Nightmare job and choice to make

[Sal]

Hi guys, I would like to ask your opinion about a choice I want to make.

unfortunately couple months ago I had a problem with my transmission and I found I have to rebuild it and to do anything inside the rocket transmission you have to take the engine out and split the case, basically I have to disassemble every thing except the wire harness and the front fork (nightmare job)

my rocket has about 45k miles and I'm asking myself would it be smart to change the piston rings and sleeves while I'm at it too or not?

is it easy to do that or I'm taking a big risk missing with timing and other issue, is it worth it to change them on a bike with 45K miles or they should be in pretty good condition giving that the manufacture nowadays making these parts from very good materials.

I wonder if anyone did that before or have experience in this area?!

Regards,

Sal

 

[ruzzle]

IMO you should leave the pistons/rings/conrods alone, considering the reason you are stripping the bike.

You probably don't even need to remove the head to do transmission work.

Have seen the insides of several R3 engines with mileage similar to yours, and the bores and pistons were as new. The alloy liners are nickasil coated and the original factory criss-cross honing marks will look virtually untouched. I reckon in normal use they would last several hundred thousand miles.

IF you were to split the big-end or main bearings, it wouldn't do any harm to rebuild with new shells, they are pretty cheap. But even if you do, you'll see that the shells look almost unworn. Just make sure you get the right size shells if you decide to replace them. On the edge of the shells is a colour mark which designates their size... red, blue, white... probably rebuild with the same size....

Others will be along shortly with comments.....

 

[Sal]

IMO you should leave the pistons/rings/conrods alone, considering the reason you are stripping the bike.

You probably don't even need to remove the head to do transmission work.

Have seen the insides of several R3 engines with mileage similar to yours, and the bores and pistons were as new. The alloy liners are nickasil coated and the original factory criss-cross honing marks will look virtually untouched. I reckon in normal use they would last several hundred thousand miles.

IF you were to split the big-end or main bearings, it wouldn't do any harm to rebuild with new shells, they are pretty cheap. But even if you do, you'll see that the shells look almost unworn. Just make sure you get the right size shells if you decide to replace them. On the edge of the shells is a colour mark which designates their size... red, blue, white... probably rebuild with the same size....

Others will be along shortly with comments.....

thanks Ruzzle .. I really appreciate educated opinion as yours..

 

[warp9.9]

I got to agree with Ruzzle on this one.

I would not worry about it unless you want to beef her up and add higher compression pistons. The liners are nickelseal they won't be worn as long as you compression is up there you will be fine. Its your call though I have the timing tool I can send to you to use. Pulling the liners the way the book states is harder but you do not have to pull the rods. I have done it that way before. I also changed them while the engine is in the bike both ways. The last set of pistons I put in I did end up giving the old liners to Todd Nelson who had Carpenter Racing install them in when they did his 240 kit. He had some messed up pistons which scored the liners (actually it was the broken valves that mess up the pistons which screwed up the liners). If you go the route of pulling the rods to take the pistons out you will need new rod bolts the OEM ones stretch and it calls for them to be changed. IDK has 110,000 miles on his original pistons so I say if yours aint messed up leave them. You can always change them later if they go bad and do it while the engine is in the bike. Have to measured th edrop in you tensioner yet?

 

[R-III-R Turbo]

if i was you the only thing id touch apart from the tranny is the clutch lifter piece and lifter shaft

 

[warp9.9]

Fortunately Sal is good with wrenches and has already updated the clutch with the new lifter piece and new style pressure plate.

 

[Sal]

thank you guys for the advices .. I'm trying to learn and there is a lot to learn and I'm lucky to have Scott and Ian helping me with advices and tools

it seems most agreeing on not to change anything original in the piston/rings area but is there any a simple power upgrade I can do while I'm there on my own without going all the way to carpenter 240hp upgrade?

 

[warp9.9]

Yes you can get a hold of Nev he has drop in cams and can get you a set of pistons something like 10:1 or 10.5:1 you can slide the piston out with the rods instead of pulling the liners like Triumph suggest in the manual. I have done both with the engine in the bike and pulling with the rods is much easier. This can be done on your way back together because you would have to pull the head. Otherwise you would pick up some power with the drop in cams and a good pipe. It really depeends on what you want to do.
Right now your timing has not been disturbed so if you tensioner drop is still good you can just put her back together and wait until you have to either change the chain because the drop is to much or shim the cams when the need it.

 

[TriumPhil]

You are half as smart, but twice as lucky!

 

[TriumPhil]

:lol:Hermano, I'll take good luck over smarts everyday of the week and twice on Sundays!:wink::Tip-Hat: