550 build

For now my plans are to simply rebuild the engine and polish components. The only performance modifications I plan is to weld a 4-to-1 exhaust. I wasn't even going to do that, except when I took off the exhaust it must have been 30 pounds which is ungodly too much for that short of pipe. Exhaust plans are to be only SLIGHTLY louder than stock.

Of course I will be rebuilding the carbs and have to rejet at that time also.

If I can source pistons I will bore the engine. $$ is an issue with sourcing the pistons, of course.

Depending on how my money washes otu from the basic rebuild, a valve job and porting will take place.

Right now I'm trying to diagnose this oil leak from the right side of the engine. I can't imagine what gasket is leaking.



And for viewing pleasure here are some heart surgery photos




Took me only 2-1/2 hours. Which is about... 4 hours shorter than any other engine pull I've done But of course, this is first motobike.

Sorry for cell phone pictures, my camera was lost in a terrible accident... I dropped it.

 

Unfortunately, you're looking at it. That round black plug.

Yamaha pn 4H7-15167-10-00 PLUG, BLIND 1

It's trapped between the upper and lower crankcases by virtue of a lip on its inner circumference.

The good news is, there's no oil pressure behind it, just crankcase pressure. It can be dug out (carefully) and replaced with a plug of the correct diameter hammered into place from the outside.

One of our members successfully did this a while back; it may take some searching to find it.

Or clean it up really good with contact cleaner/Brake cleaner and slather it with high-temp RTV (silicone) and be done with it.

Two notes on your plans to "improve the breed:" Finding oversize pistons will be very expensive if it doesn't simply prove impossible (although you could drop a set of 600 jugs/pistons and head on there.)

That "ungainly" stock exhaust (especially the collector) is part of the magic and eliminating it will give you some tuning/performance/driveability issues. You can tune around them but the bike will not have the streak-flash-zoom performance it had with the original system; it may improve in some areas of the rev range but you will be giving back elsewhere.

That goes exponentially for Pod filters; eliminate the airbox too and good luck.

 

the 600 top end bolts up?

I'm looking to improve the top end, I do a lot of highway riding, and from my experience opening the exhaust does just that.

 

An FZ600 motor and exhaust will bolt right in to the 550. I have a 4 into 1 off an FZ600 on my 550 Seca.

 

You might want to know that the 550 Seca motor is just a tad "hotter" than the 550 Maxim (different cams and jetting.)

And just exactly how fast do you need to go? A properly-tuned stock 550 will run 80 all day and never crack a sweat; and pull right to redline in all 6.

I'll bet if you get it running 100% right in stock tune, you'll be surprised at the performance. I highly recommend doing that prior to trying to "improve" it. You may just decide to ride it.

 

ordered valve shims
started breaking the carbs last night, but didn't order rebuild parts until I get more into the break-in.
Started breaking the bottom end to fix that leaky gasket.
I'm up to 1500 grit on some of te YICS and alternator covers. Will do the same on the engine fins.