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Moses Ludel

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  1. All the cylinder leakdown test requires is the engine's firing order and finding TDC on the compression stroke for each cylinder tested. Might be worth running this test. If you don't have the leakdown tester, see my post about making a facsimile that puts cylinder seal into perspective (albeit without the benefit of leak percentage readings): http://forums.4wdmechanix.com/topic/164-how-to-make-an-inexpensive-engine-cylinder-leak-tester/. Moses
  2. David...My bark busters are aluminum and won't collapse like plastic. The obsessive trend toward weight savings has created the plastic bark buster, an oxymoron really, as they can't bust anything except fingers and the levers! As for exercise, riding motocross, GNCC, trials or desert enduro ranks as the #1 "sport" for exercise. You work all 5 muscle groups and enhance your reflexes. On the XR650R off-pavement, I'm pitting my body against 49 ft-lbs of torque, 55 horsepower and reduction gearing—while wrestling a 300-plus pound machine! You're now experiencing a taste of this. One needs to be in condition to ride. The riding activity itself takes us physically to the next level. I'm hitting the gym at 5:30 a.m. six days a week with dirt motorcycling as my incentive. I know how this one works! If you can stream Moto 4 or Moto 5 the Movie, these guys are athletes, first and foremost. Exercise and conditioning become a major part of the regimen. Otherwise, this sport will beat you up! As for helmets, you're following the prudent caveat: tough knock, no longer reliable. Can you have the helmet inspected through Arai? I need to get a new helmet, mine has been dropped numerous times (fortunately without my head in it!). Incidents like the helmet rolling off the seat while parked, with the helmet bouncing across a cement surface. I'm looking at the 6D technology, very spendy but uniquely protective: http://www.6dhelmets.com/#!editorial/c77. Netflix can be streamed through a player (Roku, Chromecast, etc.) onto your television or viewed on a PC monitor. If you have an account access, either works. A smart TV is another approach. In addition to the Vimeo On Demand rental how-to videos, I've added 112 Vimeo videos for free viewer use. Vimeo now offers streaming through major players. Seeing this stuff on the big screen is impactful! Each of the moto videos I mention is available via Netflix. As for the Moto 4 trailer, I was not encouraging X-Game level jumping. In fact, our XR650Rs are not candidates for that kind of action, they're too heavy and best adapted to sand traps and fast-paced gravel or "fire" roads. Outback Burundi more than fits that paradigm! Keep the XR650R on the ground, perhaps a lightened front wheel when practical or necessary. I'm very excited about your introduction to dirt riding. Beginning properly, with riding partners who have founded skill, you will quickly make your way. Astride an XR650R is every bit the challenge I experienced in the transition from road bikes to a BSA Victor 441 over four decades ago. My intensive riding lesson with Rick Sieman (1987-88 era) opened a whole new level of appreciation for dirt motorcycling! The saving factor here is that the XR650R is probably the best suited desert enduro machine for your terrain. Back off on the speed for now. Once you get your footing, dirt riding will be a fun and "safe" motorcycling outlet. With the Honda XR650Rs, negotiating asphalt or graded gravel is within the design limits of these machines. They're true dual-sport bikes when called upon! Moses
  3. I went with a Borla header on the '99 Jeep XJ Cherokee. Banks also has specially "tuned" headers that many like. Fit is important. Route wires carefully to the O2 sensor and crankshaft position sensor. Many, including the factory shop manual, suggest the complete removal and installation of the exhaust and intake manifolds as a pair. I found it easier to loosen the intake and exhaust manifolds, then stretch and tie the intake away from the cylinder head, using plastic rope. The serpentine drive belt needs removal for the power steering pump clearance. (The pump and bracket can be loosened from the intake manifold if necessary.) The intake tube to the throttle body will likely need loosening. I carefully watched the throttle linkage, hoses, fittings and all other attachments as I moved the intake manifold away from the head. By not completely removing the intake, I saved considerable time and labor. I moved the intake just enough to provide room for gasket removal and installation of the Borla header from the bottom side. This worked for me on the Borla header installation. Answers to Your Questions: 1) This installation involves both intake/exhaust manifold bolts and nuts/studs. The threaded studs may or may not need replacement. I would use a suitable thread penetrant spray on the nuts before removal to offset risk of snapping a stud. These are tough, graded steel studs, and unless excessively corroded, you should be able to reuse the studs and even the nuts. Use good judgment here. Removing studs could be difficult with the intake manifold tied away from the head, you might find yourself completely removing the intake system. Vice Grips work, though my preference is to double nut the stud and turn the inner nut outward to remove the stud. If the threads are broken off the stud, Vice Grips can grab the remaining shank of the stud. A stud that breaks within the head surface is a very difficult proposition to drill and "easy out". The steel in the stud is very hard, and you must stay on center to avoid damaging the head threads and casting. 