This article is one of a series which describes how to disassemble, work on, and reassemble the Road Star engine. This particular highlights how to finish putting the rest of the bike back together. See the Complete Engine Tear Down, Orientation article in this website for details of other aspects of engine details.

Be sure you refer to the service manual through all phases of this project.

The cam area can now be finished. See photo below.

Slip the remaining two, little, solid, alignment dowels into the cam cover.

Install the outer cam cover gasket.

Bolt up and torque the chrome, outer cam cover (aka decompression cover). Use 7.2 ft-lbs, which is 86.4 in-lbs. Also install, bolt up, and torque the decompression solenoid cover using 7.2 ft-lbs.

Reinstall any crash bar type accessories. While in the process of this, be sure to bolt and fasten the front engine mount back up. Torque the large, long bolt to 64 ft-lbs. Torque the bracket/frame bolts to 35 ft-lbs.

Tip: To get the lower portion of my crash bar inserted between the motor mount brackets, I squeezed the two sides together a little using a clamp with soft jaws. You could also use a very large wire-tie (cinched up), or a strong string (knotted around the two sides). This way, you don’t have to try to squeeze the crash bar halves together while also trying to line up the bracket holes.

Next, install the oil filter bracket. It has two O-rings, and four M6 bolts. See photo below. Torque the bolts to 7.2 ft-lbs. If you have removed the large, center bolt (where the oil filter cartridge screws on) for some reason, bolt it back on using 50 ft-lbs of torque.

Install a new oil filter. Then put the rest of the motor oil in the dip-stick tube (aka oil fill). I recommend 3 more quarts (in addition to the one poured down the pushrod tubes). However, some later model Road Stars reportedly run better with less oil. Refer to a reputable Yamaha dealer, your owner's manual, or the Forum section of this website for more information on how motor oil levels might affect a condition called: the Sticky Valve Syndrome (SVS) on 2004+ (1700cc series) engines.

Be sure you reinstall the dip-stick.

Now, go to the engine's left side. Install the chrome, 'Y'-shaped, oil delivery pipe. See photo below.

Remember to remove the bolt you had loosely installed in the engine case. It was put there in an earlier step to eliminate the possibility of small parts and dirt entering the engine.

Use two new, copper, crush washers for each of the three union bolts. Carefully watch or hold the pipe as you torque its bolts so that it is not distorted or bent by the torque. Use 15 ft-lbs for the bolts that go to the cylinder heads. Use 13 ft-lbs of torque for the single bolt that goes to the engine case.

Tip: I recommend you leave one of the upper union bolts loose until you're ready to start the engine. See Start-Up Tip below.

Next, reconnect the oil tank breather hose to the rear nipple on the rear valve (aka rocker) cover and to the nipple on top of the oil tank lid, near the dipstick tube. See reddened area in the photo below.

Then connect the PCV hose to the front nipple on the rear valve cover. The other end of this hose will go to your carburetor, unless your bike has been modified to route this hose to ground. See photo below.

Now you can reinstall and hook up the coils, if they have been removed. Just remember:

• The input wires can be inserted into either wire-lead tab, as long as they are connected to the correct coil.
• Sparkplug wires can go to either plug of the cylinder, as long as that cylinder is fed by the correct coil.
• Tip: The left coil goes to the rear cylinder, unless your bike has been modified for some reason. And, of course the right coil feeds the front cylinder.
• If you need more detail, refer to the Installing Nemesis or Dynatech Coils and Plug-Wires article in this website.
• Take picts.

Next, reinstall your intake system. If you will be installing a new carburetor, refer to its instructions.

If you are installing an aftermarket carburetor, you may also want to install a VOES, MAP, or modified TPS. See the Installing a V.O.E.S. article in this website.

Install the upper engine mount, between the cylinders, and to the frame. Use 35 ft-lbs for the bolts.

Note: Your fuel pump bracket and fuel pump will still be attached to the engine mount, if you still have your fuel pump attached at the stock location.

Reinstall the exhaust system using new crush washers.

Tip: I do not recommend torquing the header nuts, as many aftermarket exhaust pipes have thinner flanges, and are easily bent. Instead, I suggest you just snug the nuts down, then check them after several rides, and then check again after several more rides.

Reinstall the left-side floorboard using 35 ft-lbs of torque on the two, M10, button-head bolts. Be sure you pad the attached shift linkage to prevent scratching the clutch cover. Then plug the front horn back in. Now, install the rear horn using its two bolts. Reconnect the rear horn wire.

To hook up the shift linkage, remove the pinch-bolt from the shift-arm (if you stored it there). Then align the shift arm with the alignment mark you made on the shift shaft.

