I remember when these bikes came out. I wanted one so bad, I went to the Yamaha dealership to get a WR version and I didnt have enough income to purchase one. Took me 10 years before I traded a Remington rifle for one. I absolutely enjoy mine. My rule is, if you can start it, you can ride it.
Just bought an 01 yesterday for $1500, been a huge fan of these bikes since I started riding. Love your vids, definitely helps when trying to start this beast
I just bought a Yamaha yz426f from 2002 yesterday. I actually did it because of this video so thx. This thing is a beast. And it's loud holy ****! I have to fix the rear tire cus of puncture. A kill swich. A smaller rear sprocket because i dont know what the hell the owner before was thinking man.. it's got 54 on the rear. It's a torque machine right now. But in all, i love the bike. Cheers from Sweden.
SWeMX thank you for the compliments and I’m glad you love the bike as much as I do. These bikes aren’t the fastest or lightest but for 20 year old design they keep up just fine and in the right hands can do things that newer bikes have a hard time doing...plus you can’t beat the reliability of this engine, after I cold seized the engine( my fault) I was able to get it started again and limp it home almost 2 miles from where I parked my truck...it had almost no compression and still kept going 😂...the new motor has been going strong and I’m proud to report the 2020 YZ 450 and KX are the only production bikes that can catch me in 5th gear. My advise is to do the carb work, throw a set of hot cams in it, go 13.5 to 1 on the piston and port the head, and exhaust you’ll be putting between 57 and 60 Hp to the rear wheel 👍 I’ve got videos on the carb work and head work.
I always find this video somehow on the feed 👍 The other day i was riding in deep soft dry sand on my 426f and decided to juice it in 4th. The front wheel instantly shot up in the air, scared the crap outta me 😂 these things are a blast! My wr450f would not do that I bet
Just picked up a street legal 2000 yz426 a couple weeks ago, haven't dialed in the start process yet so I just wail on the thing til she starts. Also came with a white bros sounds totally badass
Hey man just bought one in great condition for $900! I love this damn bike also. Great content because I had some questions and concerns about the bike that you answered.
No problem man glad you like it...theres tons more coming ....I actually cold seized the new engine (FYI the bigger radiators worked toooo well gotta ad a thermostat) so theres gonna be more videos of what NOT to do with these bikes lol
Bernardo Barajas its bitchen. It’s got a lot of power. I had to clean the carburetor a little. But it turns over easily now. I love it. For price it’s a steal but I don’t know the condition of the one you are looking at.
Best bike I ever had. Plus nobody wanted to ride it cause they couldn't start it. I holeshot every time. Also a great woods bike cause of the low end torque
Cold starting issues is either wrong jetting (I run a 44 pilot jet and lean down if needed with the adjuster screw), valve timing (timing chain and tensioner) or the valve clearance. Plus even my bike needs a couple of pumps from the throttle to get her to light in the winter
I've had a -02 WR426F for something like 12 years and I still love the bike. For some reason I like to add few random thoughts that first came into my mind on the subject of playing with a 426. I'm sorry that my english skills are far from perfect. My riding conditions vary quite a lot, from maybe from ~30c (86f) to ~-20c (-4f) (sumo/enduro/ice) and I must do a lot of jetting as you might guess. I like the ease of access on the steel frame regarding the carb a lot, quite a bit trickier on lot of alu-frame bikes. Adjusting valves on a 5-valve head with Ti-valves? I honestly can say that I have never done it, I rarely even check them anymore and this is a quite common thing with these, they just don't need adjusting like ever but it is wise to check them sometimes. Servicing is mostly changing oil+filter and checking how much and what kind of metal is on the filter and aftermarket oil plugs with magnets, that can tell a lot on possible future/present problems. And with race bikes with engine oil lubricating the engine and the transmission there will be small metal flakes every time on the filter. People complaining about the hard starting and manual decomp is something I find odd and funny, when jetted right my bike usually starts on first or second kick and the de-comp procedure takes something like a second or less. This video proofs the myth to be just a myth. Quite a few times I've had a problems with the Old FCR carb, problems I didn't know a lot about back then and there are a few things to check when having running problems when everything else seems to be ok. TPS is quite possibly broken and you can unplug it and live like that if it runs better. Mainly when having idle problems (and idle fuel mixture is good. Remote mixture screw recommended) the vacuum release plate/ slide plate can be cracked or worn out and leaking. If you need a new one then check for the prices on other bikes with the same carb and with same letter stamped on the plate. As a Yamaha part I was given the price of 168,50€ and as a Kawa KX450F part it was 93€, quite odd I thought and saved 75,5€. I would not recommend the alu "upgraded" plate that I have seen being sold because it's better that the plate is softer than the body of the carb so it is the plate that wears out, not the body. On a bike that is ridden a lot it is possible that the surface where the slide wheels roll on the carb body the body is badly worn out (causing the slide leak again) and there is no cheap and easy fix for that in my knowledge, might be a best solution to buy a used carb from parted out bike with lower mileage. And I agree 100% about the comment "I you don’t like to work on shit, don’t buy one". There is not a thing on my WR that I haven't fixed/upgraded etc but still I can say that it is pretty damn reliable bike in it's class. Not the best on anything but pretty great on almost everything. Oh goosh, I better stop this now before this gets totally out of hand.
Pökälez Fantastic comment and your English grammar/spelling is far superior to any average American public educated individual 😂👍. You bring up a lot of great points and I’m glad you took the time to share them with us! Keep on riding and glad to hear folks from around the world love these machines as much as I do
Kevin Law much obliged 👍 feel free to ask any question you may have ( hopefully I’ll have an answer 🤷🏼♂️), I’ve done quite a few modifications since I upload this vid
Great question! So I would recommend checking the valves after about 50 hrs or so (unless you’re already having hard to start issues...valve lash is huge for starting issues) top end can vary depending on your riding style ...same with the valves...if you’re bouncing the rev limiter every time you ride you’re going to have to check shit more frequently 🤷🏼♂️...pistons and rings seem to last well over 100 hrs ...so far my shit is all in spec after about 50 hrs on my rebuild 👍
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 Very cool man, thank you for your kind and detailed response! Back to work on the 1989 YZ250WR for me. Enjoy the ride!
