XR650L engine rebuild...

**POB/London** · #1 23 Jul 2003

Anyone had to do this?
Any tips / tricks?

**RichLees** · #2 23 Jul 2003

yup. easy.
engine is a close fit in the frame so you might prefer to drop it in the frame, remove the rocker cover and then lift it out.
its a Dommie engine so just get a manual and honda/pattern gasket set for whatever you're about to do.
if you're going into the gear box, you can fit a kickstart, but its way expensive - see my thread from March/April. that said, it starts well on the kick so it gives me some reassurance.
unless you need to, don't bother removing the alternator rotor. you can do everything except remove the crank while the rotor is in place. remember to loosen the nut on the right side of the crank before removing the clutch, chain etc as the rear brake and 5th gear allows you to apply enough torque to avoid needing an air tool.
have fun
Rich

**POB/London** · #3 24 Jul 2003

Thx Rich - thought you might know a thing or 2 about this. Not my fault (damn mechanics) but the red and white baby's totally seized solid. I took the top end off and it's VERY bad news....

Will keep everyone posted....

**RichLees** · #4 28 Jul 2003

sorry to hear that, Lewis. oil starvation? I've heard of reputable people doing that to Dommie's. can't the mechanic get you a replacement dommie engine? might be easier and cheaper.
good luck

**POB/London** · #5 30 Jul 2003

Yep - within 1000 miles of getting it back from the garage. It seems that the mechanic's "assistant" filled the tank and left it at that. My dipstick oil temp monitor was helpfully telling me the air temp in the oil tank (didn't reach level of oil) and so everything appeared fine until the engine died.

The place in question is being a bit slippery, but I may be able to get some help. On the other hand, this might be an opportunity to fit a big-vore kit, a Paris-Dakar cam and a kicker... although I haven't decided whether to do it myself or not.

**AFrear** · #6 30 Jul 2003

Hey Lewis,

You're having a belt of bad luck there mate, good to see you're keeping a positive attitude! Don't let them drag you down...

Cya on the road...
Aubrey

**chris** · #7 30 Jul 2003

is it worth naming and shaming the mechanic who employs muppet assistants? that way he has less chance of destroying somebody else's engine.

on this train of thought i would like to nominate sid morams, the official honda dealer in slough, berks, uk as employing at least one v. dangerous 'mechanic' (the stupid b****** who worked on my af twin) and offering a v. v. poor service.

hope you get back on the road soon.
cheers
ChrisB

**POB/London** · #8 1 Aug 2003

Chris,

I will definitely name and shame the place, but for the time being I'm trying to be pleasant and give him a way out. That way I might get some free parts/labout by way of compensation. Ideally he would claim on his insurance and pay for me to get the bike fixed elsewhere, but I don't think that's about to happen!

Progress though. Today I bought a complete and running Japanese-assembled Dommie 650, with kick and electric start. I'm hoping to do a Richard Lees

and bastardise both engines to give me a kick and elec start XRL with a slight overbore (670cc?) and high performance bearings....

BTW, the Dommie was pretty cheap, and the rest of it (ranging from good to average nick for a 1990 bike) is now for sale. Nothing's dented.

Some progress. Things may be looking up!

[This message has been edited by POB/London (edited 01 August 2003).]

**pmtsg** · #9 4 Aug 2003

Hi,
I'm thinking of getting a XRL... have no idea where to find one though. Where did you get yours from ?

hope you're getting it sorted...

good luck,

**POB/London** · #10 5 Aug 2003

I bought mine provately in Surrey. Unfortunately they don't come up very often. How much were you hoping to spend? If you've got some cash then getting a brand new import shouldn't be a problem - there's a company advertising in the back of TBM who import a couple of batches a year I think. Other than that, you could drop CS a line via the Desert Riders website... Although Chris has sold his, one of the other 2 may still have a bike for sale.

HTH. When mine's all back in one piece you're welcome to have a look. BTW, I had a twinlamp Tenere before the XR, so I understand your predicament perfectly (and you're doing the right thing!)

**apattrick** · #11 6 Aug 2003

This place can import them new, Mark J(can't remember his HU tag) got his from here.
http://www.kjmsuperbike.co.uk

I am currently in email conversations with David Silver Spares about parts. They are really helpful and were always good in the past for my grey import CBR400. You can get stuff at 25pc off the Honda price if you are prepared to wait 3 weeks. News so far is that they can get pretty much anything if they can find the part number. They couldn't get me a genuine honda workshop manual so it looks like I am stuck with the breeze block sized Clymer :-( My guess is that all the other parts I asked about overlap with the XR6 or the Dommie and Honda UK can't be arsed to obtain anything else....although they did get me prices for plastics and they are not the same as XR6 or Dommie so who knows.

Cheers Andy.

**POB/London** · #12 7 Aug 2003

All part numbers can be found here:

http://houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit...model_dept_yea r=1995&model_dept_mfr=Honda&model_dept_id=170588&m odel_dept_name=XR650L

Sorry it's a long link! As far as plastics goes, you can get someone from the XRLUG to order you some plastics from the US. Prices are:

- Both side covers $ 98
- Front fender $ 57
- Rear fender $ 35
- Visor set $ 55

I also know that almost all chassis components are identical to the last of the XR600's (apart from head bearings) and most engine parts are interchangeable with the Dommie. My plan is to get the NX650 Haynes manual and work it out from there.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the cam profile and carburation the only difference between the 2 engines? I was wondering if gear ratios are the same....

**POB/London** · #13 7 Aug 2003

£4499 for a brand new XRL.

Bargain.

**RichLees** · #14 7 Aug 2003

so far, I've needed my kick-start 3 times and its worked first kick each time. not at all sure why the electric spins, but occasionally doesn't fire up. just one of those things?
Lewis - why do you want to bore the injun? I wish it wasn't such a slug, but got 133kmh fully laden on a gravel road and shagged MT21 yesterday. dunes this arvo!

**apattrick** · #15 8 Aug 2003

Hi,

bikebandit site is wonderful, thanks POB. I have got a fiche and was looking at getting it scanned and converted to PDF's...perhaps I won't bother now.

I didn't ask for prices for any engine internals so I don't really know what the differences are or whether you can get the parts easily in the UK. At the UK HU rally I had a good look at a dommie engine and at least one of the side covers is different...not very helpful I know but..

Rich, my CBR400 does this sometimes and it's got me foxed. There seems to be no reason for it. I am currenlty experimenting with giving the throttle a little blip before I turn the ignition off, the idea being that it might leave fresh charge in the chamber making it more likely to start off the button. As you can tell, I'm cluthing at straws now ;-) If you work it out, let me know and receive guru worship in return.

Andy.