "You can pick it up on your way home". He did a superb job on it too.

He told me that he didn't really do motorcycle parts anymore because, after blasting a frame he'd check the part to see if there were any problems and report back to the owner. No point in coating a frame that was going to need repair. He'd spotted a serious issue with the shock mounting points on some frame and told the owner, who having lots of attitude but not a lot of common sense, threatened violence if the guy just didn't powder coat the thing; and then he refused to pay for it. What a Dick!

[Moparmanpete]

Originally Posted by JimRidesThis

You need to look after those guys!

A few years ago I took a frame to be blasted and powder coated by a local company. "It'll take about a week, possibly two" says the man. "Fair enough" says I. He phoned me up at work later that day, "You can pick it up on your way home". He did a superb job on it too.

He told me that he didn't really do motorcycle parts anymore because, after blasting a frame he'd check the part to see if there were any problems and report back to the owner. No point in coating a frame that was going to need repair. He'd spotted a serious issue with the shock mounting points on some frame and told the owner, who having lots of attitude but not a lot of common sense, threatened violence if the guy just didn't powder coat the thing; and then he refused to pay for it. What a Dick!

WOW!
With my machinist, the longer he has it the lower the price gets, I have more pacients than money so I'm ok for now, The scoots holding up so far, curbing my adventure needs, Kind of.
If you get the chance check out it's RR.

Pete

[JimRidesThis]

XL update: The new main bearings arrived today

[Ivanych]

Originally Posted by JimRidesThis;








[I

Stripping out the rocker cover has thrown up a couple of issues...[/I]


No.1 – I haven't got the exhaust valve sub-rocker shafts out. Yet. The inlets were a very tight fit the took some force to 'crack'. The exhaust ones have defeated my efforts so far but it's not the end of the world if I can't get them out.

I had similar problems with the shaft in the cylinder head. Key hole was round.
Here is my solution.

Can be left in this form, but I'll use the new shaft.
All shafts can be used from XR600 1985-88