07Rubicons4Life

It’s alive! I moved the cam back to where the line on the sprocket was parallel to the case, then installed an after market tensioner. The chain has significantly stretched which I find remarkable on a machine with only 1,300 miles. The aftermarket tensioner doesn’t have a spring and is able to push the guide in further, I’ve read a lot of people who race dirt bikes use them. The gasket set didn’t come with o-rings for the water pump and I tried to reuse the original ones and the pump is leaking really bad, I’ll pull that off tomorrow and replace the o-rings. Anyone know the size for that? Sucks I just dumped $40 in Honda coolant in it. I jacked up the rear tires and it cycles through all the gears and shifts great so fingers crossed on that. Only bad part of the progress today was that now that it’s running holy smokes does it smoke. Smells like burning oil. I’m going to do an oil change tomorrow and coolant flush and just let it run for a while. I didn’t a compression test and it is holding steady at 100 PSI now so really hope it’s just a bunch of junk that needs to burn off. IMG_7551.mov

That would be awesome! I'm hoping that the original reason for post to the forum, difficulty shifting gears, doesn't end up being something that arises again.

Thank you for the help! I didn't plan on replacing the chain itself at this point, I'm hoping it's the tensioner. Once I get it installed I'll know if I have to break into this thing more. I won't' be using anything but OEM on this project, except the seat, which I hope to get to buy before this time next year haha. Once I get the tensioner on and test it I'll report back to close this loop. I hope I'm replying that she's purring like a kitten!

New tensioner comes tomorrow, got the new gasket set, Hondabond, and Honda coolant so hoping to get the machine back together tomorrow afternoon. Question: Does anyone know if there is a special way of installing this tensioner? I've read the service manual several times and I'm not clear if I have to use some type of stopper tool to retract the tensioner before installing. Thank you!

Pulled the top end off and the timing jumped a couple teeth in the gear, surprised it actually even ran. You can see in the one pic that the exhaust valves were hitting the piston, I’ll disassemble those this week and inspect to see if they are damaged. The tensioner appears to be the issue here’s a video as well. Is the cam supposed to have that much flop and is the chain supposed to be that loose even with a bad tensioner? For reference in the videos I had not taken the tensioner out yet. Piston clearance is nice and tight. So do I need to replace the chain and guide? I think I might just move to correct timing and put a new tensioner on and start there. Thoughts from anyone following along? IMG_7531.mov IMG_7533.mov

So I've read through your post two times from last year, and eyed the pictures a bunch. Did you reuse the camshaft and tensioner on that machine? Also, did you find that the timing was off when the oil pump chain jumped off?

I'm in Northern VA, about 30-minute drive outside DC. I've spent easily 10 hours searching for parts for this machine for the body and actually created a spreadsheet with each part number. It's missing so much, right now if I was to buy everything either new or used available today it would cost $1,302 to put the machine back together with fenders, splash guards, front rack, this thing doesn't even have a freaking seat. I'm actively looking for a donor machine and on PSN/eBay and other used vendors. I'm not buying crap for this thing not even a seat, I can use the one from my Camo machine, until it runs and rides like it should though, unless someone has a donor machine for a few hundred with good plastics.

It was weird in that the compression test at first showed 75, then when reset it never got above 25. It also won't run unless one of the valve covers is off. I read something you responded to like 12 years ago where the OP had issues that sounded very similar, and the timing had jumped one gear and after he replaced the timing chain and buttoned it all back together it was like a new machine again. I'm going to tear the top end of this thing off tomorrow and if the timing is good then I'll probably just pull the engine from the machine and put it on the bench and go from there. Really didn't want to get that far on a machine so clean with only 1300 miles on it, also with needing over $1,000 in body parts to put this back together after getting it running it might not be worth the total hassle.

