Burger's Build

650Burger · Feb 4, 2020

Today was a bit of a mixed bag. Installed the new cam chain:

Linked the old and new together with a piece of wire and fed it into the engine.

Then installed the new rear cam chain tensioner:

Put some blue loctite on the threads.

Installed the front cam chain guide:

It's very critical that it be centered for the chain to not hit the sides. Tighten, measure, tighten more and get it nicely centered.

Now on to where I messed up... no pictures since I was pretty angry at myself in the moment.

Went on to install rings and pistons. One of the bottom rings got caught in the bore while getting pushed down and bent the ring... $60 mistake and set me back a couple of days.
I'll pay better attention next time!

Jim · Feb 4, 2020

650Burger said:
One of the bottom rings got caught in the bore while getting pushed down and bent the ring... $60 mistake and set me back a couple of days.

That sucks...

650Burger · Feb 7, 2020

So I went to install the base gasket and this happened...

Any suggestions? I really don't want to halt my build now but I also don't want a base gasket leak. Can I patch it with sealer?

Jim · Feb 7, 2020

As long as it's not torn inside the stud, you're fine. (Red line)

650Burger · Feb 7, 2020

Jim said:
As long as it's not torn inside the stud, you're fine. (Red line)

View attachment 159487

My bigger worry is the rip here...

650Burger · Feb 7, 2020

Edit: I'm making the decision of not reusing it. I don't want the risk of a leak!

Jim · Feb 7, 2020

Yeah... that one ain't good. Silicone sealant would probably work on that tear....if you wanted to give it a shot. Me... I'd replace it. Maybe that's just my aircraft mechanic mentality, but I wouldn't use it.

650Burger · Feb 10, 2020

Today I received my athena gasket set and set off to install the big bore kit.
Everything went well, got the piston wrist pins in after wrestling with them for a while... but then I had a though: is the athena base gasket compatible with my 750 kit?
The install went okay ish, the jugs are in the base. Wondering if I can keep building this as is or if I should just delete the damn base gasket.
Help appreciated!

Ps: used loctite 518 on the base gasket to seal it to the cases.

Jim · Feb 10, 2020

650Burger said:
but then I had a though: is the athena base gasket compatible with my 750 kit?

If it fit's, it should be just fine.

TwoManyXS1Bs · Feb 10, 2020

Be sure to leave out the 2 cylinder base O-rings...

http://www.xs650.com/threads/heiden-big-bore-cylinder-o-rings-not-allowing-jug-to-seat-fully.42832/

650Burger · Feb 10, 2020

TwoManyXS1Bs said:
Be sure to leave out the 2 cylinder base O-rings...

http://www.xs650.com/threads/heiden-big-bore-cylinder-o-rings-not-allowing-jug-to-seat-fully.42832/

Thank you very much for chiming in - there definitely isn't space to put the O-rings into unlike the stock sleeves who present a groove.

650Burger · Feb 15, 2020

Made some progress today - tore down the head and swapped in the correct gasket.

There's a very small difference between both the stock and the 750 kit gasket, didn't want to risk it. I'm building this machine to last hopefully, and using the correct parts it part of it even if it means taking more time.

So today I installed the jugs exactly how it was written in Jim's write-up. Follow his instructions they're the best!

I used loctite 518 on both sides of the base gasket. Since I will need to wait to get an extra tube of it, I cut up some pvc pipe and used some spacers along with the head acorn nuts to temporarily torque everything down. Torqued to half torque, I would go full but the pvc warps if subject to more than 20lb ft.

Looks like a pb & j!

5twins · Feb 15, 2020

Just because you have a big, giant tube of gasket sealer, that doesn't mean you need to put that whole tube on one gasket, lol. Light, thin coats are the secret here. Basically, you don't want to do much more than make the gasket shine. What you see squeezing out to the outside has probably done the same on the inside. Sometimes that can cause problems if some of those globs of sealer break off into your oil. They can plug up passageways, oil flowing passageways, and that's not good.

650Burger · Feb 15, 2020

5twins said:
Just because you have a big, giant tube of gasket sealer, that doesn't mean you need to put that whole tube on one gasket, lol. Light, thin coats are the secret here. Basically, you don't want to do much more than make the gasket shine. What you see squeezing out to the outside has probably done the same on the inside. Sometimes that can cause problems if some of those globs of sealer break off into your oil. They can plug up passageways, oil flowing passageways, and that's not good.

I guess I shouldn't have trusted the box... says to apply the sealer in a continuous bead, which is what I did.
I am going to flush the engine with oil before starting it, Hopefully the sealant comes out in the first or second flush. This is anaerobic sealer, so if it's in the air it should not dry.

5twins · Feb 15, 2020

I use one of these little metal handled acid flux brushes with the bristles cut down to about half their original length. Basically, I "paint" the sealer on. You can get a nice, thin, even coat that way .....

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in...MIvJCh7d7U5wIVFqSzCh0Nag_AEAQYASABEgIJnfD_BwE

650Burger · Feb 15, 2020

5twins said:
I use one of these little metal handled acid flux brushes with the bristles cut down to about half their original length. Basically, I "paint" the sealer on. You can get a nice, thin, even coat that way .....

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in...MIvJCh7d7U5wIVFqSzCh0Nag_AEAQYASABEgIJnfD_BwE

I'll pick up a pair for when I put the head and the rocker cover together. Thank you!

TwoManyXS1Bs · Feb 15, 2020

5twins said:
... They can plug up passageways, oil flowing passageways, and that's not good.

Yes, you don't want to block the 4 outer stud oil drain slots.

650Burger · Feb 15, 2020

TwoManyXS1Bs said:
Yes, you don't want to block the 4 outer stud oil drain slots.

View attachment 159911

When putting the bead of sealant on both sides, I avoided those oil gulleys for that reason. Hopefully none (or minimal) sealant will have seeped in!

Marlin72xs · Mar 3, 2020

650Burger said:
Note the amount of plastic that fell off of this and has been floating around in the oil... even the rear guide seems in terrible shape

Wow, the guides are worn. My 72 with about 60K miles didn't look 1/2 as bad.

So, it's been 2 weeks, now. How'd ya do? Does it work? I hope you re-torqued the top end 3 or 5 times. I left the top motor mounts off for the 1st 500 miles to make it easy to re-torque. Now that I've put 10K miles on since, I'll re-torque again.

Wait a minute. Did I miss something? If this is an 80, then why do you have a 256 style rear cam-chain tensioner?

Marlin72xs · Mar 3, 2020

5twins said:
The early cam chain and sprocket set was used up to 1973. The chain had 102 links, the cam sprocket had 34 teeth, crank sprocket 17. In 1974, a new chain and sprockets was introduced. The chain now was longer and had 106 links, cam sprocket had 36 teeth, crank sprocket 18.

Yes 5T, when I saw the sprocket on the cam chain tensioner, I got worried for him. Haven't heard from him for 2 weeks. I hope he isn't too discouraged.

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