buying a 1999 yz400f What to look for?

[hoerter2158]

I am going to be buying a 1999 yamaha yz400f and want to know what i should look for when i buy it. Are there anythings that i should be listening for or things to look at that i should be worried about?

Let me know the things i should look for and hear while im checking it out.

 

[Ol'89r]

Make sure it has good compression.
Smell the engine oil. Does it smell fresh or does it smell like a brontosaurs crawled in there and died? :whoa: That's not good.
Can you smell burnt clutch fiber in the oil?
Drain a small amount of oil and inspect it. Is it clean or does it have any metal particles in it? That engine shares the engine oil with the gearbox oil. Metal particles in the oil is not a good thing.
If the owner will let you, remove the flywheel from the engine and inspect it. Any metal particles or bits of gear will collect on the magnets of the flywheel and will be easy to see.
Check the sprockets. Are they fresh and sharp or are they worn down?
Look at the foot pegs. Are they still sharp or worn?
Ring the spokes. Take a small wrench and tap the spokes. Do they have a ringing sound to them or a dull clunk? They should ring.
Make sure there are no loud engine noises. Some parts, (like the crankshaft) are no longer available for that engine.
Little things like this will tell you how a bike has been taken care of and how much time it has on it.

 

[hoerter2158]

ok... that was more than i was expecting.

Is there anything i can do with out taking **** apart? Motor noises, how hard it is to start. Back fires, ect.?

 

[Ol'89r]

Visual inspection and smelling the oil will tell you a lot. You don't have to dissasemble the whole engine to see the flywheel. Only remove the left side engine cover and it will expose the flywheel. Any large bits of metal, gear teeth, etc, will collect on the flywheel magnets.

If it's hard to start, that would indicate a worn engine, worn rings or possibly tight or burnt valves. A dirty carb will also cause it to be hard to start. Those bikes were not easy to start in the first place and they take a certain proceedure to start them.

Backfiring can be caused by a dirty carb, tight valves or a loose connection on the exhaust system.

Take the time to check it out.

The more time you spend checking it out, the less time and money you will spend fixing it. :cool: