Need advice for my engine

Hi everyone,

I was working on my bike sooner this morning and I was wandering one thing. Should I take apart my engine or not ? The bike has about 27000 miles and I know the engine was rebuild once before because one of the muffler was clogged and the engine "got stuck". I also think the engine was bored to the 2th oversize but I'm not sure. Anyway, the bike didn't run for about 20 years since I started it last year. The engine run well and the only leak I found was at the clutch pushrod seal when the engine is hot. I'm planning to change all the seals but I'm wandering if it could be a good idea to also replace all the gaskets (including head gasket) and also change the valve seals. I don't want to have any "surprise" when the bike will be reassembled.

- why not just ride it until it stops or winter, whichever comes first, then have a project...you will have a better feel for the motor then too

It's already a project, the restoration has already begun. I will send the frame for the powdercoat soon. That's why I ask it, I suppose it would be a good idea to do it but I wanted advices from other people first.

Whether to re-build or not, that is a good question.................with no precise answer.

You can only make a decision based on real world things such as.............is the compression on both cylinders normal i.e 130 psi or greater?..................does the engine make a lot of internal noises?............... does the sump contain bits of plastic and/or aluminum from the front camchain guide?......................does the engine leak or consume oil like a BP gulf oil rig?

If you plan on keeping the bike for a long time and like the knowledge that the engine is reliable, then a top end re-build is a good way to go. When you take the engine apart, you will likely find things (missing parts left out by those nasty POs) that need replacement.

When I took my engine apart it was missing washers in 3 different locations..............clutch, tach drive shaft, and camchain tensioner.

Last summer when I started the engine, it was running smooth without a lot of internal noises. The only problem I got with it was oil leaking from the clutch pushrod seal and I had problem finding the neutral when the engine was hot. I found out that the clutch was missing one washer, the one with the needle bearing. Now that the engine is on the workbench, it could be a great time to do it before putting it back in the frame. After all these years, I suppose that many of the gaskets must be "dry" and maybe it will start to leak oil soon after the complete rebuild. I will order a complete gasket set just in case.

Sounds like you really want to rebuild so do it. Let us know ow it goes.

I don't really want to rebuilt it because it run well. I just want to be sure that everything will be ok. I will do a top-end rebuild like "retiredgentleman" suggest because I want to keep this bike for a long time and ride it. I will post pics of it in my "My build thread - 72 XS650" thread later.