I also discovered there is absolutely NO way to do this without removing the engine on a 1984 XR500R. I thought I'd post this info for others who might be researching this job.
I just tried this drilling a hole in the head , for a bolt to act as a mechanical tensioner you show at 6min30sec. It seems to have worked so far for me on a Honda NX650 Dominator 1999 (almost same engine) . Thanks for the idea!
RE @ 12+58; Just my opinion only, but you did NOT waste your time painting your bike! Sweet machine and your meticulous situational awareness and "attention to 'motor sound' detail" mad skills are a tribute to your expertise and technical prowess. Indeed, a true nostalgic throwback to my '80's XR200R and XL350R kid days along Utah's Wasatch Front. Thank you for taking the time to document and post your fantastic restoration journey!
Thanks man I appreciate your encouraging words. Hopefully this video will help others with the Honda rfvc for years to come. I used to have an XR 200 as well. Great bike!
Very good info I waited to log and I broke a timing chain guide and made a mess out of the top end ,after 50,000 miles. Now I'm rebuilding my" XR650L " today. THANK'S FROM NOR-CAL!!!!!
i bought an 83 xl600r in 83 at tulare Honda sold it, then missed it and traded for an 84 ,got out of the navy sold it ,missed it ,my wife said no till kids are 18 ,and at kids being 20 bought another 83 and my son an xr500r still have it fun bike to ride thanks
Wow thank you thank you after rebuilding my XL 600 struggling with that spring getting the bike running and have it run so badly I gave up 17 years ago after seeing you explain it I think I will tear back into it this winter
Nice work! The xl600r will always be a favorite. I owned an 1983 back in 1996. I did a complete rebuild with a high compression piston. The cam chain tensioner was the worst to deal with.
I just got a 1984 xl600r and I'm using you for all the repairs I have I've already watched the clutch videos you have 3 or 4 times now to get a good understanding of how to do it
Great vid! My XR500R sounds EXACTLY the same. You can actually see the pin (the part you have sealed with right stuff) oscillating on mine to match the noise. If I put a crescent wrench on it I can rotate it and the sound gets a little less. I rebuilt the engine on mine a couple years ago but failed to replace these parts. I wish I would have! Too bad the engine's gotta come out... I ordered the parts and I'm gonna tackle this soon. I hate to pull the motor but it's not that big of a deal I guess + I can clean it well. Thanks again for the great video!
On my xbr500 from 1987 I can just lift the valve cover when I pull of my fuel tank... Don't need to remove the complete engine, maybe it's the same with yours, with some luck...
Just finished this job on my 1984 XR500. The engine has to come out I found out. There are two long valve cover bolts on the top that will not clear the frame with engine in bike. Well worth the effort, though! It's sounds like a new bike, now. Tight... Really awesome improvement. Now I just gotta figure out why it burns off some oil when you start it after it's sat for a while. Do you have advice? Is it a leaky check valve on the oil pump?
looks nice.. great work as usual.. i've had several xl/xr 600s/650s over the years.. when i see one that's a deal i pick them up.. i've replaced the tensioner on several of them.. the good news is, th never changed them much.. parts are still readily available.. no reason why we won't have them around for a long time.
As tuff as this bike looks I'm taken aback that the video only has 1K likes. Especially considering it has been posted for 1 year. I've been seeing lots of videos lately featuring fully restored Honda XR's & XL's. As well as some pristine originals, (Kaplan Cycles). And don't get me wrong, I'd love to have one, as would we all. But this bike here looks rugged and ready. It's off road experience shows. It's been there and back many times. Counted many coup. Lived many lives. I like it, it's got sand. Character. It has a marvelous persona. Not to say that it looks beat up, neglected or abused. Because it doesn't. It looks slick. But it also looks like it was used as it should have been. Loved, but used, and not in a bad way.
Awesome video! Mine isn’t making noise, the tensioner shaft is leaking... now I know how to fix it! Great video awesome machine! Mines a 94 650L still runs strong!
thank you for the idea, I used a right angle attachement for my drill and within about 5 minutes i had a manual chain tensioner that completely solved my issue! I just used your drilled hole as a reference
Wow! I'm so happy to hear that worked for you. I haven't actually used the manual adjustment mod yet. I just put it there for future use. But you just made my day. Thanks for the confirmation that the idea will work! Did you run a tap to thread the hole? It didn't seem to me that there would be enough meat there for it to hold long-term. I feel like it would eventually work loose
Great info. I am tearing down my XL600 this week if I can get the boys bike done. Unfortunately I have to go deeper to fix the smoke and I think my tensioner failed completely and jumped time.
Oops - I replied to this vid two years ago then just did again with kinda the same comments! I think I'm losing it... Well, I finally ordered the parts and I'm gonna do this and I'm going to try to fish the valve cover off the top of the engine with the engine still in the bike like you show on one of your other vids. Thanks again. Paul
My tensioner is starting to go bad and I want to do a manual tensioner just like you did. But I am going to use those aluminum brazing rods to build it up a bit thicker first.
I have a Honda NX350 Sahara and the engine is a RFVC too. I had the same problemas with the time chain tensioner. This kind of system is not so effiecient after long time. External tensioners are much pratical and easy to deal with. Nice video bro
Awesome, I've never seen a nx350. Yeah these are definitely prone to failure. But still an awesome engine none the less. External hydraulic assist tensioner is the best for sure. Easy to swap. And thanks man
NoNonsenseKnowHow the NX350 was made just for Brazil (where I live) and some other countries from South America. It's basically the same engine you havec but smaller. Thanks for the video, I'm going to save it here, so I can replace this part on my own next time
@@edfell66 oh okay awesome! Yeah we had the XL350r here. Sounds like it's probably the same as that. Happy to hear you found the video useful and I appreciate the feedback. Thank you!
