Well, I picked up the bike for $200, off C list, they wanted $350. All parts are there, I'd post pics if I had a photobucket acct I guess. But it looks pretty good to me. It will hopefully come to life and be my wife's ride.

The owners think the son drove it in river and no more go after that. I removed tons of mud/barn dust from the bike and silt from the airbox. I'm sure the rings are toast. It kicks over super easy. I got no reading at all on compression check. Cleaned the carb, tank is clean and issue free, seat has one small stitchable spot, chain rusted, tires/rims like new, header and pipe need paint but no dents/rust.

Since I have no compression, thought I would find TDC and check valve clearance. Unfortunately I am not finding any marks to tell where TDC is. What mark should I be looking for on this 2000? I have the Clymar for the year but there's no mark like it has.If I kick it over and put hand over tailpipe I can feel some breeze. No fart jokes pls.

Love some feedback on what the mark looks like. I recently adjusted the valves on my '85 xl600r so I feel I can do it. But no marks.

I would like to get it going myself, but have never tore into a project like this. Rebuilt some chainsaws, took the head off my S-10 truck and put it back together with good results, but I'm no mechanic. More of a parts replacer.
Anyway, could use some help if anyone has some time.
tks
Tom
I'd even post some pics but there's no manage attachments buttons on this forum. Oh well.

I'd go on eBay and buy a manual for. Make sure you get a Honda manual.

All you need to know is in it.

The Clymer manual is good for maintenance work but the best manual for the engine is the Honda Service manual.

There are four timing marks on the alternator rotor, the following pic shows the marks on the rim of the rotor, the marks are repeated on the edge of the rotor and visible thru the upper plug on the left side cover.



You can access the rotor retaining bolt thru the lower plug and rotate the engine using a socket, I recommend only turning the bolt in a tightening direction. The first mark you will see is the mark with a "T" next to it, this the TDC mark. To find TDC Firing to adjust the valves pull the CDI cover; the advancer will point towards the pulse generator at TDC Firing.

The other three marks are used for ignition timing; The "F" mark is at 10 degrees BTDC (used for initial ignition timing), the left most of the other two marks is 32 degrees BTDC and the right mark is 28 degrees BTDC (these are used for total advance).

To check/adjust ignition timing I rotate the engine in its normal direction to remove slack from the timing chain. To reduce the risk of loosening the rotor bolt because of compression I pull the plug. The advancer and pulse generator each have a line on their face that align with each other at correct timing. The plug hole has a notch on the top to align with the timing marks on the rotor. The "F" mark is used to set initial timing. Total advance is checked by holding the advancer CCW with your hand; it should align with the pulse generator when the notch is positioned between the 28 & 32 degree marks.

Tks sir. Last night, I basically was advancing the motor with the nut thru the lower hole and looking thru the upper whole but saw no marks as your pic has. I'll check again b/c it looks like in your pic they are on top of the rotor and not the side.

EDIT
Just checked and now walla, they are there but they are super small and not where I expected I was looking a little lower.

Well, now worst news. After looking thru the peep hole and advanceing the rotor CCW like I did last night, as I went around a couple of times, it got to tight to turn. Rather than forcing it I stopped.

Hmmm.

I forgot to mention that a LED flashlight makes it easier to see the marks, also getting your head low so you look up at the notch.

Tks Chuck. I found it and was using a light. Right where you said....just tiny.

Anyway, with the rotation stopping it sounds like I'll be removing the top to see what is stopping/binding it up. I can put it in gear, roll it backwards, then put in neutral and it will kick thru.
Tks for the help.
Tom

Here's some pics. Haven't done anything yet but need to get busy on the motor. Have stitched up the seat.

Just thought I'd upload some pics. Its pretty clean bike now. Not so sure I can tackle the engine issues. May decide to try some local service places for estimates etc. I'm sure it will be expensive.

If I were you, I'd go ahead and pick up a manual and tear into it. You can easily part the bike for the money you have in it, so you don't have anything to lose working on the motor. IMO, you're better off buying a runner and keeping it for parts and/or parting it out than having a shop rebuild the motor because that can get expensive in a hurry.

The 200 motor is pretty simple to work on. This forum is great for questions if you run into a snag. I say go for it.

KDXIdaho

KDXIdaho said:

Good put. IMO this forum is the best DIY forum on TT, each contribution benefits everyone.

KDXIdaho said:

+100 Give it a go. You've got next to nothing to loose. Also a dealer will charge you an arm and a leg.

