Hey Y'all,
Just picked up an 87 XR600R at a yard sale. Got it for $300, turns over nice and smooth, good compression. Pics to come in a bit. History of the bike:

I live in a small town so I tend to trust people selling stuff (I know, could bite me in the butt), but the owner and I talked for about an hour about it and his other bike, seems to know quite a bit about them and my BS alarm didn't go off.

He has had it since 2000, rode it occasionally, mostly dunes, some trail stuff. He bought a WR450 new in 04 and the 600 has sat since then. It does have an external oil cooler mounted to the lower frame on the left side and a Supertrapp slip on muffler. Other than a larger tank (which looks to need replaced due to a possible leak on the side) it appears to be stock.

He stated the owner before him put the larger tank and oil cooler on it for desert riding and removed the headlight since in the owner's words before him, "it is the first thing to get broken.".

Now I have pulled the carbs and am disassembling them to dip and clean up. I have the tank and will fill with water and see if leaking and also remove the petcock to make sure the screen is clean. I am going to drain the oil and refill, replace plug and fuel line, ensure the valves are properly set and hope.

I have worked and rebuilt 2 strokes (haven't split cases yet), but have only done regular maintenance on 4 strokes and am hoping to clean the fuel system, replace plug and hope she fires. I have been reading all I can from here for the past week and am really

Questions:

1. Is there something I can add to the oil and run for a short bit to help clean it out?
2. Anything I should ensure/avoid when taking the carbs apart?


Thanks agin for sharing your knowledge on here. I look forward to riding my new pig!!

Jim

Welcome to TT. The twin-carb bikes are strong runners, so you have that to look forward to when it's running.

jump6pack, on 10 February 2012 - 08:27 AM, said:

1.) NO. Don't put any additives in your oil. It's not likely that there are any deposits inside the engine anyway unless it still has the factory oil from 1987. Just use a quality wet clutch-compatible oil of either 10w-40(winter) or 20w-50(summer). Don't forget to change the filter too. I replace mine about every other oil change.

Also worth mentioning is that you must check the oil immediately after warm shutdown. The reading won't be correct if you wait or check it cold. After you drain both the frame and engine, I suggest putting one quart in through a valve access cap and the other quart in the frame. Run it up to temperature and then top off if necessary.

2.) Just be careful not to damage anything. Parts are getting harder to find for the twin carb bikes. Also make sure all the small fuel and air passages are clear. It's a PITA to remove a twin-carb assembly as I' sure you now know, so better to do it as infrequently as possible.

Thanks for the heads-up on the oil, I have seen topics talking about how to get an accurate reading, but that helps me out a lot.

The carbs were a little on the varnishy side, but not bad on the inside. I did see that the top gasket on the right carb was sucked in a little, I will fix that when I get it back together. I got the left one done, it looks good, the right one is going back together in a few minutes.

Well, I do have a crack in the oversized tank, it is on the right side running parallel to the ground about 3 inches from the bottom. I will use it to make sure the bike runs, but am in the market for a stock or possibly oversized tank. No big deal for right now. The petcock looks good and flows fuel nicely.

I am making sure to get the carb clean just because I don't want to have to remove it again for a LONNNNGGGG time. So hopefully it will fire.

I still need to do the oil and will definately change the filter when I do that, also still need to check the valves.

Thanks again

Jim

Okay, got it back together and tried to start it, it "wanted" to fire a couple of times, but nothing more. When starting I would find the compression stroke, pull the compression release, move the kick start about 1", release the compression release and then kick. Here are the steps I have done:

1. Cleaned carbs - disassembled, dipped, cleaned and reassembled (had some varnish, but jets were really nice)
2. Changed oil and filter - added 1 qt in the valve adjustment opening and 1 qt in the frame tank (old oil was BLACKKKKKKK)
3. Changed plug (old plug was nice color)
4. Adjusted the valve tappets 0.010 for intake and 0.012 for exhaust, slight drag on all four, really careful on the right side exhaust one due to the compression release mechanism.

Now when I pulled the plug boot off the old plug (after blowing the area out with compressed air) the wire came out of the boot. The rubber around the top of the boot where the wire and boot come togetherwas torn. I put the wire back in, but now I am hoping that is my problem.

