My new plan is to probably just split the cases and leave the head on since I think it's a bottom end problem, I hear it way lower like near the crank on the clutch side of the bike. I am almost positive I can split the cases without pulling the head, I'm thinking the manual just wants the head pulled so that people can take out the pistons at the same time. I guess what I want to know is how likely is it for me to have wrist pin and bearing damage on the pistons verses journal bearing damage on the crank that would cause the ticking? I can get a used crank and new bearings for it once it's spec'd for like 150 plus whatever the gaskets cost. Under 100? Then I would fix my tranny problem which is probably just shift forks for like fifty bucks with good used parts. I will be running a compression test beforehand to check the rings, but how likely is it that I have piston pin/bearing damage causing the noise? By the way, I have micrometers that I have been trained well to use in school and they are accurate to .01mm and I've confirmed their accuracy on multiple occasions, I also have inside diameter measures which I tend to triple check and get and average from (all my measures are extremely close though, I'm just **** about my engine work). I also have very precise feeler gauges and a machine shop square. P.S. How likely is it for this little tick that seems to closely match rpms to let the entire engine go, lock my rear tire in a corner and fling me into heaven?

 

Scratch everything, found a motor with 11k miles for only 500 bones, and it comes with carbs and is a 98. More horsepower, less miles, good tranny, almost same as rebuild and saves the season? Yes please. After I part out the old motor which should have good cases, clutch, head, carb and covers, I should be almost even on the swap and have gained at least five horses (old motor got sandblasted in the internals by he who did not care (PO)