there was no orange sealant in 72's and I've never seen it in any xs650 motor of any year unless billy bob has been goobering. Better pull the clutch cover and the oil pipe and orifice in the passage that runs to the head. I'm just assuming sump and filters are already on the list.
That motor does look REALLY good inside.
 
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That's NOT the worse silicone treatment I've ever seen. I would be thinking about the right side engine cover now and every other cover to see how "silicone happy" this guy was. Like Gary said, inspect sump and filters. Silicone on the left side cover is no big deal at all. Looks like skinny worms, not bad at all.

Compression

Scott
 
Might I suggest.....
"Mailman’s XS2. A (not so) sympathetic restoration."

Oh man I know. It should be edited to say Mailman’s XS2. A Runaway Restoration. :lmao:

there was no orange sealant in 72's and I've never seen it in any xs650 motor of any year unless billy bob has been goobering. Better pull the clutch cover and the oil pipe and orifice in the passage that runs to the head. I'm just assuming sump and filters are already on the list.
That motor does look REALLY good inside.

Yup, no problem, I can get er cleaned up and check the oil passageways. And Scott, the compression test will have to wait until it’s back in the frame. I did however give it the old kick over leg test when I bought it and it seemed ( to me anyways ) that it had pretty good compression.
 
... I'm not sure exactly when Yamaha came out with their gray colored Yamabond. Maybe 2M can comment on what he's found on his XS1 stuff.

Eeeeyow... Tryin' to remember. I recall the grey goo we used on the Hondas, I used the same on my other XS1B. This is the only decent pic I have of the Green Slug's untouched (never been opened) camcover and valve area.
ExpAdjTool05.jpg


Don't recall ever seeing drools of goo like I've seen in other posts in here.
 
Ya there is silicon there but i have seen worse also. The red stuff is a sign of a novice doing his first engine rebuild. Probably not to much to worry about. Yamabond has been around for a long time. I used Loctite 518 anorobic sealant on my last set of Z1 cases. I also use Hylomar sealant on the gaskets.
 
Ya there is silicon there but i have seen worse also. The red stuff is a sign of a novice doing his first engine rebuild. Probably not to much to worry about. Yamabond has been around for a long time. I used Loctite 518 anorobic sealant on my last set of Z1 cases. I also use Hylomar sealant on the gaskets.

Yup! I have a fresh tube of Yamabond and an unopened tube of Hylomar on stand by!
 
This morning I cut some blocks of wood to fit under the motor and then ran a tie down strap around it and the bench. That’s not going anywhere. It feels like part of the bench now!
8126BCFD-2F50-4FEF-97BF-2ABDA77FA9D5.jpeg

It’s super sturdy so now I can crank away on things, it’s easy to loosen the strap and reposition when necessary.
The PO had slathered silicone under the carb mount gaskets and then for good measure he smeared silicone around the outside of the mount. :doh:
73E2D52B-6D70-4E82-9BBB-692E761F942B.jpeg
EB49412A-B015-4A6B-BD73-3B86555ACE9E.jpeg
 
1027C15D-115B-413D-B8AC-FCA93FDF7763.jpeg

Which brings me to my engine......
It’s been sitting on my bench, just staring at me. Just a cursory look inside the tappet covers told me that at the very least the cover needed to come off for a clean up, due to that red silicone coming loose.
Nearly every seal and gasket is leaking and I just kept thinking, it’s out and on the bench , there will never be an easier time to work on it. I’m quite sure the front cam chain guide is suspect, and frankly I’m just kinda itching to pull this thing apart. So having said all that....so begins,

THE CHEAP BASTARD TOP END REBUILD

I have four goals here.
1. Freshen up the top end
2. Make it oil tight ( or at least better )
3. Have some fun and learn something new
4. Keep the costs as low as possible

Here’s my plan,
All new gaskets and seals
Clean all the carbon from the head and valves
Lap the valves
Deglaze / hone the cylinders
New standard sized rings
New front cam chain tensioner
The bike has such low mileage (5,000) and the metal surfaces inside the motor look like new, so I have decided to leave the original cam chain in. It’ll probably outlive me.
Also in the spirit of keeping the costs low, I intend to take advantage of free loaner specialty tools from local auto supply houses. Valve spring compressors ring compressors, things like that. I might even just use the pop sickle stick method on the rings.