My friends dad is selling one almost brand new low hours always been sitting around and he put new suspension new bearings and new chain he’s selling it for $1,500 you think it’s worth it? I originally want a yz250 2 stroke but they’re around $2k starting for a reliable one
Nice video, this made me feel better about my purchase of a 2006 yz250f. it's very low hour and has the original chain and sprockets, thing still had the OEM air filter in it lol. I love the bike, and I know people say carbs are horrible but they really aren't. People who can't afford to drop 6k into a brand new 450 or 250f need to really consider the carbes Yamahas, they are bullet proof.
Deegan M nice buy 👍 and yes you’re 100% correct. These FCR carbs are very forgiving and easy as hell to set up properly. The problem is nobody knows how to tweak them or maintain them correctly 🤷🏼♂️ my throttle response is far superior to fuel injection...finely tuned she’s making a little under 60 ponies at 4.5k ft above sea level...point is these old machines are plenty fast, cheap and reliable
local enterprise broadcasting Exactly, I mean yes fuel injection is nice and a brand new bike would be awesome. But I will be going into college and dropping the dough on a knew bike is impossible right now. So I had to do what I had to do, but I have no regrets. I did play with the AP and jetting a bit to get her as good as I can. It even had the valve recall done a long time ago by a Yamaha dealership. 👍
Deegan M yeah these bikes are sweet and badass that the recall work had been done....I also lucked out in that department however my bikes previous owner ran Shitty fuel and the wrist pin was shot
Loved the video it was very helpful! Very informative little history going on! Little about myself my name is Allen I'm from Latrobe PA and I just bought a 99 YZ400F I got out of riding for a few years and my daughter is now 8 and has her own bike I got her last summer so I figured it was time I too got one I'm very mechanically inclined I've had tons of dirt bikes or the years quads sleds only a handful of four stroke bikes though I have never taken one apart completely but I'm not afraid to do so! So about the bike when I got the bike home it needed tlc it had sat for over a year since it ran last took some doing but I got it started and ran it for about 20 hours I changed the oil probably 6 times in that time because it was very dirty inside I was trying to clean it out well I found metal shavings in the oil filter! I bought a 08 YZ450F brand new and they run loud from what I can remember I beat the shitnout of it for 7 years and never any problems very reliable but I do change the oil after almost every ride it was spotless inside the motor when I tore it apart after the bottom end rod bearing went so my 400 I got I didn't pay much attention to the noise till it started making LOUD KNOCKING SOUND! I assume the bottom end is going but you saying about the timing chains makes me wonder! I have started ordering everything for a complete motor rebuild kibblewhite valve springs complete kit stainless steel though, and I was gonna go with wiseco stainless valves the whole kit is like 90$ rather cheap I couldn't find titanium valves anywhere online and I checked with a few vendors on Ebay with no luck! I would much rather put titanium valves in the bike maybe you can point me in the right direction!?!?! I also had problems with the accelerator pump I'm going to get a Q3 boyseen pump for the carb if you know if thats a good upgrade or I'm wasting my money doing that because there around 100+$ on Ebay?!? I would absolutely love and greatly appreciate and input from you or anyone else? I also plan on buying hotrod cams for the bike both intake and exhaust which is gonna run me 290$ but if I can gain from that I'd be happy paying the that bill! I'm also getting a new piston and rings not sure if the bore is stock size I still haven't ripped it apart yet no point in ordering one till I find out! As I said any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!
Allen Stayduhar OK as for the knocking sound it might be the counter balance shaft on the right side of the engine case there’s a pin that gets loose and causes the bottom and to make all kinds a horrible noise. Pull the clutch cover and the clutch assembly and look for loose drive components from the crank. As for the carburetor those power shots are junk. Look through my playlist associated with this bike and there’s a couple videos on what to do with the carburetor. I recommend getting a full rebuild kit that comes with the med body gasket, These old FCR carburetors get gummed up in the middle body and will cause you all kinds of problems. As for the valves just go with the steel ones but don’t buy wiseco (they’re cheap for a reason) .The reason you should stay with steel is because the YZ 400s came factory with steel valves, The guides and seats are designed to operate with a steel valve. If you want more power out of the top and get yourself a Dremel and watch my video on how to port the head.
Another thing to look for is a loose flywheel on the left side of the crank. You could very well have a bad bottom end but keep in mind these bikes are old now so seeing metal shavings in the oil filter isn’t uncommon (as the transmission and engine share the same lubricant) gear boxes wear a lot more that crank bottoms and certainly produce larger shavings over time. But if your comfortable splitting the cases a full rebuild is never a bad idea...I tore mine apart just for the fuck of it and it was a good thing I did because I found some issues out in doing so and prevented a much larger failure (but then I cold seized it anyways 🤷🏼♂️😂 )
Well since seeing this video and asking for help or any input I have ordered my cams they are in valves also cam in I went with stainless steel valves because I couldn't find any titanium valve kits! For this bike so when I went to take apart the motor I found under the intake camshaft on of the journals was badly damaged! It wa as scorn and worn down! I can clearly see mushrooming on the surfaces where it rides now I have a bigger problem and everyone I've contacted thus far can not fix my cylinder head! I've looked just about everywhere for a replacement cylinder head with no luck on a new one I found 1 rebuilt cylinder head for 750$ comes complete with new springs, cams, and valves! That is about how much money I've already spent on rebuilding mine I found several used cylinder heads on Ebay or other sites but they all look as if that same spot is worn in the same way what can I do is there any company out there that can rebuild my head and do the work it needs to be right again? Even if I buy the cylinder head for 750$ I'd still like to have a back up ready to go for later in down the road! Anyone can help with this I'd be much appreciative! Thanks
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 I just got done reading your input on my problems it was a big help! I will surely stay away from the boyseen quick pumps I'd rather not spend anymore money than i already have and still need to spend tons more! I will also check out those videos as well! I'm always interested in learning as much as I can when I can! But now I have another problem thats even worse yet! I began to take apart my motor so I pulled the valve cover off and pulled the cams I found that the intake cam was worn out I can feel spots on the lobes! But the cam isn't my worry because I already got my new hotcams stage 1 cam shafts in the mail! But where the cam shaft sits in the journal in between the center valve and the left valve on the intake side the aluminum surface is badly worn! It has score marks and mushrooming going on like it was run without oil or something like that but the top end was very clean and oil was coating everything! Inside the intake ports behind the carb was spotless no black oily residue or carbon build up at all clean as a whistle inside shinny like new! If that has anything to do with it or maybe you know what's going on! I imagine I can't use the head now like that why put all new parts in it and new cans when the surfaces are badly damaged! I have looked for cylinder heads online with no luck of finding one that doesn't have the same problem I also cant find anyone who can fix it and do the machine work it needs to be true again! What should I do about this! I cant put pictures on here or I'd send a pic so you can see what I mean! Also I have to know why are the wiseco values junk? Other than stock values if I can even get those from Japan anymore? the only ones I found where pro-x and wiseco brand valves so that's what I ordered! I'm pretty sure that pro-x is wiseco? If there is a better brand I should use what are they called and how can I find them? Once again thanks very much for your help and time its greatly appreciated!!! Maybe I could get an email sometime regarding this stuff!?? Allenstayduhar@gmail.com is mine! I'm not great with technology and using the internet but im learning!
Grayson Laughin it’s a great bike for any sized man 👍 but you’re gonna love it once you get to know it’s tendencies...just be advised that most likely you’re going to have to wrench on it so if you’re not mechanically inclined this may not be the bike for ya...but good luck on your search
Glad you got one and welcome to the club, enjoy riding that amazing piece of history. Just check your valves every once in a while and keep fresh fluids in her and she'll run forever!
West Virginia country boy yeah they’re like riding a classic muscle car, steer with the throttle, hold on for dear life and forget about stopping quickly 🤘
West Virginia country boy the 02 where by far the craziest power, but if you modify these bikes you can make them even more terrifying for 👍 especially for those who have never ridden one
I just got a 2001 wr426f. Been riding it for a few days, sometimes she kicks on the first go, sometimes it takes almost 5 minutes to get her kicking and then she’ll choke out. Is that a carb issue?
Julian Patton it certainly could be ...the main reasons these things become hard to start is 1carb jetting too lean or rich 2 valve clearance is out of tolerance 3 valve timing from stretched chain 4 ignition signal poor (usually caused by metallic particle build up on the flywheel) 5 fouled plug...if your running any aftermarket parts your jetting requirements can change drastically on the idle circuit. Hope this leads to more answers than questions. If you can’t figure it out keep posting questions and I’ll try to help ya narrow it down 👍
Hey man..greetings from Belgium. Verry honest video. I rode a lot of bikes...from Harley Sportser 1200R to Yamaha xjr 1300. Now i have a Yam Dt 125 R..yes i know...big difference. However good machine to go to work i now looking for the 426. The power is indeed not the same...not far. Im pretty good with mechanic stuf..in my job and my other job...no problems with carbs and engines ea. The only thing i want to know...i want to use it with normal road tires and 95 % of the time for road use...is it ok or to nervy for road use ? Thanks for your opinion. Tom
Tom van thienen yes it’s a very good road bike if you tame the gearing a bit. Most super Moto guys are running 14 up front and 45 in the rear. I recommend Opening up the airbox match porting the cylinder head to the valve runners, stage 1 cams and a 13.5 to 1 piston swap. Also bk mod and safety wire the carb you’ll still have enough power to pull the front end up but you won’t be over reving the motor at highway speeds. Be sure to check out my other content to further explain the mods I’ve done. Best of luck to ya, feel free to reach out with any other questions
My dad just gave me his 02 yz426f and it’s been sitting for about 3 or 4 years but before that he never had any issues with it seems like a great bike. Any thing in specific I should look for since it’s been sitting without being ridden for so long?
Yes you should probably clean the carb, clean the air filter, change the oil and put in some fresh gas 👍 good luck and have fun ...these bikes are a blast 💥
Just bought one yesterday, it's been sitting awhile and I cannot get it to start at all. Followed all the procedures and tips/tricks to a T. It had a NGK nr8e. Was told to go to a NGK nr7e. What plug do you recommend?
Devin Clark if it’s getting fuel/air, spark and compression it’s most likely valve clearance or valve timing IE stretched timing chain...but most likely it’s fuel. New ethanol based fuel rots quickly and plugs those carbs up something terrible
Devin Clark start at the shut off valve and work your way down and make sure the float valve is working correctly (This can easily be determined by opening the drain screw located in the bottom of the float bowl) if you’re getting fuel to the carb then you can move onto the jets...be advised that incorrect jetting WILL make these things damn near impossible to start (these bikes came lean from the factory with a 42 pilot...they start best with a 44 depending on altitude)...I honestly suggest just buying a JD jet kit and rebuild the damn thing anyways...once you’ve eliminated the carb as the problem, it’s time to check the valves
Had a float stuck, and a little piece of dirt in a jet. She starts up now! Now it's looking like I have a coolant issue though! Exhaust got cherry red in under a minute, and no back pressure on the radiator cap! Got oil up through though, as the head was ice cold.
