When I find stuff like that I have to tell myself better now than on the freeway a hundred miles from home.

Okay, now for the botom end. Inside cover appearance backs up my suspicion that the bike was run with dirty oil and/or hot for a significant amount of time; it's all toasty black and discolored inside all the oily surfaces, as are all the oiled parts-



Unsteady photo doesn't show well, but you can see excess gasket sealer and loose camchain, some oil pump gear wear (not too bad)-



Sludgy residue; check out the oil dribble, like molasses-



Cam tensioner foot is only very lightly worn-

Damage from the stray bit(s) was evident everywhere inside the crankcase-





AHA! Stuck to the magnetic drain plug was this-



A bit of forensics, and we have this-

A bit of simple deduction and a quick look in the other case half -



The sump strainer filter retaining circlip had somehow come loose, allowing the media retaining washer to escape. Apparently it was too large to be trapped by the magnet 'till it got folded up in the works.

Thankfully, the main journals are in good shape. Just a hint of wear on the left side, that will polish out-



Shells look like they did thier job, new ones will be straight replacements-

Sludge trap was actually quite clean, just a shmear of residue...





Removed the previously overhauled tranny (Old Britts) and stuck it in a nice box-



Stripped off all the rest; frame ready for monoshock modifications.

Valve pockets were really pasted with burnt oil residue, and the stem / guide gap is sloppy. Time for new valves & guides.



Step one in the mockup phase - fit up the ZX9 forks

First box from Dreer arrived, here's the VR880 front hub-



JE 880 pistons & rings-

More new stuff!

Kibblewhite racing vale spring kit with collets & retainers, all new crankshaft fastener hardware-



Rowe valves, "Superblend" main bearings, new camchain, Timing side cam bush-



Drive side cam bush, intake & exhaust valves, con rod bearing shells-

Kinda kicking myself for not getting good "before" shots of the crankcases, both inside and out. I did get one close-up of the outsides after preliminary scrubbing, they had some sort of green boogers on 'em that was a real mother-in-law to get off-



The results (ironically, the shadows in this shot have a greenish hue)-



Custom fit yoke stem, turned to accept Norton head bearings, steering stops welded on (I need to go back and do this to my 880)-



Head & cylinders are at the machine shop along with pistons, rings, valves & spring kit, just waiting on the intake guide seals.

Nifty new con rods, NON- "D" spec! All new fastener hardware, too.



I can assemble the crank today, but the Megacycle cam is still on it's way, so the cases won't go together just yet.

Crankshaft all nipped up with new fasteners torqued down to the max-

Got the jugs back, really nicly cut & crosshatched, very clean.



New gaskets & steering bearings -

We should see some action on this soon with all those bits coming in. I'm hoping I just get a couple parts before the rain.

Just waiting on the cam & radiused followers from Megacycle, and the bottom end will go back together.

Meanwhile, I'm about to start on the Mark 3-1/2 monoshock swingarm for it...

Next disappointment - the dreaded "D" spec connecting rods. No big deal, they were beat all to heck anyway.

The story of the inferior D-type rods sings around for some years now. Recently there was an publication in NOC magazine 'Roadholder' by John Dunn (technical advice team) telling us he covered over 80.000 mls with his D-type rods and advising us not to hurry changing these rods. Have you experienced yourself fracture of these rods? Or anybody else?
GP keep up the fine work!