my 2001 400EX that i got for very cheap is burning quite a bit of oil lately. i always check/add oil as necessary before and after every ride, but i'm getting sick of leaving a big cloud of blue smoke everytime i get on the gas.

it smokes both under load (this is the rings) and also a bit when letting off the gas at a standstill (like after a rev...this must be the valve guide seals).

i have already ordered a new OEM ring set, and also a full top end gasket kit (head gasket, valve guide seals, etc).

my question is this: how involved is the job to do both of these items?

i understand that the top end has to pretty much completely come off, and then be disassembled for the seals to be installed. however, to do the rings, i'm assuming that i'll need to remove the cylinder case that's around the piston?

i have also heard that i should throw a new timing chain in there while i'm at it. anything else that i should do as a precaution?

any specialty tools that i'll need? like a valve spring compressor? anything else?

i'm trying to decide if i should do this now, or wait until wintertime and do it then.

 

i've never done that job so you will have to decided based on your own mechanical experience. but i had what sounds like a very similar condition with my 01' 400ex and based on what happened to mine i would do it sooner rather than later cause if you leave it you could do damage to more expensive parts. (piston,cylinder,ect.) because what happened to me was i did'nt watch my oil one ride and it ran dry and so i needed a full engine. i did catch it before it seized so that saved me a bit.