New to this, bike cut off and now wont start.

[MFJustin]

Biggest thing for me is finding out what caused my problem in the first place. I'll search around this forum some more for some answers but in the mean time where should I start? I don't want to buy all new parts thinking I solved the original cause when I haven't. I guess I could start with piston ring gap since that seems to be where oil would leak by at?

 

[weekendrider]

Hand your motor is pretty much screwed. It can be rebuilt but it would be cheaper to find a used motor. It ran way too lean and melted/burned a hole in the piston.
If your heart is set on this motor take your manual and the jugs to a machine shop.
With their results you can find out if a oversize rebuild is viable.
OR watch for some jugs with pistons left over from someone going to Mikes 750 kit.
I would be watching for a head and cam also.

 

[MFJustin]

I've been looking for used motors online, haven't been finding much. Guess I need to be patient.

 

[peanut]

be patient they'll turn up soon enough. try phoning around the local bike repair shops and asking if they have any scrappers with good engines . try your local bike dismantlers there must be some. All of them will ship and their stuff is bound to be warranteed in some shape or form.

If it were me i'd look around my locale for other xs650 owners . Most of them will either have spares or know where spares can be had at reasonable prices.

You really only need the engine (jugs pistons head with cam and tappets etc but if you have to buy a long block then you can break it up and sell the spare bits on here or ebay to offset the cost.

You're gonna need to get some self starting going here if you are going to get this solved. don't waste your time and money getting your existing engine refurbished its completey and utterly and totally fubar'd just buy a good used one put some new standard rings in, hone the bores , grind the valves , renew cam chain tensioner guides etc and seals and you'll have another 20 years use out of it for little outlay.

If your existing engine hadn't of failed due to detonation you would probably have used it without problem for several years even in the worn condition that its in

When you can afford it get a 750cc kit and sell your old block

 

[MFJustin]

Already made a few calls about full long block motors, unfortunately they aren't exactly close but I don't mind driving for the right deal. I'd obviously prefer a full complete motor with carbs so I can basically just plug and play instead of having to rebuild some stuff.

I appreciate all of the help that I have gotten in this thread, which has been a lot. I plan to keep it updated as soon as I get to the next step.

 

[MFJustin]

Picked up an '81 on Monday, guy was 80% done with his build before he found out his wife was pregnant and then got sidetracked. Lowbrowcustoms hardtail, already has almost everything done minus ignition and a few odds and ends. For the price I paid I'll probably steal the motor out of it to put in my other bike and either sell the complete roller frame or keep it and find a second motor down the road and have two bikes.

Pretty excited about this pick up, of course the reality has set in that winter is almost here and I need to tone down my expectations of rushing to get this thing rebuilt because I have months before riding season again haha.