Devin Clark glad to hear it’s running 👍 I would still re jet the carb for your altitude and temp. As for the red exhaust header mine did too until I re jetted ...as for the cooling throw those stock radiators in the trash...they weren’t good stock and the suck even more after 18 to 19 years of use. Check out my other video on the upgrades radiators and you’ll see the link in the description to buy the ones I got...they fit perfectly just need to trim the inside of the radiator shrouds a bit to keep the profile narrow
i had a issue with mine 2001 model my 5th gear kept slipping I replaced all gears and new clutch i still had same problem, unfortunately my own fault i replaced a lot of stuff except from the cam chain it snapped on me put the titanium valves through the piston destroyed the top end, i can find parts to rebuild it but it will cost nearly 2k,
Well from what I can tell it's perfectly normal for many 4 strokes... basically the smoke is from engine oil burning, as the engine reaches operating temperature everything tends to seal up... If your engine is still smoking after it reaches operating temperature you most likely have valve issues or a worn-out piston/ rings
hghtrebor78 just go to amazon and type “universal hot start lever” ...they’re the same product I just got different colors to match their purpose...the levers should only be about 10 bucks each 👍
I have an auto decompression cam now so I can’t but here’s a helpful video... th-cam.com/video/0V0MxUBtx9g/w-d-xo.html if your bike is hard to start make sure your jetting is correct, your plug is getting spark and your valve clearance is correct...most importantly make sure the fuel flow from the tank to the carb is good and the float is functioning correctly...
I run 14-48 for gearing ....polished head, opened up ports, new intake and exhaust cam, modify the carb, modify the ignition, 13.5-1 piston, exhaust and heavier duty valve springs
@@jerrygutierrez161 it’s been a while since I bought and did all that but doing it all myself set me back about 1500 bucks ...with the purchase of the bike I’m in it 3200 total start to finish
@@jerrygutierrez161 depending on the condition and the engine work I’d say that’s a fair price if it’s really clean and runs awesome...something to keep in mind is the 2000 era did have issues with the balancing shaft pin backing out on the clutch side of the engine...also that year still has steel valves so just keep that in mind if you plan on building the motor 👍 if it’s in ok shape or worse then offer 1500 and haggle your way up to a price he’s comfortable with...2500 is about the absolute MOST I would pay for any of these bikes so it better be in amazing condition and come with extras 👍 good luck and post a link to the vid here if ya buy it
Marcus Foster yes you can however it will require either a separate battery or The WR stator and flywheel upgrade. The factory YZ stator barely put out enough power to run the CDI module and ignition coil
Thanks man and thanks for the sub #200. Be sure to check out the build playlist. If you ever have technical questions with this bike feel free to reach out 👍
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 thanks man it looks in good shape he has aftermarket turquoise graphics and they look really nice and he has pink so i think its a good deal he doesn't know the hours on bike but claims the top end was recently rebuild and should there be anything im lookong for when im buying it? Amd i dont think it comes with extra
Venom King 0420 compression is the big one...without depressing the compression release you should be able to almost stand on the kick starter without it kicking over. Next is listen for rattling coming from the water pump side of the crank case, some of these bikes have a retainer that backs off the counterbalance shaft and makes a horrible noise (easy fix though) ...make sure it quits smoking after a good warm up and if you do buy make sure to modify the carb for best performance (I have videos on that as well) good luck boss hope you get a great bike👍
Those bikes really were meant to wheelie! Heres me 12 years ago stretching the throttle cable out on my 426 with white bros e series exhaust m.th-cam.com/video/QoP5JQ73hR8/w-d-xo.html
The decompression mechanics on the exhaust cam are what bug a lot on the bikes. In my 2002 yz426f i swapped out the exhaust cam to a HOTCAMS exhaust cam with auto decompression. Helps a lot and worth the cost.
Biig boss daddy yeah make sure you clean the shit out of the carb (buy a full gasket set especially for the mid body) and make sure the valves are in spec and I promise that will be the most reliable bike you’ll ever own 👍
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
Best quote ever “I you don’t like to work on shit, don’t buy it” 😂
I remember when these bikes came out. I wanted one so bad, I went to the Yamaha dealership to get a WR version and I didnt have enough income to purchase one. Took me 10 years before I traded a Remington rifle for one. I absolutely enjoy mine. My rule is, if you can start it, you can ride it.
I have a 1998 yz400f. The thing is the most reliable bike I’ve ever ridden. Easy to start. These old bikes are gems
@@Dirt_Serpent yeah just gotta keep the valves in spec and learn the starting process…they run great and very powerful
Just bought an 01 yesterday for $1500, been a huge fan of these bikes since I started riding. Love your vids, definitely helps when trying to start this beast
Mc Livin thank you 🙏
did it need work? hard to find at this price?
I’m 14 and just got off a 125 two smoker. I’m looking at a 426 but don’t now if it’s to much power I’m also 175
@@yogiballagot a CA plated one recently for 1800, but I think I got really lucky lol
I just bought a Yamaha yz426f from 2002 yesterday. I actually did it because of this video so thx.
This thing is a beast. And it's loud holy ****!
I have to fix the rear tire cus of puncture. A kill swich. A smaller rear sprocket because i dont know what the hell the owner before was thinking man.. it's got 54 on the rear.
It's a torque machine right now.
But in all, i love the bike.
Cheers from Sweden.
SWeMX thank you for the compliments and I’m glad you love the bike as much as I do. These bikes aren’t the fastest or lightest but for 20 year old design they keep up just fine and in the right hands can do things that newer bikes have a hard time doing...plus you can’t beat the reliability of this engine, after I cold seized the engine( my fault) I was able to get it started again and limp it home almost 2 miles from where I parked my truck...it had almost no compression and still kept going 😂...the new motor has been going strong and I’m proud to report the 2020 YZ 450 and KX are the only production bikes that can catch me in 5th gear. My advise is to do the carb work, throw a set of hot cams in it, go 13.5 to 1 on the piston and port the head, and exhaust you’ll be putting between 57 and 60 Hp to the rear wheel 👍 I’ve got videos on the carb work and head work.
How is it going so far with the bike I might be getting one the same year this week
I always find this video somehow on the feed 👍 The other day i was riding in deep soft dry sand on my 426f and decided to juice it in 4th. The front wheel instantly shot up in the air, scared the crap outta me 😂 these things are a blast! My wr450f would not do that I bet
Thanks for this upload, gave me a lot of insight on what I should look out for and so happy with my yz426f I purchased recently.
