After fighting the carb and a high-idle issue, I finally got the bike up and running... for a short time, anyway. It's back to fighting me on the idle so it's parked for the summer until I can get it apart and thoroughly sorted.
Looking at my engine to try to ID where the various oil seepages are coming from, and I spotted what appears to be a divot where the cylinder meets the case. Possibly the previous owner jammed in a screwdriver and attempted to pry the cylinder off? Not sure...
Assuming that there is some damage there, is this going to be fatal for this particular cylinder? Is this going to create the kind of gap that prevents the gasket from ever correctly sealing?
You would be very unlucky if they have jammed something so far in that the entire width of the sealing surface is scored.
If it was a full width score, you'd expect more than a leak. Air could be leaking in too, with a small risk of dirt mixed in.
Good thing is, these engines are so simple even I can successfully repair one, with the suitable manual.
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In the Riverina.
'73 RD250, '80 XS1100, '81 RD373LC, '96 Tiger 900/sidecar, '02 TTR250, and another XS11 - this time a chain drive Period 5 race bike that may be ready to race eventually.