Great video very helpful I have a 1985 XL 600 making the same noise. I’m gonna go ahead and replace the tensioner in the spring but instead of pulling the engine out just going to remove the head and do it in the bike.
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow it turned out that the valves were loose that’s why I was making so much noise. But I have adjusted the valves and now it’s hard starting was wondering if maybe I got them too tight? But the filler gauge slides in an out with just a little drag. I’ve heard that on the XL 600s that the exhaust should be a little looser than what the manual says. If there’s something you think I should check I would appreciate any help thank you
thanks for taking the time to show this , great straight to the point info .ive got an nx650 (dominator uk ) to do, been putting it off for ages youve inspired me to crack on with it now thanks again
Cool to see ya wrenching on a monster, love them myself. I always seem to have a few of em in my shop to fix at any given time. The XR 650 is my favorite. Have an RM 500 I play with now and then out there to. Just cause I run my own local OHV repair shop, don't mean I don't get to play now and then, after all I have to QC them before I give them back to their owners.
if it ant wore it ant broken ..spring tension be my thoughts if sprags grip thet be fine its not like they move even one full time like in an automatic transmission sprags do so with out watching all or seeing it spring is basicly only thing that can break in this system ..good job never over think it God bless
omg chris ,..been watchin your videos for awhile ..didnt know u had an xl600...thier an awesome bike and i had one for a year or so when they first came out 83..84ish...i remember i had RFVC tatoo`d on my leg as we were dumb and rode around in shorts ....i realy wanna get my hands on another one and there hard to find up here in east coast canada. i know this is an old video for ya ..keep em coming im a mechanic as well and enjoy watchin you and jen rescue old cars and whatever u find :)
Bro I watch your videos fixing the cars and stuff but I had no idea you were into XL's and XR'S. Always good finding like-minded people, right on for the tip, I got a 94 XR650 wheelie machine 🤘🏻 Keep the vids rolling!!
Good stuff, thanks. I have an 83 XL600R that is my project retro-motard. Great engine, should make a fun rip around town bike. I have 18" rims for it front and rear that I'll lace to the hub, run some flat-track style tires.
Chris, I really enjoyed your Honda XL 600 video. It was informative and interesting with content that is extremely helpful to anyone who has a Honda dual purpose from the 80's. Also enjoyed the railroad bridge crossing at the end, helps to give it the old 1%er flare.
Finally, somebody else that sees the beauty of bumps and bruises! There were quite a few comments on my other xl600r videos about how junky my bike looks. lol
Great video, really clear and helpful. Couple of questions: 1. Was there any obvious sign the the old spring had weakened significantly?; 2. Any idea why the adjuster needs a clutch device within it?
Thanks David I'm glad the video was helpful. No I didn't see any sign of the spring being weakened and I'm sure it could have been reused. but thermal Cycles generally take a toll on Springs over time so I figured for how cheap it is, certainly a good idea to replace it. And yes, the Bronze bushings on the tensioner clutch had visible wear and I believe inside components also had wear if you were to compare them to factory especially under a microscope. It did not grip the shaft as reliably as the new one. Hopefully that helps answer your questions. I wish I still had it, I would go back and maybe take it apart to check out the inner workings.
i could be wrong but i think the sprag clutch stops the tensioner from backing off after its applied tension, it can only advance it cant back off, if it was just the spring pushing on the cam chain it could possibly push that spring and get enough slack to jump a tooth
There's an F9 vid where he kills a KLR by smashing a hole in the case bottom. I think he got out by using beer can and JB weld patch. On a later episode he rebuilds the entire engine.
@@carfactorycustoms422 I ran my XR650L down to less than half a quart of oil. I roasted the top end but it never seized. I was towing a friend's motorcycle (with him on it) and riding freeway speeds in the middle of summer during all that, too. They're indestructible.
Genius buddy, Can one have a different problem for the same noise? My xr600r started doing this after i installed the oil filter upside down when doing my oil change. I thought the ticking would be due to a rocker but after watching yiur awesome video, i am wondering...
Thanks man. And only way to find out would be tearing into it. Could start by checking the valve clearances. If they got loose and sloppy then definitely indicator of a rocker issue from oil starvation
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow for sure. Thanks a lot. I am still impressed by how fast it took you to remove this. This would ve taken me a month with several 12 packs of beers lol
With that motor out I would have changed the cam bearings and timing chain too unless it's a very low-hours bike. That bike looks like it has some time on it Would have also checked the valve spring pressure and ran a compression check. Proactive is much better than a reactive, fix it when it breaks, response. As OCD as I can be, I would have gone through the carb and clutch and repainted or powder coated the engine the factory color; but that's just me. It's a gasket or RTV, but not both. If it leaks, it's warped.
Topend noise on those old honda is usually..cam tensioner and or valve adjusting..rarely is it the piston.rings or sleeve. I've seen them Burn Oil n smoke like a Mack truck n still run Great
i had same problem and the garage did use the same solution like you did.noise was back after one week. you also need to check the heads off the valve's.and replace them.cause when the timing belt was not properly adjusted, the head of the valve's are also a little worn out and thats where the tikking sound comes from. it shows in your video, the heads off the valve's are not chining.with head i mean the side where the springs are.
