I would like to know if anyone is familiar with how often the top end needs rebuilt on the Honda TRX 450R.

I was told from a Honda Service Manager that you need to rebuild the top end after 20hrs of use and so on. I guess once the 3 piston rings wear, the piston becomes sloppy inside the bore and gulds the cylinder walls.

When performing a rebuild, if the piston is in good shape, can you just replace the rings? Or, do you need to replace the piston with the rings as a set?

Any additional information will help, thanks.

Tim

 

I think this issue is urban myth. I know guys with a hundred of hours on their CRF450 engines (2 rings instead of 3!), without a rebuild. Time will tell about the TRX engine. The racers I know do top ends all the time anyway, and I think that is what they are refering to here.

 

Your Honda Service Manager is either

A - On crack
B - Trying his best to milk some money out of you
C - Plain stupid
D - All of the above.

There is no way a 4-stroke motor needs a rebuild every 20 hours. You should be able to get several hundred hours before needing a top end rebuild. That is assuming it is tuned correctly and you change your oil frequently.

What dealer does this illigetimate service manager work for?

 

There was a similar post to this before with respect to the dales .. rebuild every 100hrs .. I thought that was extreme, but 20 HRS??? holy crow!!!

There are 250X's and Warriors that have been on the dirt since mid-late 80's without a rebuild. Take an 87 Warrior for instance. If it's only rode on average 1 hour per week, that's 52 hours per year, and 17 years ....884 hours ..

Now extreme MX racing and stuff will put extra wear on your engine, but if the 450R needs a rebuild every 20 hours I'm sure there's some reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally disappointed honda owners right now .. I'd say the bulk of 450R's sold to-date have more than 20 hours on them by now!!

Anyone have a rebuild yet guys??? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

 

The TRX that won the Baja 1000 finished the race in 18.5 hours without a rebuild. Good enought for me!

 

Better not buy that one used .. might be in for some heavy maintenance real quick like [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] LOL

I could probably see every 200 hours if you were racing all the time ... I've put over 16 hours on my quad in a single day of trail riding.

 

that guy must be on crack i have an 1985 350X and its NEVER had a rebuild so if a TRX needs one after 20 hrs thats pritty sad.

 

if u would have to rebuild every 20 hours i would be rebuilding the top end every weekend

 

Thanks guys for your input. I was just wanting to clear up this issue on the top end rebuild. I mentioned to the service guy that my use of the quad was mainly for the track, racing MX. I personally do not think that makes a difference, I guess once you lose compression, then that would be a good indicator to change the rings and maybe piston.

Thanks again,
Tim

 

Has there been any updates with this? I am kinda on the fence right now about buying a new 450R, but im not buying one if i gotta rebuild the top end like that, a 4 stroke should really last a while. I have a banshee and raptor right now and I'd love to get rid of the raptor for a new 450R i just wish i knew the truth in this question of rebuilding. Miss my 400ex that I had, going back to honda would be quite nice...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]