Pharaons Rally survivor

Hi guys,

Proud owner of a 2007 XR650R bought few weeks ago and started riding it in the desert around Cairo.

It has been raced in the Pharaons Rally back in the days, seems not to have been ridden much since then, nor well maintained, but nothing serious apparently. I made a bet based on the Honda quality. Bike always starts perfectly, acceleration, torque and sound are awesome and bike is indeed very stable off road at high speed.

Main concern is a metallic ratlling noise in the cylinder, suspecting worn cam chain (valve clearance adjustment did not help).
Main challenges will be to find the right carb settings and redo electrical connections around headstock - Following was done by previous owner: Air box opened, K&N filter (will be replaced by twin air), Mikuni TM40, Akra pipe
Currently changing all fluids, adjusting or refurbishing what can be done without new parts. Information found on forum / xr650r website was of great help.

Once I will be able to source the critical new parts, plan is too to go deeper in the desert / dunes.

Cheers

Welcome from thre UK, due to the Corona I've not been out on mine this year.....got as far as starting her up....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_bRsemLzcI

Nice!
Carb settings are on here on this forum, in fact there's a lot of info here >> go search!
On this (also on here), you know that when setting the valves you do NOT turn the engine backwards, not an iota, nothing?
Hope you do - and this is in connection with the lifters (one actually) who will (yeah, may actually) open an ex valve the moment you do turn the crank backwards.... so only forward does the job.
That noise sounds (oh dear, a pun!) like the camchain indeed: put in a new one, the mileages on these things (no real odo!) can't be trusted.
Enjoy it!

Mauser wrote:Welcome from thre UK, due to the Corona I've not been out on mine this year.....got as far as starting her up....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_bRsemLzcI

At least your bike is mint condition, well done - hope things ease out soon and the pig gets dirty again!

BuRP wrote:Nice!
Carb settings are on here on this forum, in fact there's a lot of info here >> go search!
On this (also on here), you know that when setting the valves you do NOT turn the engine backwards, not an iota, nothing?
Hope you do - and this is in connection with the lifters (one actually) who will (yeah, may actually) open an ex valve the moment you do turn the crank backwards.... so only forward does the job.
That noise sounds (oh dear, a pun!) like the camchain indeed: put in a new one, the mileages on these things (no real odo!) can't be trusted.
Enjoy it!

Thanks for the tips BuRP

Re carb settings, I am stuck with current jets until I find a way to get parts into the country. Based on information gathered on the forum, pilot jet may be too small (20) while main jet too large (152.5). Rationale is unstable idle (still need to play with fuel screw), 1/8 to 1/4 throttle not much happening, then a kick (guess pump kicking in), 4/4 unstable and black smoke. Spark plug black.

Though the last time I did valves clearance was 15 years ago on an XLR 500, I think I got the BRP ones right: Exhaust were spot on at 20 while admission were at 20, hence adjusted the latter. Strange thing is that despite turning the crankshaft million times (forward…), the T sign was nowhere to be found (even took the cover out). I had instead at TDM 2 engraved parallel marks spaced by 5mm.

Not giving me a cosy feeling, but got indeed confirmed today by a friend knowing well BRP’s that most probably the cam chain is loose / dead - Rough idea of the mileage (genuine odo must be buried somewhere) anyhow. No point opening the engine before being able to source parts though.

Wildboar wrote:(guess pump kicking in)

The OEM carb is no pumper-carb, you know this?
So, IF it pumps, what carb you have?
20-idle sounds minutely small.... and similar (from memory, excuse if out) to what's mounted in/on choked/restricted Cali models, so my hunch is your carb's the std one

BuRP wrote:

Wildboar wrote:(guess pump kicking in)

The OEM carb is no pumper-carb, you know this?
So, IF it pumps, what carb you have?
20-idle sounds minutely small.... and similar (from memory, excuse if out) to what's mounted in/on choked/restricted Cali models, so my hunch is your carb's the std one

Carb is indeed an aftermarket Mikuni TM 40. Given opened air box and Akrapovic pipe, BRP with such settings and carb run apparently with 27 pilot and 137-142 main - I changed the pump setting to start later and opened the fuel screw (was 1.5 instead of 2 in average), but I guess only appropriate jets will solve all issues.
Re the valves, I rechecked today, with the garage light on...I was taking the wrong marks For my defense, the parallel marks are engraved deeper than the F and T mark and previous owner has hammered around the T mark.
Will see the results tomorrow.

