Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums

ok so i just got in my cylinder from limp off a stock elite with 300 miles on it. last night, i put it together. i lined up the gaskets, rings, cylinder, everything. put it on it, put it together. i was tightening down the head bolts, an di went in a cross shaped pattern. done it until every bolt was tight. then i quit. put the whole thing together. done a compression test, wasn't getting 105. thought the things messed up its fine. done 3 heat cycles seemed ot have some power. took it for a ride down the road. got to the end of the road, and some flapping sound started going. i thought the head had came off. then i thought, ah its the piece of tape i use to cover the hole in the airbox i made, i half cover it and it's half came off and is flapping. well i couldn't get to it to check, so i came back. i take the airbox lid cover off and it's fine. i think, it's the head. so i take the whole thing apart again. start to loosen the head bolts, and not like taking the stock cylinder off it was barely just turn and they where loose. i could turn by hand. before i took the head off i done a compression test and was getting 75. i wanted to look at the cylinder myself. it's fine and so is the piston. it looks fine. i barely putted home, but it had no power hardly. i thought i was going to have to push it. can someone help me? what the crap how did the bolts be so loose. i went back and forth, and got to where i was pulling the ratchet, a small one, then went, it's tight i don't want to strip it. ive stripped 2 transmissio bolts in the case, and had to tap those. one bolt last night seemed like it was almost going to strip. it kept turning without being too much tight, and i had already tightened it, like pretty much. like i had it tight, then turned it to see if it was tight, an dit kept turning. did i get the thing centered, i just didn't want to mess with it. what should i do to tighten these bolts and make sure there even and tight? im doing a compression test until i get over 120 then it'll be on there fine, but any help on tightening head bolts?

ok so took everything off checked the piston and rings and cylinder. they look ok. no new scratches looks like. when i got back the cylinder was pretty hot. i felt heat coming off it big time and you couldn't touch the spark plug for 2 seconds. well anyway so here are some pictures.


notice the gasket.





heres a picture of the old cylinder with the gasket left on it what's left. see the difference.
don't know if it does anything.


what i was thinking was taking and putting my old cylinde on it, and tightening down the head bolts and seeing if i couldnt get over 90 psi. with a piston and rings with 300 miles on them. my old piston and rings looked worn out. the cylinder looked shiny. if i get over 90 psi, like 100. then the new 300 mile cylinder must be messed up. last time around 1000 miles or so ago, my old cylinder and rings gave me 101 psi. if i can beat 90 which is all i can get i retightened all the head bolts, over and over, doing a compressoin test then checking the bolts. all i could get was about 90 on electric start. 92 maybe 89 on kickstart. if i can get 100 psi, then maybe i messed up the cylinder. so ok. then, what should i do, i got a new ruima piston and rings. should i just use them on the old cylinder? or use the 300 mile piston and rings, if its not over 110 psi which is about all i think my old cyliinder could give me. or what do you think, am i doing it wrong? i just scratched all the old gasket off my old cylinder, took a picture before.

You should get a small torque wrench and do it right .

Going by "feel" is not good enuff when it comes to head bolts.

Maybe some lockwashes might help if vibrations are making them come loose.