My dad is about to buy 3 working 426 01s and one part bike to ride nice to see a video bout the bikes
Just picked up a street legal 2000 yz426 a couple weeks ago, haven't dialed in the start process yet so I just wail on the thing til she starts. Also came with a white bros sounds totally badass
Congratulations bud 🫡🤘…thank you for the view and comment
Picked up a CA plated one two days ago 😭 gonna try to sumo it 😎
@@Thecarboardking nice what part of california do you ride
I just bought a wr426 for $1,500 it is a beast can't wait to do some upgrades on it
Hey man just bought one in great condition for $900! I love this damn bike also. Great content because I had some questions and concerns about the bike that you answered.
No problem man glad you like it...theres tons more coming ....I actually cold seized the new engine (FYI the bigger radiators worked toooo well gotta ad a thermostat) so theres gonna be more videos of what NOT to do with these bikes lol
How is it man there’s one for sale in my area for 950 with a bunch on new things
Bernardo Barajas its bitchen. It’s got a lot of power. I had to clean the carburetor a little. But it turns over easily now. I love it. For price it’s a steal but I don’t know the condition of the one you are looking at.
No,I listened to the whole thing,because you get to it and you keep it on the subject.
Best bike I ever had. Plus nobody wanted to ride it cause they couldn't start it. I holeshot every time. Also a great woods bike cause of the low end torque
Stefen Vincent agreed 👍
Badass bike ! I just picked up a wr426 I love it it rips
Thank you 🙏 and enjoy your WR 👍
The bike that stuck with me from my early days. YZ465, 2 stroke...great content. Looking at one now
Good luck bud 👍 thanks for the compliment
Picked this bike up a little bit ago only issue is woods riding and cold starts in the winter other than that it’s a beast
Cold starting issues is either wrong jetting (I run a 44 pilot jet and lean down if needed with the adjuster screw), valve timing (timing chain and tensioner) or the valve clearance. Plus even my bike needs a couple of pumps from the throttle to get her to light in the winter
I've had a -02 WR426F for something like 12 years and I still love the bike. For some reason I like to add few random thoughts that first came into my mind on the subject of playing with a 426. I'm sorry that my english skills are far from perfect.
My riding conditions vary quite a lot, from maybe from ~30c (86f) to ~-20c (-4f) (sumo/enduro/ice) and I must do a lot of jetting as you might guess. I like the ease of access on the steel frame regarding the carb a lot, quite a bit trickier on lot of alu-frame bikes.
Adjusting valves on a 5-valve head with Ti-valves? I honestly can say that I have never done it, I rarely even check them anymore and this is a quite common thing with these, they just don't need adjusting like ever but it is wise to check them sometimes.
Servicing is mostly changing oil+filter and checking how much and what kind of metal is on the filter and aftermarket oil plugs with magnets, that can tell a lot on possible future/present problems. And with race bikes with engine oil lubricating the engine and the transmission there will be small metal flakes every time on the filter.
People complaining about the hard starting and manual decomp is something I find odd and funny, when jetted right my bike usually starts on first or second kick and the de-comp procedure takes something like a second or less. This video proofs the myth to be just a myth.
Quite a few times I've had a problems with the Old FCR carb, problems I didn't know a lot about back then and there are a few things to check when having running problems when everything else seems to be ok. TPS is quite possibly broken and you can unplug it and live like that if it runs better. Mainly when having idle problems (and idle fuel mixture is good. Remote mixture screw recommended) the vacuum release plate/ slide plate can be cracked or worn out and leaking. If you need a new one then check for the prices on other bikes with the same carb and with same letter stamped on the plate. As a Yamaha part I was given the price of 168,50€ and as a Kawa KX450F part it was 93€, quite odd I thought and saved 75,5€. I would not recommend the alu "upgraded" plate that I have seen being sold because it's better that the plate is softer than the body of the carb so it is the plate that wears out, not the body. On a bike that is ridden a lot it is possible that the surface where the slide wheels roll on the carb body the body is badly worn out (causing the slide leak again) and there is no cheap and easy fix for that in my knowledge, might be a best solution to buy a used carb from parted out bike with lower mileage.
And I agree 100% about the comment "I you don’t like to work on shit, don’t buy one". There is not a thing on my WR that I haven't fixed/upgraded etc but still I can say that it is pretty damn reliable bike in it's class. Not the best on anything but pretty great on almost everything.
Oh goosh, I better stop this now before this gets totally out of hand.
Pökälez Fantastic comment and your English grammar/spelling is far superior to any average American public educated individual 😂👍. You bring up a lot of great points and I’m glad you took the time to share them with us! Keep on riding and glad to hear folks from around the world love these machines as much as I do
i just bought a wr426 for 1750 AU$ and its sick but i havent got to ride it properly yet im so keen to
This channel is blessed
Kevin Law much obliged 👍 feel free to ask any question you may have ( hopefully I’ll have an answer 🤷🏼♂️), I’ve done quite a few modifications since I upload this vid
I'm a proud owner also mine also has the white bros exhaust an it sounds absolutely amazing
Yeah just sucks they’ve discontinued the product line since they sold out to Vance and Hines
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 yeah I will be taking good care of this pipe knowing they don't make them anymore
I just traded a ttr225 pluss some cash for a 2001 yz426. Engine healthy.....But the rest of the bike needed love. Almost done with it.
They usually do after 22 years but I think you’re gonna love the bike 👍
After everything is straightened out on the bike, how often would you be doing valve checks/rebuilds of the top end? Thanks for a great vid!
Great question! So I would recommend checking the valves after about 50 hrs or so (unless you’re already having hard to start issues...valve lash is huge for starting issues) top end can vary depending on your riding style ...same with the valves...if you’re bouncing the rev limiter every time you ride you’re going to have to check shit more frequently 🤷🏼♂️...pistons and rings seem to last well over 100 hrs ...so far my shit is all in spec after about 50 hrs on my rebuild 👍
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 Very cool man, thank you for your kind and detailed response! Back to work on the 1989 YZ250WR for me. Enjoy the ride!