I've been riding mine quite a bit and no issues since this repair. What's the mileage on your engine? I should have mentioned in the video that it would be a good idea to replace the timing chain set as well, but I wanted to see if the tensioner was the main culprit. In this case it was.
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow sorry about my poor englich.i mean offcourse the timing chain.if you hear for 14 days nothing it solved.incase it comes back check the valve.i dont have a bike no more.
@@EDP1 okay. I appreciate the input, I'll definitely keep that in mind if the noise comes back. Was it the valve stem to guide clearance that was the problem? Or what about the valve was making noise
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow cause the timing chain was off .the valve knocks a little deeper on the head of the valve.that make a little ruf surface.you can see it in your video.heads are not smooth.there are some dark spots in the middle off the valve ontop.
Thanks Roger. And I can assure you it's not always this clean! I made sure to tidy up before turning the camera on! lol. But yeah overall I keep it pretty organized. Unless I'm knee-deep in a project and it gets bad
When it all started it was the XL was street legal and were from 70cc through 350cc in the 70s XR'S started with XR75 a small Off road dirt bike in 1973, I think it was 78 or 79 xr250 / xr500 off road bike, and a new style xl 250 and 500 DUAL SPORT and then the xl600r dual sport xr600r off road only, then XR650L dual sport and I'm not exactly sure of the years thay made them but thay made XR650R liquid cooled DESERT MONSTER more compression bigger cam 120mph, bike won baja 1000 several times, then stopped making them, in some states U could make them street legal, now the XR650L ELECTRIC START the best thing that ever happened to XR'S U know Y because XR'S RULE. PS.XR models go from 70cc's to 650cc's,but U'll look that up for yourself, I just hope l didn't ramble to much. XR'S RULE. THANK'S from NOR-CAL!!!!
@@chrisiollich4890 hi, great info, thanks. We fell in love with XR600R from reading dirt bike magazine... My friend got his hands on the 650 almost new but doesn't ride it. I was trying to buy it cheap but he likes it. I don't like water cooled because of more maintenance with hoses and such in the tropics with salt air, SVG. I Got a DR650 and am enjoying it. All the best, God bless.
Hey, great vid I just watched too. Had a new question as per a problem not mentioned. Others after, just for info!, lol. So have the '87 XL600R. As I said, I got her to start! Hooray! Well during the fuel debacle-wouldn't start. Chipped a took in kick starter circuit(gears). Getting new gasket for left cover & an extra. 1.) Can't see till I remove cover. 2.) Observation: if there's a broken tooth-there's metal fragments inside. 3.) What's best solution to removing those frags? Obvious, change oil. Use magnet. Check screen. Pressure Flush Obviouse Concern? Metal fragment (small enough to pass through screen) getting into engine, then hurting bearing, clogging journals, etc...Ideas? Do I need silicon sealant too? OK, Moving On. Like new pipe! Do you have a link. Also, I have a "Supertrapp" by EAR. Will this work with your new pipe?
Yeah if there are any chips missing from the start of your I would certainly try to fish it out with a magnet. It shouldn't be more than one or two fragments I would guess. Pretty rare that a starter gear would chip though. I wouldn't get too caught up with trying to get it out of there though if you can't find it. Should be fine. Hopefully just comes out with the oil. And thanks, I've had that supertrapp pipe on there for many years. I'm not sure if they still make them or not for the xl600r. After shining enough it looks a little bit better than before. And as far as the engine, no special process has just made sure to thoroughly clean it down with acetone and get all of the grits and grease off. Then I hit it with engine primer and engine enamel paint from AutoZone. Seems to be holding up well but I'm sure it will chip in Fall Apart in time like most paint job.
@@rickallman1318 shouldn't need starter fluid. Make sure the choke circuit is operating properly. Try blowing into the carburetor vent hose before you start it. That gives it an extra little shot of fuel
i had very similar issues on my 02 DRZ400, ignored it and the tensioner failed and let the valves meet the piston, was a completely different tensioner design and is pretty common failure... new piston valves gaskets and i drilled the tensioner out and tapped it to 3/8 npt and used a carriage bolt and lock nut to tension it.. trouble is i need to pull the fuel tank valve cover and a pile of other things to check the cam chain tension to retighten it but atleast i know it cant fail enough to skip a tooth this time
I have a xbr500 (same engine, different bore/stroke). Is the whine your talking about gone? I have a whine when I go off the throttle, when I open it up again it's gone. Is this the tensioner? I have rebuild the engine, with all new bearings, seals and gaskets, but didn't replace the tensioner as it 'looked ok'. Has 100k km on it almost. Also see I have the bearing behind the sprocket on the cam shaft the other way around, thought it was meant to 'be in the oil bath'... Runs with 1 kick when warm. 2 or 3 when cold..... But I prefer the electric start 😋.
How is the performance (low end, mid range or top end increase/decrease) with the XRs Only header? Noticed the little hole on top of the cam chain tensioner was a little left of top center. This is an indicator of the stretch of the cam chain. The farther left of top center the more stretch. New chains will have the hole pretty much at top center or just a couple of degrees to the left. Nice job.
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow That's the way it is sometimes. Fortunately I have access to a sandblasting cabinet at work and let me tell you, painting something that has been sandblasted is almost cheating. Definitely on my wish list to buy one day. But heck man, its a dirt bike, it has killer personality and character you can't buy. Who cares if it ain't perfect. Just keep that thing on the road!
