Before I start...

On or around Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:17:00 GMT, "platypus"
<monotreme.DeleteThis@blueyonder.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:

>Austin Shackles wrote:
>> ...rebuilding the top ends of the SOBoxer, has anyone got one with a
>> half-decent engine going cheap for some other reason?
>>
>> 600, 750 or 800...
>
>No, but I have a set of R80 piston rings you could have.
>
>Does this mean you'll be coming to Chimay?

R80 rings would only work if I had barrels, pistons and heads...

I was balancing up the cost of getting reworked heads and possibly rebore or
new rings and a quick hone, as compared to a s/h engine in half-decent nick.


--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Travel The Galaxy! Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
------------------------------------------------\
>> http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ << \ ...and Kill them.
a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!
 >> Stay informed about: Before I start... 

In article <mt6nn318ih0v2o1c1f1tnrgje4dl3nshq4.DeleteThis@4ax.com>, Austin Shackles
<austinDITCHTHISFORBETTERRESULTS.DeleteThis@ddol-las.net> writes
>On or around Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:17:00 GMT, "platypus"
><monotreme.DeleteThis@blueyonder.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:
>
>>Austin Shackles wrote:
>>> ...rebuilding the top ends of the SOBoxer, has anyone got one with a
>>> half-decent engine going cheap for some other reason?
>>>
>>> 600, 750 or 800...
>>
>>No, but I have a set of R80 piston rings you could have.
>>
>>Does this mean you'll be coming to Chimay?
>
>R80 rings would only work if I had barrels, pistons and heads...

What have you done to it???

Last time I looked at your web site it was looking fine, complete with
interesting suspension etc.

I've seen a few sets of heads/barrels come up on eBay recently, so you
might get lucky (yer not having mine!). Also try the usual suspects,
esp. Sherlocks, but IIRC exhaust valves are £>40 (which was a nasty
shock), although sleeves were cheap enough and relatively easily fitted.


Regards,

Simonm.

--
simonm|at|muircom|dot|demon|.|c|oh|dot|u|kay
SIMON MUIR, BRISTOL UK
EUROPEANS AGAINST THE EU http://www.eurofaq.freeuk.com/
GT250A'76 R80/RT'86 110CSW TDi'88 www.kc3ltd.co.uk/profile/eurofollie/
 >> Stay informed about: Before I start... 

On or around Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:43:26 GMT, SpamTrapSeeSig
<no-one.TakeThisOut@nospam.demon.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:

>In article <mt6nn318ih0v2o1c1f1tnrgje4dl3nshq4.TakeThisOut@4ax.com>, Austin Shackles
><austinDITCHTHISFORBETTERRESULTS.TakeThisOut@ddol-las.net> writes
>>On or around Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:17:00 GMT, "platypus"
>><monotreme.TakeThisOut@blueyonder.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:
>>
>>>Austin Shackles wrote:
>>>> ...rebuilding the top ends of the SOBoxer, has anyone got one with a
>>>> half-decent engine going cheap for some other reason?
>>>>
>>>> 600, 750 or 800...
>>>
>>>No, but I have a set of R80 piston rings you could have.
>>>
>>>Does this mean you'll be coming to Chimay?
>>
>>R80 rings would only work if I had barrels, pistons and heads...
>
>What have you done to it???
>
>Last time I looked at your web site it was looking fine, complete with
>interesting suspension etc.

it's still running, just smokes like a smokey thing and down on power and
the valve gear is still noisy same as it's been for years.

I know there are problems with rocker shaft bearings on it, and I guess that
the valve guides are worn. Not sure about rings until I strip it, they
might be OK.

It's been due a proper rebuild of the engine top ends for years. Right one
is worse than left.

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Travel The Galaxy! Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
------------------------------------------------\
>> http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ << \ ...and Kill them.
a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!
 >> Stay informed about: Before I start... 

In article <v3hqn3dbn644jlpp8tqm7eofj7tj9r1th1.RemoveThis@4ax.com>, Austin Shackles
<austinDITCHTHISFORBETTERRESULTS.RemoveThis@ddol-las.net> writes
>it's still running, just smokes like a smokey thing and down on power and
>the valve gear is still noisy same as it's been for years.
>
>I know there are problems with rocker shaft bearings on it, and I guess that
>the valve guides are worn.

You might be OK with just the guides, if the seats are passable or
grind/lap-able.

> Not sure about rings until I strip it, they
>might be OK.

When I had mine apart a couple of years ago, they still had the honing
marks visible on the Nikasil (sp?) liners, after 35k miles (at least).
I'm reasonably sure that the RH exhaust valve was more worn than the
left too - I still have the old ones but can't remember which was which.

>It's been due a proper rebuild of the engine top ends for years. Right one
>is worse than left.

This seems to be common. Sherlocks mentioned that RH heads fail more
frequently than left ones. I think it's partly because they're higher,
and partly because the bike tips to the left on the stand, thus
fractionally more wear when cold starting (oil drains out of head).

Leastways, it's the only theory I've got to explain it.

Regards,

Simonm.

--
simonm|at|muircom|dot|demon|.|c|oh|dot|u|kay
SIMON MUIR, BRISTOL UK
EUROPEANS AGAINST THE EU http://www.eurofaq.freeuk.com/
GT250A'76 R80/RT'86 110CSW TDi'88 www.kc3ltd.co.uk/profile/eurofollie/
 >> Stay informed about: Before I start... 

In article <Ckv+SqBv0gfHFwdE@tigger.muircom.demon.co.uk>, SpamTrapSeeSig
<no-one RemoveThis @nospam.demon.co.uk> writes

>they're higher,

Idiot! Further back - gets hotter. (only one pint of coffee this morning
so far).

Regards,

Simonm.

--
simonm|at|muircom|dot|demon|.|c|oh|dot|u|kay
SIMON MUIR, BRISTOL UK
EUROPEANS AGAINST THE EU http://www.eurofaq.freeuk.com/
GT250A'76 R80/RT'86 110CSW TDi'88 www.kc3ltd.co.uk/profile/eurofollie/
 >> Stay informed about: Before I start... 

On or around Fri, 04 Jan 2008 10:50:02 GMT, SpamTrapSeeSig
<no-one.RemoveThis@nospam.demon.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:

>>
>>I know there are problems with rocker shaft bearings on it, and I guess that
>>the valve guides are worn.
>
>You might be OK with just the guides, if the seats are passable or
>grind/lap-able.

I'm inclined to go for reworked heads, solves everything in one go. Fitting
guides looks to be a pain.

>> Not sure about rings until I strip it, they
>>might be OK.
>
>When I had mine apart a couple of years ago, they still had the honing
>marks visible on the Nikasil (sp?) liners, after 35k miles (at least).
>I'm reasonably sure that the RH exhaust valve was more worn than the
>left too - I still have the old ones but can't remember which was which.

This one has iron liners. Having said that, they were fine last time it was
looked at, some years ago; might get away with a quick hone and some new
rings. I did put rings in it once before, but it might be that it wasn't
honed, or not enough.

>This seems to be common. Sherlocks mentioned that RH heads fail more
>frequently than left ones. I think it's partly because they're higher,
>and partly because the bike tips to the left on the stand, thus
>fractionally more wear when cold starting (oil drains out of head).

I reckon it's the stand thing. Although mine most often parked on the
centre stand.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Travel The Galaxy! Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
------------------------------------------------\
>> http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ << \ ...and Kill them.
a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!
 >> Stay informed about: Before I start... 

On or around Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:04:53 GMT, SpamTrapSeeSig
<no-one.TakeThisOut@nospam.demon.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:

>In article <Ckv+SqBv0gfHFwdE@tigger.muircom.demon.co.uk>, SpamTrapSeeSig
><no-one.TakeThisOut@nospam.demon.co.uk> writes
>
>>they're higher,
>
>Idiot! Further back - gets hotter. (only one pint of coffee this morning
>so far).

well, I wasn't going to say that...
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Travel The Galaxy! Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
------------------------------------------------\
>> http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ << \ ...and Kill them.
a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!
 >> Stay informed about: Before I start...