Other need to rebuild a yamaha xl 800 motor,looking for any tips

[feartheride]

I just purchased a 2000 xl 800 that needs motor rebuild and as I am use to 701,760 platforms ,I am looking for any tips..I need to split the cases to se if I can save the crank.
This platform is a bit different as it has the flywheel cover as part of the front motor mounts.Is it best to unbolt the front cover and leave it in the ski with the two front motor mounts attatched or pull the whole thing..trying to avoid having to re prime the oil pump..

Which brings me to the question ,how in the heck do you work on flywheel or stator on these if you have to pull the front motor mounts every time..do you just block up the center of the motor..This is a strange design..

Any thoughts on what the cause of failure could have been,from the pics of the rear piston I provided..Front piston is o.k. back totally fu**ed..
If it was a lean issue,I need to correct it so as to not kill mew motor..
Also can this head be saved or just look for a used one...

Does anyone have a manual I can download or email me

 

[D-Roc]

that is some deto!

 

[feartheride]

bump

looking for some ideas here
I,m thinking a piston that looks like this is severe over heating or lean..I can't see one piston over heating due tp a cooling issue like this and the other is fine so that leaves a lean condition..
If this is the case what would go wrong or change in the carb to make it run that lean.....

 

[nightrider05]

bump

looking for some ideas here
I,m thinking a piston that looks like this is severe over heating or lean..I can't see one piston over heating due tp a cooling issue like this and the other is fine so that leaves a lean condition..
If this is the case what would go wrong or change in the carb to make it run that lean.....

Running lean doesn't always happen from issues in a carb. The issue could have been from bad fuel, leaky crank seals(allowing more air into motor, leaning out air/fuel ratio), leaky intake gaskets. Issue could have always been present, but recently have gotten worse. Or, your diaphragm could be wearing out and not pumping enough fuel...or carb could have gunk in jets.

I recently had to do a motor job in an XL800 and from experience I can tell you that its easiest to just unhook lines and pull motor mostly complete. I dropped the motor back in with exhaust manifold and carbs intact..and also had stator cover bolted on and motor mounts bolted to it. Just had to bolt motor mounts to the hull. Priming the oil pump should be the least of your worries as that is a pretty easy thing to do. I usually just unscrew the pump bleeder until main feed is flowing oil only and no air..then I hook up oil lines and run premix for the first tank. The first tank premix allows enough time for the oil pump to fill oil lines going to carbs with oil. You may be double oiling, but thats not a bad thing on break in.

Hope that made sense...its late and time for bed.

 

[feartheride]

So what tool do I need to lock flywheel to aid in coupler removal and flywheel, will the same one work as for 701,,havnt got the cover off yet

 

[feartheride]

Cmon wheres all you 66e platform guys with some input.
Anyone have a stock head for sale,are all 800 heads the same or do I need one off an xl 800

 

[tom21]

I do it slightly different. I take the carbs and lay them in the side, you should def do a rebuild. same for the oil pump. if you plug the lines so the oil doesnt leak out you can pop them back on later. you also want to make sure one of those lines didnt fall off and that the pump actually works. if you have doubts go to premix. take the exhaust off completely, mani too. its not easy but after leaning over skis all day the less weight I have to lift the better. if you are strong or have a hoist you can leave stuff on. so now that the intake, exhaust, hoses, starter, mounts are out or undone I slide the motor forward and then stand it on the pto, I use a butterfly air tool to zip the front cover off and an impact to take the flywheel bolt out. use the puller to pull the flywheel and now you can lift the motor out. impact on pto tool to remove and then dowel pins and motor mount supports and its ready for exchange at sbt. if you have that much metal damage on the piston I doubt the crank is good. so now you have a situation where more is damaged then less and unless you plan on racing the ski (doubtful) I think you will find that the price to buy oem is significantly more than a rebuilt. if you are nervous about it or doubt you found the original cause then pick up the extended warranty. 2 years worry free is pretty good. of course I see you are in Canada so you have the extra shipping and taxes and I know that will factor into it and make it less of good deal.

If I can help you out with any of that lemme know. not sure if I can save you much on the shipping or taxes but it might be worth a look. sbt is just down the street from me.

 

[nightrider05]

So what tool do I need to lock flywheel to aid in coupler removal and flywheel, will the same one work as for 701,,havnt got the cover off yet

I always just use an impact and a regular flywheel puller...never needed a flywheel lock.

Cmon wheres all you 66e platform guys with some input.
Anyone have a stock head for sale,are all 800 heads the same or do I need one off an xl 800

Heads are the same. Any 800/66e head will work.


The good thing about those motors...is that if just one side let loose you can buy a replacement piston and cylinder from either a forum or ebay...then just replace your crank and head. Depending on where you buy parts from, it can come out much cheaper that way than replacing the entire engine. Plus, SBT sleeves all of their cylinders...so you won't have the stock nikisil lining any more. I personally like the nikisil lining as it is VERY strong. I just rebuilt one and the biggest cost was a crankshaft..at the time the only one out there was $400...I think with the new piston and a few other things I had roughly $700 in the rebuild..but it was with all quality parts and I kept the nikisil cylinders.

 

[The Penguin]

I'm rebuilding one right now myself - 2001 XL800

You can get the cylinder re-coated with Nikasil by Millenium Technologies. Should cost about $250 - it was cheaper for me to get it coated and buy a new piston than it was to buy a used cylinder/piston from someone parting out.

a tip from a yamaha tech I know - check the oil lines after they leave the pump. there is a bracket on the leading edge of the carbs, make sure the lines are not pinched there. Replace factory tie with a loose zip-tie. also check to make sure the oil lines are not shrinking off the carb fittings.

I'm converting this motor to pre-mix, so hopefully no issues in the future.

I have a manual for an XLT800 - basically the same according to the yamaha tech. If you want it, PM me your email address

 

[feartheride]

I do it slightly different. I take the carbs and lay them in the side, you should def do a rebuild. same for the oil pump. if you plug the lines so the oil doesnt leak out you can pop them back on later. you also want to make sure one of those lines didnt fall off and that the pump actually works. if you have doubts go to premix. take the exhaust off completely, mani too. its not easy but after leaning over skis all day the less weight I have to lift the better. if you are strong or have a hoist you can leave stuff on. so now that the intake, exhaust, hoses, starter, mounts are out or undone I slide the motor forward and then stand it on the pto, I use a butterfly air tool to zip the front cover off and an impact to take the flywheel bolt out. use the puller to pull the flywheel and now you can lift the motor out. impact on pto tool to remove and then dowel pins and motor mount supports and its ready for exchange at sbt. if you have that much metal damage on the piston I doubt the crank is good. so now you have a situation where more is damaged then less and unless you plan on racing the ski (doubtful) I think you will find that the price to buy oem is significantly more than a rebuilt. if you are nervous about it or doubt you found the original cause then pick up the extended warranty. 2 years worry free is pretty good. of course I see you are in Canada so you have the extra shipping and taxes and I know that will factor into it and make it less of good deal.

If I can help you out with any of that lemme know. not sure if I can save you much on the shipping or taxes but it might be worth a look. sbt is just down the street from me.

Thanks tom
wasn't aware they resleeve the cyl. ,I do like the nickasil bore..

shipping round trip is 180.00
what's this place like
http://www.pwcengine.com/products/Ya...lt-Engine.html
they say 1000.00 with 2 yr warrant as compared to sbt at 1200.00

I can get hot rods crank for 440.00
cylinder 250.00
wsm top end w/gaskets 160.00 or pro x for 140.00 + gaskets for 70.00
wsm seals ars genuine 20.00 or oem 40.00 (wsm only list ars for inner and outer pto and teflon for mag)

total 870.00

that being said it,s not all about the money,my time is valuable...but if I do it myself at least i get a hot rods crank,better or not ,i don't know
if they were down the street from me I would jump on it...I do live right my buffalo so i ship to the U.S. and pick up from there

Yea I will look at crank when it comes out, so much debris sitting on the top of the case is not good

Hmm what to do

 

[feartheride]

I'm rebuilding one right now myself - 2001 XL800

You can get the cylinder re-coated with Nikasil by Millenium Technologies. Should cost about $250 - it was cheaper for me to get it coated and buy a new piston than it was to buy a used cylinder/piston from someone parting out.

a tip from a yamaha tech I know - check the oil lines after they leave the pump. there is a bracket on the leading edge of the carbs, make sure the lines are not pinched there. Replace factory tie with a loose zip-tie. also check to make sure the oil lines are not shrinking off the carb fittings.