No problem man. And LOL I'm surprised you the first person to mention it! I was a little skeptical of doing it. But if it starts making noise in the future I didn't want to have to pull the engine again. Now that I have that tapped hole on the back I can easily correct any noise from a faulty tensioner in the future.
RFVC Honda motors notorious for top end and valvetrain problems. XR/CR mid 80's 3rd gear problems. Yamaha TT350/600 had none of those problems even DR650 and KLX650 were so much better
Hey man, I decided to use your method of manual tesioner, but I first soldered a little bit in the area so I could have more thread and make it stronger. But I was wondering, should it screw it tight to the tensioner? or leave a bit of room? I don't know if the tensioner actually go back a bit on high RPM or if it should stay in position, I don't want to put my chain under a lot of stress. Thanks for the awesome idea.
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
Honda Part #'s I used:
*TENSIONER 14512-MG3-000
*SPRING 14514-MG3-000
*O-RING: 91303-MG2-792
Hey, my bike is making the same noise. I'm going to ride 2,000 miles and will fix it after. Do you think it is ok to ride with the same issue ?
@@RomainDILLARD2014 i've done more than 5000km with this noise, you'll be fine
عههننننننمممممخخ ١ضظﻈظظ. زثظضزززززظظضنطنننننطنننههضط۾طحت نننصنننننهعهههطعطعطعط7منننننمنטּخنننטּنضططضثثشطش ضد ١ ضد زززز
ز
. دطننممخخم١1
@@RomainDILLARD2014 خخخخخ
@@BlueWafer is it really oke to just keep on driving ?
First I thought, he's going to do all this work in his gravel driveway, then bam! He's in a decked out super clean garage!! With a bike lift too!!
this is how more videos should be. straight to the point with clear instructions.
That's what I shoot for. Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate it
He could have added a nice wheelie at the end.
@@Deontjie I liked his improvised offroad course , slipping between lorries .
Had the same problem on my XR 600 and fixed it. Recognized it after watching a video. TH-cam saves bikes.
Same process??
I did it! Replaced mine. Bike sounds A LOT quieter. Well worth the effort. Thanks for this vid it helped a lot.
I also discovered there is absolutely NO way to do this without removing the engine on a 1984 XR500R. I thought I'd post this info for others who might be researching this job.
I just tried this drilling a hole in the head , for a bolt to act as a mechanical tensioner you show at 6min30sec. It seems to have worked so far for me on a Honda NX650 Dominator 1999 (almost same engine) . Thanks for the idea!
RE @ 12+58; Just my opinion only, but you did NOT waste your time painting your bike! Sweet machine and your meticulous situational awareness and "attention to 'motor sound' detail" mad skills are a tribute to your expertise and technical prowess. Indeed, a true nostalgic throwback to my '80's XR200R and XL350R kid days along Utah's Wasatch Front. Thank you for taking the time to document and post your fantastic restoration journey!
Thanks man I appreciate your encouraging words. Hopefully this video will help others with the Honda rfvc for years to come. I used to have an XR 200 as well. Great bike!
Just rebuilt my xr650l and
the zip tie trick worked perfectly.
Thank 's from NOR-CAL!!!!
Awesome! Glad it worked for you as well
Very good info I waited to log and I broke a timing chain guide
and made a mess out of the top
end ,after 50,000 miles. Now I'm
rebuilding my" XR650L " today.
THANK'S FROM NOR-CAL!!!!!
Old school but a beast Honda XR range was awesome machines
i bought an 83 xl600r in 83 at tulare Honda sold it, then missed it and traded for an 84 ,got out of the navy sold it ,missed it ,my wife said no till kids are 18 ,and at kids being 20 bought another 83 and my son an xr500r still have it fun bike to ride thanks
Wow thank you thank you after rebuilding my XL 600 struggling with that spring getting the bike running and have it run so badly I gave up 17 years ago after seeing you explain it I think I will tear back into it this winter
No problem! And yeah that spring is real stubborn
Nice work! The xl600r will always be a favorite. I owned an 1983 back in 1996. I did a complete rebuild with a high compression piston. The cam chain tensioner was the worst to deal with.
Thanks. Yeah they are great bikes for sure!
I just got a 1984 xl600r and I'm using you for all the repairs I have I've already watched the clutch videos you have 3 or 4 times now to get a good understanding of how to do it
Great vid! My XR500R sounds EXACTLY the same. You can actually see the pin (the part you have sealed with right stuff) oscillating on mine to match the noise. If I put a crescent wrench on it I can rotate it and the sound gets a little less. I rebuilt the engine on mine a couple years ago but failed to replace these parts. I wish I would have! Too bad the engine's gotta come out... I ordered the parts and I'm gonna tackle this soon. I hate to pull the motor but it's not that big of a deal I guess + I can clean it well. Thanks again for the great video!
On my xbr500 from 1987 I can just lift the valve cover when I pull of my fuel tank...
Don't need to remove the complete engine, maybe it's the same with yours, with some luck...
Just finished this job on my 1984 XR500. The engine has to come out I found out. There are two long valve cover bolts on the top that will not clear the frame with engine in bike. Well worth the effort, though! It's sounds like a new bike, now. Tight... Really awesome improvement. Now I just gotta figure out why it burns off some oil when you start it after it's sat for a while. Do you have advice? Is it a leaky check valve on the oil pump?
looks nice.. great work as usual.. i've had several xl/xr 600s/650s over the years.. when i see one that's a deal i pick them up.. i've replaced the tensioner on several of them.. the good news is, th never changed them much.. parts are still readily available.. no reason why we won't have them around for a long time.
As tuff as this bike looks I'm taken aback that the video only has 1K likes. Especially considering it has been posted for 1 year. I've been seeing lots of videos lately featuring fully restored Honda XR's & XL's. As well as some pristine originals, (Kaplan Cycles). And don't get me wrong, I'd love to have one, as would we all. But this bike here looks rugged and ready. It's off road experience shows. It's been there and back many times. Counted many coup. Lived many lives. I like it, it's got sand. Character. It has a marvelous persona. Not to say that it looks beat up, neglected or abused. Because it doesn't. It looks slick. But it also looks like it was used as it should have been. Loved, but used, and not in a bad way.
Thanks for sharing. I love bike rebuild videos. Had an XR650 myself. Awesome bikes. These pigs are the best bikes ever made
Nice and quiet, like a new one! My CBF is noisy, now I know what needs doing! Cam chain rattling is annoying knowing what they should sound like!
Awesome video! Mine isn’t making noise, the tensioner shaft is leaking... now I know how to fix it! Great video awesome machine! Mines a 94 650L still runs strong!
All-in-all helpful, detailed and clear explanation, you're great at stepping through the process, thanks for sharing :)
Thanks Brad I appreciate the feedback
thank you for the idea, I used a right angle attachement for my drill and within about 5 minutes i had a manual chain tensioner that completely solved my issue! I just used your drilled hole as a reference
Wow! I'm so happy to hear that worked for you. I haven't actually used the manual adjustment mod yet. I just put it there for future use. But you just made my day. Thanks for the confirmation that the idea will work! Did you run a tap to thread the hole? It didn't seem to me that there would be enough meat there for it to hold long-term. I feel like it would eventually work loose
Would you happen to be able to take a picture of what you did? And send it to my email? My email is in the about section on my TH-cam page
Great info. I am tearing down my XL600 this week if I can get the boys bike done. Unfortunately I have to go deeper to fix the smoke and I think my tensioner failed completely and jumped time.
Thankyou for the video. I currently have the top end apart on my 85 xl600 to do rings and valve seals. I ordered a new tensioner after watching this.
No problem!
Oops - I replied to this vid two years ago then just did again with kinda the same comments! I think I'm losing it... Well, I finally ordered the parts and I'm gonna do this and I'm going to try to fish the valve cover off the top of the engine with the engine still in the bike like you show on one of your other vids. Thanks again. Paul
Im a Honda guy, loved the video, thanks ! 👍
Awesome!
My tensioner is starting to go bad and I want to do a manual tensioner just like you did. But I am going to use those aluminum brazing rods to build it up a bit thicker first.
I've had a cracked head, I've repaired this with these brazing rods.
Works fine for 1500km now...
I have a Honda NX350 Sahara and the engine is a RFVC too. I had the same problemas with the time chain tensioner. This kind of system is not so effiecient after long time. External tensioners are much pratical and easy to deal with. Nice video bro
Awesome, I've never seen a nx350. Yeah these are definitely prone to failure. But still an awesome engine none the less. External hydraulic assist tensioner is the best for sure. Easy to swap. And thanks man
NoNonsenseKnowHow the NX350 was made just for Brazil (where I live) and some other countries from South America. It's basically the same engine you havec but smaller. Thanks for the video, I'm going to save it here, so I can replace this part on my own next time
@@edfell66 oh okay awesome! Yeah we had the XL350r here. Sounds like it's probably the same as that. Happy to hear you found the video useful and I appreciate the feedback. Thank you!
NoNonsenseKnowHow yeah, it's the same engine, but the NX350 have the eletric start and "Dakar" looking fairings
Oh got you. Sweet!
Great video very helpful I have a 1985 XL 600 making the same noise. I’m gonna go ahead and replace the tensioner in the spring but instead of pulling the engine out just going to remove the head and do it in the bike.
Awesome to hear you found it helpful. Let me know how you make out
If I remember right you can't pull the valve cover when this engine is in the frame. Let me know what you find
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow I had a 1983 Honda XL 600 and I did the top in and timing chain with the engine still in the frame.
Okay cool, good to know. I never actually tried doing mine with it in the frame. Next time I'll give that a go
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow it turned out that the valves were loose that’s why I was making so much noise. But I have adjusted the valves and now it’s hard starting was wondering if maybe I got them too tight? But the filler gauge slides in an out with just a little drag. I’ve heard that on the XL 600s that the exhaust should be a little looser than what the manual says. If there’s something you think I should check I would appreciate any help thank you
Finally a guy that makes things so easy to understand, thanks very much for the video I learnt a lot.
I have the same problem on a '87 XL350R and your video is very useful about that, thanks!
Thanks man, great video. My XR is making the same noise and now I know where to start.
That's a pretty clever cam chain tensioner design.
Yeah I agree
Too good well presented l have been adjusting my valve clearance thinking they weren’t right .
thanks for taking the time to show this , great straight to the point info .ive got an nx650 (dominator uk ) to do, been putting it off for ages youve inspired me to crack on with it now thanks again
No prob and awesome to hear the video has inspired you. Let me know how ya make out! Thanks!
Excellent video! This may help a friend that has been fighting the same issue.
