[Honda XR125L] Engine Rebuild (White)

Time for the little 125 to go back together.

Need to clean off the old gasket. Paper towels into all the case opening where I don't want anything going.

I did worry that the valves were corroding, but it turned out to just be a thick carbon build up. It was surprisingly hard, but I could chip it away a small piece at a time.

Revealing the clean valve under all that build up.

Took about 15-20 mins to get it all off.

On goes the barrel with probably more assembly lube than needed. Better than not enough I guess.

Cylinder head gasket next.

Cleaned the old gasket off the inlet and removed the 2(!) old exhaust crush washers from the exhaust side too.

Push rods back in and valve gear back on too. Then I set the valve lash.

 

Rocker cover and top engine mount back on.

Exhaust next. Then carb isolator and carb. Just need to reconnect the PAIR system and it's time to start the engine!

Engine started without issue! Nice. I ran the engine for 10 minutes then changed the oil.

I checked the oil strainer before filling it back up again and it was clean. No bits of gasket, which I was worried about. 

I did several oil changes on this bike as part of the rebuild and break-in.

• First oil change after 10 minutes of static running
• Second oil change after 100 miles of easy riding
• Third oil change after 500 miles of easy riding
• Forth oil change after 1,000 miles of normal riding

I did this rebuild several years ago now and I have ridden this bike from one end of the country to the other several times, as well as up into Scotland and down into Cornwall. I've done just over 10,000 miles since the rebuild, without issue.