tear down is easy now assembly... chime in with advice.

[freak_leg]

Ok guys. I got my 78 xs1100 is pretty rough shape. It had been abused for sure but it had a rebuild motor. Rode for a season tried to tighten the timing chain and like a few other people ended up jumping teeth on the timing chain resulting in all the intake valves being very bent. (turns out the spring tensioner was gumed up and adding no pressure to the chain) So I'm taking this time to go threw the bike a little since its been on the center stand all winter. I got the motor torn down. I planned to remove it for some cosmetic clean up and a transmission replacement, but I'm still not sure if i wanna tackle that project this year. (I want to ride as soon as the snow melts) So here in comes the questions...

1) the rubber boot around the shaft joint was in the chunks when i bought it, and i would like to replace it. after many e-bay searches i've come up with nothing, so what can i replace it with?

2) I've pretty much concluded I'll be better off buying a used head with valves and cams included (still hunting) rather than rebuilding the current one with new valve, valve job ect... your thoughts?

3) I know the best way is to buy a gasket kit but since I'll probably end up doing another tear down next winter to replace the transmission, how do we feel about rtv gaskets?

4) I also will be replacing my front forks with a rebuilt set i bought. Mine aren't bent but the boots and seals are shot, If anyone is interested let me know, perhaps we could work out a trade, I need rear break parts.

Well thats it for now guys I look forward to your input. I'll get some pictures up soon, She's not pretty, she's not new but She's a beast and I love it

Thanks
Tony

[freak_leg]

Fingers crossed that this works, first time at this...




Starting tear down


Some assembly required


Before the new seat and just after the new "mufflers" What do you think? I haven't seen glass packs on a motorcycle before



More to come I'm sure

[bikerphil]

For parts such as the drive shaft boot and cylinder head, you could contact andreashweiss, he's the parts guy here on the forum. Partsnmore.net has the least expensive but good quality gasket sets and brake parts. RTV is a good substitute for some of the gaskets, YMMV.

[Larrym]

Silicone Valley??

I second Bikerphil's choice of member Andreasweiss for those gotta have but can't find parts.

As far as gaskets vs RTV, I'm not a big fan of the silicone sealants. Sure I have the stuff but I don't use it for anything which is below the oil level. Prob'ly ok for a side cover or for sealing those half moon caps on the right side of the valve cover.

For anything below the oil level/line I use gaskets with aviation form-a-gasket as a gasket coating. Gaskets are porous and work by absorbing the oil and expanding to prevent leaks. The form-a-gasket has let me reuse many a gasket when I've had to go back in. Without it most times the gasket has already baked on and there's a lot of scraping (Gouging risk??).

When I don't have a gasket at all or I know that I'm definitely going back in soon I use the Permatex "Right Stuff" available at a regular Auto parts stores. I prefer the stuff used in a caulking gun rather than the aerosol can. Pretty easy to clean up. It does have an adhesive quality so sometimes you have to use a rubber mallet to knock things apart. I've personally not used it for the tranny/oil pan for my bike: Just haven't had to go as far as you have...yet.

For the finalized version of any sealing surfaces I tend to bite the bullet and go with gaskets/form-a-gasket combo.

[RS Thornton]

The u joint boot is available from a handle of places , cycleparts.com has it and if you like crappy service you can go to bike bandit, $55 to $60 IIRC. Used ones show up on ebay, but for the amount of work to get to it I wouldn't put a used on.

I am kind of partial to Partnmore for seals, gaskets, brake calipers etc. I think others have had mixed results with them but I've never had an issues. not a big fan of RTV as my fine motor control is not conducive to it. With gaskets I can put things in place and finger tight, take a break while I confirm I put everything back together and then snug up.

Regards,
Scott

[Ivan]

What do you think? I haven't seen glass packs on a motorcycle before

My scoot with the cherry bomb that TRBig was soooo jealous of.

[freak_leg]

pics of the damage...

Valves hanging out like dead fish


Just motor, the rest is in pretty good shape

[petejw]

I feel your pain, I did the same thing when
i first got my bike, bending 4 intake valves,
after being heavy handed with the cam chain adj.