That was a neat job you did. Thanks for the vid. I have a 86 xr600 and the noise goes off when it gets hot.
Thanks man. Mine actually got hotter when it was hot
i have xr 600r and similar noise-goes almost off when it gets hot.Was it tensioner?
Same problem bro when it gets hotter the noise dissapears
Cool to see ya wrenching on a monster, love them myself. I always seem to have a few of em in my shop to fix at any given time. The XR 650 is my favorite. Have an RM 500 I play with now and then out there to. Just cause I run my own local OHV repair shop, don't mean I don't get to play now and then, after all I have to QC them before I give them back to their owners.
Thank you man, i couldn't figure out what was making the sound
Since gb500 is a cousin
So watching your video was
Gr8 experience
Hope I can get on
Thanks
Yeah should be pretty much the same. I never rode one of those but they look like a pretty cool bike!
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow
Thanks
if it ant wore it ant broken ..spring tension be my thoughts if sprags grip thet be fine its not like they move even one full time like in an automatic transmission sprags do so with out watching all or seeing it spring is basicly only thing that can break in this system ..good job never over think it God bless
Great video! My father and I are going to use this to do the exact same job on my 1990 NX 650 Dominator.
omg chris ,..been watchin your videos for awhile ..didnt know u had an xl600...thier an awesome bike and i had one for a year or so when they first came out 83..84ish...i remember i had RFVC tatoo`d on my leg as we were dumb and rode around in shorts ....i realy wanna get my hands on another one and there hard to find up here in east coast canada.
i know this is an old video for ya ..keep em coming im a mechanic as well and enjoy watchin you and jen rescue old cars and whatever u find :)
Can’t say thank you enough for taking the time to make these videos, excellent help!
As always very very smart man Chris = this is currently my work also is what I’m working on
Bro I watch your videos fixing the cars and stuff but I had no idea you were into XL's and XR'S. Always good finding like-minded people, right on for the tip, I got a 94 XR650 wheelie machine 🤘🏻 Keep the vids rolling!!
Good stuff, thanks. I have an 83 XL600R that is my project retro-motard. Great engine, should make a fun rip around town bike. I have 18" rims for it front and rear that I'll lace to the hub, run some flat-track style tires.
Chris, I really enjoyed your Honda XL 600 video. It was informative and interesting with content that is extremely helpful to anyone who has a Honda dual purpose from the 80's. Also enjoyed the railroad bridge crossing at the end, helps to give it the old 1%er flare.
Thanks Sammy! Really appreciate the comment and feedback!
Thankyou informative had xl,600 20yrs ago 1700$ now have 99xr400 to high xl suited better
Excellent, thanks.
Great video, thanks! I have the same problem I think with my XL600 RM 1986
Question: are the partnumbers the same? Greeting and thanks Harold
Beautiful looking bike with nice patina of being used.Fantastic.
Finally, somebody else that sees the beauty of bumps and bruises! There were quite a few comments on my other xl600r videos about how junky my bike looks. lol
Great video! I'm going to be doing this on my 1985 XL600R soon.
Thanks buddy. Good luck on it!
The best bikes that Honda ever built (IMO). I don't remember a rear disc brake though, is that a personal modification?
Yeah they really are great bikes! And yes it has the rear suspension and disc brakes from a XR650L
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow Excellent modification.!
Great video, really clear and helpful. Couple of questions: 1. Was there any obvious sign the the old spring had weakened significantly?; 2. Any idea why the adjuster needs a clutch device within it?
Thanks David I'm glad the video was helpful. No I didn't see any sign of the spring being weakened and I'm sure it could have been reused. but thermal Cycles generally take a toll on Springs over time so I figured for how cheap it is, certainly a good idea to replace it. And yes, the Bronze bushings on the tensioner clutch had visible wear and I believe inside components also had wear if you were to compare them to factory especially under a microscope. It did not grip the shaft as reliably as the new one. Hopefully that helps answer your questions. I wish I still had it, I would go back and maybe take it apart to check out the inner workings.
i could be wrong but i think the sprag clutch stops the tensioner from backing off after its applied tension, it can only advance it cant back off, if it was just the spring pushing on the cam chain it could possibly push that spring and get enough slack to jump a tooth
I don't even own an XR but your video is so entertaining haha, nice job mate
So jealous, wish I had wrenching skills like this. I picked up an 83 XL 600 with a siezed piston. I need a buddy like this
Hey nice video and very good explanation! Thank you!
Did you remove the carburetor for taking out the motor?
Great job and great video. My '86 XR200 and I thank you.
Nice old Honda, had one just like it back in the day rode the hell out of it !
Beautiful bike man restoring 2 of them rn video has been very helpful
Good video. Love my 86 XR 600. Thanks for the awesome information that I can use.
Thanks man. I actually used to have an xr600r as well for short period of time. Great bikes
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow I’m looking at an 87’ XL600, they are legendary
Hondas love Hondas especially these old models that run and run and run and keep on running ! . 👍 .
"Just punched a hole in my engine, let me know if anyone else has done that too" fuckin LOL
There's an F9 vid where he kills a KLR by smashing a hole in the case bottom. I think he got out by using beer can and JB weld patch. On a later episode he rebuilds the entire engine.
no but my xl250r just ran out of oil LOL didnt seize
@@carfactorycustoms422 I ran my XR650L down to less than half a quart of oil. I roasted the top end but it never seized. I was towing a friend's motorcycle (with him on it) and riding freeway speeds in the middle of summer during all that, too. They're indestructible.
