Bad decisions were made today..

[RandyO]

The guides are unavailable. The one guy in the UK most likely to have parts for this bike, doesn’t have any guides.

are the guides machinable ?

[R7]

are the guides machinable ?

I’m sure they are machinable, will it be cost effective? Unlikely.

I can get a new old stock head with guides (no valves, springs, cams, etc). for $3,500 plus shipping. I don’t think these guides can be copied and made for that kinda money.

[joeswamp]

Kinda surprising that guides aren't available but a NOS head is??

[csmutty]

Kinda surprising that guides aren't available but a NOS head is??

You can make more power with the head made for NOS tho.

[R7]

Kinda surprising that guides aren't available but a NOS head is??

Nothing is available through Yamaha, these parts are all owned by a private party.

[Kurlon]

If it does come down to guides, let me know, my expectation is guides could be sourced and installed for much less than $3500, they're fortunately not overly complicated parts.

[obsolete]

Guides are essentially just a bronze sleeve, no? I'd think that'd be much cheaper than 3500 to have machined. But Im also talking out my ass.

[R7]

Seven of the eight exhaust valves are stuck in the head, and made contact with the pistons. Head is getting disassembled now and I’ll be getting the parts list later today. The search will be on after that.

[LuvDog]

Ouch

[PinHead]

Well that sucks! But now that the motor is out you can have it all cleaned up to your standards.

[Jim]

is there anything that could have been done prior to trying to start it, to prevent damage?

[union]

That really sucks! Good luck finding what you need.

[obsolete]

Damn, the sucks man. Any damage to the pistons/rods or did it just bugger the valves?

[R7]

is there anything that could have been done prior to trying to start it, to prevent damage?

Yes, I could have/should have pulled the head off and removed all the valves. Lesson learned, if a bike sits for an extended period of time (this bike sat for almost 20 years), pull it apart.

Moving forward once running, it’s important to run the bike a few times a year, and put quality fuel in it.

Damn, the sucks man. Any damage to the pistons/rods or did it just bugger the valves?

There was piston to valve contact in #1 and #4, but it looks like it just took the carbon off the pistons.

[butcher bergs]

Don't kick yourself too hard over this. It can happen to engines that are in use as well and really, there's no way of knowing unless you disassemble down to that level (and who's honestly going to do that?).

A boat I owned had a 454 in it that hung a valve during the first startup of the boating season. Thought it was a timing issue, it kept backfiring through the carb so I put a camera in each cylinder and eventually saw the issue.
Once the engine was pulled out of the hull and the head came off, I discovered the valve hung so hard that I had to punch it all the way out of the guide. Turns out some small piece of unknown material found its way between the valve guide and the stem and that was that.
Point is, there's simply no way of knowing unless you're already planning for engine disassembly.

You'll get it sorted because it's in your nature to do so.

Do you think it'd be helpful to see if anyone on the WERA forum has a stash of head parts kicking around?

[RandyO]

Seven of the eight exhaust valves are stuck in the head, and made contact with the pistons. Head is getting disassembled now and I’ll be getting the parts list later today. The search will be on after that.

that nos head for $3500 is starting to sound better, get that, and current head machined as a spare

[R7]

Don't kick yourself too hard over this. It can happen to engines that are in use as well and really, there's no way of knowing unless you disassemble down to that level (and who's honestly going to do that?).

A boat I owned had a 454 in it that hung a valve during the first startup of the boating season. Thought it was a timing issue, it kept backfiring through the carb so I put a camera in each cylinder and eventually saw the issue.
Once the engine was pulled out of the hull and the head came off, I discovered the valve hung so hard that I had to punch it all the way out of the guide. Turns out some small piece of unknown material found its way between the valve guide and the stem and that was that.
Point is, there's simply no way of knowing unless you're already planning for engine disassembly.

You'll get it sorted because it's in your nature to do so.

Do you think it'd be helpful to see if anyone on the WERA forum has a stash of head parts kicking around?

It can’t hurt to ask anyways. I’m still waiting to hear what parts I actually need for the bike.

that nos head for $3500 is starting to sound better, get that, and current head machined as a spare

The NOS head is bare, so it doesn’t solve the valve issue.

[R7]

Wow, there’s a head available from Yamaha…

[xrocket21]

$16k!

[Paul_E_D]

$16k!

Make a NESR death offer?

[csmutty]

Wow, there’s a head available from Yamaha…

Start a GoFundMe!

[butcher bergs]

It can’t hurt to ask anyways. I’m still waiting to hear what parts I actually need for the bike.

Posted on WERA. If anything comes of it, I'll send you the info.

Are the valves titanium or sodium filled or some other specialized material? Asking out of curiosity

Edit:^^ They're titanium

[R7]

Got the list of parts needed today, this is what’s needed and unavailable. Most of the universal parts , o rings, nuts, bolts, etc, were still available.

It’s a long shot, but if anyone can find these, it would be greatly appreciated.
The exhaust valves, I have 1 good one that can be copied and made (thanks for that contact Bergs) assuming I can’t find new ones.

[FriskyDingo]

Was chatting with Russell about this yesterday, sounds like an adventure.

Definitely a bitch, I'm sure you've already looked into custom made gaskets(Cometic / Gasketking), is that a workable option?? or are they too intricate??

Does your searching include the "dark web"??

Good luck, i'm sure you'll find them if they're out there...

[butcher bergs]

None of those part numbers supercede?

Safe to assume the dealer inventory search was already done?