Just Bought an XL500

[Wakner]

That's a bugger - had similar with mine recently : slapping piston, just got rebore and new rings. I've not taken apart an XL engine yet which didn't have gouges out of the piston from the valves being badly adjusted - almost seems like a 'feature'

If you can get a discount from Megacycle on multi-order for cam I'll join you.

[M6NTL]

If you can get a discount from Megacycle on multi-order for cam I'll join you.

No discount I'm afraid - $45 shipping plus $25 bank transfer fee (the only way they accept overseas payment).
Not cheap, but worth it in the long run I reckon...

[M6NTL]

Well,
Making some headway with this now.
Bought an FT500 Head off eBay (UK) - looked like it had been kept at the bottom of a pond, but I won it for 99p so I took a punt. The valves are rusted to death, but (thankfully) the seats are OK as are the guides. And the biggest bonus is the cam journals are in EXCELLENT shape!!!
It had a torn out thread that someone had drilled right thru, so I got my welding GENIUS friend to build it back up and then I clocked up the hole centre on the mill and redrilled and tapped it.




I have now started to fettle the ports so they are flowing super smooth...








I bought a new rocker cover and rockers from eBay (US), it's in lovely condition - as soon as it came I took out the rockers and sent them to Phil Joy. He is grinding off the crappy hard chrome, stellite welding and re-profile grinding them for me as we speak.
I have just ordered a Wiseco 10.25:1 piston kit (standard is 8.6:1) from the states (1mm overbore, take it from 497cc to 509cc), and a Megacycle roller bearing camshaft with a mild tune grind.
I have also just ordered all genuine Honda gaskets, o-rings, seals and such like from David Silver.

It better bloody go like a scalded cat, a very bloody fast one at that when it's back together!!!

[M6NTL]

My super-shiny new Wiseco Piston arrived from the US of A today..!!..



Just dropped it round to Dave East to be mated gloriously to the hole!!!

[catteeclan]

I have a ft top end in the shed but haven't used it as the exhaust ports won't fit the xl exhaust. Don't think that'll be much of a prob for you though.

Keep the updates coming.

[M6NTL]

It's not a biggy at all.
The actual exhaust ports are the same size, and the spacing between them is the same too. The only difference is the FT has larger flange recesses for the exhaust.
I'll just turn up a couple of ally spacer rings on my lathe to reduce the flange size to that of the XL, and paint them with BBQ black paint...

[416cc]

I'd get the ally spacers anodised black instead of painting them...looks nicer too.

[M6NTL]

I'd get the ally spacers anodised black instead of painting them...looks nicer too.

I agree that anodising does indeed look nicer, however, these parts will be pretty much hidden behind the exhaust mounting flanges and so not really worth the effort IMHO - were they to be more visible I'd probably go that way...

[M6NTL]

Rubbish.
Poo, and other such harsh words.

I didn't realise that Hycote VHT Red paint was Matt, not Gloss.

Bloody barrel looks like I've painted it with red Oxide Primer.

Crap...

[coldo]

just go back to halfords and buy gunk engine lacqer and spray it over the top and just treat it like basecoat and lacqer