2) Torque nuts and bolts to factory specification. The below PDF is the entire rundown on intake and exhaust manifold removal/replacement (the combined removal by factory method) plus the torque specifications. Nuts have differing torque in various positions. Note the illustration with the stud numbering sequence. Read over the factory method in case you need to remove the entire intake manifold. On the Borla header installation, I avoided this laundry list of steps by moving the intake manifold outward and securing with plastic rope, gaining just enough room to replace the intake/exhaust manifold's one-piece gasket and to slide the new exhaust manifold up into position over the studs: 1998 Jeep TJ Wrangler Manifolds.pdf 3) Modern manifold gaskets do not require great effort to remove from the casting. A putty knife should remove any loose or remaining gasket, do not scratch the intake manifold aluminum. 4) Depending upon the header kit, you may not have a gasket ring at the end of the header. Borla uses a pipe-to-pipe, slip-on stepped pipe size arrangement and furnishes a connector pipe. Clamps were exceptional quality and grade. Banks has its approach. See if you can find kit installation details and parts illustrations at their websites. A stock replacement header would be Mopar OEM replacement parts much like your current setup. This is not a monumental job. The biggest concerns are the bolts, nuts and studs plus getting old exhaust pieces apart without damaging any parts that need to be reused. Other forum members may have additional information and experiences to share. The original header is a failure prone piece, and cracking is quite common. Yours lasted longer than many do. Moses
  4. Yes, Case, it's reasonable to assume. 1981-86 is essentially the same. I use an '83 book for all models built to 1986. You should be okay with the '84-up test procedures and specifications. By the way, you do have a Mopar EFI conversion, which does fit 1981-90 CJ/YJ 4.2L and will also work with a 4.0L '91-up engine. You have the latter at this point. I don't see the return fuel line. Am I overlooking something here? A photo of the pressure and return lines at the rail or the type of fuel filter and fuel pump involved would help clarify. Moses
  5. From the photos, I've seen far worse places to start, Rocket Doctor. There's plenty of potential here...The engine sounds like a mixed bag. New pistons without crosshatch visible? That's a bit unnerving. If the heads come off soon, you'll get the answers. Maybe fresh crosshatch will appear once the heads are off. If you're curious, you can always run a cylinder leakdown test on a stationary engine. For those curious, see my video on running a cylinder leakdown test: As for priming, there are several oil gallery pipe plugs on this engine. One thing to consider is the AMC oil pump design: in the timing cover like a pushrod Buick V-8 or the V-6. I always prime these pumps with petroleum jelly packed into the pump cavity before startup. You can then prime the oil system in the usual manner: the distributor drives from the camshaft, the oil pump shaft runs from the base of the distributor. A priming tool (similar to Ford or Chevy V-8 applications) can spin the oil pump's driveshaft once the distributor has been removed. Cavity packed around the oil pump gears, the pump should pick up oil and circulate it through the galleries and passageways to the valvetrain and so forth. This will provide a wet first start. Moses
  6. David...This sounds, quite literally, like a "crash course" in dirt riding! The XR650R is a monumentally strong motorcycle for any terrain, and it's at its best when enduro riding: open single- and two-track, even sand and looser traction so long as you keep the front end light. That's the balancing act, because keeping the front end light requires more throttle with this machine. Throttle raises the ante on risk while at the same helping this machine "steer" on dirt. Frankly, despite the Euro dress code, you've stepped up for a pro rider's dirt machine. The XR650R, more than most bikes, is purpose-built for riding hard in the desert. This is not the quintessential "trail bike" or motocross machine, though it can be mannerly, and that's the zone where you need to learn the nuances of dirt riding. Traction on loose surfaces must be explored without damage to bike or rider. You'll gradually, and eventually confidently and predictably, apply more throttle—with positive results. One helpful approach, especially after your initial experiences (likely your helmet is still okay?) and orientation to dirt, is to watch pro motocross and enduro riders on a dirt course or practice session. If by course of miracle you have streaming Netflix at Burundi, you can watch "Dust to Glory", "Moto 4 the Movie" and "Moto 5 the Movie". Even "Long Way Down" would be useful, certainly close to your current home, containing a lot of what not to do...Despite the Moto 4 rider age and a cultural divide between us and these youthful pro riders, their riding skills are what you want to study. In particular, watch how they steer with the throttle. For practicing, this can be done at much slower speeds, without flirting with laying the bike down or a high-side. High-siding is off your future to-do list, I'm sure. Watch the full-length version of this movie. Note the use of throttle to steer these dirt bikes and corner at speed. To learn these techniques does not require anywhere near the speeds illustrated, nor am I encouraging that speed! Start much slower, learn the "feel" of cornering and overall handling. Eventually become one with your bike on dirt!...Frankly, I puzzled over what to expect with my XR650R. The motorcycle has been immortalized by Johnny Campbell, Andy Grider, Mouse McCoy and Steve Hengeveld at the Baja 1000 in "Dust to Glory". To my satisfaction, the Honda XR650R, uncorked, cam upgraded and tuned, is really quite predictable! I'm holding the key to my well-being: the throttle! (Thanks to "Moto 4 the Movie" for this shared trailer at YouTube.) You bring useful skills from your asphalt riding despite the extreme differences in handling and riding technique. (Many Superbike and Moto GP riders use dirt training in the off-season to sharpen reflexes. You can see why now!) You have all of the fundamentals down. Slow the speed, there's really nothing gained by going over the handlebars unexpectedly. With your riding skills, you should know when you've reached that threshold. Skills can be developed at a slower pace...Pick up the pace later. Note: I had a great deal of asphalt experience and far less dirt riding time when Argus OFF-ROAD's editor, Rick Sieman ("Super Hunky") offered me a recreational day ride in the California high desert. We rode race prepped Husqvarna two-strokes. Apparently, he had unending confidence in my abilities, after all, I was a writer/photographer contributing 33 published pages to the magazine each month at the time! This was the '80s, and the desert meant fast. My Nevada riding had been on the BSA 441 Victor scrambler that could have starred in the cult classic "On Any Sunday" and the Barstow to Vegas Race...These Huskies were hot bikes that could eat up dirt. I learned within the first five minutes of riding that either I could mimic every move Rick made, or I would likely high side before the day ended. As the founding editor of Dirt Bike Magazine, Rick rode fast and at the time carried the AMA Veteran Class #1 dirt plate. He did not hold back, which turned out to be a good thing, as I rode on the edge and throttle all day, never crashing or laying the bike down despite sand trap washes, endless tight, loose turns and eye opening hill assaults! Rick attributed this to my skill level. I knew it was more like the largest amount of adrenalin my body could tolerate in one day! Why was this such a success story? Because Rick was a qualified rider at both motocross and enduro terrain. I could follow his every move to a good end. Had he been less skilled and not on his game, my day would have ended differently. Rick made that fast ride possible. I will take credit for quick reflexes and an array of motor memory moves derived from many years of riding motorcycles. The point here is that keeping up with the wrong "fast" riders is not a good learning experience. Rick kick started my subsequent, enduring enthusiasm for dirt riding! As for handlebar lever survival at Burundi (what exciting country!!!), consider bark guards. Look at the Acerbis catalog online. You'll see how effective these aluminum guards can be. I have bark guards on my '84 XRs (both the 350 and the 500). Enduro bikes can benefit from bark guards—even in the desert. I will likely add a pair to the XR650R at some point. The factory "weight saving" plastic guards have nothing to offer. During the get ready on my XR650R, I replaced the clutch lever stanchion pin and left plastic hand guard. Each had suffered damage by the previous owner. Moses
  7. Case, as you describe, the temp sender circuit should be completely independent of the EFI conversion kit wiring. Therefore, I'd stick with the OEM single wire sender, not a YJ type but rather an '83 CJ replacement. For a quick check, try temporarily ground the sender lead while someone watches the gauge. If you're concerned about frying a wire, use a fused jumper to the ground. There really should not be much amperage here. Key on and grounded sender lead, the gauge should immediately scale over to the "Hot" side. Do not peg the gauge. This is simply a fast test of the gauge function. Again, think of the sender as a primitive rheostat. Usually a wax pellet design, the sender takes the engine block ground signal to the gauge in varying increments. The temperature of the coolant applies to the sender probe, and the ground resistance changes with the fluctuations in temperature. So, there are two concerns here: 1) proper functioning gauge, which is also resistance based, and 2) the sender sending the right ground resistance measurement to the gauge. If the gauge reads high, it would have me looking for a "leak" to ground somewhere between the sender, sender stud/terminal and wiring to the gauge. If there is a slight short-to-ground, even excessive debris (conductive) from the sender stud to the shell of the sender (ground), the gauge will be inaccurate. In your situation, reading "Hot" means too much ground. With the wire disconnected from the sender and held free of the block or any grounding surface, the gauge should be stone "Cold". If all this testing has no effect or is inconclusive, consider testing the gauge cluster...Keep us posted! Moses
  8. David...With proper clearance at the clutch release now, you'll likely be okay for a bit. The frictions do make the best sense if there's no shudder or roughness upon clutch engagement. Shudder usually indicates plate warp. Most plate damage is from overheating the clutch or prolonged operation with slipping frictions. Sounds like you caught this in time. Don't forget to check the clutch spring free lengths. 49mm or 1.93" is standard, easy to measure with a caliper or even a detailed 6" ruler with the springs standing on a flat surface. When you take the clutch apart, measure these springs. Here are the specs you'll need for this job: Honda XR650R Clutch Specifications from 2000 MY.bmp The 65 would be slightly less flow than the 65S, though the 65 rating indicates they should flow the same. This has to do with emulsification improvement with the 65S. If you're okay with performance and there are no overt signs of rich running, I'd put some miles/kilometers on this machine and get the break-in handled and compression up to peak. I would like that spark plug at least light grey instead of black, brown optimistically. Again, the blackening could be from earlier fouling. Use your intuition on this jetting, if the engine is responsive, smooth and not blubbering or surging, tune should be close. What we're trying to avoid here is fuel wash of the cylinder from over-rich mixture. Fuel wash and oil dilution take lubricant from the cylinder wall and lead to wear. Short of that, slight enrichment is actually a good thing, it cools the upper cylinder. Too rich is not a good thing, it fouls the plug and causes fuel wash and oil dilution. Avoid over rich. Always avoid too lean. I'm thrilled that you're riding and learning the virtues of the XR650R!!! We can open new XR650R tuning and dirt riding topics—and broaden our horizons! Moses
  9. Case, welcome to the forums and thanks for your patronage around the Jeep Owner's Bible... If the previous owner installed a Mopar EFI conversion, it came with a wiring harness, thermostat housing and a temperature sender that mounts in the thermostat housing. The MPI/EFI conversion was offered by Mopar Performance in two designs. The original conversion kit is essentially 1994-95 YJ Wrangler (off-the-shelf) two-rail design with an aftermarket inline fuel pump mounted near the fuel tank. The later kit is patterned after the '97 TJ Wrangler with single rail MPI and uses a modified TJ fuel pump with regulator, mounted externally near the tank. Both systems use a similar, earlier style PCM (60-Way or pins). The earlier kit is distinct with two rails at the MPI/EFI system and a return line to the fuel tank. On this system, the pressure regulator is at the fuel injection rail end. A similar looking device on the later kit is actually a fuel damper and not a regulator. (This is off-the-shelf '97 Jeep TJ Wrangler.) The distinction is single- versus two-rail EFI and whether or not there is a return fuel line from the EFI to the fuel tank. So, first determine which system you have, Case. Mopar supplied each kit with the thermostat housing/sender plus an engine wiring harness. You should see very clearly that the sender looks like '91-up MPI era and not the CJ or early YJ carbureted 4.2L type. Both the wiring connector and the ohms rating would be different. '83 CJ did not have a PCM like these Mopar MPI/EFI systems, and the temp sender was not an integral part of a PCM's warm-up cycle as well as a temp gauge sender. Let us know what you find here. This should clarify whether you have the Mopar conversion kit wiring harness. It should look much like either '94/'95 YJ Wrangler or a '97 TJ Wrangler. If, instead, the previous owner went to lengths swapping an OE harness from an MPI/EFI era model, there would be little likelihood of a Mopar E.O. decal. The temp sender should match the '94/'95 YJ Wrangler design if the EFI is a Mopar conversion kit. The kit sender is critical for engine warm-up enrichment and post-enrichment air/fuel mixtures. If you have a temp sender mounted independent of the thermostat housing (like a stock '83 CJ position), test the sender wire to gauge lead for continuity and shorts. If the original CJ gauge wire goes to this sender, the sender is likely an OE '83 CJ type sender. Reading high as the engine warms could be either the ohms setting/defective sender or a ground/short in the sender wiring circuit. Of course, the gauge itself could also be defective and should be ohms tested if suspect. If this sounds complicated, think of the temp sender lead as a variable ground. If you ground out this lead, the gauge will peg. I installed a 4.0L long block in my son-in-law's '87 YJ Wrangler and used the Mopar EFI Conversion Kit. Underhood, it looks largely like a mid-'90s YJ Wrangler/Cherokee 4.0L MPI engine. If you look closely, the induction system is TJ era single rail from the later version Mopar EFI kit. This Jeep passed the referee station engine change (replaced a 2.5L four), the equipment/visual check and the tailpipe smog test with flying colors. The engine bay has a Mopar E.O. decal in place. Moses
  10. '76 indeed, the two tip-offs would be the AMC centered rear differential and Spicer 20 transfer case. This is a much better frame than AMC/Jeep '72-'75 CJ. 1976 is fully boxed rails like up through '86. You might want to work with this rolling chassis and the CJ-2A body, although the wheelbase length of the '76 is 84 inches, and your flat fender 2A is 80 inches. Can be fitted, with your talent, though not a "bolt-on", for sure. You'd be balancing the wheelbase versus body sections length. Posting some photos would be helpful, I'm curious! Moses
  11. This is not unusual, Ron...Part numbers do get superceded. In the 2010-2011 Mopar Reman catalog, the OEM part number for a 1987 4.0L Renix (Fenix) Cherokee ECU is 53007842 for automatic transmission models. The manual transmission is not shown for '87 but is for '88 and listed as the 53007843. If the NAPA ECU crosses over to the appropriate Mopar OEM numbers, you should be okay. There were different OE suppliers. Your unit is a Bendix with another part number...1987 was still an AMC/Jeep year with Renault involved. That changes in '88, and Mopar likely re-cataloged the OE AMC numbers. I looked up your Bendix number, and it shows as a 1987 Jeep 4.0L Cherokee with a manual transmission. This is the same as the 53007843 Mopar, the 1988 listed ECU for manual transmission. Moses
  12. This V-8 powered Jeep Grand Cherokee has a low-speed hesitation. I answered the owner's questions with engine and powertrain troubleshooting recommendations. The NV249 transfer case is also discussed: The information could prove helpful to Jeep ZJ Grand Cherokee owners and also Dodge Ram and Dakota owners with 5.2L V-8 powered trucks. Moses
  13. Originally a Q&A Vlog question at the magazine, a Jeep owner has trouble with the gauges and engine tune on his early YJ Wrangler. I suggest several troubleshooting and diagnostics tools for checking circuits, grounds and voltage drops. The use of a volt-ohmmeter, lamp load test and other techniques apply. Wiring integrity and proper splices are also discussed: Trust you'll find this helpful... Moses
  14. In this video discussion, I describe the symptoms of hydraulic clutch linkage leaks in 1987-95 Jeep YJ Wrangler models. Originally part of the Q&A Vlog at the magazine, the viewer's question refers to hard shifting and loss of hydraulic fluid. I share what causes these troubles in this how-to HD video on troubleshooting: Moses
  15. In this HD video, catch a glimpse of the magazine's neighborhood. Less than 40 minutes from the office, we were following wild horses at 6000 feet elevation the first week in March. Temperatures dropped into the teens that night, the wind blew 80 mph over the ridges. These tough horses make good role models! This video was originally filmed for the Q&A Vlog at the magazine. The video is now available at Vimeo as well, reaching a broader viewing audience. Enjoy! Moses
  16. Many Jeep owners need how-to information on checking valve clearances and adjusting the hydraulic valve lifters on the inline 232, 258 and 4.0L six-cylinder engines and the 2.5L Jeep pushrod engine. Between the model years 1971 and 2006, Jeep used these AMC-design 232, 258 and 4.0L sixes and the 2.5L straight four-cylinder engine (1983.5-2002). The hydraulic lifter and valvetrain design has particular needs, especially the valve clearances. When these engines develop valvetrain noise, owners often think a valve adjustment will cure the problem. In each of these AMC/Jeep engines, valve clearances are set during assembly of the engine, and adjustment is not necessary between engine rebuilds. If your engine has developed valvetrain noise, or if you are in the process of rebuilding the engine and need to know more about setting valve clearances, my HD video from 4WD Mechanix Video Network at Vimeo will assist. This video was originally a Q&A Vlog at the magazine, now available for a broader viewing audience through Vimeo. Moses
  17. Agreed, our sons and only son-in-law have a penchant for Jeep 4x4s, too! Moses
  18. Marc...We'll see. This is insightful, keep us posted...The noise might just go away if it's old age. There are days when I just toss my leg right over the 37" high saddle of the Honda XR650R—then there are others. Like your engine's ping, there's creaking faintly heard by ears not quite as sensitive as they once were, though my wife insists this is just "selective hearing"... Moses
  19. Tim, thanks for the update on snap rings...Please keep us posted on your project. Last night, I phased out the AX15 article at the magazine. The day before, I uploaded a 94-minute narrated HD video to Vimeo on Demand. The video is now a streaming rental. Here is the trailer for that video: During the frame-by-frame video edit, I kept your comments in mind, making clear the direction of orientation for each and every component. Using verbal instructions with large, ultra sharp images and zoom focus is much easier to follow. In the audio tracks, the parts descriptions and layout unfold while the viewer continues the hands-on work. Audio-visual instructions simplify the entire process. I am pleased with the monumental amount of traffic that benefited from the two-part AX15 article over the past four years. Over 80,000 viewers found their way to this material. The 94-minute HD video offers even more detail. Vimeo apps enable viewing on everything from a cell phone or tablet to a laptop, PC or even a big screen HD television. I did the final pass on a 40-inch HD screen, and the color and shading are vivid. Visualize the images you worked with on the "page" of the article. Imagine that same caliber of artwork on a big screen. Thanks for your comments, Tim. Looking forward to your continued involvement at the forums! Moses
  20. Sounds like tire compound rather than size necessarily. I do like the larger rear tire, though, there's a safety margin for the video gear. I'm pleased with my tire size and type choices. To date (a couple hundred miles) the Michelin tires have shown no wear despite my tire spinning shenanigans on dirt and all. Impressive. Across the internet are horror stories of 2,500 mile tires and worse. You and I know asphalt bikes, and for a sport or sport touring road motorcycle, wear prone tires would be scorned. I have read accounts of the T63 delivering 4,000 miles with plenty of tread left, and that would be terrific. The only price for this is handling on dirt. If you want maximum cornering capability and instant tire hook-up on gravel or dirt roads, a more aggressive knobby tire like the Michelin Cross AC10 would be better. At least for now, I'm willing to adjust my riding to the T63 tire tread. My cycle now has a true dual-sport profile with all of the add-ons. I'm due to weigh the beast, I'm guessing 355-360 pounds with the Sequoia racks, skid plate, three bags (empty) and 7 gallons of fuel in the Acerbis Safari tank. Moses
  21. David...Obviously, your bike had been ridden hard and put away wet as we say at horse country. However, you've weathered the restoration to this point and have too invested to turn back. Riding the beast in trouble-free form will be your ROI. The master link fiasco must be frustrating. There is a tool, not expensive for this chore, and the creative use of a relatively inexpensive chain breaker can sometimes work here. Long before I found my motorcycle, I also combed every XR650R forum for details on the idiosyncrasies of this model. Typical of the internet culture, we each end up spewing the same "authoritative" findings. Inspecting everything within reach and view, I found that my bike's chassis already had the litany of upgrades like the improved right side peg hardware. However, like your bike, I've yet to confirm whether the clutch guide bushing has been upgraded. Though I've rationalized that it likely has, I would like to inspect or replace this part when practical. Meanwhile, since day one running, I've hedged my bets by intentionally not stressing this part. Perhaps you have read the same dozen rehash references I did. Apparently, the problem by design was lack of lubrication between this bushing and the shaft, resulting in potential bushing seizure under bizarre circumstances. The accounts I read suggested that you'd have to rev the engine excessively with the clutch lever pulled in. One example was fording a rock strewn stream and trying to keep the motorcycle moving. In any case, if you do clutch work, it would be prudent to replace this sleeve/bushing (CLUTCH GUIDE/OUTER), especially since the cost is negligible. The sleeve bushing supports the