Hi,

I would like to change the piston rings of my bike, and I've never done it before.

Can anybody here please guide me along?

feiloong71.

Step #1. Purchase a service manual.

Step #2. Read service manual cover to cover.

Step #3. Read it again.

Step #4. Make sure you have all of the proper tools.

Step #5. Get back to us when your ready to start the job.

There is a lot more to doing a top end on a four stroke than just rings. Chances are, it the top end is worn, you will also want to do a valve job including replacing the valve guide seals and maybe even the valve guides.

You need to inspect your camshaft and rocker arms and the cam needs to be aligned in a certain way when it is reinstalled. The service manual will give you the proper specs for this.

Good luck.

Ol'89r

Thanks for your reply.

One question, if my engine oil drops drastically after each ride, is it a sign of worn rings?

feiloong71.

It depends. Is the engine smoking out the exhaust? If so, it could be rings, could be worn valve guides or bad valve guide seals or even a worn or scored cylinder. Could be all of the above.

If you don't have any outside oil leaks that you can see, then, chances are, it has a worn top end.

Ol'89r

It doesnt have any external oil leakages.

Guess I'll have to rip it apart to see which of the listed parts needs replacement, and I'll get back to you guys.

Have a feeling its the rings coz i'm now able to start the bike without having to use the decomp lever at all =D

My xr smokes like mad for a bit when I cold start it only. So I suspect worn valve guides are letting oil run down into the chamber.

Does your bike smoke at all? There is an oil checking procedure that you must be consistent with.

There is NO smoke at all. Is there a possibility that the gear oil which I'm using is able to burn off well without having smoke as well?

Some synthetics don't smoke as much. Also, if you don't have someone riding behind you when you're really putting the engine under a load, then it could be smoking, but you just don't notice it.

Highbeam, if the bike smokes like crazy on startup, but no other time, then it's normally just stem seals. If it was the guides, it would smoke more often.

I'm using catrol GPS if that helps.

Castrol GTX would probably not smoke as much as a petroleum oil.