350x goes down

[Blown 331]

Well I hadn't had my 350x out in about a year because last time I was riding it I thought I could hear a single knock sound every now and then. Today I pulled the oil filter and it was full of aluminum, I mean really full. I pulled the rocker cover and found one of the rocker arms was worn into by the cam but the valve was not out of adjustment and I had never adjusted them. Im thinking the PO might have know about that? The timing chain was nice and tight, I thought maybe timing chain might have been loose and hitting on the cylinder, producing the aluminum, no such luck. I'm not sure where the aluminum came from. I do have a spare bottom end but it has case damage so I could only use the crank. Any ideas on the aluminum? Rod shim maybe? Either way I'm guessin a cam and rockers is at least $200 plus gaskets plus who knows what. I'm thinking its not really worth it and I'm going to look for an engine or a parts bike. There was a 350x on my local craigslist 2 days ago for $500, already sold though. My bike had been restored by the PO so its really nice. I could possibly just move my wheels, tires, plastic, tank, grab bar, skid plates etc over to another bike? I'll just have to see what I can come up with and go from there. Sigh.

[beets442]

Cam journals worn down?

[Blown 331]

Cam journals worn down?

The head and cam look pretty good actually. The cam lobe that rides on the damaged rocker arm does have some odd wear marks on it. Cam is junk, head is good.

I picked up a bunch of 350x parts including an engine from bkm yesterday. He never saw the engine run but was told it smoked. So I pulled the top end off today. Looks great. Cam, head, rockers, piston, cylinder, timing chain and guides all look great. Someone sure did like silicone though, it was crazy. Even all over the head gasket! One thing that was kinda weird is there was absolutely no carbon on the piston at all. It still standard bore so I just ordered up some Honda rings and an aftermarket top end gasket kit.

[bkm]

That is cool Ryan, I'm glad that it looked good. That guy was a silicone fan though just by looking at the clutch cover. I can't wait to hear about it once its all together.

[Blown 331]

I'll keep this thread upated with my progress. I'm guessing parts are a week out then I'm riding to Harley to Texas in a few weeks but I'm gonna try to have it done before then, if not then I wont have it done for a few weeks. I need to try to pull the old engine while I wait for parts but I'm remodeling my back porch as well. Too much going on!

[Blown 331]

Well slowly but surely. Some work on my Shovelhead and my 2nd Polaris 3-wheeler got bumped ahead of this but now both of those are done. The bore on my replacement engine was a little more worn that I realized. The rings that came out of the engine along with new Honda rings both had an end gap of .075! I just bought a 1mm over 10.25:1 Wiseco for $110 shipped on ebay. Luckily a friend of mine needs the rings I bought so I'm selling them to him.
Last night I pulled the old engine out, pretty straight forward. I also need a 1986 clutch cable bracket which it looks like I've found in another thread. So now I'm waiting on a piston then its off to the machine shop.

[Swinger]

You sound like me with projects:lol: I've been remodeling my basement and had yesterday to wait for a table saw (that ended up not showing up) so I ripped my wifes 200e carb apart and cleaned it. Then my parts from jeswinehart showed up so that got me going on the Tecate, witch is now totally tore apart and going to the shop now to get stuff checked out. I got my car Im working on and a small farm to tend to everyday! To many things and not enough time but do get 4-5 hrs of sleep at night I could cut down to 2-3. LOL! Good luck on the X project and I hope it turns out better than your expecting, they are great machines!

[sittinguy]

This looks like a NICE motor, I would just get this one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-ATC-350X-MOTOR-ENGINE-1985-/200672489205?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item2eb9032ef5

[Blown 331]

This looks like a NICE motor, I would just get this one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-ATC-350X-MOTOR-ENGINE-1985-/200672489205?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item2eb9032ef5

Did you read the rest of the thread? I have all my parts, all I have to do is pay $60 for boring and put it together. Also the cheapest I could get that engine is $700 shipped and I can buy a whole bike for that.

[Blown 331]

Well I picked up my 10.25:1 Wiseco from the machine shop this morning and I have it running already. Turned out really nice. Really my only issue is that the compression release does not work and I don't have an upper cable bracket. It wasn't bad with a stock piston but it kicks way too hard with the Wiseco, I'm afraid I might break something like this. Also I'm not sure the compression release will work even when I get the bracket. The spring is definitely not hooked up to the compression release lever on the clutch cover. I'm not sure its being actuated otherwise. I'm thinking the spring might not be a requirement but the cover might need to come off anyway. I also geared up one tooth on the front sprocket, I had a brand new 14 laying around. WOW, what an improvement that was, it was WAY too low before.
Here's running pic from today. I've got an OE looking seat cover on the way with ATC on each side and Honda on the back. Then I just need a sticker kit. Is Harlan still doing them?

135613

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b411/Blown_331/350xrunning.jpg

[ezmoney1979]

Looks great! I like the look of the white shrouds. The new seat cover will make it even better. :beer

[Blown 331]

Looks great! I like the look of the white shrouds. The new seat cover will make it even better. :beer

Thanks! I just put that seat cover on last night. I got it with the engine I bought and I have a few spare seats so I thought I'd use it, I just got an air stapler last night. Heres a pic of when I got it. Looks completely different and the only changed I made were the tank sticker which were given to me, a used seat cover that came with my engine. And those blue boots were 4 for $20 shipped and I just put the black boots on my Tecate. I hope jeswinehart can pull off the white 350x headlight shells.

135614

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b411/Blown_331/350x.jpg

[Flossyb20]

I wished you'd of said you needed the upper cable bracket too...I could've thrown it in with the clutch bracket...PM me your address again and I'll send it over, no charge...I have the same set-up on mine, so I know how bad you need that cable to work!

[Flossyb20]

Looks like a great bike...here's the route I went with mine...haven't decided if I'll go with the white headlight or keep it red..
135621

[Blown 331]

Well darn it. I had no idea I was going to run into this situation. My bike had been missing that upper bracket the whole time and I never noticed it. The cable was there and was moving when I kicked it, I had no idea it was not even working, it still kicked easily. My new engine didn't have either bracket and now it kicks damn hard with that Wiseco. Nice looking bike! Inspired by the 87 200X obviously. Thanks again, sending PM.