Ok got back at it today. Checked compression and came back at 25 so low. Adjusted valves to .006 on intake side and .009 on exhaust side and still running rough. Took off the head to inspect the rods and both are good and nothing is loose or out of place. Got it to run again here is a video. At this point I’m thinking maybe the tensioner? I’m going to take this as far as it leads me, so I’ll do some more research and maybe plan to take the top end off to dig some more. IMG_7521.mov IMG_7520.mov

So was able to get it back into neutral, just needed a tad bit more pressure at the linkage. I was able to get it running today, well sort of it runs and sounds like absolute garbage and only with a little bit of gas applied. Thinking maybe a stuck or burned valve? Or maybe a blown headgasket? This machine is just too clean, and is a Honda, I can't see how it would be something catastrophic with only 1,300 miles on it. It wasn't knocking or smoking but did not want to run until I took a valve cover off which is why I'm thinking it was run hot and blew the headgasket. With the valve cover off I saw that it was throwing oil so that's a good sign. What type of lifters does this machine have, hydraulic?

Thanks @jeepwm69! This is a great start, I'm really hoping not to have to tear any further into this machine but maybe I'll just plan on pulling the back cover off tomorrow. I tried turning the engine over with the right lever pulled and that didn't help, also with the pull cord. I noticed that under the right brake lever two wires that hook in and one was not connected, is that a neutral safety switch or something? I might just keep this thing jacked up on stands and try and get it running as a starting point. I'm not too mechanically skilled just know the basics, so I'm hoping that these initial issues aren't all related and causing the thing not to even want to run. How much oil is going to leak out the back cover when I pop it off? I guess I'm basically looking to see if the shift drum is free and not jammed up, and it's engaged in a gear (doubt I will know what gear if it is). Does these run off oil pressure or just a straight up mechanical operation?

Oh and it's on a trickle charger and the battery is brand new so it's not the battery.

I just got this machine Sunday with it being a non-running wheeler and missing all the plastics so as is, I have not been able to get it running yet. It was only $700, and with the miles/hours worth my time as a project for my son and I to wrench on I was hoping. All the bolts still have the factory marks on them and have not been removed across the entire machine, it's actually super clean for the year. It wanted to run and coughed a few times like it was about to with gum cutter but I just decided to start with a carb rebuild. Also I took off the fuel tank and flushed that out and put some fresh gas in, the petcock value is not functioning well so have another one of those coming in, also the fuel gauge must not be working because even with 1/2 a tank the light keeps blinking empty so I ordered a new one of those as well. Threw a new spark plug in and tested that with my light it's getting spark, tested all the fuses they are good to go. So it has spark, air, and fuel. At this point before I spend over $1000 on body parts and all that I want to get it running and can't do that without the thing in Neutral. I'll jack the rear up again and try turning the engine over with the front brake lever pulled and see if a couple rotations will help at all. I read something about the shift motor going bad, could that cause this or a short? Are their relays on this thing?

I know you're thinking this is a new guy with another 2005-2011 model year Rubicon shift issue, please go easy on me! I just purchased a 2007 with 1,300 miles in Adventure Green that doesn't run and is missing basically all the plastics except the back fender, otherwise it's in good shape. I'm rebuilding the carb today and also have a cheapo one that I bought from Beso's so I hope to have at least the fuel part figured out. Tuesday I moved the gear shifter from Neutral to Drive and then to Low and now it's stuck in Low gear. Like it won't move out of Low gear at all. I've rocked the machine back and forth, jacked the rear end up, took the shifter itself off and nothing is obstructing it. For some reason it is just straight up STUCK, it's acting like it's in between gears because when jack it up the rear tires will spin backwards but not forwards and when I move the linkage with a little light force the rear wheels move both forward and back. I've spent hours and hours searching and have not seen this symptom on any forum or post so I figured I'd drop it here in the event anyone has encountered this or has any ideas. I can't get this sucker started, and now I can't get it in neutral to even try to get it started when I slap the carb back on. I also have a 2007 Rubicon in Camo with 1,700 miles so I know how the shifter should work, she is a beast and so I'm hoping to get this one running as well as my Camo one!