I'm converting this motor to pre-mix, so hopefully no issues in the future.

I have a manual for an XLT800 - basically the same according to the yamaha tech. If you want it, PM me your email address

What is an xlt 800,i thought maybe a tripple but its also a twin, whats the difference..
I will pm you my email

 

[feartheride]

Wow those bottom carb bolts are just ugly to get at..
the oil lines all look great ,this hull is so clean inside ,its never had a drop of oil spilled in it ,or leaked...
Makes it a bit harder when you didn't blow it up your self and don't know if they ran it out of oil or what..

So either it has an air leak or the carb is really f up..
could a carb run that lean all of a sudden ,,dirt or jets plugged or needle not popping I guess

Well time to put the beer down get off the porch swing and do something I guess ,,lol

 

[The Penguin]

actually, they weren't too bad to get to with the engine in the ski. Just have to take off the whole airbox.

this one is same situation - boss's ski. I'm not sure if he was riding it, or his son was when it died. he had taken it to a "mechanic" about a week before to have the carbs reworked. I haven't gotten into them, but I think I better. It was after the carbs were rebuilt that the rear cylinder snagged a ring.

luckily no apparent damage to cases, crank or head

.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Millennium also has a cylinder exchange, if they have one ready to go, they will send it out and charge your credit card for the deposit, when you send them the cylinder back they send you a refund check and they are very quick about sending the checks after the cylinder is sent back. Top notch company right there folks. :arms:

 

[The Penguin]

yep, and the cylinder was beautiful when they sent it back.

 

[feartheride]

Well 3 1/2 hrs later and it all went rather smothly..back on my garden swing having a beer lol.. Motor is out and on the bench..Coupler and flywheel are off and ready to split cases tomorrow..( have to work in an hour)..Wasn;t sure if i would have the right coupler tool but it is standard..
They use strong loctite on motor mounts,I had to hold the mounts with a pipe wrench as to not twist them off..
Trying to pull vaccum hoses I pulled both fittings out of the case, guess I can put them back in with 609 loctite..
I ended up leaving carbs on ,I thought the spacer plate bolts were for the carbs,didn't realize it was just the 4 hex head 6 mm and two allen 6 mm (whats with the plastic plugs on the two center allen bolts..

Still not looking forward to doing the carbs just because of all the extra crap on the outside

Whats with that excelerator pump,was does it do and how does it work..Is this something i need to check to see if it is functioning properly..

Can I run the oil pump with a drill to check it is pumping..looking from the back of ski i will have to spin it counter clockwise correct ?
Good thing i had a stock of super long 8 mm bolts to pull that flywheel..

 

[feartheride]

guess I could always part this thing out,likely make some money over the 1300 I have into it,put it towards a brand new old stock honda 4 stroke like I was originally going to buy..How do I get myself into these projects lol

 

[D-Roc]

this could have happened from running 87 octane. usually a lean burn down will melt the piston on the exhaust port side until it hits the rings and you loose most compression in that cylinder. go over the carbs and everything else, ditch the oil pump IMO.

 

[Jr Freestyle]

guess I could always part this thing out,likely make some money over the 1300 I have into it,put it towards a brand new old stock honda 4 stroke like I was originally going to buy..How do I get myself into these projects lol

3 seater Honda is pretty pricey for the wife. Save the money and build something fun

 

[feartheride]

3 seater Honda is pretty pricey for the wife. Save the money and build something fun

You want to trade that rickter 1 lt. for an xl 800