@@Baldybrew 650 is newer, i don't think they sell big parts for 600 anymore
@@donniebunkerboi9975 it's basically the same engine as the 600.
That’s what’s happening to mine!!! I’m so gald I found this
Thank u for the zip tie trick! this helps me out so much
No problem! Glad it helped out
Man I miss my 650 now thanks lol great vid
Nice job looks good I have a Honda XR 650 L.
Great video! Great explanation on how to reinstall cam chain tensioner and great manual tensioner mod!
Thanks man
Genius buddy,
Can one have a different problem for the same noise?
My xr600r started doing this after i installed the oil filter upside down when doing my oil change.
I thought the ticking would be due to a rocker but after watching yiur awesome video, i am wondering...
Thanks man. And only way to find out would be tearing into it. Could start by checking the valve clearances. If they got loose and sloppy then definitely indicator of a rocker issue from oil starvation
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow for sure. Thanks a lot. I am still impressed by how fast it took you to remove this. This would ve taken me a month with several 12 packs of beers lol
With that motor out I would have changed the cam bearings and timing chain too unless it's a very low-hours bike. That bike looks like it has some time on it Would have also checked the valve spring pressure and ran a compression check. Proactive is much better than a reactive, fix it when it breaks, response.
As OCD as I can be, I would have gone through the carb and clutch and repainted or powder coated the engine the factory color; but that's just me.
It's a gasket or RTV, but not both. If it leaks, it's warped.
Good job! It is purring now.
Now I have to find a 600, hehe..
Thanks for the upload 😁👍
Good work, Thanks for walking us through this!
Topend noise on those old honda is usually..cam tensioner and or valve adjusting..rarely is it the piston.rings or sleeve. I've seen them Burn Oil n smoke like a Mack truck n still run Great
Great video, man, thanks for sharing! I had a 1986 Honda XR 600R, I loved that motorcycle! Have fun and stay safe!
Thanks Kris! Yeah they are really great bikes
Just found your channel. Amazing info and great editing! Thanks!
Live in Cortez Co, spend lots of time in Moab. Great riding, love jeering there to. Great vid Bro.
i had same problem and the garage did use the same solution like you did.noise was back after one week.
you also need to check the heads off the valve's.and replace them.cause when the timing belt was not properly adjusted,
the head of the valve's are also a little worn out and thats where the tikking sound comes from. it shows in your video,
the heads off the valve's are not chining.with head i mean the side where the springs are.
I've been riding mine quite a bit and no issues since this repair. What's the mileage on your engine? I should have mentioned in the video that it would be a good idea to replace the timing chain set as well, but I wanted to see if the tensioner was the main culprit. In this case it was.
I'm not sure I understand your whole statement though due to the typos and you said timing belt. It does not have a belt
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow sorry about my poor englich.i mean offcourse the timing chain.if you hear for 14 days nothing it solved.incase it comes back check the valve.i dont have a bike no more.
@@EDP1 okay. I appreciate the input, I'll definitely keep that in mind if the noise comes back. Was it the valve stem to guide clearance that was the problem? Or what about the valve was making noise
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow cause the timing chain was off .the valve knocks a little deeper on the head of the valve.that make a little ruf surface.you can see it in your video.heads are not smooth.there are some dark spots in the middle off the valve ontop.
Nice man! Thanks for sharing, especially the before and after noise
Very nice work! Enjoyed watching! Can you teach me how to keep my work shop as Clean as your! 😆
Thanks Roger. And I can assure you it's not always this clean! I made sure to tidy up before turning the camera on! lol. But yeah overall I keep it pretty organized. Unless I'm knee-deep in a project and it gets bad
Bike looks great.. What paint did you use for the engine?
I like to spray parts with copper gasket before applying gaskets, holds them in place great.
Zip ties are life savers aren't they . LOL!!!!
heck yea! Always
Hey a friend of mine's girlfriend owns that cafe! after seeing this video i had him send me some of them stickers!
LOL that's awesome! Tell her if she sends me a few more stickers I'd be happy to put them on other vehicles in videos. Love that place!
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow haha will do,,,currently fighting this spring tensioner on an 85 xr350r lmao
Nice work, I love that SS exhaust.
Great Job!.. Thanks so much for a well done video!.. Stuffed with great information.! That XL came out great! 👌
Thanks man. I feel like it was a little rushed but thats generally my style. I appreciate the feedback
Hi, great job. I haven't heard much about the XL but always like to see comparison of the XR, R and L. Where does XL fit into the story? Bless.
The XL600r is basically the model before XR650L . XR650L is a little more refined and Better suspension for sure.
When it all started it was the XL
was street legal and were from 70cc through 350cc in the 70s
XR'S started with XR75 a small
Off road dirt bike in 1973, I think
it was 78 or 79 xr250 / xr500 off
road bike, and a new style xl 250
and 500 DUAL SPORT and then
the xl600r dual sport xr600r off
road only, then XR650L dual sport and I'm not exactly sure of
the years thay made them but
thay made XR650R liquid cooled
DESERT MONSTER more compression bigger cam 120mph, bike won baja 1000
several times, then stopped
making them, in some states
U could make them street legal,
now the XR650L ELECTRIC START the best thing that ever happened to XR'S U know Y because XR'S RULE.
PS.XR models go from 70cc's to 650cc's,but U'll look that up for
yourself, I just hope l didn't ramble to much. XR'S RULE.
THANK'S from NOR-CAL!!!!
