CH 1 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

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I wrote this book with the intention of creating a tool that enthusiasts at any level could read and
utilize. If you are someone who has never rebuilt a four-stroke dirt bike engine before, this book
provides you with all the wisdom, techniques, and how-to knowledge required to do the job at a
professional level. While there is no substitute for experience and practice, this book provides the
fundamental groundwork required to progress at the fastest rate possible. Whether you are a total
beginner or an experienced builder, this book will bring you valuable knowledge and insight into the
world of engine building.

This book is designed to compliment a service manual. Service manuals are great at providing
torque specifications, service specifications, etc. Where a service manual falls short though is that it
does not explain the how or why behind the processes of engine building, nor does it teach you the
proper techniques. Throughout this book the how and why behind every fundamental task associated
with building an engine is covered. In addition, the proper way to perform all the various techniques
associated with a build are explained and taught in full detail, allowing you to step away to work on
your bike with the highest quality information.
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The primary focus of this book is to detail a complete engine build from disassembly to reassembly.
You can also use this book for reference to perform top end builds and other service tasks. The
degree to which you want to complete your rebuild will be entirely up to you. If you simply want to get
your engine running again you’re covered. If you want to prepare your engine for racing you’re also
covered.
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You’ll notice that I use pictures and talk about examples from two different engines, a Honda
CRF450R and Kawasaki KX250F engine, throughout the book as I detail the build process. The
reason I used two engines as examples was not to confuse you, but to provide you with all the
variations in design and assembly techniques you are likely to encounter on any make and model of
engine. Believe it or not, design differences between all the major manufacturers is limited, so once
you learn all the techniques, reasons parts interact the way they do, and understand what you are
dealing with you will be in a good position to tackle any engine project.
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This book is laid out in chronological order, unlike a service manual where jumping around is the
norm. While major disassembly, inspection, and assembly orders are right for the engines I’ve used
as examples, you may find small sequential differences on other engines. For example, assemblies
like the oil pump can be designed to function in a few different locations on the engine so small
subassembly instruction may be off by a page or two. The TABLE OF CONTENTS has been
designed to be your navigational beacon so that you can easily find the information that you are
looking for. Simply browse through the table of contents to find the topic you are seeking information
on and jump to that page as necessary.
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THE FOUR STROKE DIRT BIKE ENGINE BUILDING HANDBOOK 5
 Throughout the chapters dedicated to the actual build process you will find highlighted sections
called TECHNICAL TAKEAWAYS. Just like the build process, Technical Takeaways are presented in
chronological order as they become relevant. Technical Takeaways are how-to instruction for repeated
tasks, technical concepts, and advanced building techniques that are discussed in full detail only
once, and then summarized thereafter as you read through the book. While only discussed once,
these Technical Takeaways should be kept in the back of your mind as you progress through the build.
For example, one technical takeaway covers how to correctly install seals, this is a task that must be
performed numerous times and once covered it will be expected that you use the knowledge found in
the Technical Takeaway to perform the remaining seal installation tasks.
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In addition to Technical Takeaways, another highlighted section of text will be found throughout the
book called HOT TIPS. Hot Tips are to be regarded as my own personal experiences and preferences
when working through a build. Use them as you see fit!
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A final highlighted section called RACE ENGINE TECHNIQUES illustrates all additional tasks that
are required when building a performance engine. If you are just repairing a stock engine these tasks
won’t be necessary to perform. However, you may enjoy reading about them and learning about why
builders must do them.
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The level of involvement you want to have in the build process is also entirely up to you. While
precision measuring is not for everyone, it is covered in complete detail in this book. If you aren’t
equipped or don’t feel comfortable with some of the tasks outlined, simply farm the work out to a
professional. The Four Stroke Dirt Bike Engine Building Handbook will give you an extremely
thorough overview on a full engine build. What you decide to do will be up to you and the suggestions
found throughout this book are here to help you in your decision making process.
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THE FOUR STROKE DIRT BIKE ENGINE BUILDING HANDBOOK 6