Any insight would be helpful, I see prices ranging anywhere from 20 - 40 for a coil and plug wire with boot, anything I should be looking for?

Thanks

Oh, my leg is tired!

Jim

The boot "threads" into the spark plug wire. There is also a resistor in the plug boot. Just use a screwdriver and unscrew the cap
and check that reistor and the contacts where it seats. That has to be perfectly clean.
These are a weak spark deal...powered by your leg. You have to kick it like you hate it or you won't generate any spark. That and it
seems these deals are known for stator problems in the spark coil on the stator.
I'd check that plug lead first. Then remove the spark plug and have someone watch (damn hard to kick and "watch) that they can see
a spark when you kick the hell out it.
If not then I would do the stator ohm checks and coil checks per the manual. If you don't have a shop manual it is all listed here how to
do it. Just use search.
Make sure when you try to start this thing to leave the throttle closed. These dual carb deals hate the throttle being open in the slightest
in my experience. All the kicking is really to try to get some fuel in there.
I have an XL with dual carbs. If I don't feel like kicking it a bunch of times to start it (cold or been sitting) I remove the vent line at the side
of the left carb. I spray a little WD40 in that hole.
Kick her and she fires. You might want to try that.

We are similar, you and I. I bought my 87 a couple years back for $600. put about 100 hours on it that year chasing my buddies on their 450's. Once or twice I blew their minds (hell, once or twice I blew them away) the 600 is no slouch. I purchased a newer bike the next year and passed on the 600 to my best friend who put about 30 hours on it. I pulled it apart a couple months ago to freshen it up. I hear you regarding finding parts for an 87.......

BTW your start technique is sound, at least it worked for me.

jwaynetska, on 11 February 2012 - 07:35 PM, said:

Just to clarify, what I meant by "once or twice I blew them away" I meant that the 600 shocked them, not that I blew their doors off or anything. Come on, its a 25 year old bike

You hopefully trimmed a little off the end of that wire that screws
into the spark plug cap aye?? You want a nice clean connection on anything
to do with ignition. As has been stated the things also have a problem with
Stators when they get to a certain age..How good does the spark look when
you short the plug out to the head or a head bolt and are booting it over??
Remove the spark plug so theres no real compression for the sparking/booting test.
You want a good healthy looking spark to get the things to fire,,weak looking
spark will mean you need the ignition side of the Stator rewound or you can replace
the thing with a RickyStator or the like..

Thanks for the advice, I will check the spark when I get back to the bike. It is currently at a friend's house because the wife told me I already have too may toys in our garage (2000 KLX300R, 05 Cr85RB, 05 CR85RB, 97 CR80R, 95 CR80R, 06 Polaris Trailblazer, and about 6 other CR80s I am parting out, go figure!) and have to do something before I can bring it home. It was, in my opinion, too good of a deal to pass up.

jwaynetska - understand about the blowing them away comment, I am not expecting a 25 year old bike to outperform modern bikes, but they are impressive for being that old!!

Horri - will check that spark plug boot and spark to see if it could be a connection problem or possibly a spark problem

Again, thanks for all of the help and advice on this board, it will be a couple of weeks when I get a chance to tinker with it, will keep you updated and will probably be asking a "How-To" question to help isolate anolther problem!!!

Thanks

Jim

Bump start any bike that is having trouble getting going.
Push it up a hill or tow it behind something.

Other readers might tire of hearing this, but if you rebuild the carbs "by the book", going a few sizes up on the jets, and install a Rickystator, you will have a bike that will start with your butt IN THE SEAT.
I would also suggest you put your right hand on the crossbar to make darn sure you do not "blip" the throttle when kicking.
No matter how many times I tried, the only way to stop me from "blipping" was to keep the hand away from the throttle tube.

I uploaded the factory carb manual a while ago, lemme know if the links are dead.

Most ( I think) will agree with me so far, now for the personal opinion....
throw away the cable that goes from the kicker to the head.
the "automatic" decomp cable is just a pain to deal with, and not needed if you follow "The Drill"

And have fun keeping that front wheel on the ground ! ( Ha ! )