TOPIC:

Ill be putting in new valvecover and head gaskets because of slight oil leaks ,and while im at it i was going to go ahead and replace the rings and hone the cylinders as the bike smokes quite a bit at WOT. is there anyting else i should look at while im at it...? and also is there a certain oil that i should run in the bike for the break in period?

thanks

You really need to have the cylinder bore measured to make sure that it will be within limits after honing.
There is a good possibiliy that it will have to be bored to the next oversize.

You might want to do the valves and replace valvestem seals. Not sure on a bike motor, but on a car engine the extra compression from the new rings will blow past old valves, and cause it to smoke at idle and when accelerating.

The same applies TLH, good call. I need to rebuild the top end of my 550 soon, and I will be doing a head rebuild at the same time. Main reason for the rebuild is my drooling head and base gaskets, but since I got all that crap off, might as well make it fresh!

I would run a compression test and/or a leakdown test before you do anything.

Check all the cam chain components for excessive wear. The idler sprockets and the center tower - it you can rock the sprockets from side-to-side, they are in fairly poor shape. Check the rubber roller that sits between the cases and the cylinder block and the roller on the tensioner assemble - these both tend to harden then start disintegrating with wear and age.

you'll need to replace the little rubber dampers that have now turned into rock hard blocks.

Check the cam chain guide at the front of the block - these crack and break.

Inspect the cam bearings - often they can be reused, but occasionally you'll get some with some very nasty tears / gouges in them.

J model motor Jeff,no rollers

I would lap the valves if the solvent leaks, new valve guide seals too.

Craig - thanks - didn't notice the year.... shows you what I work on all the time...

Honing will work, but wear limit before a first overbore is needed is close. Measure bore to determine. Lap valves, new valve seals and clean out combustion chambers of carbon buildup.

Unless this is an unusually low milage 1000, it is probably going to need valve guides.

Jay

bike has 18000 miles didnt smoke at idle or even before it was warmed up. only at wide open throttle. bike ran fine othewise....