top end, wet or dry rebuild?

[GT316]

Getting ready to do the top end for the first time on the 450. I have the 06 with about 50 hrs. on it. I've heard both ways of doing the top end, wet and dry. Those of you that have done the top end already what did you do????

[moto867]

It's a sin, in my opinion, to assemble a top end dry. No body could convince me otherwise. I wrench bikes for a living. I have already done a top end on my 450 and i assembled it with torco mpz assembly lube. Excellent stuff. Lube the cyl, piston, the cam lobes and buckets, and especially the cam journals. Hope this helps.

[GT316]

How did you break it in after that? I,m a firm believer in the drive it like you stoled it break in. Will doing the top end wet keep the rings from sealing right? I have never had a problem with the ring sealing, that is why people say to do it dry, so the rings can seal. I just want the rings to seal!!

[Racer24]

It's a sin, in my opinion, to assemble a top end dry. No body could convince me otherwise. I wrench bikes for a living. I have already done a top end on my 450 and i assembled it with torco mpz assembly lube. Excellent stuff. Lube the cyl, piston, the cam lobes and buckets, and especially the cam journals. Hope this helps.

this is wat i do when i do top end rebuilds, actually in most articles that i have read, they mention to oil things down b4 reassemble....i would run the bike like i would usually, to break it in...

warm it up a couple times, then let it cool, then ride it soft, then hard, then soft, etc

[moto867]

How did you break it in after that? I,m a firm believer in the drive it like you stoled it break in. Will doing the top end wet keep the rings from sealing right? I have never had a problem with the ring sealing, that is why people say to do it dry, so the rings can seal. I just want the rings to seal!!

The rings will seat when lubed. The problem with dry assembly is that you have aluminum piston on cyl with no lube to prevent it from galling on initial start up. A lubed cyl prevents this from happening and the rings will seat in the normal break in time of about an hour.

[GT316]

so is there a difference between using oil and the lube for the rebuild?

[moham]

Be sure to use the lithium on the bolts that hold the cams down I'm sure it would gives you more percise tourqe reading.

[Racer24]

"ride it like u stole it...."

thats a good one...i usually run it soft then hard and then repeat that like 3-4 times...after i have the bike warm up and cool for about 3 time s

[KawaKXF450]

Did mine wet-came out great, never ran this great before..used alot of oil on the cams, rod and such, and put a little oil in the sylinder before installing the new piston.

[GT316]

Racer24,

Check out www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

[moto867]

Oil will work. I use the assembly lube because it does'nt run or drip. When you put it on something it stays. The first couple seconds after startup are the most important. Thats why i use assembly lube.

[Honda0001]

The only thing you assemble dry is the cylinder wall and piston. Everything else you lube with assebly lube. The piston rings will seat much better and your motor won't burn oil. It will perform better and your oil will stayer cleaner meaning less wear on motor. Providing you do it DRY!

Do whatever you want, people will tell you to do dry and some will say wet. My advice is try both and see which you prefer. I did and I can say dry works better for me...

[oeden]

I put a little oil on the piston, rings and pin. Ran it up on the stand a couple of times, did one lap slow, then flat out!!!!

[Racer24]

Racer24,

Check out www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

yea i know how to break it in

i make sure u have periods of running it hard...then small periods of softer rides....

[Dolce_Grappa]

I never heard reassemble dry theory. Did you here this idea on TTS? Is this person a mechanic? Can you tell them to stop telling people this BS, you may not ruin your motor, but you just put it though a lot of unnecessary wear and tear.

[moto867]

Ditto

[kelstr]

I never heard reassemble dry theory. Did you here this idea on TTS? Is this person a mechanic? Can you tell them to stop telling people this BS, you may not ruin your motor, but you just put it though a lot of unnecessary wear and tear.

Dry is really the way to go if you want the combustion chamber really sealed !

i am the one who brought this to the bike fourms ,

i have been doing all motors like this for over 40 years ,

and its been going on long before that .

once you get oil on the ring face ---your done ----you wont ever have a perfect seal .

i build race motors for a living and this is just one little tid bit of an inside secreat that really works .

the motors have less wear , and they make more power longer .

GM actually did tests back in the 50's and again in the 70's -------

perfectly dry rings on a clean dry freshly honed cylinder on a clean dry piston realy does seat correctly --

now of course you lub the cam--cam chain ---and so on ---

but the cylinder and rings ---top of the head, piston all dry -----

just alittle oil on the wrist pin and rod

i actually will turn the motor over dry after all assemblied to get the rings to bite.

warm it up on 1800 rpm idle until it pukes coolent and ride it like you race it ----no foo foo baby run in stuff ,