Just regarding the head, if you get a second hand one,
make sure it comes with the cam caps as they are machined matched
to the head.

If the valve guides are ok, you should be able to get away with just replacing the valves,
theres a few posts on here with regards to stripping the head.

[Larrym]

Post Mort-em Guppies

Now those pics would be perfect subjects for a 3D version.

Not gonna see it firsthand/myself and take pics unless my CCT bites the dust like yours...

Thanks for the dead fish pics.

[freak_leg]

I feel your pain, I did the same thing when
i first got my bike, bending 4 intake valves,
after being heavy handed with the cam chain adj.

Just regarding the head, if you get a second hand one,
make sure it comes with the cam caps as they are machined matched
to the head.

If the valve guides are ok, you should be able to get away with just replacing the valves,
theres a few posts on here with regards to stripping the head.

Well I'll knock on wood for you in hopes that it doesn't happen to you. I was mad as hell, it sat in my garage for months before i even looked at it. but now i'm in this far i might as well keep going she needs a lot of work, after this plans include a full tear down for paint and a complete rewire, the harness has been hacked so many times i'm surprised it hasn't started on fire or given my back side a nice zap!

[boediddly]

i just rebuilt a motor that the guy I had bought it off of had used rtv for gaskets When I took off the oil pan I saw that the oil pickup screen was covered with rtv,( not good )as I continued to tear into it I found that stuff everywhere .Its expensive to buy gaskets but its worth doing it right. If you want to try to reuse your paper gaskets spray some white lithium grease on them before install then they wont stick to the surfaces during cover removal and rip.

[fredintoon]

1) the rubber boot around the shaft joint was in the chunks when i bought it, and i would like to replace it. after many e-bay searches i've come up with nothing, so what can i replace it with?

2) I've pretty much concluded I'll be better off buying a used head with valves and cams included (still hunting) rather than rebuilding the current one with new valve, valve job ect... your thoughts?

3) I know the best way is to buy a gasket kit but since I'll probably end up doing another tear down next winter to replace the transmission, how do we feel about rtv gaskets?

4) I also will be replacing my front forks with a rebuilt set i bought. Mine aren't bent but the boots and seals are shot, If anyone is interested let me know, perhaps we could work out a trade, I need rear brake parts.

Tony

Hi Tony,
1) Andreas is your best bet there.
2) You'd best clean up and reseat the valves on any head that you'd removed anyway so why buy another if replacement valves (+ new stem seals, of course) is all that's needed?
3) RTV can get to places you don't want it to. Not that it don't work if used with care but gaskets are better.
The gaskets you need to fix the tranny are not the ones that are used on the motor. Keep the half-set for later.
4) Unless the tubes are rusted and the slider bushings are shot, fix the forks you got, do a complete teardown. Any used fork you buy will most likely also be filled with three decades-worth of crud that needs cleaning out.
The rear caliper is the same one as on an XS650. MikesXS may be another source for what you need.

[Ivan]

I use form in place gaskets nearly exclusively on my bike. If you over do them, then yes, pieces will break loose and get caught in the oil pump screen. You'd have to screw the pooch pretty hard to get enough in there to cause oil delivery problems. I have heard people complain that it plugs up oil passeges and such. Those that say so are either talking out their ass or aren't running an oil filter which would indicate they are talking out their ass anyhow.

I guess form in place gaskets are kinda like roofing, it doesn't take much to do it right, but it doesn't take much to do it wrong either. A little common sense will save you a leak and structure issues in the long run.

[freak_leg]

Hey guys just thought i would share my excitement in finding a replacement head assembly. not sure how long this link will work but check it out. Final price with shipping was $78!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...SI%3AUS%3A1123

[petejw]

thats a good buy freak,
the cams look like new,
when you get it, check the valves for leakage.

fill all the ports on 1 side with fuel and see if any
valves leak or seap after a few minutes and then do
the same for the other side, hopefully you wont have any leaks
and itll be good to go.