replace head looking for advice tips and anything that will help me out

[braydon56001]

so i picked up a 1980 xs400 for what i thought was a steal $550 and i rode it about 50 miles before it spit out the left bank spark plug the yamaha dealer in town said it was too big to fix so i got a new head to swap off a parts xs400 i have i pulled the motor out and cleaned it up with degresser and im waiting for the head gasket before i disaseemble the motor im looking for any help or advice anyone has i have the shop manual that goes threw the process but this is the first attempt with anything of this nature so i guess anyone have any tips or tricks to make it go smother thanks in advance
Braydon

 

[Lou Ranger]

so i picked up a 1980 xs400 ... before i disaseemble the motor im looking for any help or advice ...

Welcome Braydon to our happy place.
You are a braver man than I, taking the engine apart but I have read a few threads on here where it has been done successfully - and I am also pretty sure that the guys who did it only seem smarter than you and I.
Pics - I have done a few small things and the best advice I can think of is to record the process somehow so you can put it all back together in the same order and not break, lose or miss anything. I think photographing everything as you do it would be best since the camera keeps track of the order for you.
Ziplocks & Sharpies - Next most important - bag and label everything as you do it, not after. Don't trust the workbench surface to keep track of things for you. Workbenches throw stuff off themselves and then fairies (or your own left hand, if Drewpy is to be believed) hide them on you.

 

[HoughMade]

A helicoil or time-sert won't work? (though personally, I's just find the next size larger plug and tap it out....but I'm an old country boy)

Welcome and good luck!

 

[volcomskater77]

if your pullin the head to replace it, make sure you have the correct valve clerence and that the valves are seated well. wouldnt hurt to lap the valves to get a good seal.

while the head is off, inspect the cylinder bore to gouges and scoring. if its all cheesed up a hone and overized pistons are in your future. but thats worst case scenario.

 

[drewpy]

I'd do a helicoil/zerk myself.

but if you have the head make sure the cam cover comes with it as they are usually a matched pair (although I have used different ones before with no discernible differences)

 

[braydon56001]

Thanks for the advice there's about an 1/8 inch gap all the way around the plug the Yamaha dealer said it might have been helicoiled once before and that pulled with the plug i figure it wont be too bad to do as ive always worked on cars and trucks just never anything this far into a motor and a motorcycle is very new territory to me ill let you guys know how it goes after i gt the new headgasket on wed im hoping to be able to get back on the road this weekend!