Rod bearings...

[Crazcnuk]

Ok, all ready to put the top end on the XSer, so I take off the old pistions. While doing this I notice a couple of the rod bearings (1&4) seem a bit stiff.

Are rod bearings a sore point on these engines?

How easy are they to change? to buy?

[Crazcnuk]

Can the rods be removed w/o removing the engine, I guess is the biggest question....

[randy]

No, you have to split the cases to get to the rods. What do you mean by 'stiff' bearings? Has the motor been running before? Did you have an oil starvation problem or massive overheating?

[Crazcnuk]

I have a total of 3kms on it since I bought it. The odo has 52,000kms.

I bent a couple valves doing a tuneup last fall. I have the top end off, the head is out being redone, and I have a big bore kit I am about to install.

Normally, if the rod brngs are ok, the rods will move easily around the crank, gravity is usually enough to make the rod flop under the crank.

On mine, the #1 rod will not do this. I can move it easily by hand, but it would prefer to turn the crank. The #4 rod is also slightly stiffer than I would like.

It may just be that the motor has been sitting since last summer, just not sure it's worth the risk. On the other hand, I have already spent far more on it that I should have...

[randy]

I mentioned oil starvation because the 1 and 4 are the farthest from the oil pump. There is no reason for the rod to be that stiff on the crank unless the bearing has partially siezed, melted a bit and deformed. If i were you, since you already have half the motor out, before you install the big bore, pull it and check all of the bearings.

You may find that you have to change all of the mains, too. See, the rods are fed from the mains. When the mains wear, the resulting oil pressure loss means less oil fed to the rods and then the rods start to go, too.

Lastly, check you clearances inside the oil pump, too.

[Crazcnuk]

I don't have the engine out, and at this point, if this is the case, then I think I will strip off and sell what I have bought, and go back to my original plan, push it into the river.

Of all th motorcycles I have owned, or been around, other than Harleys, these seem to have a LOT of issues. Keep in mind that I have owned and operated bikes with between 80,000 and 100,000kms on them w/o EVER having to do any kind of engine repairs on them. Heck, I haven't had one before where I had to clean the carbs.

The only engine repair I can rememeber is the starter on my first '82 Virago 750, an issue they were famous for. Oh, and replacing kick start springs on my 1958 Honda CT90, which I eventually scrapped.

Not to be a pessimist, but the XS seems to be a bit of a lemon. Bad trannies, weak valves, horrible carbs, bad electrics, etc. I have already bought exhaust, big bore, gaskets, carb kits, cam chain, clutch, fairing, case guards and now looking at another couple hundred for bearings?

What else am I going to find wrong. Get it all together and blow 2nd gear out?

Not to mention, it needs a fair amount of cosmetic work, tires, and a seat.

Oh and I don't have a garage/workshop, or basement. I don't have the facilities to yank this engine out, or the space to dismantle it. It's in an ammo tent in my back yard, just to keep the snow off.

If it was possible to take the rods out, I would try and salvage them, but that is about all I could do, at this point.

My GT-750 is in the same boat. It needs some piddly seals that require splitting the case, and the crankshaft, and it's been like that for many years. I would like to be able to split the engines, but I don't have any place to do it, properly.

[skids]

Well, I can't blame you there. If you have to get deep into the internals, an engine transplant is a better idea if you are into that sort of thing.

[underdog57]

Must be frustrating with out a garage . Even a temporary loaner place to work ....
If the rods have an issue , the crank may also ...
Still seems too bad to throw in the towel after all you bought for it.
Sorry your having a tough time ....

Would be interesting to split it and see whats in there . bearings
must not be expensive ....?

Hope the best for you

Bob

[Snow]

Originally posted by underdog57
bearings
must not be expensive ....?

Heh...heh heh...hehheh...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

ROTFLMGDAO!

[Crazcnuk]

Yes, I actually LIKE doing this stuff. To be able to split this one and the GT would be awesome. Just don't like opening them up in the dusty area we live in, unless I am indoors.

A friend of mine is building a 120'x80' shop soon, but it will be about 65 miles away.

