Best Engine Rebuild Kit

[Eric Alvarez]

Hi there,

I was wondering if you could please post some links to engine rebuild kits? I am looking for gaskets, piston rings, seals, bearings, etc.. Anything else I should know about these kits?

 

[BBS360]

Best place is probably ebay.
Won't find a kit with everything but there are gasket sets, seal sets, etc, sold separately.
MikesXS has quite a few parts, Speed and Sport, and Yambits in the UK.

 

[spectra]

Also what year? There are way more parts for the older SOHC engines than the DOHC from what I have found.

Mikes is a good place to start as stated above then venture out......there are plenty of ebay sellers also.

 

[NewHavenMike]

Id say to leave the bottom end alone. DO not touch the crank bearings, or connecting rods. Youd be surprised at how clean the bottom end could be after decades of use... Connecting rod bolts are pretty much impossible to find ask me how I know... You can buy a complete gasket kit, I got mine on Ebay. The kit I bought did not include the clutch push-rod seal, which is known as the leaky seal because it gets ripped by the pushrod and ovals out. Get the cylinders inspected at a machine shop to see if you can get away with a just a hone and new rings.. I went 1st OS on my 360 and rings/pistons were pretty expensive and hard to find kits for.

I was probably just over $1000 when I was able to get the block sealed and ready to start.

 

[Eric Alvarez]

All excellent advice. I am glad I found this forum. It is a 1978. So in summary, you recommend I 1) tear it down, 2) bring the bottom half to a machine shop for new rings/clean up, 3) replace all gaskets and seals on my own from kits on eBay? Any idea on machine shop costs just for the rings and hone?

 

[NewHavenMike]

Well, does the bike run? If so, have a compression test done first to determine the engines condition. Only have a test done when the bike is in top tune. Adjust the valves, new plugs, timing is good, etc...

***get carbs synced too*** very easy and a must for smooth running.

If compression test is good, leave it alone. If youre getting low or very different numbers, you need a rebuild.

You can remove the head, take the cam out and then youll be able to slide the cylinder off to have it examined.

Costs are around $60 for a bore and hone in each cylinder..

First, get a manual and study it. Sleep next to it. Eat with it. If you just rip everything apart and slap it together, failure is imminent.

 

[Eric Alvarez]

This manual here?: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-Yamah...m20aec73cee:m:mdEVtUnctVrqaw3Qg94EB_w&vxp=mtr

 

[NewHavenMike]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Haynes-378-Repair-Manual-XS250-360-400-/382165517216?fits=Model:XS400&epid=171224032&hash=item58fad703a0:g:98UAAOSwa51ZaiRC&vxp=mtr

I read through this about 100 times and I had every nut and bolt off the frame. I had the engine completely torn down to nothing and I followed this manual..

Let me find my thread that I had a while back..

Well sorry to say, but because I had all my images uploaded on to Photobucket, all of them have been pretty much lost since that site pretty much ended itself when they decided to charge something like $500 for a yearly membership, in the meantime they have confiscated all my images that Ive had since I was about 16 years old...

 

[Petew]

I had never done any motorcycle work at all before June of this year. I tore my first engine down and removed all of the broken kick start journal pieces. I then reassembled it , it wouldn't start and I tore it down again and looked at the cylinders, honed them clean and replaced the rings, removed the valves and cleaned them and replaced the seals, reinstalled the head and adjusted the valves. I also tore down the carb twice and overhauled 2 pairs of them. The bike now runs great and starts easily. I am now in the process of a ground up rebuild on another 1980 G. I have done everything by referring to Haynes manual and repair manuals and search threads posted here, and through much help from forum members. I cannot tell you how much information I have gathered and lessons learned in the last 5 month! Good luck!! These are pretty simple machines once you are familiar with them!! Enjoy the journey!