Finally!

[Nubian]

If it needs to be done, there is plenty of help here and maybe another member close by to lend a hand. You might be one of the few lucky ones who never experience 2nd gear failure.

You are right. Remember I felt the same way about my forks. Felt real good after doing that job. There' s alway some sort of satisfaction when you dod your job yourself and know it was done right!
When comes time i'll do that.

[Nubian]

No rebuttal on the bold
Also how best to protect engine, looks like I'll have to store outside for winter with no mufflers or carbs. Should I duct tape all the openings or stuff each with rags.

I believe that you should run the ignition that came with the engine. The internals of the SF engine are different, cams, compression ratio, ect., and may not play well with the different timing curve on the H.

I would also consider running the SF carbs if they came with. They are much easier to adjust and tune in my experience.

[tom clisham]

Close it up!

Any way you can. If you've got rags AND tape, use em both .Cant seal it up too much for winter storage, especially outside.

Don't forget the breather openings if carbs are off.

[Nubian]

Because of this unseasonable weather I believe I will have time to slip it into the basement b4 someone notices. I will remove the carbs. Then I will drain the oil out before splitting case to get to kickstarter assembly, remove same and reassemble refill/lubricate with oil and come spring put him up for sale. I had hoped to keep him as a spare, BUT seems like I will be better off finding another XS11H engine as a compatible replacement.

[cywelchjr]

Because of this unseasonable weather I believe I will have time to slip it into the basement b4 someone notices. I will remove the carbs. Then I will drain the oil out before splitting case to get to kickstarter assembly, remove same and reassemble refill/lubricate with oil and come spring put him up for sale. I had hoped to keep him as a spare, BUT seems like I will be better off finding another XS11H engine as a compatible replacement.

Other than the ignition components, you can swap all the engine parts back and forth between an 80 and an 81 all you want as they are pretty much the same engine wise other than the ignition components. I've got an 81H engine in my 80G with 80 ignition components under the right side cover and it works just like the original did. So if you can find an 80 engine, just put your ignition parts under the right side cover of the engine. If you wanted to plug the extra ports in the intakes an XJ engine is also pretty close to a drop in for an 81 as well.

[BA80]

No rebuttal on the bold

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by that.

Also how best to protect engine, looks like I'll have to store outside for winter with no mufflers or carbs. Should I duct tape all the openings or stuff each with rags.

Oil everything up, particularly the cylinders,before you seal it and cover it with plastic or a waterproof tarp and it should be OK till spring. If you can get your hands on a pallet to sit it on that would be a good thing.

[BA80]

I had hoped to keep him as a spare, BUT seems like I will be better off finding another XS11H engine as a compatible replacement.

The SF engine will run stronger than the H does.

[cywelchjr]

The SF engine will run stronger than the H does.

However from what I've read the H/G engines tend to have a flatter curve, so are supposed to if running right if all stock pull better down low but not pull as hard up top. I know with my Jardines which are supposed to be about as close to OEM pipes as you can get, while it does wake up a good bit a 5k, it pulls good and strong from 1500 and up. With the stock FD, it will lift the front wheel easily in 1st gear by 3k, with the 750 I gotta hit 5k to pull the wheel up in 1st .

However, were it me, unless I were trying to get max performance, I would always try to stick with the same ignition system that came in it (other than the coils that is) to keep from being cussed out as a PO. By staying with parts compatible with what came from the factory, that keeps future guessing to a minimum, unless you HAVE to change. Changing to the SF engine means changing all the ignition components, which means nothing matches what it was from the factory anymore. This is fine for the current owner, and maybe one owner down the road, but what about later? Unless you go with a complete replacement system like a megasquirt system where it's clearly aftermarket, in MY mind it's something that would cause more headaches than it's worth. My opinion would be different if only an 81 engine would work, but the only difference between the 80 and 81 engines is the ignition components.

[BA80]

However from what I've read the H/G engines tend to have a flatter curve, so are supposed to if running right if all stock pull better down low but not pull as hard up top. I know with my Jardines which are supposed to be about as close to OEM pipes as you can get, while it does wake up a good bit a 5k, it pulls good and strong from 1500 and up. With the stock FD, it will lift the front wheel easily in 1st gear by 3k, with the 750 I gotta hit 5k to pull the wheel up in 1st .

However, were it me, unless I were trying to get max performance, I would always try to stick with the same ignition system that came in it (other than the coils that is) to keep from being cussed out as a PO. By staying with parts compatible with what came from the factory, that keeps future guessing to a minimum, unless you HAVE to change. Changing to the SF engine means changing all the ignition components, which means nothing matches what it was from the factory anymore. This is fine for the current owner, and maybe one owner down the road, but what about later? Unless you go with a complete replacement system like a megasquirt system where it's clearly aftermarket, in MY mind it's something that would cause more headaches than it's worth. My opinion would be different if only an 81 engine would work, but the only difference between the 80 and 81 engines is the ignition components.

Yup, the F engine flat turns on at 3.5 - 4 thousand. Even with the 850 FD I have to lean forward in anticipation when it hits that power curve. I have had the grips pulled out of my hands on occasion.

Maybe confusing to some future owners but the 2H7 is stamped right in the cases so it's not too hard to figure out and the CDI is the same.

[Nubian]

BA80
I highlighted (bold) part of your answer that no one disagreed with or addressed. I am therefore I am assuming you are correct.

[Nubian]

Does that still hold true with a F which is what I have?

Other than the ignition components, you can swap all the engine parts back and forth between an 80 and an 81 all you want as they are pretty much the same engine wise other than the ignition components. I've got an 81H engine in my 80G with 80 ignition components under the right side cover and it works just like the original did. So if you can find an 80 engine, just put your ignition parts under the right side cover of the engine. If you wanted to plug the extra ports in the intakes an XJ engine is also pretty close to a drop in for an 81 as well.

[BA80]

Does that still hold true with a F which is what I have?

The parts will interchange as far as fit but the top end (pistons, head, cams) and ignition timing curve (centifugal and vacuum advance) are slightly different.

All these parts are designed to work together in the respective engines. The later engines were designed to reduce emissions (thanks Ralph Nader) which unfortunately reduced horspower and performance.

[cywelchjr]

Does that still hold true with a F which is what I have?

The parts will interchange, but it's recommended that you use the ignition components that go with the engine with the F engine, as the F engine won't work as well with the timing characteristics of the H's ignition system. The same would be true if you put an H engine into an F, it wouldn't run as well on the F's ignition system either.

[Nubian]

Ok then, as long as I keep the engines with their respective ignition components (coils included?) i'll be fine. I was just trying to avoid different id #'s on one bike.

The parts will interchange, but it's recommended that you use the ignition components that go with the engine with the F engine, as the F engine won't work as well with the timing characteristics of the H's ignition system. The same would be true if you put an H engine into an F, it wouldn't run as well on the F's ignition system either.

[cywelchjr]

Ok then, as long as I keep the engines with their respective ignition components (coils included?) i'll be fine. I was just trying to avoid different id #'s on one bike.

The coils would stay with the bike, because the 81's don't have the ballast resistor while the 79's do. But yes to the rest of it. Otherwise, if you found an 80 motor, you can treat it as it it were an 81 motor and just put your 81 ignition components under the right side engine cover.