engine worth how much

[DCracer25]

I have a chance to pick up a 79 xs1100 special engine and wirering harness, but it has been sitting on a shelve for a few yrs. he won't give a price but says make him an offer. So what would an engine like this be worth? It is complete with carbs and everything low milage what he says, came out of a wrecked bike.

[GLoweVA]

My 2 cents: the carbs alone could be worth 100.
I would take a few tools with you when you go to look at it/pick it up.
See if the carb shaft moves and you can even reach in there and see if the slide needles move too.
If it's been sitting with fuel in there, those might be all gummed/crapped up and not move.
Take the timing cover off, use a wrench and see if it rotates. If you take the plugs out you can get a feel if there's some compression or not. Plus the plugs might tell you something too.
If that's all good, maybe $200 for the whole thing.
Again, that's what I might pay for something like that.

ps. Do a little research and check the numbers on the engine to see if is indeed from a 79. A 79 engine & Carbs are way different than an 80/81.

[crazy steve]

If you take a battery and jumper cables with you, you can run a compression test. Pull the carbs off and squirt some light oil in each cylinder before testing, and if compression is good (180 psi + in each, within 10% of each other) I'd go $250 max. Also check for case damage, busted fins, etc if it's out of a wrecked bike.

[GLoweVA]

+1 on what Steve said. I didn't think about using the starter.
But hell yeah, if it's there spin that baby!

[DGXSER]

180 is pretty high, spec is 142.

[crazy steve]

180 is pretty high, spec is 142.

Don, I haven't checked one yet that didn't show that much or more (with the carbs off) unless there were issues with the motor. I suspect that 'spec' number was to give Yamaha plenty of wiggle room in case of a warranty problem...

[tom clisham]

Offer $100

You can always go up.
Hard to sell whole because of shipping cost.

But, you can part it out next summer & make out pretty well.(Unless you actually need it)

[DGXSER]

Steve, my first XS11 in good condition was about 150 across the board. Current one that sat for a few years was closer to 80, have not checked it since putting a few thousand miles on, but it runs pretty strong.

[crazy steve]

Don, I don't know what to tell you. The only one I've checked that had numbers at 'spec' was the motor that was in my SG when I got it, and that was only on two cylinders; the other two were 180 and 185. Well outside the '10%' range. Again, this is with the carbs removed and it should also be noted that the motors were cold. I suspect that 'hot' numbers may be lower, given the expansion you'll see in cylinder length, etc when the motor is at temp.

[GLoweVA]

They may be low for an engine that's been sitting on a shelf for a while, but the thing is: are they about the same on all 4? That's the big tell if all is well.
Like steve says, you can squirt some oil in there to help bring the numbers up if any of the rings are 'sticky'.

[mack]

Spare motor

I paid $125 for a motor, carbs and airbox. They also had been sitting for years in a guys garage.He wanted the space back and I wanted the carbs. We settled on 125 if I would take the motor too.

[DCracer25]

motor

Ok will go and do that check compression and so forth but will get engine id no. to make sure what it is. but on a warmer day only 12 degress here and his garage isn't heated.

[DGXSER]

12 degrees in Miami Florida?? Huh??!!

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Cold

12 degrees in Miami Florida?? Huh??!!

Got down in the 20's here in Fort Myers Florida last night In the 50's right now Must be that Global Warming thing

[Danny Crawdad]

They may be low for an engine that's been sitting on a shelf for a while, but the thing is: are they about the same on all 4? That's the big tell if all is well.
Like steve says, you can squirt some oil in there to help bring the numbers up if any of the rings are 'sticky'.

This is what I've always gone by -- the way I figure it, if all cylinders are showing within 10% of one another and the readings aren't ridiculous (ie no 50psi) then things are generally OK. Rings contract with age and non-use, etc. I have tested compression on a (car) engine that has sat for years and gotten 70psi readings, only to spin it over for a few minutes with the starter to lube and warm things up, and have it read 170+ there on out.

But, I'm no mechanic, just a dude with a wrench and a dream