Brother graduates from OSU in 4 more days bought him an 84 VF500

Okay thank you for clarification. So if I can locate any rear head gasket, I can go ahead and use it, cool. Time to keep my eye out while we do the tear down.

 

Just scored an Athena gasket set, phew!

 

Good deal. Glad this worked out.

If I could ask, when you receive the gasket kit, could you please post the part number?

Thx.

 

It is the same gasket kit that you linked me to. Same part number.

 

Thank you for the post.

For reference, I was able to locate Athena's website (Athena S.p.A.)

From their catalog (http://www.athena-ad.com/pdf/catalogo%20motorcycle%202008_web.pdf)

'1983-1985' Gasket Kit P400210850540
'1986' Gasket Kit P400210850507

'1983-1985' Head Gasket Front and Rear P400210420730 & S410210001033
'1986' Head Gasket Front and Rear P400210420730 & S410210001033

As noted above the gasket kits show different part numbers while the individual head gaskets show the same part number. A bit of a puzzle.

When you receive the gasket kit (P400210850540) could you please confirm what Micheal E found (same gasket pattern front and rear)?

Thx.

 

Will do. Amazing how complicated something like this can be :crazy:

 

Aftermarket + 25 years ;-)

 

If you haven't seen what a dropped valve will do here's what it did to the motor in this bike:

 

Here's what I have:

Motor 1 (was in the bike)
-Broken valve in rear head
-Piston and bottom of rear head shot to hell
-Good front head

Motor 2 (spare that came with the bike)
-Broken valve and broken valve lash adjuster in front head, head itself is fine
-All cylinders and pistons are good
-Good rear head

Gonna use the spare block with good rear head, and I am stealing the good front head from the motor that was in the bike. Gonna clean up both heads and also the base of the crank case where the heads sat in a couple days. After those are good to go I am going to straightedge the heads see if I need to send them out to be planed. Hopefully I can get away with not having them planed, we'll see. There is still hope yet, but I sure got scared when I saw the mangled piston. The valve that was broken on the spare motor luckily had not dropped into the cylinder. Looks like the stem of the valve was mushroomed but not enough to the point where it broke. Phew!

 

I read back through this thread but I didn't see if you noted that both engines are the '84/'85 model. If I could recommend a quick double check, using the engine serial numbers, before proceeding with the rebuild.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Ah good thinking, I had totally overlooked that. Given all the bad news with this bike, these are SURE to be the same motor :yell:

 

Here is the reference chart:

 

Very cool thanks. I will check the codes next time im over there.

 

Motor that was in the bike: PC12E-2001728
Spare motor: PC12E-2110866

Are there any compatability issues with using that spare with the bike or using the spare with a head from the original motor?

Bro pulled drain pan and oil filter on the spare and did not find anything worrying, phew!

 

Should be fine with interchanging the parts.

On a side note, was the original engine replaced? IIRC you have an '84 VF500F. Both engine serial numbers are '85s.

 

Thank you for the info, another phew!

Yes the bike is a true 84. Wonder how many motors have been in the cradle since the bike's conception :crazy:

Gaskets came in the mail and I don't have to work this weekend, so game on. Gonna try and get as much done as possible. The only thing I am scared of at this point is that the head surfaces are too far warped for the gasket to take care of. Worst case scenario it's just gonna take some more money to get it done. The other thing I am a little nervous about is setting the timing with the chain and cam sprockets. After I am all done I will have a buddy who is a certified honda technician come over and double check my work. Wish us luck!

 

One more question.. Is it okay to reuse the cylinder head bolts that secure the heads to the bottom end? I have heard before that you are not supposed to reuse these because they have stretched and you can't properly re-torque them down again a second time.

 

This is my understanding as well.*

* Revising my answer.

After looking through the FSM and not finding any information on this subject, I checked in with a tech that has helped me clarify many a technical question. He said that a head bolt 'being one-time part' is a common misconception.

They are okay to re-use.

 

Darn, that screws up my weekend. Gonna have to order some new ones and boy are they expensive bolts!

Bolts will be here next Thursday. I'm off next weekend as well so just a minor setback. I didn't expect the gasket kit to get here till next week anyway, oh well.

 

Good luck my friend....I hope it all works out. :smile: