Time to clean up and put things back together! No real surprises here, Honda made it fairly straight forward to re-assemble the bottom end. The crankcase splits horizontally allowing one to assemble the transmission’s shift drum, forks & gears, balancer shafts, and crankshaft, and lay them all down in the lower crankcase before closing everything with the upper crankcase. Then install the clutch and align the front and rear balancers and things start looking promising. Funny thing is that there is always a short moment of self-doubt were one wonders if every part was really in place and if something was forgotten. Probably like a doctor counting all his tools after completing a surgery and making sure that he didn’t forget any instrument in the patient! Nah, we’re good.
XR500 bottom end, left side. Note the chain driven front balancer, shift plate and shift spindle.
XR500 bottom end, right side. From left to right: clutch, ignition advancer rotor, camshaft timing chain, front balancer weight.
The intend has been to rebuild the bottom end as an XR500. I inserted though the neutral (gear) position indicator from the XL just in case I decide to use the XL left engine cover and its corresponding neutral switch sensor. Then again, who needs a bright neutral light indicator on a dashboard?!
XL’s neutral gear position indicator.
Now that the bottom end is back together, let’s go crazy with paint!
Mike's Basket Case 
Glad to see that all is clean and coming together rapidly. By Spring time, it will be time to make the first test and have your first crash!
Keep up the good work, it’s real cool to see the progrees
Roland
Thanks for the encouraging words — especially the ones related to me crashing the bike. Gotta love friends!
I am a little confuse about the arrangement of its two balancer wheels. How it is positioned with respect to one another is a little confusing.
I would highly recommend getting a copy of the Clymer repair manual which explains the procedure in detail. Copies are available at Amazon for example (http://www.amazon.com/Honda-1979-1990-Clymer-Repair-Manual/dp/B0034F7SRG/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1332743435&sr=1-1) — your motorcycle dealership may have copies as well.
Hi,i have one Honda xr 500 pd02,I opened the engine, and do not know how to properly put balancer,I do not know the exact signs!Please help me with photo and explanations!Thanks and sorry for my bad english!
Hi Luci, any luck on that balancer positions, please help me
Thanx
rudolfb@internext.co.za
hei,please respon me
There is more than just alignment involved to get the gears, shafts and balancers in place correctly. I would recommend that you get a copy of the Clymer service, repair and maintenance manual for the XR500 — steps are well explained and illustrated. You’ll also find tables with torque values. Here is a link to Clymer but the book is available from many other resellers and even your Honda dealer may carry copies.
Clymer Honda XL/XR 500-600 1979-1990:
http://clymer.com/Book.aspx?bid=950&title=Clymer+Honda+XL%2fXR+500-600+1979-1990
I just need to signs, motor type is pd02! please help me :)! i dont buy manual, i am in Romania, not Shiping me! Thanks Mike
This is my front balancer http://i.ebayimg.com/t/82-Honda-XL-500-R-XL500-counter-crank-balance-balancer-weight-/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/$(KGrHqZHJEEE%20WkrILbOBQU3DqsU%20g~~60_35.JPG
I have your email address and will communicate to you directly.
Good job Mike.
Quick question : I have a XL500 engine that I’m rebuilding for a project. I’ve not seen any oil filter anywhere in the engine. Did I miss something or there is no oil filter in this mill ?
There is no traditional oil filter on the XL/XR500 motor, but there is an oil screen. You access it by removing the right hand side engine cover (the cover which holds the oil dipstick), the screen will be at the bottom of the case. Remove, clean it and slide it back in place.
OK, I’m not completely incompetent then 🙂
Thanks Mike !
hey mike, you seem to be a bit of an xl 500 expert. I have the manual and it says to mark a link on the balancer chain, line it up with the dot on the front balancer, then the ninth link to the dot on the crank sprocket and the twenty seventh to the dot on the rear balancer. the picture shows each balancer to be in a position lined up with an indicator on each side of the case. I’ve taken several physics classes and the math shouldn’t be that difficult, but with this link alignment my view doesn’t match the picture. what’s the trick to that and is it that crucial?
Hmm these directions seem quite complicated. I remember aligning the balancer and cam shaft via marks on them. I believe that the process is well explained in the Clymer Repair Manual – you may want to have a look.
https://www.clymer.com/search?seoSlug=atv-service-repair-manuals&prodtype_ss=Motorcycle+Manuals&make=Honda&model=XR500R&year=1984
I need xr 500 r modle 1981 weight balancer timing chain diagram.
Best for you will be to get a copy of the Clymer Repair Manual – see link above.
Hey mike can you tell me how did you puton the chain I need help I have the same XR50 and I don’t now how it goes and is a little loose
Most chains of that size don’t have a connection link (like on a bicycle). You have to cut the chain to the proper length, by removing links, leaving a little bit of slack. Then use the special master link that came with the new chain to close the loop by riveting it. Best is to buy a toolkit to help you, you can get one from Amazon for example for $20. https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Chain-Breaker-13-Piece-Carrying/dp/B01EO17L02/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1518265613&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=motorcycle+chain+breaker&psc=1
Check out this video – it’ll guide you through the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mf6qRY0Syo
Hi and thank you for the post Mike . Can you help me with this ? I have ready to assembly the crankcase in this same bike, shall I use any kind of sealer ? and where exactly ? on the bearings too ? I am not sure what to do. Thank you in advance. Charles