Engine Rephase Rebuild Thread

[alfredo]

most excellent. hopefully you still had some 'locking action' with the pushed in pin? or was it completely pushed in so that the surface was smooth?

I did. Just barely, but it was enough to feel good about. Double and triple checked to make sure the race didn't spin before torquing it too. Kent, forgot to ask for an update on your RPMs to max comfortable cruising speed is. Since you syncd I mean.

 

[alfredo]

Oh BTW if you have blue lactate you've got some hormone problems

Hehehehehe. The autocorrect is a tricky little demon sometimes.

 

[alfredo]

Yay!

I just got my camshaft in, so I'm a few steps ahead of you at this point.

Be careful with the piston rings - I tweaked one of the thin oil rings and had to order a new ring kit and lost a night.

To torque down my cylinders to get the cam chain on I just stacked some 12mm nuts as a spacer on the studs. Worked great and once I got the endless cam chain over the sprocket I got my bearings on no problem. I used the rotor to turn the crank with - all the leverage you need.

With the key on the rotor end of the crank straight down, I believe the left side is at TDC (assuming your rephase was done to the right side as most are). Installed the camshaft with the slot pointing straight up as per manuals.

Then rotated it one full rotation which is TDC compression stroke on the left side, adjusted my tappets. Then went around to the right side and set that up. So far so good - nothing banging into anything. Will put a dial into the spark plug holes to confirm TDC and degree the cam, but it looks like it's pretty good as-is.

Yeah. Haven't even thought about how to find TDC. My next steps are going to be:

1. pistons
2. install base gasket
3. install jugs
4. head gasket
5. install head
6. rivet cam chain
7. install cam
8. install head cover
9. torque everything
10. cam chain tensioner
11. install motor in frame
12. install PMA
13. install pamco
14. adjust tappets and install covers
15. wire bike
16. setup temporary battery
17. try and fire the bike
18. time the bike

Anything I am missing? Tips or tricks?

 

[KentMoney]

I noticed that my top comfortable cruise speed increased by maybe 3mph or so, so now I'm going around 77MPH and a little above 4K RPMs.

the most noticeable difference, however, was an increase in top end power. It use to take quite a while to accelerate from say 75MPH to 80MPH, now it happens much quicker.

I'm not sure if this is an unusual finding but I'm enjoying the extra top end umph.

 

[Belle]

I read this whole post. I'm wondering & if I'm being rude, sorry, just say so. I'm gonna pull mine apart & take a look at the head & was hoping to do a simple top end rebuild. I am thinking about this 277 rephase & maybe this winter. I wonder what was the total cost? Rough estimate? more than $2000?

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

Yeah. Haven't even thought about how to find TDC. My next steps are going to be:

1. pistons
2. install base gasket
3. install jugs
4. head gasket
5. install head
6. rivet cam chain
7. install cam
8. install head cover
9. torque everything
10. cam chain tensioner
11. install motor in frame
12. install PMA
13. install pamco
14. adjust tappets and install covers
15. wire bike
16. setup temporary battery
17. try and fire the bike
18. time the bike

Anything I am missing? Tips or tricks?

Don't forget the little metal clip that goes in the underside of the cylinder head by the breather. I'm second guessing myself as I might have forgotten it. Have to go back, look through my parts, and see if I put it in or not.

Worst case I might have to pull the head off again. I put some Threebond around the cam chain opening and the two dowels as recommended by some, which makes this a bit of a pain in the ass. Not sure I can 'see' if the clip is there or not through the breather holes or anything. I think the clip prevents excess oil from spraying off the cam chain into the breather apparatus.

 

[alfredo]

Don't forget the little metal clip that goes in the underside of the cylinder head by the breather. I'm second guessing myself as I might have forgotten it. Have to go back, look through my parts, and see if I put it in or not.

Worst case I might have to pull the head off again. I put some Threebond around the cam chain opening and the two dowels as recommended by some, which makes this a bit of a pain in the ass. Not sure I can 'see' if the clip is there or not through the breather holes or anything. I think the clip prevents excess oil from spraying off the cam chain into the breather apparatus.

