Articles & photos

Back

2-2-2018 Buell X1 overhaul, the beginning

19-4-2018 - 2-2-2018 What did we do today Buell X1 overhaul, the beginning

nice X1... been a few year that we last seen this customer, set a side.. belt broke.. battery dead.. no time , other things.

and with 60K .. time to make it nice again.. she will never leave, so give here some loving .. an we start stripping the bike / engine

airfilter of, can do with a new one 

some leak signs 

with some many km done.. the shifter gets allot off play.. new bushings will help

mnn the lever is loose a little

because it was a little loose it the splines are wearing out because the ratteling

front and rear pulley .. check on the list.. and we make it US gearing.. not much highway use anymore with this bike 

old battery out.

and start removing the exhaust 

rubber is nackered.. will advice to use a new style Y - bracket

pipe is heavely corroded

rear exhaust mount.. always a fiddle to loosen 

clutch cable looks sweaty

and the wires are about to break.. and the fact this is old cable , still with our teflon liner.. will ad it to the list 

gearbox oil out.. drain plug cleaned and screw it back in so it can stay 

tensioner shoe. need to measure . but markings are deep 

primairy looks ok.. will replace the clutch hub bearing

shift lever adjsuter nuts loose 

and shifter detent plate of

gearbox out 5 bolts .. easy on the tube frame models

looking good.. not much burrs on the shifter pals 

lucky.. all 4 header nuts came of easy 

dirty job... need to clean everything.. years of road dirt leaking oil ect

removing the shock

other parts for the degreaser tank 

regulator of and unscrewing the ground cable

shock bolts loose

shock bolts loose

so dirty you wonder how it still works

VR plug loose. and oil line pump pressure loose

to remove the oil pump

and draining the case oil . as there is very little left in the oil tank.. we need to clean the oil tank anyway after all these years 

carefull .. becoming very hard to get

see the oil under the cover.. cam seal has been sweating

ignition pick up out

moving up.. fuel tank of

breather bolts loos e 

and removing the intake manifold 

top tie rod loose 

corroded bolts.. 

will not be the first one i suspect 

just checking 

that was to easy.. known problem X1 the ecm ground under the fuel tank , the eye led breaks.. will fix this

but first rocker covers of 

and lower box lose

head bolt loose.. was easy.. to easy.. hence the oil leak ? 

yep.. the bruned oil on the right head bolts . indication the base gasket is leaking

bore looks not to bad..

but the cylinder is done.. check these between the alumium and the steel liner.. if you see a crack the liner is comming loose

moving to the front 

little more trouble

i need to remove the engine mount anyway.. so first the front shock mount 

long and corroded.. lower one 

top bolt out and exhaust hanger comes with 

right in the cleaner tank , so the grime can soak

front tie rod loose from the front engine mount 

other one in the cleaning bin

front mount bolt... i need the long spanner :-) to loosen 

rubber is ok. but has been rubbing on the top support disk

head bolt sloose 

they came loose.. but need cleaning 

you understand why i point out to put a litle neverseez on the shanks of the bolts ?

anyway.. easy acces now front rocker 

jus a reminder to also ad the front brake lone to the offer

rockerbox of and pushrods out.. on tube frames they look always like new.. while XB wear down on the markings

and front head of 

loosening the pushrod cover bolts

but first i take of the cam cover 

remove the breahter hose behind the cover

cams out.. the look in very good condition 

pinion gear of blocking the crank 

we replaced the oil pump gear many moons ago... still in perfect shape

rocker tubes loose.. mnn that this one did not leak..

cleaning and box up

lifter anti rotation screws out 

and lifters out.. they look good.. but due to the km done wil advice to mount new ones

cylinder lifted a little .. yep base gasket was gone

typical failure on the paper base gaskets over time

typical failure on the paper base gaskets over time

rear cylinder the liner has come up even a little.. these are no longer to be used.. waste off time / money if we bore these over size , the liner will come loose further

piston pin play .. these will need new bushings 

front cylinder typical is ok.. the rear one has the most thermal load 

liner is also still good 

but the rod feels " loose " not gone.. but needs attention 

speed sensor out .. yep it is a magnet ;-)

stator out as we gone to break up the complete engine

starting to remove the holding bolts 

d shape washers .. and bolt corrosion 

front pully of , see the oil leak on the seal.. big sign the big outer bearing is on it's way out.

little try.. ultrasonic cleaner.. i say it works

last of the lower bolts loose 

and sliding the engine forward, to strip futher on the work bench