Its easy to overhaul this engine the manual is pretty well written and there are a lot of good folks on here to lend advice .go for it!

Had some time to mess with the bike this evening. Tried adjusting the valves per the books specs(Clymer). Started with exhaust...could not get the feeler gage in to even check, so loosened the nut and while wrench was tied down holding the flywheel side nut with the T mark correctly I began losening the adjuster, couple of turns and the exhaust valve closed(moved up) causing wrench to release on flywheel. Seems like maybe it was a stuck valve or overly tightened...I'm not sure. But one other thing I notice is that I can pull up the intake side valve adjuster as if the intake is stuck open and there is no resistance on it. I'm a bit confused as you can tell.

Anyway, I did manage to clean the chain with a wire wheel and soak in pb blaster. It had light rust and heavy dirt on it. The orings are shot. Is this chain usable without the orings? I've check all links and they move/rotate freely. I plan to soak overnight in oil if this is still usable. This bike will be used pretty lightly by my wife. If I can get it going and going well, a new chain will come but for now if it does run, its usable for the short run?

Tks
Tom

Everybody just tryin to formulate a well thought out answer to my obvious idiotness on my last post?

Use the old chain, it shouldn't be an problem. Regarding adjusting the valves, you have to make absolute sure your on top dead center (per the flywheel marks) after the compression stroke, not the exhaust stroke. Your exhaust adjustment sounds odd; if you have to back off the exhaust valve screw a couple of turns, that's way too much. If you at TDC after the exhaust stroke, it makes sense to make that big of an adjustment. Your intake adjustment will be just as off.

Double check your clymer's manual. Ensure that you are at TDC after the compression stroke. It's easy to get this wrong, so don't get discouraged. Good luck.

KDXIdaho

As KDXIdaho said; two TDCs.

Easy way: Pull the plug, remove the CDI cover, then turn the engine to the "T" mark. Check that the CDI Advancer (on the end of the cam) is pointed up towards the Pulse Sensor. If yes the engine is at TDC Firing, If pointed down the engine is at TDC Overlapp.

At TDC Overlap the exhaust valve is almost closed and it could take several turns of the adjuting screw to lower it to the seat.

Ok, have removed the cover and rotated till at the T mark and the advancer is pointing upwards. Now, does it need to be pointing straight up? Its pointing to about 2'oclock when at the T mark.

pics? :)

Two O'clock is about right, if the flywheel is at the "T" mark.
If the flywheel is at the "F" mark then the lines on the Advancer and Sensor should align; this is initial ignition timing. If the flywheel is between the double marks then rotating the advancer CCW with your hand should also align the two lines; this is total advance. When checking the ignition timing rotate the crank CCW (forward direction) to each mark (pull the plug so you don't loosen the flywheel bolt).

Ok, been a long while. I couldn't figure out the valve issue but knew a valve wasn't closing as I could hear/feel air coming out of the exhaust. I ran it by a local engine builder who diagnosed it with bent valves and stretched timing chain in about 5 minutes. I felt like an idiot then but I also learned a little something too. So, he suggested he'd get me the parts with his discount and for me to take the engine out at home bring it back and he could diagnose the cylinder for wear. So I removed the engine broke it down, flushed the bottom end really well and even though the cylinder looked good to me he showed me wear pattern. He bored it .002 and got me the parts. So she now has a fresh cylinder,new piston&rings,timing chain, both valves, and new gaskets up top. We buttoned it up together the other night and I put it back in the frame last night and finished putting parts back on tonight. Gassed it up and she started and idled very well with maybe 5 kicks. Shut off and refired on first kick.

Have to finish with chain install, seat, and new brake cable tomorrow. Hopefully she shifts and runs as good with chain on but we'll see.

I dont mind saying that taking this to a guy with good talent was a good thing for me. I payed more than what I would have if I did myself but because I dont consider myself a mechanic, more of a parts replacer, I made the right decision.... I think. Mainly, b/c the cylinder looked so clean to me that I would have just put in new rings. I think this would have only caused me to have a smoker shortly down the road. Plus I learned a little something which is good.

I'll fess up...including timing chain, piston, rings, gaskets, intk and exh valves I paid $475.00. So outside of parts I paid for the diagnosis,cylinder work, head rework, and putting topend back together.

I'll get some pics of the bent valves and the bike back together. Thanks for the help and encouragement. Hopefully this will give me some confidence and experience to take on some more.

There's an 85' xr250 near me that is for sale needing some topend work. If i can get it for $400, I would bite. It looks decent from the pics but who knows what it looks like in person right.

tom