I have helped rebuild a few engines in recent years, but for other people, in thier garages. ( Car engines, though, not quite as picky)

Look at it this way, I didn't have the trailer to live in until I traded my Shadow 1100 for it!

If it was possible, I would take the pan pan off, use an extension to take the rod caps off those two, just to see what is happening. They may just be dry from sitting, but I really hate to button it up w/o knowing. I would never trust it to go out of town.

[79XS11F]

Originally posted by Crazcnuk
I don't have the engine out, and at this point, if this is the case, then I think I will strip off and sell what I have bought, and go back to my original plan, push it into the river.

Of all th motorcycles I have owned, or been around, other than Harleys, these seem to have a LOT of issues. Keep in mind that I have owned and operated bikes with between 80,000 and 100,000kms on them w/o EVER having to do any kind of engine repairs on them. Heck, I haven't had one before where I had to clean the carbs.

The only engine repair I can rememeber is the starter on my first '82 Virago 750, an issue they were famous for. Oh, and replacing kick start springs on my 1958 Honda CT90, which I eventually scrapped.

Not to be a pessimist, but the XS seems to be a bit of a lemon. Bad trannies, weak valves, horrible carbs, bad electrics, etc. I have already bought exhaust, big bore, gaskets, carb kits, cam chain, clutch, fairing, case guards and now looking at another couple hundred for bearings?

What else am I going to find wrong. Get it all together and blow 2nd gear out?

Not to mention, it needs a fair amount of cosmetic work, tires, and a seat.

Oh and I don't have a garage/workshop, or basement. I don't have the facilities to yank this engine out, or the space to dismantle it. It's in an ammo tent in my back yard, just to keep the snow off.

If it was possible to take the rods out, I would try and salvage them, but that is about all I could do, at this point.

My GT-750 is in the same boat. It needs some piddly seals that require splitting the case, and the crankshaft, and it's been like that for many years. I would like to be able to split the engines, but I don't have any place to do it, properly.

Come on now ... Be fair to the bike ... You can't blame the bikes issues on the bike or it's design. Blame the neglect of the previous owner / owners. It is frustrating at times but most issues can be easily solved with out putting your wallet on the bike shops service dept counter.
Anyway a complete transplant of the bottom end may be a better deal
Rob

[Crazcnuk]

Actually, since all, but one, of my bikes have been used, I can blame the design. Unless you think this one was treated differently, somehow.

However, I am not blaming THIS bike, I am reading all the complaints on this site. This is a very busy site, as enthusiast forums go, and mostly due to a lot of problems with the bike.

Go to the GT-750 forums and there are 2 main problems. Crank seals and failing ignitor boxes. That's about it. Other problems, with the mechanicals, are rare. They talk about going 2-300,000 miles on some of those. Many of the owners of those are actually going back to the point system, as the boxes that fail are AFTERMARKET.

The '85-86 Shadow 1100's had one minor annoyance. The cam chains start to get noisy after 50,000 or so, but it doesn't hurt anything, just makes noise. I drove mine for 14 years, and never had to fix anything in over 90,000kms. (just maintenance)

Of my 2 viragos, I had to fix a problem with the starter, on one, which was another Yamaha design error, and a dead sparkplug on the other. Over 80,000kms on the first one, and getting close to 40,000 on the 2nd, but it was not well taken care of.

I did drop a valve on my Honda '76 CB-360T, at about 30,000miles
and then shattered the rings trying to keep up with a GS850L. Can't really blame the bike.

I seized my Suzuki A100, twice, by forgetting to put CCI oil in it. Fill up the tank, start it and off I went. Never opened the engine.

All I am saying is that I am not confident in spending any more on this bike, as I have no confidence it will last.

Oh, and I NEVER bring my bikes to a dealer, or shop. They know less about these old bikes than I do, and that's not saying a lot. There are also no Yamaha, Suzuki or Honda shops where I live. There is a Kawasaki dealer, but they mostly play with Quads.

The closest Yamaha or Honda shop is 50 miles away. I don't own a truck.