My friends dad is selling one almost brand new low hours always been sitting around and he put new suspension new bearings and new chain he’s selling it for $1,500 you think it’s worth it? I originally want a yz250 2 stroke but they’re around $2k starting for a reliable one
Hey bro hand it here, I'll hold it. Oh you got it? Yeah you got it man.
13:25 that’s crazy you suggested the two bikes I ended up getting 😭 guess I knew a thing or two.. now to save up money for parts
Nice video, this made me feel better about my purchase of a 2006 yz250f. it's very low hour and has the original chain and sprockets, thing still had the OEM air filter in it lol. I love the bike, and I know people say carbs are horrible but they really aren't. People who can't afford to drop 6k into a brand new 450 or 250f need to really consider the carbes Yamahas, they are bullet proof.
Deegan M nice buy 👍 and yes you’re 100% correct. These FCR carbs are very forgiving and easy as hell to set up properly. The problem is nobody knows how to tweak them or maintain them correctly 🤷🏼♂️ my throttle response is far superior to fuel injection...finely tuned she’s making a little under 60 ponies at 4.5k ft above sea level...point is these old machines are plenty fast, cheap and reliable
local enterprise broadcasting Exactly, I mean yes fuel injection is nice and a brand new bike would be awesome. But I will be going into college and dropping the dough on a knew bike is impossible right now. So I had to do what I had to do, but I have no regrets. I did play with the AP and jetting a bit to get her as good as I can. It even had the valve recall done a long time ago by a Yamaha dealership. 👍
Deegan M yeah these bikes are sweet and badass that the recall work had been done....I also lucked out in that department however my bikes previous owner ran Shitty fuel and the wrist pin was shot
Loved the video it was very helpful! Very informative little history going on! Little about myself my name is Allen I'm from Latrobe PA and I just bought a 99 YZ400F I got out of riding for a few years and my daughter is now 8 and has her own bike I got her last summer so I figured it was time I too got one I'm very mechanically inclined I've had tons of dirt bikes or the years quads sleds only a handful of four stroke bikes though I have never taken one apart completely but I'm not afraid to do so! So about the bike when I got the bike home it needed tlc it had sat for over a year since it ran last took some doing but I got it started and ran it for about 20 hours I changed the oil probably 6 times in that time because it was very dirty inside I was trying to clean it out well I found metal shavings in the oil filter! I bought a 08 YZ450F brand new and they run loud from what I can remember I beat the shitnout of it for 7 years and never any problems very reliable but I do change the oil after almost every ride it was spotless inside the motor when I tore it apart after the bottom end rod bearing went so my 400 I got I didn't pay much attention to the noise till it started making LOUD KNOCKING SOUND! I assume the bottom end is going but you saying about the timing chains makes me wonder! I have started ordering everything for a complete motor rebuild kibblewhite valve springs complete kit stainless steel though, and I was gonna go with wiseco stainless valves the whole kit is like 90$ rather cheap I couldn't find titanium valves anywhere online and I checked with a few vendors on Ebay with no luck! I would much rather put titanium valves in the bike maybe you can point me in the right direction!?!?! I also had problems with the accelerator pump I'm going to get a Q3 boyseen pump for the carb if you know if thats a good upgrade or I'm wasting my money doing that because there around 100+$ on Ebay?!? I would absolutely love and greatly appreciate and input from you or anyone else? I also plan on buying hotrod cams for the bike both intake and exhaust which is gonna run me 290$ but if I can gain from that I'd be happy paying the that bill! I'm also getting a new piston and rings not sure if the bore is stock size I still haven't ripped it apart yet no point in ordering one till I find out! As I said any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!
Allen Stayduhar OK as for the knocking sound it might be the counter balance shaft on the right side of the engine case there’s a pin that gets loose and causes the bottom and to make all kinds a horrible noise. Pull the clutch cover and the clutch assembly and look for loose drive components from the crank. As for the carburetor those power shots are junk. Look through my playlist associated with this bike and there’s a couple videos on what to do with the carburetor. I recommend getting a full rebuild kit that comes with the med body gasket, These old FCR carburetors get gummed up in the middle body and will cause you all kinds of problems. As for the valves just go with the steel ones but don’t buy wiseco (they’re cheap for a reason) .The reason you should stay with steel is because the YZ 400s came factory with steel valves, The guides and seats are designed to operate with a steel valve. If you want more power out of the top and get yourself a Dremel and watch my video on how to port the head.
Another thing to look for is a loose flywheel on the left side of the crank. You could very well have a bad bottom end but keep in mind these bikes are old now so seeing metal shavings in the oil filter isn’t uncommon (as the transmission and engine share the same lubricant) gear boxes wear a lot more that crank bottoms and certainly produce larger shavings over time. But if your comfortable splitting the cases a full rebuild is never a bad idea...I tore mine apart just for the fuck of it and it was a good thing I did because I found some issues out in doing so and prevented a much larger failure (but then I cold seized it anyways 🤷🏼♂️😂 )
Well since seeing this video and asking for help or any input I have ordered my cams they are in valves also cam in I went with stainless steel valves because I couldn't find any titanium valve kits! For this bike so when I went to take apart the motor I found under the intake camshaft on of the journals was badly damaged! It wa as scorn and worn down! I can clearly see mushrooming on the surfaces where it rides now I have a bigger problem and everyone I've contacted thus far can not fix my cylinder head! I've looked just about everywhere for a replacement cylinder head with no luck on a new one I found 1 rebuilt cylinder head for 750$ comes complete with new springs, cams, and valves! That is about how much money I've already spent on rebuilding mine I found several used cylinder heads on Ebay or other sites but they all look as if that same spot is worn in the same way what can I do is there any company out there that can rebuild my head and do the work it needs to be right again? Even if I buy the cylinder head for 750$ I'd still like to have a back up ready to go for later in down the road! Anyone can help with this I'd be much appreciative! Thanks
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 I just got done reading your input on my problems it was a big help! I will surely stay away from the boyseen quick pumps I'd rather not spend anymore money than i already have and still need to spend tons more! I will also check out those videos as well! I'm always interested in learning as much as I can when I can! But now I have another problem thats even worse yet! I began to take apart my motor so I pulled the valve cover off and pulled the cams I found that the intake cam was worn out I can feel spots on the lobes! But the cam isn't my worry because I already got my new hotcams stage 1 cam shafts in the mail! But where the cam shaft sits in the journal in between the center valve and the left valve on the intake side the aluminum surface is badly worn! It has score marks and mushrooming going on like it was run without oil or something like that but the top end was very clean and oil was coating everything! Inside the intake ports behind the carb was spotless no black oily residue or carbon build up at all clean as a whistle inside shinny like new! If that has anything to do with it or maybe you know what's going on! I imagine I can't use the head now like that why put all new parts in it and new cans when the surfaces are badly damaged! I have looked for cylinder heads online with no luck of finding one that doesn't have the same problem I also cant find anyone who can fix it and do the machine work it needs to be true again! What should I do about this! I cant put pictures on here or I'd send a pic so you can see what I mean! Also I have to know why are the wiseco values junk? Other than stock values if I can even get those from Japan anymore? the only ones I found where pro-x and wiseco brand valves so that's what I ordered! I'm pretty sure that pro-x is wiseco? If there is a better brand I should use what are they called and how can I find them? Once again thanks very much for your help and time its greatly appreciated!!! Maybe I could get an email sometime regarding this stuff!?? Allenstayduhar@gmail.com is mine!
