After reading a ton of the posts on here, I figured this would be the absolute best forum to join to learn and find wisdom on my recently purchased 96' Savage. After scoring this fine piece of Japanese machinery for $400, I immediately began the process to figure out what was wrong with it as it was not running when I bought it. A little backstory: bought it, "the motorcycle guy" at Toyota where I worked at the time checked it out and came to the conclusion the engine needed to be broke down to determine the problem. So here I am, motor out of frame, ready to be disassembled.

My question is: If I am taking apart the cylinder head to inspect the valves/piston/cylinder wall, do I need to take apart the alternator, starter, clutch, camshaft cover, and components as per the Clymer's repair manual or would I be okay starting from the cylinder head and making my way down the cylinder?

Also, I'm sure I read somewhere a checklist of things to inspect when the engine is disassembled, but I can't seem to find it. I know the chain tensioner is on there, and I'm going to go ahead and fix that infamous seal leak while I'm in there, but if there is anything else or if somebody can find the link to that checklist before I do I would appreciate it.

Thanks for the quick post. I forgot to mention it has 33,605 miles on it. Back when I was working those dreadful 12 hour days I bought this bike, and brought it to the dealership. I asked around and everybody pointed to Chris, "the motorcycle guy." I asked him to give it a good looking over, and he said it had no compression and he would have to break it apart to know for sure what was going on. He did disconnect the decompression lever before the compression test. However, what he meant by no compression I will never know. What I do know is it will turn over all day, but never crank. He sprayed starter fluid in the spark plug hole, put the plug in, and it fired so it can't be seized up?

I've learned to listen to ANY advice given to me after I did a sbc350 swap on my 79' fj40. Talk about lesson learned after lesson learned. I do know for a fact that I need a front drive belt pulley since mine is all grinded up in the spline region. PM me a price and shipping to 35405 if you've got one. I want to see what the major damage is on the bike since I haven't spent anything over the initial cost of the bike so far, but an estimate doesn't hurt.

I, PM'ed you.
But if you don't get it.
Look here:
http://tomradde.com/xt225/styled/index.html

All depends on the size, and what you want.
Most people do not understand, those boxes CAN go to 70 LB's  total,
for the One Box !
Ya can fit a  LOT of stuff, in a, 'large'  PM  box'.

I'd shoot some oil in it,look at the plug, pop the valve covers,see if they are open when they should not be,then check the compression. I'd do the valve thing first. But I would not allow it to start till I had checked the cam chain..

Finally got some progress going. Not as much as I'd hoped, but moving in a forward direction. Here's a few pictures of what I've done so far:

Last one, but expect more tonight: