2007 RWB Anniversary VFR800 resurrection. Engine swap question.

Hi all. I'm new here. I've lusted after this bike for quite some time. One came up for sale near me, but... almost 100k miles on it. However, the price is right. I want to restore it to its' former glory.
I searched around this site and others and couldn't really find a good answer for this.

I found an engine for a 2003 on ebay with under 9k miles on it. I'm pretty sure it will bolt right in, but I'm wondering if there are any other differences I'm not aware of? I think I read that in 2006 Honda made an adjustment to the VTEC system? Will the 2007 ECU be ok with the older motor?


Thanks so much.

 

Hi bhndron and Welcome to the MadHouse:welcome:

When you get a chance please drop by the introductions forum and say Hi to the rest of the folks on here, and while you are at it maybe post up a photo or two of your VFR as they really like photos on here. You might also want to update your forum profile (Forum Actions+Edit Profile) to include the year and specs of your VFR and an approximate location so the information appears automatically with your posts and if you need help you may find someone living nearby is willing to swingby and offer advice - especially if you have a few cold beers handy.

:focus:

As for Vtec engine swap - I think the short answer is I am sure some of the more determined folks on here could eventually do exactly what you propose BUT the change at 2006 means your current ECU would probably not get on well with the older engine inputs. If you really need to replace the existing engine in your RWB then I suggest you look for a 2006+ vtec engine. If you are just worried about the high mileage - then you might be surprised by some of the enormous mileages these bikes have racked up - assuming sensible oil and filter changes have been done.

Have fun



SkiMad

 

Perfect! Thanks so much for the reply. I'll post pictures soon. She's in a sad, sad state right now and needs a lot of TLC. The truth is, I haven't even got it in the garage yet. I'm going to pick it up this afternoon.

So, what kind of mileage have people seen on these?



Thanks again.

 

Mine is way past 100,000 km and I think Randy is still happily planning to add loads more miles to a bike which has done a whole lot more than mine :smile: .

Regular oil and filter changes are the key to the engines going on pretty much for ever. But please do not fit a K&N oil filter - as Anne Marie will tell you they are a safety disaster - an OEM filter is just fine and quite cheap.

Looking forward to seeing your pictures - I wonder if it used to be owned by one of the folks on here. There are a lot of forum members with RWB models and sadly a few have been lost in action.

Take Care




SkiMad

 

I helped a member with bleeding his brakes and his had over 100k miles and it ran pretty good considering. Not sure of the service history but I imagine it was regularly serviced, at least one would think so based on its mileage.

 

Hey bhendron - welcome to vfrw. You've picked yourself a doozy of a starter project, but it's very doable. I have a spare 2007 VTEC engine and transmission - very clean at 7400 miles with very high compression in all four cylinders. I advertised it here a while ago, but it seems to have dropped off the classifieds. Let me know if it might fit your project.

 

lol, I've got spare tools, spare keys, spare headphones... heck even a spare phone. But you have a spare ENGINE & TRANNY! I don't know if I should shake my head or high 5 you!

 

I'd love to hear what you've got! Where are you located and how much are you asking for it?

Thanks.

 

Hey, did you used to hang out on the Nighthawk forum?

 

That's me! I'm over at UJMForum too. Hondo pissed me off editing my posts and I haven't been there in years.

Sent from my phone. Please forgive brevity and spelling.

 

married man, ending up w a spare engine was due to premature action on my part. Check out a thread called 'bent rod?' to see the result.

bhendron, I'll PM you w photos and info on the engine when I get back from the dentist.

 

Here's the real reason for my question, other than the mileage, the engine has a bad knock when it's cold. After it warms-up to about 170 degrees, the knock goes away. See videos below. What do you think, bad valve or in need of valve adjustment?

When cold:

[video=youtube;LhDPR1U--gU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhDPR1U--gU[/video]

 

After warm-up:

[video=youtube;dfyP9ogS2cc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfyP9ogS2cc[/video]

 

Cam chain adjusters

 

Uh, cams are gear-driven on these, no?

 

Nope. The 5th gen was the last generation to have those. 98-01. There is a guy on VFRD that swapped a 5th gen motor into a 6th gen bike. It was sweet!

 

no, ok strictly speaking they are called camchain tensioners. You have 2. 1 each on the front and rear on the right side of the engine. Cost for the Honda items is about $80 each.

Replace both & your problems will disappear.

 

This is the offending item: you need 2

http://www.davidsilverspares.co.uk/VFR800A6-ABS-VTEC-2006/part_256660/

Also a good idea to get the gasket.. also x 2

http://www.davidsilverspares.co.uk/203727/

 

Best to make a compression test on the 100k engine before proceeding. :dread:

 

Try either of these sites, both in Michigan, from $70-72/each:

Honda Parts House -

http://www.hondapartshouse.com/oemparts/p/honda/14520-mcw-013/lifter-assy-tensioner

Dealer Cost Parts -

http://www.dealercostparts.com/oemparts/a/hon/5053f625f870021c54be7da4/cam-chain-tensioner