Here is my parts list, suppliers and cost ( so far )
Note: I know I could have bought a less expensive gasket set, but the Athena was really comprehensive.
D95EB492-E90F-4CE2-B252-7F7377711636.jpeg
So I removed my points and ignition advance system and pulled the shaft out of the head, broke all the head bolts loose and pulled the top cover off.
1FC3FDE5-5822-47EE-A69E-11834DEFC4A4.jpeg
B3084808-1742-4419-A9E8-53EB2A5F2A7F.jpeg
B1A7B773-EE80-4F8E-86CF-83163BCD0960.jpeg

Here are some close ups of all that red silicone , it was everywhere.
FCDF33DE-8A26-4A78-BD76-EAF3ADCC2E86.jpeg BAC90DB5-5BAC-4477-AA43-23E172848F00.jpeg 14E40951-D471-4571-B551-7FF82655F8EC.jpeg B2E244FF-50C8-487F-94AD-DD36A5243A2E.jpeg D882EE5C-CFAF-44A3-A113-AD3FA96F3A09.jpeg B458773C-1A51-41DF-9937-3C761480F5FE.jpeg 476483B1-3DF8-4548-BF2B-6750731781B2.jpeg
Next up I will attempt to push the cam bearings out of place and slip the cam chain off , so I can remove the cam.

This won’t be happening very soon, since I just ordered parts today and some are coming from Germany and Japan, so shipping times will be a while. Feel free to make comments and suggestions but the above parts list has already been ordered.

I’m looking forward to this job, I’ve never done it before, and frankly I NEVER would’ve attempted this except for the incredible support of this forum and the depth of knowledge here. I’m standing on the shoulders of those who went before me. And to Jim I would like to say thank you for your timely and well written and superbly photographed tutorial on top end builds, I will be relying heavily on this.
Until next time,
Bob
 

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Good call Bob. I think you will be happy you did this, will rest easy that things are done right, and won't be worried that a chunk of that silicone will break away and plug an oil passage somewhere.

Just follow the bouncing ball in Jim's thread and you've got this one buddy.
 
Great pics, Bob. Kinda rare to get pics of clean, low-time, unmolested (somewhat) early originals. Saved some for my records. We could also use some pics of the XS2 cam tensioner stuff, as installed. The manuals have the tensioner parts pics fouled-up.

You have 256 pistons, which will use matching 256 rings. 1.5mm top ring.

http://www.xs650.com/threads/cruzinimage-rings-for-xs2.47990/
 
Great pics, Bob. Kinda rare to get pics of clean, low-time, unmolested (somewhat) early originals. Saved some for my records. We could also use some pics of the XS2 cam tensioner stuff, as installed. The manuals have the tensioner parts pics fouled-up.

You have 256 pistons, which will use matching 256 rings. 1.5mm top ring.

http://www.xs650.com/threads/cruzinimage-rings-for-xs2.47990/

Thanks Steve,
That’s the set of piston rings I ordered. From that supplier.
You’ve given me an idea regarding photos. As I’m taking things apart, I have a habit of taking tons of reference photos, way more than necessary to add to my post. I think I will start a new album in the media section and throw them in there. Maybe others will find them helpful in the future.
I also have tons of photos from my ‘77, I might just make a second album for it.
 
MAYBE I jumped the gun ordering rings before taking measurements, but I just thought the engine is such low mileage and shows virtually no wear elsewhere , that I thought I could just get by with deglazing the cylinders and throwing new rings in.
D0AEA4D2-1550-4038-A981-CCCB036DA656.jpeg
 
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