XR650L edit - it's a 2001- engine teardown & rebuild??
It looks like I'm going to tackle this job. Bad metal-meeting-metal noise.
I probably won't be able to check back on this thread for a day or two.
I'm not getting deep into this job right away, going to study the manual, very limited wrenching, and do some research and maybe sourcing first.
Got the Honda manual - will probably get the Clymer one as well.
Hand tools - pretty good set, 3/8 and 1/4 drive, (1/2 is in inch) sets. combo & offset box end, but limited - no swivel sockets, etc. Some specialized tools like torque wrenches, and 'odd' size sockets.
My plan is to check valve timing and inside the jug before going further, then start the disassembly.
What size is the head on the flywheel / magneto bolt?
Do I want to pull this before removing the engine?
The reason I ask is, on my KLR, it was pretty tight. A nice miracle would be if the head (AND the thread on the puller) were the same as for the KLR - I can dream, right? Same for the wrench to hold it in place.
Are there any unique tools that I am going to need?
I expect to be doing plenty of parts-washing in kerosene and rather than replacing every possible part, will be cleaning and inspecting them and doing some checking of them against the specs in the manual. There's only around 5000 miles on the bike.
One question about the crank - is the connecting rod available separately (assuming the journal isn't bad)? The fiche only shows the crank as an assembly - $$$$$!!. The manual usn't handy right now.
And are there any areas of special difficulty that I should know about that might not be adequately covered in the manual?
Or sequences (like with the flywheel, it seems it would be a 'bear' to deal with that bolt with the engine on a bench.
Would fabricating a jig / stand to hold the engine in place be very useful or not?
One observation about the manuals on Japanese bikes -
while they've improved since the days of the 305 (lousy pictures to show you how to not put the crank in backwards, but little narrative or pictures on important stuff that's not obvious), they still have plenty of gaps and are short on narrative, compared to factory manuals on US autos.
I should mention my experience - a couple of years as paid mechanic for autos, lots of wrenching on my own vehicles over the last several decades, and some on a couple of bikes. I learned from my father who was a machinist. However, I've only done a couple of overhauls, on autos, and on bikes it's been stuff like putting in a racing cam & stiffer valve springs, installing the "doohickey" on my KLR, checking-adjusting valve clearances, etc.
There will be lot of parts tagging and picture-taking since I will have plenty of interruptions - got to earn a living, you know.
The good part is that the owner, my son, is paying for all the parts and additional tools needed.
Thanks in advance for whatever good advice you have for me... :cool: