Just how screwed am I?

[one2dmax]

Just take it apart, clean everything and reassemble with new gaskets. you may be able to reuse the bearings if they aren't spun and look reasonably clean. Same with the rings. Not sure you even need to pull the pistons/rods unless the cylinders look bad. and even then you can probably lower them down and clean them out that way. Depends on your budget and what your goals are.

Sean

 

[rumblethump]

So I got her all apart this weekend... every last part removed from the old frame, and the engine ready to mount to an engine stand and start the rebuild. While I've got it apart, what all should I do to it? Normally, I'd lean towards the other comments that say don't take it apart, just flush it out good and try it. When I pulled the carbs, I noticed leaves and pine needles down inside the heads (resting on the long skinny part of the valves), so I figure I might as well be sure.

I also drained what was left in the gas tank... my "gas cap" was a couple of those brown convenience store napkins stuffed in the filler neck. It's kind of hard to tell from the picture, but it's definitely a rusty brown, about the color of coke after you let it sit overnight in a glass filled with ice. I poured some into a metal lid and lit it up, and it took a few seconds to catch, but it did burn.

I also pulled the head covers, and the cams are NOT the color I was expecting. Good news there is that if I turn it over by hand, I don't feel any unnecessary binding, and there's no obvious noises of like grinding or metal hitting metal. I also hit one of the cam lobes with a brass brush, and it shined like new after about 5 seconds.

www.rosspistons.com 12:1 drop in.
Go for it!

 

[mattness]

id hate to say it man but it sounds like its going to need completely gone through. i cant believe someone tried to start it... pine needles????!!!?? lol

if you want to part it out im sure we could help you make your money back before you get too far in this

p.s. if you dont mind me asking, how much did you pay for it? we can prolly organize a ride to beat this guys ass...

 

[one2dmax]

Yep, we sell the Ross and Arias.

Sean

 

[rarick123]

OK, I'll be the first to admit... I never took auto shop when I was in high school. But even I know that what I saw when I removed the heads just isn't right. The good news (I'm all about convincing myself that there's good news) is that in the first picture, it's not rust. It's more Carolina red mud. The order of the pictures is (if you're sitting on the bike)... front right, front left, rear right, rear left. The washer in the front left was dropped while removing something else after I pulled the carbs off, so I knew that would be in there. The fifth picture shows the same cylinder as the first picture, with one swipe of a 2" plastic putty knife across the surface.

Damon's video should be here in the next day or two, so then I'll finish ripping it apart, clean everything up, and see if I need to rehone or resleeve the cylinders.

 

[one2dmax]

Good thing you didn't fire it off. You may be able to hone the cylinders and get away with just a new set of rings (along with the rest of the stuff like gaskets/seals). BUT, it may take a bore job to do it too. I actually have a set of factory over pistons I would sell for less then normal since we don't use them often. Of course the higher comp Ross/Arias stuff would give you more HP.

Sean