clutch basket and can seize on the shaft from lack of lubrication. Along with this suspect bushing (few superceded items like this exist for the XR650R) comes the caveat that if the bushing hasn't caused trouble yet, it may never be an issue. From the same rumor mill comes speculation that once past the wear-in point, though lacking the additional oil groove of the replacement bushing, this early model XR650R bushing seldom fails. (If so, my guess is that slightly more oil clearance after wear-in may lubricate the bushing better.) In any case, given the cost, if you're doing clutch work, by all means replace the sleeve/bushing. Here is the correct part number for the superceded part: GUIDE, CLUTCH (OUTER) Part Number 22116-MBN-671 (Less than $15 U.S. by mail order, plus freight.) Here is the original, failure prone clutch guide part number, make sure you do not get this piece: GUIDE, CLUTCH (OUTER) 22116-MBN-670 The clutch-related item you may be considering is the ball release bearing, another relatively inexpensive and wise replacement part: BEARING, RADIAL BALL Part Number 96100-60010-00 (Less than $10 U.S. by mail order, plus freight.) As for the clutch work, when you take that initiative, I'd definitely replace the frictions. The steel plates are iffy, I'd want to look them over for bluing and any indication of heat damage or warp. If steel plates don't show either, the frictions might be enough. The spark plug looks rich, though not to the point of gasoline fouling. It took a while to reach this coating level, so if you were riding primarily on the slow speed jet then suddenly ran the WOT and chop, you'd still have a blackish plug like we see here. Spark plugs are relatively cheap, and now that you have the bike in good working order, I'd install a new plug and do the WOT/chop test immediately after the first engine warm up. Spark plugs are temperamental when they have been fouled and then "cleaned". The only thorough cleaning is blasting, and this can be dangerous; blasting media can damage cement or get stuck within the plug then dislodge in the cylinder later. In my early years as a light- and medium-duty truck fleet mechanic, spark plug blasting was popular. Worth noting, engines had iron cylinder heads and blocks at the time. (Compression ratios on the older engines ran 6.5:1 to 7.5:1 during the heyday of spark plug cleaning.) On this subject, here's an insightful guide for cleaning aircraft spark plugs: http://www.tempestplus.com/Portals/0/PDFs/MaintenanceandService/Sparkplug%20Cleaning%20The%20Right%20Way%20081412.pdf From these findings, I can't condemn the slow jet or idle mixture without riding the motorcycle and controlling the throttle during the tests of each circuit. There are specific throttle openings for the idle, the transition to the slow jet and the main jet. I doubt that 3000 feet elevation would require much, if any, jet changes, and this is Honda orthodoxy. Typically, the turn point is 5000 feet or higher. As for taking the bike to 7000 feet, you would distinctly run rich there if the current spark plug reading is accurate. I'm not convinced that it is, though. You can tell more by riding the motorcycle. How does it feel at precise, steady throttle positions? Are you experiencing specific problems? Note: I'm about to test a new spark plug design, the Enerpulse Pulstar. I purposely ordered plugs for both XR motorcycles and the Jeep XJ Cherokee 4.0L. What caught my fancy was a press release citing a Ford GT that raced recently in Europe over a course that goes from sea level to high elevation. The engine produced more power without reacting adversely to altitude. I'm curious to see how this plug "compensates" for normal altitude enrichment in a carbureted, single cylinder engine. I have surroundings much like yours for testing. Will update... Also about to install an Acerbis (Ah-Chair-Beez) 6.3-gallon fuel tank. This is to offset the demands of the motorcycle's add-on weight and my compelling plans for taking this motorcycle to remote places, as much as 100 miles from fuel sources. My XR650R motorcycle should deliver 35 mpg when I behave myself, and rumor has it that one can shove 7 gallons into this tank readily. Allowing a 5 mpg fudge factor, that's still a 200-plus mile range. Actually, I'm sensing that my dual-sport highway mileage might creep above 40 mpg, though this could be wishful thinking. I need to put the big tank on before testing that theory. As for your pending cooling system flush, make sure the substance does not contain abrasive silicates, and this applies to the antifreeze/coolant as well. Honda recommends non-silicate ethylene glycol only, and here I did take their word. In our favorite world of internet intrigue, I stumbled upon an XR650R engine photo that startled me. Abrasive coolant had scoured out aluminum passageways and destroyed the water pump seal. Be cautious here, this is apparently a touchy and delicate cooling system—with expensive alloy castings. Moses
  22. The original Mopar gear oil should cross over to Valvoline's current MTF #811095 gear lube. This emphasis on oil types in these Aisin transmissions has been largely exaggerated, BlueFlu. I ran the official Mopar AX5/AX15 oil for years, until it was no longer available. Toyota's equivalent transmissions use a recommended API GL4 or GL5 in 75W-90 or 80W-90 viscosity. This readily available Valvoline oil should work well. Redline and Amsoil offer alternative synthetics under these ratings. What I would avoid is the "motor oil" equivalents suggested now by Mopar, as this is typically not an oil for gear mechanisms that require EP (Extreme Pressure) lubes. That's my view...Here is Valvoline's viewpoint and part number cross-references: Valvoline Transmission Lube Catalog.pdf I can check the Mopar parts listings and my Mitchell Interchange Manual on the 2.8L GM V-6 and 2.5L AMC four if you need clarification. Considering the "birth" of the 2.5L four at the same time AMC introduced the XJ Cherokee with its 2.8L GM V-6 option, a common bellhousing would have been consistent. The AMC inline sixes shared bellhousing patterns with the AMC V-8s of their era. It would, however, have been more helpful if AMC used the 4.0L/4.2L and V-8 bellhousing pattern across the board. GM did this with small-block V-8s, post-"Stovebolt" inline sixes (194, 230, 250 and 292) and the 153 (Chevy II) four-cylinder. Tennessee has a very realistic emissions strategy, Arizona once did this, too. Tailpipe emissions are tailpipe emissions, and if the powertrain meets or exceeds the OEM engine emissions in good condition, that should be enough. An EGR valve and air injection pump system would be helpful on that '77 engine. Was this a catalytic converter chassis 360 V-8 model? The Jeep will need a cat system to clean up downstream emissions. From what you share, you can likely use a performance cat like Random Technologies. Moses
  23. Aisin AX15 manual 5-speed transmissions are popular and found in 1989-99 Jeep vehicles, Dodge Dakota pickups and some GM/Isuzu and Toyota light trucks. Highly detailed, this close up step-by-step instructional HD video rental is available only at vimeo.com/ondemand/ax15rebuild. Included is the information necessary for performing a complete restoration and professional level rebuild of the AX15 transmission. The AX15 transmission rebuilding process involves complex disassembly and assembly sequences. This is a precision gearbox, and every teardown and assembly step is equally important. Knowing which new parts your transmission requires is also valuable. This HD video rental includes two sections. Part 1 is teardown and inspection to establish your needed parts list. Part 2 is the assembly work. Both Part 1 and Part 2 are included in this 94-minute instructional HD video! Whether you have a shop specializing in light truck and 4x4 work or have a one-time 'DIY' project for your personal Jeep, light truck or SUV, this 30-day HD video rental can save you considerable time and money. For the cost of an AX15 shift cover boot, the rental will pay for itself many times over! The magazine's most popular technical articles and how-to videos have been reformatted and painstakingly edited as Vimeo On Demand productions. The latest feature is this in depth instructional how-to covering the rebuild of the popular Aisin AX15 transmission. Access the 94-minute Vimeo On Demand feature at: https://vimeo.com/ax15rebuild
  24. Aisin AX15 manual 5-speed transmissions are popular and found in 1989-99 Jeep vehicles, Dodge Dakota pickups and some GM/Isuzu and Toyota light trucks. Highly detailed, this close up step-by-step instructional HD video rental is available only at vimeo.com/ondemand/ax15rebuild. Included is the information necessary for performing a complete restoration and professional level rebuild of the AX15 transmission. The AX15 transmission rebuilding process involves complex disassembly and assembly sequences. This is a precision gearbox, and every teardown and assembly step is equally important. Knowing which new parts your transmission requires is also valuable. This HD video rental includes two sections. Part 1 is teardown and inspection to establish your needed parts list. Part 2 is the assembly work. Both Part 1 and Part 2 are included in this 94-minute instructional HD video! Whether you have a shop specializing in light truck and 4x4 work or have a one-time 'DIY' project for your personal Jeep, light truck or SUV, this 30-day HD video rental can save you considerable time and money. For the cost of an AX15 shift cover boot, the rental will pay for itself many times over! The magazine's most popular technical articles and how-to videos have been reformatted and painstakingly edited as Vimeo On Demand productions. The latest feature is this in depth instructional how-to covering the rebuild of the popular Aisin AX15 transmission. Access the 94-minute Vimeo On Demand feature at: http://www.vimeo.com/ondemand/ax15rebuild
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