Top end rebuild

[greg the pole]

I could be 100% wrong, but.............................(I ain't)

I'm not even the least bit surprised that YOU are doing this to your Tenere.
It's so YOU Greg. lol

Don in Lodi is saying the same thing as I am. ::013:: Hint Hint.

I'm not saying in any way that it isn't legit. Oh it IS indeed.
In fact, I don't think anyone could have talked you out of it.

I was going to buy the new Honda AT, and take a big hit on the ST on trade in (as is, no motor work)
The more I read about the AT, the less I want it. Have not had a ride yet, but people I know have, and it's nothing to shout about.

So meantime between time, the ST will go back together, and will be enjoyed for the foreseeable future. It will be a small investment in a proved bike.

 

[snakebitten]

All makes sense.

I have no doubt I'd find the AT an enjoyable bike. Seriously.
But way to much overlap with the current arsenal.

So, the questions would inevitably come down to what I'd be willing to part with to avoid another barn queen.
Honestly, the Tenere would stay. And not just because of the financial hit. It really has earned "keeper" status.

By the way, since neither FZ's ended up being keepers, can you predict the FJ?

 

[greg the pole]

All makes sense.

I have no doubt I'd find the AT an enjoyable bike. Seriously.
But way to much overlap with the current arsenal.

So, the questions would inevitably come down to what I'd be willing to part with to avoid another barn queen.
Honestly, the Tenere would stay. And not just because of the financial hit. It really has earned "keeper" status.

By the way, since neither FZ's ended up being keepers, can you predict the FJ?

Agreed!
So you still have the 950's then? >

The FJ is brilliant as a light sport tourer. It's very fast for it's size, decent on fuel, and the tank range is very acceptable. 180 miles of me riding it back to back to back. No issues.
I commuted with it all year, and did two road trips with it, both about the same distance (1800 miles). The bike did great. Even did some gravel with it.
I go into details in the blog regarding various specifics (suspension etc..) but overall, for me, the FJ kicks ass. Does some great wheelies to boot ::015::

 

[jaeger22]

Greg, I was going to tell you about the pistons coming with rings but I see EricV already caught that. Ironically the fact that they come with rings saved me on the second build. . . .
As I expect you remember form my old posts, I had to rebuild mine the first time because I messed up on the valve adjustment and got the cam chain outside of the guide. Then the cam chain jumped off and I got to experience the whole valve piston love thing. : So after two new valves and an engine tear down and rebuild, all seemed well. So I took off for another coast to coast and back trip. I noticed it was burning a bit of oil but it seemed to run fine and I could see no smoke. By the time I got to the West coast (Portland) it was using a LOT of oil. By the time I got back to Florida I was adding a QT of oil at every gas stop. ???
So out came the motor again. Once I got the motor out and pulled apart, the problem was clear. I had broken an oil ring installing the pistons into the cylinder and it was slowly digging a trench into the cylinder wall.
I ordered new parts including cylinders and pistons and rings. That is when I discovered that the pistons come with rings so I had bought an extra set. But that saved me a lot of time in the end because I broke ANOTHER %#!! oil ring putting in the new pistons. But at least this time I noticed before putting it back together the rest of the way. So the point of all this is that the oil rings are VERY thin and VERY easy to break. And because they are so thin, they can break and fold over and the piston will still slide in to the cylinder with the broken ring stuck inside. The first piston is not too bad but it is very hard to start the second one without disturbing the first one. I think I started over again about 6 times.
The manual shows working the pistons in by hand which is the way I have always done it. I don't know if you could fit a regular ring compressor in there or not but I have done many pistons by hand and never broken one before. I ended up using a wide tie wrap as a kind of make shift ring compressor for the oil ring. So bottom line, be VERY careful ind check twice.
The good news is that was 22,000 miles ago and no issues since.
Best of luck,
John

 

[greg the pole]