I'm not great with technology and using the internet but im learning!
Informative, looking at one myself. I’m a heavier guy so I’m looking for that low end grunt you speak of.
Grayson Laughin it’s a great bike for any sized man 👍 but you’re gonna love it once you get to know it’s tendencies...just be advised that most likely you’re going to have to wrench on it so if you’re not mechanically inclined this may not be the bike for ya...but good luck on your search
the biggest pain is kicking it over
I bout a 02 just the other day in grate shape good price. I jot it for the same reason you did. because I wanted one one so bad when they came out.
Glad you got one and welcome to the club, enjoy riding that amazing piece of history. Just check your valves every once in a while and keep fresh fluids in her and she'll run forever!
I have a 02 yz426 and it is by far the nastiest bike I have ever rode
West Virginia country boy yeah they’re like riding a classic muscle car, steer with the throttle, hold on for dear life and forget about stopping quickly 🤘
West Virginia country boy the 02 where by far the craziest power, but if you modify these bikes you can make them even more terrifying for 👍 especially for those who have never ridden one
Good video mate very informative
Emma Watkinson thank you 🙏
I just got a 2001 wr426f. Been riding it for a few days, sometimes she kicks on the first go, sometimes it takes almost 5 minutes to get her kicking and then she’ll choke out. Is that a carb issue?
Julian Patton it certainly could be ...the main reasons these things become hard to start is 1carb jetting too lean or rich 2 valve clearance is out of tolerance 3 valve timing from stretched chain 4 ignition signal poor (usually caused by metallic particle build up on the flywheel) 5 fouled plug...if your running any aftermarket parts your jetting requirements can change drastically on the idle circuit. Hope this leads to more answers than questions. If you can’t figure it out keep posting questions and I’ll try to help ya narrow it down 👍
Hey man..greetings from Belgium.
Verry honest video.
I rode a lot of bikes...from Harley Sportser 1200R to Yamaha xjr 1300. Now i have a Yam Dt 125 R..yes i know...big difference. However good machine to go to work i now looking for the 426.
The power is indeed not the same...not far. Im pretty good with mechanic stuf..in my job and my other job...no problems with carbs and engines ea.
The only thing i want to know...i want to use it with normal road tires and 95 % of the time for road use...is it ok or to nervy for road use ?
Thanks for your opinion.
Tom
Tom van thienen yes it’s a very good road bike if you tame the gearing a bit. Most super Moto guys are running 14 up front and 45 in the rear. I recommend Opening up the airbox match porting the cylinder head to the valve runners, stage 1 cams and a 13.5 to 1 piston swap. Also bk mod and safety wire the carb you’ll still have enough power to pull the front end up but you won’t be over reving the motor at highway speeds. Be sure to check out my other content to further explain the mods I’ve done. Best of luck to ya, feel free to reach out with any other questions
My dad just gave me his 02 yz426f and it’s been sitting for about 3 or 4 years but before that he never had any issues with it seems like a great bike. Any thing in specific I should look for since it’s been sitting without being ridden for so long?
Yes you should probably clean the carb, clean the air filter, change the oil and put in some fresh gas 👍 good luck and have fun ...these bikes are a blast 💥
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 thanks man appreciate it!
The two strokes are beast
huh
Just bought one yesterday, it's been sitting awhile and I cannot get it to start at all. Followed all the procedures and tips/tricks to a T. It had a NGK nr8e. Was told to go to a NGK nr7e. What plug do you recommend?
Devin Clark if it’s getting fuel/air, spark and compression it’s most likely valve clearance or valve timing IE stretched timing chain...but most likely it’s fuel. New ethanol based fuel rots quickly and plugs those carbs up something terrible
That's what I believe it may be as well. Ripping the carb off tonight or tomm to giver her a cleaning.
Devin Clark start at the shut off valve and work your way down and make sure the float valve is working correctly (This can easily be determined by opening the drain screw located in the bottom of the float bowl) if you’re getting fuel to the carb then you can move onto the jets...be advised that incorrect jetting WILL make these things damn near impossible to start (these bikes came lean from the factory with a 42 pilot...they start best with a 44 depending on altitude)...I honestly suggest just buying a JD jet kit and rebuild the damn thing anyways...once you’ve eliminated the carb as the problem, it’s time to check the valves
Had a float stuck, and a little piece of dirt in a jet. She starts up now! Now it's looking like I have a coolant issue though! Exhaust got cherry red in under a minute, and no back pressure on the radiator cap! Got oil up through though, as the head was ice cold.
