400 owner with a 600 problem

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sportspromatt
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400 owner with a 600 problem

Post by sportspromatt » Sun Jun 18, 2017 11:06 pm

Carb R6, Ok, i knew about it, read about it, but was too late to sell it, should have tried it for sale at start of year but, didnt......as bike was fun, and great to ride, ANYWAY, started to loose coolant, bike was running fine, roughly half a litre per 100 mile, kept it topped up and running temp was fine 87c.
So took it to work, for a test, spin, notice white smoke on start up, and moisture dripping from exhaust join.
Kept a real close eye, 3 mile return journey, temp fine, bike running fine. Smoke decreased and stopped! Once up to temp,
Home checked rad, half litre topped it up. Engine Oil fine, like new.
Start up same again, white smoke, up to temp smoke decreases.
How big question is, could it be headgasket only, or cracked block.
Never dived into an engine before, so bit scared, but ok with the ole hands.
Pulled plugs, all fine equal, no signs, crank with plugs out some moisture outa 3 cyl.
Was gonna remove headers to sell if i could see, feel cyl 3.

Now pretty pointless buying new used engine, as it could, would have been broken for this exact reason, history with these bikes, even later r6,s.
Anyone know of any for sale, just as a idea of price
Now, ive been put onto http://www.automotive-services.co.uk/se ... -refacing/
How scarey is it to strip an engine to bare block! May have a guy waiting in the wings,
Gearbox freaks me out!
Only concession of doing it is it will be right when completed.
Besides, block refaced, head skimmed, and gasket, anything else essential and worthwhile doing!
Option 2, is break it, option 3 is livingroom it, nice race paint job! but would get sick of looking at it,
Im just so lucky to have the wee fzr400 sp waiting in the wings to get me through the summer!
Any help, advice very welcome, after a bit of research, no new bike interests me, not if they cant reach 20k miles without engine shitting itself,
Is it time to build that 3tj 600?

Evilchicken0
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Re: 400 owner with a 600 problem

Post by Evilchicken0 » Mon Jun 19, 2017 12:59 pm

So it's an R6 engine ?
They have the barrels as part of the top cases ?

Ok to me it sounds like the head gasket is gone and this will only get worse with time and use. If the engine is just a head onto the barrel / case then it shouldn't be to difficult a job to do, it's probably better with the engine out so you can get better access.
Get a manual a paper copy is easier, read the engine about the head and see how you feel about doing it. If you still feel a bit freaked by it then find somebody

icklepob
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Re: 400 owner with a 600 problem

Post by icklepob » Mon Jun 19, 2017 11:20 pm

YouTube has many hours of video to help you rebuild a motor.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

sportspromatt
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Re: 400 owner with a 600 problem

Post by sportspromatt » Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:36 pm

Thanks as always,
Captive barrel yes. Engine is still in bike,
Heads off, warped like a banana, not really!
Gotta look into a safe tolerance on skimming, download manual says wet and dry sand paper on glass sheet! Lol, old school!

Liners are fine visually, exhaust downpipes inside give a clue and backed up the plugs.
Tell tale signs, confirmed number3 is getting coolant.
Slight rise on block between 3 and 4. But could be cured,
Head to be skimmed, new head gasket, and the big rebuild! :peace:

Read somewhere this forum is dead, so whats taken over!

Evilchicken0
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Re: 400 owner with a 600 problem

Post by Evilchicken0 » Sat Jun 24, 2017 11:39 am

It sounds a fairly simple fix then. The place I took my head to offered to grind in the valves, but I had time so did it myself.

I guess the forum is dead by there not being much traffic through it and people using a facepalm group. I still prefer the forums though you get better information

Evilchicken0
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Re: 400 owner with a 600 problem

Post by Evilchicken0 » Sat Jun 24, 2017 11:40 am

What are the R6s like on the road ?

sportspromatt
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Re: 400 owner with a 600 problem

Post by sportspromatt » Sun Jun 25, 2017 7:40 pm

Good ole bookface, agree answers here usually comes from owners with a passion,
Been thinking, may try head skim, check valves, and get it running and sell.
Done a bit of research in my head, stripped it and, compared prices on ebay, and my head is still above water! One option seriously, considering, most are on the track now so bits are needed constantly. Its worth more breaking it, than fixing it!
Out of interest what bits bar the rear shock and forks could be used on a 3tj with a 600.
No point in selling to have to buy again!

As for riding it, have it two years great bike, for a modernish horse, so hard getting use it not reving it like a 400, 100mph everywhere! Ha,ha. Being carb, pretty old school.

Gonna check prices for head skim and take it from there, cant take much of it 10thou,
Or squish is a problem!

Evilchicken0
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Re: 400 owner with a 600 problem

Post by Evilchicken0 » Mon Jun 26, 2017 1:38 pm

The rwp forks will hit the mirror brace and the shock need to be from the later (red spring) shape bike - sorry about that

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Re: 400 owner with a 600 problem

Post by sportspromatt » Wed Jul 05, 2017 11:33 pm

Dont really need shock yet! Cheers man,
so progression, is slow ish, but progressing,
Seems most of these things die a painful death, coating on cylinders gets forced up into valves once they let go, modernish stuff is rubbish!! Lol, most are tracked, and are going through engines like, only a r6 can!
I was so glad so see all internals intact, liners are fine, it is low mileage after all, but
Basicially most are a ticking time bomb, cbrs are not far behind,
Anyway, seems previous butcher, decided to reuse head gasket, nice!
Head was off previously, used original gasket, sealed it and refitted it, why!!!!!
sealant and gasket let go between 3 and 4.
Head isnt bad enough even to get it skimmed, so contemplating glass, wet and dry and grinding paste to try and get some small imperfection out of it, light scores. And a small water track from a water way to no.3
New head gasket, 1 valve reseat, and try her again.
I got two years out of it, as it was, with a pre used headgasket that was sealant coated! 1,500 miles round trip on wild atlantic way, and a manx gp trip! To name a few,

I have been advised to lightly coat waterways on head side of the new gasket with sealant, any brands recommended?
Any thoughts! Sealant, or no sealant??????? Should a new gasket do its job?

Evilchicken0
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Re: 400 owner with a 600 problem

Post by Evilchicken0 » Thu Jul 06, 2017 9:15 am

I haven't used sealant since I had a Mini. I thought the idea of modern gaskets was the black coating was a sealant, once it heat cycles it kinda bonds which is why it gets left behind when you strip it all down. I wouldn't want to recommend anything in case it fails ... I guess it comes down to who told you and if you trust them, maybe they're expert in the R6 or maybe they're just sucking teeth - I guess this one's your call.


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