xs650hacker
XS650 Member
Ok, new to the forum but have gleaned tons of excellent info so far. I recently picked up a 78 XS650 SE for $100, mostly complete and supposedly running (never fired it up due to winter setting in) and decided to rebuild the top half of the motor while waiting for my hardtail to arrive and it's winter anyway. Plus I get to use the unused front bedroom as the new shop. Nothing like building a chopper in the front room of your trailer!
On to the issues, there was a ton of carbon on the pistons and around the valves, which as you can see by the photos, I have begun to clean up. Not a fun task, but being it's winter, what better to do. Pistons are now clean, little to no movement in the piston and no scoring in the cylinder wall.
I was going to attack the head next and noticed a piece of metal missing (shown by the arrow in the picture), how critical is this? Am I going to be able to use this head as is or need to get it fixed or just buy a new head? Also, since this is my first rebuild, are those valves going to clean up or should I just replace them?
I haven't noticed any other problems with the motor, cam chain looks new, all the plastic is still on the guide and I believe it only had 6000 miles on the odometer when I disassembled the bike and brought it inside. Motor was covered in mud like maybe this was used mainly on or around the farms up here, the main reason (that and to get to know the motor better) for the rebuild.
Any other pics of the motor or improvised shop ya want to see let me know and I'll upload them.
On to the issues, there was a ton of carbon on the pistons and around the valves, which as you can see by the photos, I have begun to clean up. Not a fun task, but being it's winter, what better to do. Pistons are now clean, little to no movement in the piston and no scoring in the cylinder wall.
I was going to attack the head next and noticed a piece of metal missing (shown by the arrow in the picture), how critical is this? Am I going to be able to use this head as is or need to get it fixed or just buy a new head? Also, since this is my first rebuild, are those valves going to clean up or should I just replace them?
I haven't noticed any other problems with the motor, cam chain looks new, all the plastic is still on the guide and I believe it only had 6000 miles on the odometer when I disassembled the bike and brought it inside. Motor was covered in mud like maybe this was used mainly on or around the farms up here, the main reason (that and to get to know the motor better) for the rebuild.
Any other pics of the motor or improvised shop ya want to see let me know and I'll upload them.