34L Engine rebuild in Oz - Cost?

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I have this clapped out 34L. The engine was run with 'low' oil and the cam chewed out the journals. I've since bought another head/cam in good serviceable condition. Haven't checked the piston and bore yet, but assume the bottom end will need a rebuild due to the oil issue.

What is an approximate price to do a rebuild.... parts and labour? Worse case.. I'm assuming big end damage. Assuming hone and rings. I'm assuming having to replace 4th and 5th gears. Timing chain, gaskets etc., etc...................

I know its like the length of a piece of string, but is it in the order of $2k or $4k.

I'll have to have the suspension looked at as well. I assume the rear shock can be rebuilt.

I'm tossing up whether to do up the bike or cut my losses and buy an almost new DR650 for a ride from Izmir in Turkey back to Vladivostok. I like the idea of riding the Tenere across the Stans, Siberia and Mongolia, but kick starting a recalcitrant bike in axle deep mud concerns me. There will be 4 of us. Two others have 600s, one an '83 Tenere and one a '85 XT. The fourth is buying a DR.

I know this is a pretty open ended question and I'm looking forward all points of view.

[Mezo]

Well as many people know im a big (huge) fan of the DR650.

Bullet proof bike and a cheap way of exploring the world, however,,,,,it comes down to your Carnet de passage.

The cheaper your bikes book value is the cheaper your carnet will be, if i was going overseas with a bike my choice would be a 1983 34L
because its Carnet (book value) is cheap & its tank holds 30 litres & its super reliable air cooled technology.

Well that`s Mezo`s two cents worth.

If i was going to see my my mum in the UK, id be riding an old 34L with a e-start engine (3TB/4PT) and WP (KTM) front end & decent rear shock,
id be very happy with that setup & even in my condition more than happy to do a RTW trip.

Mez.

[Danjet600]

depends on how handy you are, i think you can do a rebuild for $2000 or less, if you put it in a shop they'll bend you over backwards and won't even use lube
the other thing to consider is traveling with all the same or similar bikes you can divide up which spares to carry and you'll have any breakdown situation covered
new piston was about 130ish
full gasket set 100
barrel bored 70
new clutch 100 ish
thats as far as i've got

[Mezo]

Well if you think a bog standard DR will set you back 8K, then you have to do all the mods for a RTW it will set you back around 12K (i know this cos i know DR`s) wouldn't you rather spend that dosh (or a whole lot less) on something just as reliable & a fuck more interesting than a DR.



Far more respect than a DR650 (even though im a massive fan of the DR) a classic Tenere beats a DR hands down.

You only do it once, so do it right.

Mezo.

[Dirtybrit]

Far more respect than a DR650 (even though im a massive fan of the DR) a classic Tenere beats a DR hands down.
the other thing to consider is traveling with all the same or similar bikes you can divide up which spares to carry and you'll have any breakdown situation covered
You only do it once, so do it right.

Mezo.[/quote]
Here Here X2!

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I knew it would bring out some diverse points of view! Heart says 34L, but as I don't know how good they are and how suspect some parts are, I keep thinking that a new bike would remove a lot of doubt and worry. If the engine/gearbox work was only around $2k and another $1k for suspension and other stuff, it makes sense. The bike owes me around $1,100 now. I suppose that if it costs around $5,00 all-up, I'm still in front. But I have done up other bikes and there's always a shedload of stuff that you haven't planned on or costed. We may be able to pick up the 2011 DRs for around $6k (don't ask!!) and then tank, bash plate, rack etc .

I've never ridden an XT, so this is all new to me. I have also just bought a pretty good TT600 but haven't got it home yet. I intend to 'red plate' it and use it to get familiar until the Tenere gets done. We're doing the ride in 2013. I'm a road rider and haven't really done much dirt at all since back in the late 60's, and that was on old 175s .

Thanks again and I appreciate all opinions, no matter how biased. After all, it is a Tenere Forum!!!

[GeoffD]

Hard question ... if I was setting off to Oz from here I reckon I'd probably go on my new Ten... I think (which cost me £5000)

If you asked Mr lambeth to rebuild your engine for an overland trip he would charge you £2000....... then you've got suspension, bearings, etc, etc to think about.... but you'd have a good bike... however I'm with Mezo on this... if I was gonna use the 34L I'd find a good 3TB engine & fit that, then you'd have the benefit of electric start... (don't think you can fit a kicksart to a 4PT engine, I may be wrong though)... I've just rebuilt my 3TB engine, new fifth gears, output shaft, conrod... I used the old piston with new rings... I reckon the whole job cost me around £400, some of which was for cosmetic stuff (which you don't need) would I use it for a long trip ..... yes no problem (not with my left hand crank case though, but thats another story)... I guess it all boils down to how handy you are, are you doing the work yourself or paying someone else...

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If I was to buy a used 3TB I feel I would still to strip it down ( or am i being a little paranoid?) to be sure, and the ones I've seen are around $1000, and out of the bikes so are an unknown quantity. Although I'm in my (very) early 60's, I'm well used to kick start bikes; bevel Ducatis, and my current SR500, so that doesn't faze me.
I'm flip-flopping all over the place. DR sounds a safer option and at least you know what you're going to spend. Once I start the engine work on the 34L, there's no going back. All my previous/current projects run well over the anticipated cost. I specialise in over capitalisation. You may gather by now that I'm a little gun-shy. I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure.

How much warning do you get with gearbox failure? If the TT I've bought has a 'great' motor, maybe I can use that.

I suppose that pulling down the 34L has to be the first step.

[Mezo]

Well ill quote David Lambeth on this (XT600 engine expert) don`t start laughing Jiff, Im serious though he has a reputation as "The Guru"

Fit a 96 on 4PT engine - avoid the earlier 3TB engine if you can as it had the same 3AJ type gearbox & associated problems -
the 3TB is better than the 1VJ/3AJ, but not much !

He also says any of the older engines can (at a price) be rebuilt to be more reliable than a 4PT

Here`s a guy from South Africa who`s done an 4PT engine swap, far more sexy than a DR650

The engine fits perfectly,
You need to take the front sprocket, fit it with the Shoulder towards the engine, and "Shave off" about 3-4mm in order to get it closer to the engine.
there is one m6 bolt you have to replace with a Counter sink bolt, else the chain will eat it up.
Space the rear sprocket out by about 3mm.

Also need to make small changes to the plumbing from the oil tank to the engine. (The 96 have the oil in the frame versus the 85 where the oil tank is on the rear subframe - left.

I also used the complete wiring harness off the 96 XT, which meant I did not have to do any changes to the charging system, and I fitted the 96 XT battery below the rear carrier. It's too big for the original batt box.

Exhaust is exactly the same,
Tubes from the airbox to the carbs had to be modified slightly.

Mezo.

[GeoffD]

Yes I agree the 4PT engine is better, but not many come up for sale and I'm still not sure you can fit a kickstart to a 4PT, besides a rebuilt 3TB or 3AJ engine will easily be good for 20 - 30,000 miles...

I think Mr Lambeth will build a 34L with a 4PT engine, ready to roll for about 10 grand...

The gearbox thing (i believe) is nowhere near as bad as people make it out to be on these forums..... I've got both a 3AJ and a 3TB engine at work which have got perfect gearboxes, both of 'em have done in excess of 20,000 miles.... I think its down to how the previous owners looked after these bikes, regular oil changes etc....