Hi Droogs,

not bin here for some time but it is the doc from Oz with old 1994 2 stroke 400

the bike has not been used for a month since I had starter motor issues but no time to investigate

I am thinking that when I get to look at problem [hopefully] next week I will "simply" pull of the head and clean it up at same time

I am thinking, no valves etc so this will be a piece of cake

am I correct or are there hidden issues that might say "leave well alone"

 

If you pull thr head off you might as well put new piston and rings in, these were known to break piston skirts, have the cylimder miked out to see idf it needs bored and how much, order the correct oversized wiseco piston and rings, have the cylinder bored to it, replace the gaskets and you;ll be good to go.

 

-thedoc i would try this out before you pull the head , get a can of Sea Foam and mix it with you gas and run a tank or two mixed to see if this will fix it ; you could have excesive carbon deposits in the combustion chamber i know some will tell you that a 2 stroke only has reed valves ; and i've never used it on a 2 stroke !

But works on both 2 and 4 stroke engine's this stuff really works to clean not only the fuel system , but also the combustion chamber of exccessive carbon deposit's that can cause the rings to stick when the engine reaches normal operational temps causing all kind of problem's ; i would try this inexpencive fix it will burn the builtup carbon while you ride it's well worth the $6.55 + tax ! you can find it any Wal Mart super Center !

I've used it on automotive engine's that i thought needed ring's and have had great success , so give it a try ; what to you have the lose it just might work as good as it has done for me !..............

 

thanks a lot to both of you blokes [the Oz expression for dudes]

this is just a bike I use to put put down the beack to fish [at same place Steve Irwin got zapped]

the problem is last time I tried to start the beast, the starter motor turned at huge speed but no start

I figure the Bendix not engaging so first thing is to find yes/no

so I was thinking of 2 birds with one stone, ie easiest way to see IF starter motor is actually TURNING engine is to see if piston thing does the old in out [as in Clockwork Orange]

so I was thinking after 16 years the head will be totally coked up, why NOT just lift the old head and clean it at SAME time I work out malady a la starting

so my question was [given I have lifted heads on V12 Jags] IS there anything I have to fear here by taking head off

eg has head gasket been discontinued etc, or "these nuts always strip the threads"

so sorry to confuse but I ask again, AM I tempting fate taking head off

ie should I simply "leave well alone" and fix starter problem as separate issue

 

nothing to taking the head off. just drain water in block first so you dont pour water down the cylinder when you break the gasket seal. other than that just a normal 2 cycle way of maintenance

 

Pulling the head on a 2 stroke is straight forward but you will need a new head gasket and torque wrench to put it back on.

I,m not familar with the 400 2 stroke but why do you have to fool with the motor to change a bendix drive? If the starter turns and the motor does not then it has to be the bendix drive.

 

well I am thinking a 14 year old 2 stroke is gotta be really coked up [and for sure this bike really eats the fuel, is hard to start, backfires etc]

my only previous experience with 2 stroke takes me back about 50 years when I got a Lambretta motor scooter and it hardly ran

I took off head and cleaned up and it went like a rocket

so I was kinda thinkin the same here that if I need to get hands dirty I may as well go a bit further

 

as long as the carb is tuned right there will not be any excess buildup on the head. it normally burnes off. we just tore down a 96 400 and there was nothing wrong with the head. just the normal carbon buildup.