Getting sick of the troubles!

[Rx7man]

Well, I've got a couple thumpers, an 84 XR500, and a 97 XR400.. darned near impossible to keep them running these days it seems.. So let me sum it up
Last year, I had head gasket issues with the 500, found out it was from a monkey assembling it last, stripping bolts out.. swap out jugs with another one I had, still leaked, but only under hard acceleration.. then the cam gear bolts worked loose and broke the cam ears.. apart it comes again, I upgraded the head studs (the bottom jug bolts work with some modifications), and well, of course I was doubting if I was a moron and didn't tighten the cam gear bolts enough the first time, so loctite, etc and put it all back together, works fine, no more head gasket leak!.. and 3 weeks later the cam gear bolts back out again, this time really chewing things up, the cam gear broke in 3 pieces, etc.. I'm down for the count, I have no more spare parts for it (anyone got a cam and gear?)

So I go to my backup bike, the XR400.. don't like it nearly as much.. well, cam chain just broke on that one too.. thankfully not catastrophically, but really really darned close! (I had this bike apart last year to replace 3rd gear)
I think I was cutting it pretty close!

[S.O.A.N.Z]

you mean the camshaft sprocket or the cam timing gear sprocket is stuffed ?

will the older xr500 camshafts fit ?

[Rx7man]

camshaft sprocket.  I would really doubt the older 500's cams would work, but perhaps from a 600 they would? Maybe from a 650? (though they might be more like the xr400's)

[S.O.A.N.Z]

all these use the same camshaft - webcams look like they have them   http://www.webcamshafts.com/mobile/motorcycle/honda/honda_xl_600_r_(83-87)_sohc_4v.html 

 

1983 XR500R A - CAMSHAFT / VALVE

1984 XR500R A - CAMSHAFT / VALVE

1985 XL600R A - CAMSHAFT / VALVE

1985 XL600R AC - CAMSHAFT / VALVE

1986 XL600R A - CAMSHAFT / VALVE

1986 XL600R AC - CAMSHAFT / VALVE

1987 XL600R A - CAMSHAFT / VALVE

1987 XL600R AC - CAMSHAFT / VALVE

 

all these use the same cam sprocket - few used ones on ebay

 

Assemblies where 14321-KF0-000 is used

1983 XL600R A - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1983 XR350R A - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1983 XR500R A - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1984 XL350R A - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1984 XL350R AC - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1984 XL600R A - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1984 XL600R AC - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1984 XR350R A - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1984 XR500R A - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1985 XL350R A - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1985 XL350R AC - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1985 XL600R A - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1985 XL600R AC - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1985 XR350R A - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1985 XR600R A - CAM CHAIN

1986 XL600R A - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1986 XL600R AC - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1986 XR600R A - CAM CHAIN

1987 XL600R A - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1987 XL600R AC - CAM CHAIN / TENSIONER

1987 XR600R A - CAM CHAIN

[Rx7man]

Thanks, my suspicions were correct!... I'd love to get a webcams cam, but since my cam is NFG, the price is just going to be prohibitive since I don't have a good core to send in.. I'll shop around Ebay a bit and see what I get, I'm also waiting on a reply from a bike wrecker.

[arthur6]

Give up on both bikes.
Spend the money on a good modern bike

[Rx7man]

haha, you buyin'? ?

I've got some parts ordered, ought to have both bikes fixed here for a couple hundred and a days work.

[Hollerhead]

This is the wrong forum to mention modern bikes.  ?  We all ride antiquated technology.  

Edited September 9, 2017 by Hollerhead

[Rx7man]

I had a 2007 KTM 450 XC-w.. hated it (electric start was nice though).. twitchy handling and not NEARLY the torque of the old XR500.. I sold it and bought the 97 XR400... not a great idea, been a headache too.. blew out 3rd gear after a week, maybe 30 hours of riding later the top end piles up

[Rx7man]

Good news, the XR500 parts are in!.. with any luck I can put it together and it'll behave itself now!

[Jrog'theTrailBlazer]

Nice good to see some resurrection going on with these old tanks. Got one cple years ago love it. Mine suspectedly jumped its timing still ran but made lotta noise after i ramped a small hill, shut it down right away, just got motor out ready to tear down need engine specs. Using xr600 off youtube to go from for tear down. Wanna know what feeler gauges i will need for this procedure or jus have someone look at for 450$ n replace what it needs. I started a thread on its own ^83-84 xr500r jumped timing could use the property specs aswell as i kno manual not 100%

[Rx7man]

I just got mine put back together today.. it's happy again!.. I'll do the xr400 tonight, it shouldn't take much to do, though I'm still waiting on the cam chain tensioner, everything else can be done.
I like these old tanks too.. maybe not the most nimble things around, but they have great stability and are predictable.