Rebuild Finished -- Finally!

[3Phase]

I'm tired and I know I must have done something wrong.

I finally finished the rebuild this evening. I started the bike and it doesn't smoke. It doesn't leak oil, fuel or exhaust and it doesn't make any funny clunking, rattling noises any more. Oh, no! It has a kick starter, too!

Left side no leaks




Right side with new kicker, no leaks and no daylight for a test ride.



Underneath no leaks!




4.9MB Flash Video Warning!
Right-Click to download and save a short SWF video of its first startup after the rebuild.

http://home.att.net/~phase3/XS11/xs1100g.swf

11MB Quicktime MOV Video

http://home.att.net/~phase3/XS11/XS1100G.MOV



Time to pop open a cold one or six, kick back and relax!


Regards,

Scott

[81xsproject]

Is it a total rebuild? If so, it's break in time. I subscribe to THIS school of thinking.

[b.walker5]

Is it a total rebuild? If so, it's break in time. I subscribe to THIS school of thinking.

That goes against everything I was ever taught about breaking in but it makes good sense and i might try it next time i rebuild an engine. Need to do my sons engine in the not too distant future

[3Phase]

Is it a total rebuild? If so, it's break in time. I subscribe to THIS school of thinking.

It's a partial rebuild. The rings need to be seated and rod bearings and mains watched carefully until they're run in.

clean everything
hone cylinders
lapped valves (replaced one, thank you, Garth!)
new piston rings
new connecting rod bearings
fitted the main bearings and crankshaft from another engine to my engine
replace starter clutch assembly, primary shaft and Hy-Vo chain
new cam chain
transmission washer swap
added a kick starter, it's not a simple drop-in.
electrolytically de-rust the fuel tank
miscelleaneous fixes
put it all back together without making it 'splode

As always it's the cleaning, miscellaneous fixes and the not 'sploding part that took most most time and effort.

That goes against everything I was ever taught about breaking in but it makes good sense and i might try it next time i rebuild an engine. Need to do my sons engine in the not too distant future

That's how I break in all my engines. I'll be setting the timing and seating the rings later today, then tearing iinto it to change the oil and filter, check the valve clearance and take care of a few persnickety details.


Regards,

Scott

[rman]

Wow

That looks good! Need better lighting to see it better but you really put a lot of time and work into that.

[79XS11F]

It's always nice to see a project rebuild come to its end and from what can be seen in the photos, the bike looks good. The only issue I have with the run it hard break in is that the window of opportunity to do it that way is very small. He says to fully warm up the engine before this break in method and it takes about 10 minutes just to do that plus time running to adjust sync carbs and set idle. So your likely looking at running the engine at those low RPMS for about 20 minutes before that first run. I also question what difference there is in cylinder pressure forces on the rings at a low RPM as compared to a high RPM. The combustion forces should be the same at idle as they are at high RPM with the only difference being the frequency of loading at higher RPMs. I have always done break in in my cars and bikes by varying the RPM often and using the engine across its full power range.

Rob

[DGXSER]

Awesome

Congrats Scott!!! She sounds better than most bikes fully warmed up and brand new! And she is awful shiny too!

You put alot of blood sweat and tears into this one I know from following the thread(s). It is awesome to see and even hear the feeling of joy that can only be yours after all that! Great work!

[Big Daddy Funk]

An Old Dog and New Tricks

Is it a total rebuild? If so, it's break in time. I subscribe to THIS school of thinking.

I have to agree. My machinist/tuner talked me into breaking my engine in this way with NO pre-lube on the rings or cylinder walls. Makes sense but It went against everything I'd ever learned about engine building. I would never go back to the old ways again.
Hurts to think that before this engine I was being so careful with break in and I was actually harming the engine.

[GARTHXS]

sounds great

nice work Scott !

[3Phase]

Thanks, folks! I took the tip of my left index finger off with my Makita and a brass wire wheel. Oops. I almost literally did the last three days of finish work with one hand tied behind my back....

It's a beautiful, lazy, Sunday! The ignition timing seems pretty close and carburetors are definitely close enough to synchronized to be able put a 20 mile ring-set on the bike without undue running at low RPM ruining the cylinder walls and rings.

After I get some more gas, re-check the valve clearance and double-check for leaks I'll set the timing and go for a ride.

More later!


Regards,

Scott

[soccer4m]

You the Man!!!!!!!!!

Big Congrats Scott, I thought the bike looked and sounded great last rally. Only now its better, if possible. Keep this up and it will have another life. Its hard to believe the bike, as screwed up as it was from the previous owner, could be like new again. Its a testament to you and these bikes how indestructible they are. The XS guy, forgot his name, the book author, is smiling down from XS heaven right now at your prize. Hope to see you at the S.Cal. rally,,,I am still prodding my Bro inlaw to get his xs in shape for the rally.....Regards, Mike in Sun Diego

[3Phase]

Thanks, Mike! Yep, it sounded and ran good but it was two shakes from throwing a couple of rods.

I put a timing light on the bike and was pleased to discover that I had the ignition timing set dead solid perfect on the "F" timing mark and the advance is flawless. So, the bike ran for less than a minute. After checking the valves and changing one shim (the 'new' exhaust valve needed a 275, not a 285. Oops). I put the fairing back together and put it on the bike, then rode about five miles up and down a gentle hill to put the initial 'set' on on the rings.

Okay, this bike is now officially scary as ... it's got power, okay, and I still have the 750 final drive on it. I don't know what it would do with the stock one. I would say the new cam chain and re-ring worked. I'll do some more riding tomorrow then change the oil and filter to see what can be seen. This time, I'm more than a little optimistic.

If this keeps up I'm going to need to rename my bike.


Regards,

Scott

[3Phase]

Knock/Rattle

The engine picked up a knock/rattle on the way to renew my bike insurance.

It's a sharp rapping knock/rattle at mid-acceleration and deceleration that sounds like it's behind the left-hand engine ignition pickups. I made it home and tried adjusting the cam chaiin. That didn't help at all so I tore down the engine, again, and I can't see anything.

Right now it's 11:35 PM so I'll pick up some more Plastiguage tomorrow and do full inspection when I have some daylight. I'm getting pretty good at pulling the engine and splitting the cases.


Regards,

Scott

[GARTHXS]

sorry to hear that

You'll get it , hopefully something easy

[3Phase]

Transmission Bolt

It turned out that one of the transmission end bolts came loose. The washer was flinging around on the bolt and the bolt was just beginning to hit the back of the clutch assembly.

I have to recheck all of the transmission clearances again before I lace up the the engine and put it back in the frame. I torqued that bolt last time; torque and Locktight this time. It's not going to come loose again unless and until I put a wrench to it.


Source of the rapping and knocking noise that sounded like a bearing going bad:-




On the bright side, I now know beyond any doubt that all of the main and rod bearing clearances are good along with everything else.

The extra thrust bearing half I added to the #4 lower main bearing saddle instead of the plain insert installed at the factory is working and hasn't caused any problems. It's not difficult to add and align it and I feel better having a complete thrust bearing instead of only the upper half of a thrust bearing.

It was worth this second teardown.


Regards,

Scott