Project TTR: "Buck Twenty Five"

[Slick_Nick]

Picked up a used, abused, 2004 TTR125E for the girlfriend. Bought it for $800. (Up here in Canada, that's a steal! These bikes in average shape are fetching over $1400, while good condition ones go for $2000!) Got it from a "friend of a friend" who just wants it gone. For that price, even with a buggered engine, I couldn't pass it up.

The good: Frame is straight, suspension is solid, everything works, battery is strong, seat is comfy, and most importantly everything is there! The (soon to be) wifey LOVES this bike. Its her first year riding, she fits it well (5'5") and she loves the electric start.

The bad: The Engine is facked. It goes through a quart of oil every 2 hours or so. Smokes like a sunofabitch, and it has been poorly maintained. The chain guide is busted, the chain is toast, the rear fender is hanging on by a thread, and it was never washed by the looks of it.

So, the teardown began today. The plan is to fix it up, and either keep it for her if she decides she likes riding enough, or sell it for more than what I'll have into it. I know it will need a top end (the oil burning) but depending on what's wrong, I'll tear into the bottom end as well.

Brought it home, here's are the "before" pictures. Notice all the oil residue on the back end:

After an extremely thurough pressure wash, parts started coming off so I could thuroughly wash under them:

After about 45 minutes, the engine was out!

Frame back outside so I can wash it again, then strip it down and grease every bearing!

I drained the oil. This is ALL that came out!

I wasn't happy with how much was left on the engine after 2 pressure washes, so I taped it up, and back outside it went for a sand blasting. I used crished walnut. It strips the dirt easily, but won't harm painted surfaces or bare aluminum. Washed it again after, and squeaky clean!

Edited May 22, 2012 by Slick_Nick

[Slick_Nick]

Side covers come off, flywheel and clutch:

Now to get to the source of the burning oil! Cam chain comes off, all the misc. parts in the way, and off goes the head:

Pulling off the cylinder, and cause is found. "Well, there's your problem!" Stock Yamaha Piston.

Great, now I know I need to do a bottom end too. Don't know where all those chunks ended up!

Thankfully, the oil pump was undamaged inside, but there were lots of chunks of metal in the pickup screen. This is where I'm at for now, will split the cases tonight. The crank has no play in it out of spec, so hopefully I can just clean everything up and start the reassembly with new bearings, etc.

[jlmotox]

Nice Piston!!! it's awesome that it still was running!

looks like you have a nice little project though.

[Slick_Nick]

Split the cases:

I'm glad I did! Look at all the crud inside from that piston!

Organized Chaos:

Removed and cleaned every nook and cranny of EVERY part! The crank checked out OK, it will be reused.

Next to my KDX

Every part, bolt, washer, etc was cleaned, labled, and put away into baggies that will aid in re-assembly.

[JPDad]

Enjoyed your Kawi build...so I know this will be fun to follow as well.

[Slick_Nick]

Had very little time to work on it tonight. Long day at work!

Pulled the rear wheel and set to work on the spokes, (one was missing a nipple!) and getting rid of the bearings.

Yuck! Look at those bearings! In the garbage they go!

Spokes fixed, bearings out, wheel is all good again.

Took the float bowl off, jets inside were a 15 Pilot and 105 main (stock.) With the airbox mod and "butt plug" removal, I'll be going with a 20 pilot and 110 main.

Removed the shock. I will clean it up, but it is not serviceable otherwise:

That's it for tonight!

[Slick_Nick]

Got my package from RMATV today. Lots of goodies for the TTR. (And some for the KDX too!)

Wiseco forged high compression piston:

You can see the larger dome is quite noticeable

The TTR swingarm doesn't ride on bearings. More like a bushing. Took the entire rear linkage apart and cleaned and greased everything. Here was the swingarm pivot after I removed it:

After a thurough cleaning, it got lots of grease and went back into the swingarm (which was also cleaned well.)

All points cleaned and greased, everything was torqued to factory spec, and the shock reinstalled.

The TTR "airbox mod" involves enlarging the tiny hole left by the snorkel. I might have gone a little extreme, but oh well.

[Slick_Nick]

Filter cleaned and oiled

Airbox reinstalled

New Acerbis rear fender to replace the busted one.

Its starting to look like a bike again!

[Slick_Nick]

Only had a little time tonight. Cleaned up some parts. Stator and flywheel:

On the clutch cover, there is a relief on both sides for a "sight glass" for the oil level. Wonder why Yamaha didn't put one in?

Cleaned the jug, and honed the cylinder. Cleaned it up, and coated it with WD-40 and sealed it in a bag.

That's all for tonight!

[BDubb106]

Good work so far! Looks great!

[GEOF]

Hi nice work. Good to see to that level workmanship and care taken. It will pay dividends.

https://www.facebook.com/CleanRebuilds

[kawirider15]

Looking Great so far Nick, keep it up!!! ?

[Slick_Nick]

Made some good progress today. Cleaned up the head which took a LONG ass time! All the burnt on oil residue was a bitch to get off. Combination of a wire brush and the walnut hull blaster made things look like new!

Before:

After:

Once cleaned, the head was placed into a bag and sealed like all the other parts to ensure cleanliness upon reassembly.

The clutch basket was a bit notched:

Filed it down:

I drill oil return holes in the baskets of all my bikes. (All aftermarket baskets come with these as well.) Here is the TTR basket filed, drilled, and cleaned:

Onto cleaning the case halves. Lots of piston chunks in there, we need to make sure all the bearings are clean. Before:

After:

Edited May 27, 2012 by Slick_Nick

[Slick_Nick]

Took the carb completely apart, cleaned everything. Here are all the parts laid out ready for reassembly:

Upped the pilot to a 20, and the main to a 107.5:

Carb reassembled:

Had some leftover yellow vent hose from my KDX. Replaced the gross old Yamaha junk:

Like everything else, the completed carb was sealed up:

Case halves cleaned, and laid out. Tomorrow I will begin reassembly for the engine:

[Theeebalz]

im thinking of doing something close to as extensive as this to my little playbike, maybe with a bbr cam and some different forks and shock among other little things, i like your build though! i bet that poor ttr still ran with half a piston too!

EDIT: if you don't mind explaining, do the holes in the clutch basket just flow oil better and whatnot?

Edited May 28, 2012 by yammablue22

[Slick_Nick]

im thinking of doing something close to as extensive as this to my little playbike, maybe with a bbr cam and some different forks and shock among other little things, i like your build though! i bet that poor ttr still ran with half a piston too!

EDIT: if you don't mind explaining, do the holes in the clutch basket just flow oil better and whatnot?

Yes the allow for better oil transfer into and out of the plates. I've done it on all my bikes.

[Theeebalz]

Yes the allow for better oil transfer into and out of the plates. I've done it on all my bikes.

i think i might try that! how much do you think you're into this bike monetarily ?

[Slick_Nick]

i think i might try that! how much do you think you're into this bike monetarily ?

Budget breakdown will be posted at the end, so far about $1000.

[MrBlahh]

all the bearings are ok?

[Slick_Nick]

I am replacing the main bearings and the transmission output shaft bearing. All others are free of debris and have zero play.