Wiggle and push the shift arm onto the shift shaft. Insert the pinch bolt, and torque to 7.2 ft-lbs.

Next, hook up the clutch cable. To do this, remove the pinch-bolt from the clutch pull-lever (if you stored it there).

Insert the end of the clutch cable through the clutch cable holder, and into the perch on the pull lever. See photo below.

Next, put the pull-lever-spring part way on the clutch shaft and onto the pull lever. Then, while pulling on the pull lever (to pull the clutch cable out a bit), align the pull lever with the alignment mark you made on the clutch shaft.

Now, wiggle and push the pull lever onto the clutch shaft. Insert the pinch bolt, and torque to 7.2 ft-lbs.

Lift the right-side floorboard into position. As you do this, re-route the hydraulic brake hose along the frame, and on top of the frame's floorboard mount. Then reinstall the right-side floorboard using 35 ft-lbs of torque on the two, M10, button-head bolts.

Next, locate the plastic hose retainers that secure the hydraulic brake hose to the frame. Reattach them, and snap them closed. Now, you can cinch a small wire-tie onto the forward end of the hydraulic brake hose and around the frame, if you like.

Tip: I'm not sure if this tire-tie was meant to keep the hose from pulling away from its position, or to prevent it from touching the hot exhaust. In either case, mine seemed very securely nestled between the frame and the floorboard, so I did not use a wire-tie here.

Next, reconnect the rear brake-light wire. To do this, route the wire from the rear master cylinder--located near the right floorboard--up the frame, along the same path it was removed from. Snap closed each wire retainer as you go.

The end of the wire terminates just forward of the left coil. (See photo below). Reconnect the wire connectors.

Start-Up Tip: Before you start the bike, I recommend you first get the oil circulating. You can do this by unplugging all the sparkplug wires, and loosening one of the union bolts for the chrome, external oil lines on the engine's left-side. Then turn on the key, hit the starter, and crank the engine until you begin to see oil ooze from the loosened union bolt--and hopefully nowhere else! It took over 10-15 seconds on mine; it felt like an eternity.

I recommend you perform the oil pre-circulation Start-Up Tip shown above, now.

If you performed the Start-Up Tip shown above, plug the sparkplug wires back in, and re-torque the upper , union bolts for the chrome, oil delivery tube (the ‘Y’ shaped one) on the engine's left-side to 15 ft-lbs.

Install the fuel tank.

Tip: ...Or you could hook up a temp tank, as described in the Miscellaneous Items section of the Parts and Tools article in this article series.

If you're the celebrating type, now is the time to assemble your loved ones.

Start your newly rebuilt engine.

Note: Lucky me. Mine started on the second compression stroke. After five months of motorcycle silence, it was a very welcome sound.

Align the drive belt, as needed.

Check tire pressure. Check brakes. Do all your other, pre-ride checks.

If you haven’t installed your fuel tank, do so now, but you can leave your dash (speedo) off, for now.

Then take it for a short, easy, shake-down ride.

If everything checks out, install the side covers and the dash.

Check the operation of your gauges.

Note: If you've upgraded your carburetor, but do not have a Dyna-3000 or SpeedStar ignition, your yellow, engine warning light may come on. This is a normal symptom of the TPS being disconnected.

To access related articles, refer back to the Complete Engine Tear Down, Orientation article in this series to see which additional articles best address your situation.

Ride on.

Questions should be asked in our forum (Use discuss link below). The forum is very active and you stand a good chance of getting your questions answered there. If you would like to leave feedback for the author, or have additional information you think will benefit others, please use the comment section at the bottom of this page.

Discuss this article on the forums. (6 posts)

DISCLAIMER: This information and procedure is provided as a courtesy and is for informational purposes only.  Neither the publishers nor the authors accept any responsibility for the accuracy, applicability, or suitability of this procedure.  You assume all risks associated with the use of this information.  NEITHER THE PUBLISHERs NOR THE AUTHORs SHALL IN ANY EVENT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OF ANY NATURE ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE USE OR MISUSE OF THIS INFORMATION OR LACK OF INFORMATION.  Any type of modification or service work on your motorcycle should always be performed by a professional mechanic. If performed incorrectly, this procedure may endanger the safety of you and others on your motorcycle and possibly invalidate your manufacturer’s warranty.

Comments (2)

engine vibration Written by techguy, on 10-05-2013 15:45 Randy Fox if you are out there seeing as how you have done a   complete engine overhaul could you please comment as to whether there is any componet within the engine that can  setup an engine vibration through the seat, grips and footboards, stationary in neutral,clutch in or out with all external components and structures all good.

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