Devin Clark glad to hear it’s running 👍 I would still re jet the carb for your altitude and temp. As for the red exhaust header mine did too until I re jetted ...as for the cooling throw those stock radiators in the trash...they weren’t good stock and the suck even more after 18 to 19 years of use. Check out my other video on the upgrades radiators and you’ll see the link in the description to buy the ones I got...they fit perfectly just need to trim the inside of the radiator shrouds a bit to keep the profile narrow
i had a issue with mine 2001 model my 5th gear kept slipping I replaced all gears and new clutch i still had same problem, unfortunately my own fault i replaced a lot of stuff except from the cam chain it snapped on me put the titanium valves through the piston destroyed the top end, i can find parts to rebuild it but it will cost nearly 2k,
I’m sorry to hear that 😔...try looking for a whole used engine...I’ve seen some on eBay 🤷🏼♂️
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 Thanks for the fast reply i will have a look
I bought a 426 with title with same gold steering damper hmmm wonder if it's that bike
Most likely not 😂 I still own my bike
What does a white smoke mean? My yz250f 07 also smokes white when its cold.
Well from what I can tell it's perfectly normal for many 4 strokes... basically the smoke is from engine oil burning, as the engine reaches operating temperature everything tends to seal up... If your engine is still smoking after it reaches operating temperature you most likely have valve issues or a worn-out piston/ rings
I know this is an old post, but where did you get the new compression lever and hot start lever?
hghtrebor78 just go to amazon and type “universal hot start lever” ...they’re the same product I just got different colors to match their purpose...the levers should only be about 10 bucks each 👍
hey can u make a tutorial about to start this bike properly thanks
I have an auto decompression cam now so I can’t but here’s a helpful video... th-cam.com/video/0V0MxUBtx9g/w-d-xo.html if your bike is hard to start make sure your jetting is correct, your plug is getting spark and your valve clearance is correct...most importantly make sure the fuel flow from the tank to the carb is good and the float is functioning correctly...
I waited till the end lol so what sprockets do I switch to ? And what upgrades so it can run like the 450
I run 14-48 for gearing ....polished head, opened up ports, new intake and exhaust cam, modify the carb, modify the ignition, 13.5-1 piston, exhaust and heavier duty valve springs
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 so how much am I looking at ?
@@jerrygutierrez161 it’s been a while since I bought and did all that but doing it all myself set me back about 1500 bucks ...with the purchase of the bike I’m in it 3200 total start to finish
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 i al going to see a 2000 426 today guy says it’s in. Wey well condition ..... what do u recommend he wants 2500
@@jerrygutierrez161 depending on the condition and the engine work I’d say that’s a fair price if it’s really clean and runs awesome...something to keep in mind is the 2000 era did have issues with the balancing shaft pin backing out on the clutch side of the engine...also that year still has steel valves so just keep that in mind if you plan on building the motor 👍 if it’s in ok shape or worse then offer 1500 and haggle your way up to a price he’s comfortable with...2500 is about the absolute MOST I would pay for any of these bikes so it better be in amazing condition and come with extras 👍 good luck and post a link to the vid here if ya buy it
Yo right on point 👍
DIRTsterkid97 thank you sir 🙏
Yea man I recently got one and it slams ass, looking forward to tricking it out
Can a yz426f be converted to a commuter?
Marcus Foster yes you can however it will require either a separate battery or The WR stator and flywheel upgrade. The factory YZ stator barely put out enough power to run the CDI module and ignition coil
My ktm 450sx would smoke my wr400 on a track but any other type of riding I grab the old 400. Can beat that low end torque!
I picked up a 2001 yz426 for 500$ just had to clean the carb fires up first kick
Nice 👍
You making me scared, bought this as my first bike
Thanks for the review! Sub#200 Braap!
Thanks man and thanks for the sub #200. Be sure to check out the build playlist. If you ever have technical questions with this bike feel free to reach out 👍
Is 1500 worth it for a 2002
I wanna buy one but need some advice
Venom King 0420 yes that is a good price provided it’s in decent shape...average price is between 1000 and 2000 depending on extras and condition
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 thanks man it looks in good shape he has aftermarket turquoise graphics and they look really nice and he has pink so i think its a good deal he doesn't know the hours on bike but claims the top end was recently rebuild and should there be anything im lookong for when im buying it? Amd i dont think it comes with extra
Venom King 0420 compression is the big one...without depressing the compression release you should be able to almost stand on the kick starter without it kicking over. Next is listen for rattling coming from the water pump side of the crank case, some of these bikes have a retainer that backs off the counterbalance shaft and makes a horrible noise (easy fix though) ...make sure it quits smoking after a good warm up and if you do buy make sure to modify the carb for best performance (I have videos on that as well) good luck boss hope you get a great bike👍
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 he said compression is 12:1 whats that mean
Those bikes really were meant to wheelie! Heres me 12 years ago stretching the throttle cable out on my 426 with white bros e series exhaust m.th-cam.com/video/QoP5JQ73hR8/w-d-xo.html
They are fast.
That things dialed.
The decompression mechanics on the exhaust cam are what bug a lot on the bikes. In my 2002 yz426f i swapped out the exhaust cam to a HOTCAMS exhaust cam with auto decompression. Helps a lot and worth the cost.
Valve clearance!
Yeah that’s one I forgot to list for the hard to start issues...thanks for the comment and the view 👍
If your not crashing your not doing it ride haha
I traded my Glock 23 for the same bike it’s just been sitting
Biig boss daddy yeah make sure you clean the shit out of the carb (buy a full gasket set especially for the mid body) and make sure the valves are in spec and I promise that will be the most reliable bike you’ll ever own 👍
Thanks for the advice 👌 I’m actually gonna be doing the carb rebuild on it soon .have no idea how but I’m gonna do some research here shortly
Ain’t nothing wrong with 426yz you need balls of steel riding them
Bobby Johnson exactly 👍
haha two wheels replaces two legs!!!
Next time start it for us.
I did…you must not have watched the video