Greg, I was going to tell you about the pistons coming with rings but I see EricV already caught that. Ironically the fact that they come with rings saved me on the second build. . . .
As I expect you remember form my old posts, I had to rebuild mine the first time because I messed up on the valve adjustment and got the cam chain outside of the guide. Then the cam chain jumped off and I got to experience the whole valve piston love thing. : So after two new valves and an engine tear down and rebuild, all seemed well. So I took off for another coast to coast and back trip. I noticed it was burning a bit of oil but it seemed to run fine and I could see no smoke. By the time I got to the West coast (Portland) it was using a LOT of oil. By the time I got back to Florida I was adding a QT of oil at every gas stop. ???
So out came the motor again. Once I got the motor out and pulled apart, the problem was clear. I had broken an oil ring installing the pistons into the cylinder and it was slowly digging a trench into the cylinder wall.
I ordered new parts including cylinders and pistons and rings. That is when I discovered that the pistons come with rings so I had bought an extra set. But that saved me a lot of time in the end because I broke ANOTHER %#!! oil ring putting in the new pistons. But at least this time I noticed before putting it back together the rest of the way. So the point of all this is that the oil rings are VERY thin and VERY easy to break. And because they are so thin, they can break and fold over and the piston will still slide in to the cylinder with the broken ring stuck inside. The first piston is not too bad but it is very hard to start the second one without disturbing the first one. I think I started over again about 6 times.
The manual shows working the pistons in by hand which is the way I have always done it. I don't know if you could fit a regular ring compressor in there or not but I have done many pistons by hand and never broken one before. I ended up using a wide tie wrap as a kind of make shift ring compressor for the oil ring. So bottom line, be VERY careful ind check twice.
The good news is that was 22,000 miles ago and no issues since.
Best of luck,
John

thanks John,
here's a question. My 2012 pistons are perfect. Welll within spec. Can I use them with 2014 rings?

 

[jaeger22]

Sorry Greg no clue on that. All I can say is that I would use 2012 rings unless you find out for SURE 2014 will work. You don't want to ending up having to rebuild it twice like some dummy I know. . . . . . :

 

[greg the pole]

Sorry Greg no clue on that. All I can say is that I would use 2012 rings unless you find out for SURE 2014 will work. You don't want to ending up having to rebuild it twice like some dummy I know. . . . . . :

I'm not sure. And don't want to take the risk really.
2012:
Piston (Std)
23P-11631-00-00 2BS-W1163-00-00
$91.39

Piston Ring Set (Std)
23P-11603-00-00
Not available.


2014:
10Piston (Std)
2BS-11631-00-00
$69.35

Add to Cart
11Piston Ring Set (Std)
2BS-11603-00-00
$14.30

The 2012 piston is superseeded by the 2014, and sells at a higher price (if you check in the 2012 section here: http://www.cheapcycleparts.com/oemparts/a/yam/5004d83ef87002275461de66/crankshaft-piston )
The 2014 piston comes with no rings, and is cheaper, http://www.cheapcycleparts.com/oemparts/a/yam/53306f2af870024560f03e13/crankshaft-piston
Logic would dictate that for 2012 you can buy the 2014 piston c/w updated rings. For 2014 you can buy a 2014 piston and rings separately.

 

[WJBertrand]

Sounds like they made some of the rings narrower on the 2014. I would expect the ring grooves to be narrowed to match. My gut tells me it would not be a good idea to use the '14 rings on pre-'14 pistons.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[greg the pole]

Sounds like they made some of the rings narrower on the 2014. I would expect the ring grooves to be narrowed to match. My gut tells me it would not be a good idea to use the '14 rings on pre-'14 pistons.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's what I'm thinking. I'll have some nice bookends, for very light book ::013::
or maybe hang them off my rear view mirror like baby shoes ::015::

 

[EricV]

The old piston rings are still lying around on shelves. Just can't get them direct from Yamaha in some cases. It appears that the superseded number is compatible, since it's listed by every retailer as the "new#" rather than a discontinued part. To me, that says you can use the 2BS rings in the 23P pistons w/o issues. OTOH, it could be because the Yamaha system no longer sells the 23P pistons either. Or, you could just order some of the 23P rings from another vendor.

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/yamaha/YP-23P-11603-00-00.html $42.11

 

[OldRider]

I know what I would do, I would get a set of pistons & rings for a 14 model and put them in. We know that will work because the cylinders are the same and because Yamaha changed the 14 to different part numbers that almost always means they have upgraded the part to something better. JMHO

 

[greg the pole]

I'm going for broke. Part on order:

Pin, Piston
Piston Ring Set (Std)
Piston (Std)
Circlip
2012 Gasket, Cylinder
Dont need this as I have a manual CCT Gasket, Tensioner Case
Camshaft Chain
2012 Gasket, Cylinder Head 1
Gasket, Head Cover 1
Seal, Valve Stem
Water pump O-Ring
Hose 5. Connects to water pump
Hose 3 Connects cross over pipe to bottom of rad