Bugs the hell out of me, why don't they make this mark blinding obvious and massive so everyone including me cannot possible get it mixed up !!!. Boo to Honda

TM40?
Best (good & simplest) carb, got it too!

Setting values to try and deviate around are:
Pilot: 27.5
Pilot Air: 1.2
Jet Needle: 9DJY1
Needle Jet: Y4 (or Y6 which may fix a light surge and a leanish mid)
Clip: 2.5 (washer under clip in 3rd)
Main: 140

Get idle & then mid sorted first, then the main last.
Disable the pump during all this.... yes, no pump!
Then lastlast (that's Inglis bru, you can read surely? ) the pump, bit off the bottom and not too much!
Loverly carbie that... but yeah, sort out the valves first!
Oh, add an inline fuel filter eh?

Oh, if you get the idle-screw to work best around 1.5 full turn then this is the goldilocks setting - and that goes for just about any carb out there!
Do not force your setting towards this (duh..) but if you get it this way then you know you've hit ballpark!
Mine got this with the above settings/jettings, no more surging when puttering at a constant speed (look down at the countersprocket!).
And eh, no pump means constant speeds eh, which you build up - you know surely? 10-15% throttle, then mid up to 45-50%, and for the main jet size more to WO! (Oh, start with a 140, is best for testing lows & mids).
If you do not know then now you do!

Only when you enable the pump again you can go 'ride' (alternate throttle, wind & unwind) to get a feel, but then the basics are sorted already

Mauser wrote: why don't they make this mark blinding obvious

You're lazy Mauser?
Take a tip: Tippex!

BuRP wrote:Oh, if you get the idle-screw to work best around 1.5 full turn then this is the goldilocks setting - and that goes for just about any carb out there!
Do not force your setting towards this (duh..) but if you get it this way then you know you've hit ballpark!
Mine got this with the above settings/jettings, no more surging when puttering at a constant speed (look down at the countersprocket!).
And eh, no pump means constant speeds eh, which you build up - you know surely? 10-15% throttle, then mid up to 45-50%, and for the main jet size more to WO! (Oh, start with a 140, is best for testing lows & mids).
If you do not know then now you do!

Only when you enable the pump again you can go 'ride' (alternate throttle, wind & unwind) to get a feel, but then the basics are sorted already

Thanks a lot BuRP, exactly what I was looking for

I believe I got the valves right second time, good you made me reconsider the way I did them first time.

I'm not native English speaker but had a South African colleague (from Springs...) hence I believe I understood it all ! To be on the safe side, can I ask you to confirm the following:
* Idle screw (white scroll wheel): 1.5 turns
* Pilot / Fuel screw (part #29 on Mikuni manual, can be adjusted carb operating): how many turns, 2.5?
* Pump: begins its stroke at 10% throttle, ends at 50% (disable until other parameters adjusted)
http://www.mikuni.com/pdf/hs40_manual.pdf

I'm clear on these ones:
* Pilot Air: 1.2
* Pilot jet: 27.5 (need to change my 20)
* Jet Needle: 9DJY1 (I have 9DJY4)
* Needle Jet: Y4 (or Y6 which may fix a light surge and a leanish mid) (I have a Y6)
* Clip: 2.5 (washer under clip in 3rd) (need to find a washer, currently some play)
* Main jet: 140 (need to change my 152.5)

Local HD dealer is looking if he can get the jets and I am looking in parallel if I can get them in from overseas - In the mean time, I will get the other basics right but may have to open the pilot air/fuel screw more than recommended to compensate for small pilot jet -Fuel filter missing but is on the long list of parts I need to get indeed, such as throttle cables, currently only 1 and rusted    - Clutch cable rusted too so it is a bit Russian roulette every time I open full throttle!