Mind pointing out which page/part number you are talking about? I am lost and don't wanna miss it either

schematics

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

It's #15 in this diagram

http://www.boats.net/parts/search/Y.../CYLINDER HEAD-CYLINDER HEAD COVER/parts.html

 

[KentMoney]

what is that thing for anyways? I remember just staying put within the head casing.

 

[blackbetty]

It's an oil baffle to redirect oil slinging off the spinning cam chain.

Fredo, I'm stoked to hear this run....keep up the good progress!

 

[avenue]

^ yeah, what he said. Keep us updated.

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

Just confirmed mine was missing. There is a hole directly above the baffle, so if you can pass a rod past where it would be, then it isn't there. You can do this without pulling the head.

Just removed my head and have ordered a new head gasket. Will put it back together tomorrow. Sheesh.

 

[alfredo]

It's an oil baffle to redirect oil slinging off the spinning cam chain.

Fredo, I'm stoked to hear this run....keep up the good progress!

Me too man. Revenge Run is next weekend. Going to be crazy if I am going to get this thing shook down before then.

^ yeah, what he said. Keep us updated.

Will do muchacho! Hoping to get out in the garage each night and do something. I did forget to mention I cleaned up the frame and got all the wiring pulled and tossed. Going to be making the wiring tonight or tomorrow and should have it all soldered up outside the bike then.

Just confirmed mine was missing. There is a hole directly above the baffle, so if you can pass a rod past where it would be, then it isn't there. You can do this without pulling the head.

Just removed my head and have ordered a new head gasket. Will put it back together tomorrow. Sheesh.

Where are you getting these parts next day like that? I know it's not Mikes. Also, this part is scaring me because I am not sure I have ever noticed it. I mean, it looks sort of familiar, but not really.

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

I get my parts from XS650Direct.com which is the Canadian distributor for MikesXS parts. I live close by so the FedEX Ground shipping is actually overnight. I usually get the parts by 8AM the next day.

Hoping the gasket gets out today as Friday is a holiday. Won't see anything till Tuesday otherwise.

 

[alfredo]

It's #15 in this diagram

http://www.boats.net/parts/search/Y.../CYLINDER HEAD-CYLINDER HEAD COVER/parts.html

So, I am pretty sure I don't have this and have never had it. Went out to the garage this morning and it isn't in the head, nor in any of the bags of parts I have. Just started searching all around the internet for where to buy one and can't see it anywhere. Anybody have any leads on where to scoop one of these bad boys up?

 

[alfredo]

stupid question, but intalling the rephased cam. what position should it be in? I am searching everywhere and can't find it.

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

The left side of the cam and crank are typically left in stock positions. So, you set the left side at TDC, using the stock markings on the rotor/stator and install the cam as per the manual - with the notch in the sprocket carrier pointing straight up.

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

Of course that being said, I just spent the last few hours degreeing in my cam, finding true TDC with a piston stop on both cylinders and measuring at which degree the valves are moving etc. etc. etc. I was doing this as my camshaft is a Shell #1 grind from Mr Riggs and he presses the sprocket off and recommends degreeing it in. Looks like the sprocket was pressed on pretty much in the right spot.

If your sprocket never came off then I'd think you'd just install it as per OEM.

Now, to adjust valve lash, you're going to need to find true TDC for the right cylinder as it has been moved and there are no marks on the rotor for you to line up. I found true TDC and made a mark on my rotor lined up with the TDC mark on the stator so now I have 2 TDC marks, one for each cylinder. Only way to do valve adjustments in the future.

 

[alfredo]

Sheww! Man. I just put the top end back together and put the cam in like I normally do. Got everything torqued down and such and then realized that maybe I should install the cam differently.

Thanks Tim!

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

I'm no expert - my first rephased engine too. Just check everything 10x - make sure valves are opening and closing when they should - rotate the crank slowly by hand etc.