@@chrisiollich4890 hi, great info, thanks. We fell in love with XR600R from reading dirt bike magazine... My friend got his hands on the 650 almost new but doesn't ride it. I was trying to buy it cheap but he likes it. I don't like water cooled because of more maintenance with hoses and such in the tropics with salt air, SVG. I Got a DR650 and am enjoying it. All the best, God bless.
Love the manual override option.
Hey, great vid I just watched too. Had a new question as per a problem not mentioned. Others after, just for info!, lol. So have the '87 XL600R. As I said, I got her to start! Hooray! Well during the fuel debacle-wouldn't start. Chipped a took in kick starter circuit(gears). Getting new gasket for left cover & an extra. 1.) Can't see till I remove cover. 2.) Observation: if there's a broken tooth-there's metal fragments inside. 3.) What's best solution to removing those frags? Obvious, change oil. Use magnet. Check screen. Pressure Flush Obviouse Concern? Metal fragment (small enough to pass through screen) getting into engine, then hurting bearing, clogging journals, etc...Ideas? Do I need silicon sealant too? OK, Moving On. Like new pipe! Do you have a link. Also, I have a "Supertrapp" by EAR. Will this work with your new pipe?
Oh yeah! What kind of paint did you use on engine? Did you have to do any special processes like in a kiln, etc... Bike looks sharp!
Side Note. I have to use Starter Fluid! Any ideas?
Yeah if there are any chips missing from the start of your I would certainly try to fish it out with a magnet. It shouldn't be more than one or two fragments I would guess. Pretty rare that a starter gear would chip though. I wouldn't get too caught up with trying to get it out of there though if you can't find it. Should be fine. Hopefully just comes out with the oil. And thanks, I've had that supertrapp pipe on there for many years. I'm not sure if they still make them or not for the xl600r. After shining enough it looks a little bit better than before. And as far as the engine, no special process has just made sure to thoroughly clean it down with acetone and get all of the grits and grease off. Then I hit it with engine primer and engine enamel paint from AutoZone. Seems to be holding up well but I'm sure it will chip in Fall Apart in time like most paint job.
@@rickallman1318 shouldn't need starter fluid. Make sure the choke circuit is operating properly. Try blowing into the carburetor vent hose before you start it. That gives it an extra little shot of fuel
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow Thanks.
Have a DRZ but man do I want an XR. It's what I lusted after as a child. Wish the 650R was e start. Will end up with an L.
Such a great sorce of information. Thank you so much man I learned a lot. I guess most of this info will help me on my 82 500X&R. .❤
i had very similar issues on my 02 DRZ400, ignored it and the tensioner failed and let the valves meet the piston, was a completely different tensioner design and is pretty common failure... new piston valves gaskets and i drilled the tensioner out and tapped it to 3/8 npt and used a carriage bolt and lock nut to tension it.. trouble is i need to pull the fuel tank valve cover and a pile of other things to check the cam chain tension to retighten it but atleast i know it cant fail enough to skip a tooth this time
Great video mate, man of your trade. No bullshit, straight into it.
Thanks buddy. Yeah I usually try to jump right into the point of the video the best I can. Appreciate you dropping by
I have a xbr500 (same engine, different bore/stroke).
Is the whine your talking about gone?
I have a whine when I go off the throttle, when I open it up again it's gone.
Is this the tensioner?
I have rebuild the engine, with all new bearings, seals and gaskets, but didn't replace the tensioner as it 'looked ok'.
Has 100k km on it almost.
Also see I have the bearing behind the sprocket on the cam shaft the other way around, thought it was meant to 'be in the oil bath'...
Runs with 1 kick when warm. 2 or 3 when cold.....
But I prefer the electric start 😋.
How is the performance (low end, mid range or top end increase/decrease) with the XRs Only header? Noticed the little hole on top of the cam chain tensioner was a little left of top center. This is an indicator of the stretch of the cam chain. The farther left of top center the more stretch. New chains will have the hole pretty much at top center or just a couple of degrees to the left. Nice job.
Dude that think came out looking great.
Thanks man. Honestly it looks great from ten feet away but the paint job is not so good up close
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow That's the way it is sometimes. Fortunately I have access to a sandblasting cabinet at work and let me tell you, painting something that has been sandblasted is almost cheating. Definitely on my wish list to buy one day. But heck man, its a dirt bike, it has killer personality and character you can't buy. Who cares if it ain't perfect. Just keep that thing on the road!
Great video, thanks for that. But how could you drill a hole in your engine and put a bolt like that?!!
No problem man. And LOL I'm surprised you the first person to mention it! I was a little skeptical of doing it. But if it starts making noise in the future I didn't want to have to pull the engine again. Now that I have that tapped hole on the back I can easily correct any noise from a faulty tensioner in the future.
Because he's a baaaaaaaad man!!! Thanks for the video!
RFVC Honda motors notorious for top end and valvetrain problems. XR/CR mid 80's 3rd gear problems. Yamaha TT350/600 had none of those problems even DR650 and KLX650 were so much better
Hey man, I decided to use your method of manual tesioner, but I first soldered a little bit in the area so I could have more thread and make it stronger. But I was wondering, should it screw it tight to the tensioner? or leave a bit of room? I don't know if the tensioner actually go back a bit on high RPM or if it should stay in position, I don't want to put my chain under a lot of stress. Thanks for the awesome idea.
Same problem here.
Question: what happens if you ignore it??
Thanks