2008 YAMAHA WR 450F air condition

TO THE NEW OWNER
This manual will provide you with a
good basic understanding of fea-
tures, operation, and basic mainte-
nance and inspection items of this
machine. Please read this manual
carefully and completely before oper-
ating your new machine. If you have
any questions regarding the opera-
tion or maintenance of your machine,
please consult your Yamaha dealer.
This manual should be considered a
permanent part of this machine and
should remain with it even if the ma-
chine is subsequently sold.
NOTICE
Some data in this manual may be-
come outdated due to improve-
ments made to this model in the
future. If there is any question you
have regarding this manual or your
machine, please consult your
Yamaha dealer.
F.I.M. MACHINE WEIGHTS
Weights of machines without fuel
The minimum weights for motocross
machines are:
for the class 125 cc:
minimum 88 kg (194 lb)
for the class 250 cc:
minimum 98 kg (216 lb)
for the class 500 cc:
minimum 102 kg (225 lb)
In modifying your machine (e.g., for
weight reduction), take note of the
above limits of weight.
HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
FINDING THE REQUIRED PAGE
1. This manual consists of seven
chapters; "General Information",
"Specifications", "Regular inspec-
tion and adjustments", "Tuning",
"Engine", "Chassis" and "Electri-
cal".
2. The table of contents is at the be-
ginning of the manual. Look over
the general layout of the book be-
fore finding then required chapter
and item.
Bend the book at its edge, as
shown, to find the required fore
edge symbol mark and go to a
page for required item and de-
scription.
MANUAL FORMAT
All of the procedures in this manual
are organized in a sequential, step-
by-step format. The information has
been complied to provide the me-
chanic with an easy to read, handy
reference that contains comprehen-
sive explanations of all disassembly,
repair, assembly, and inspection op-
erations.
In this revised format, the condition of
a faulty component will precede an
arrow symbol and the course of ac-
tion required will follow the symbol,
e.g.,
•Bearings
Pitting/damage→Replace. 9. THE ENGINE, EXHAUST
PIPE, MUFFLER, AND OIL
TANK WILL BE VERY HOT
AFTER THE ENGINE HAS
BEEN RUN.
Be careful not to touch them
or to allow any clothing item
to contact them during in-
spection or repair.
10. PROPERLY SECURE THE
MACHINE BEFORE TRANS-
PORTING IT.
When transporting the ma-
chine in another vehicle, al-
ways be sure it is properly
secured and in an upright po-
sition and that the fuel cock is
in the "OFF" position. Other-
wise, fuel may leak out of the
carburetor or fuel tank.

1-14
STARTING AND BREAK-IN
STARTING AND BREAK-IN
FUEL
Always use the recommended fuel as
stated below. Also, be sure to use
new gasoline the day of a race.
Use only unleaded gasoline. The
use of leaded gasoline will cause
severe damage to the engine inter-
nal parts such as valves, piston
rings, and exhaust system, etc.
If knocking or pinging occurs, use a
different brand of gasoline or higher
octane grade.
• For refueling, be sure to stop the
engine and use enough care not
to spill any fuel. Also be sure to
avoid refueling close to a fire.
• Refuel after the engine, exhaust
pipe, etc. have cooled off.
HANDLING NOTE
Never start or run the engine in a
closed area. The exhaust fumes
are poisonous; they can cause
loss of consciousness and death
in a very short time. Always oper-
ate the machine in a well-ventilated
area.
• The carburetor on this machine
has a built-in accelerator pump.
Therefore, when starting the en-
gine, do not operate the throttle
or the spark plug will foul.
• Unlike a two-stroke engine, this
engine cannot be kick started
when the throttle is open be-
cause the kickstarter may kick
back. Also, if the throttle is open
the air/fuel mixture may be too
lean for the engine to start.
• Before starting the machine, per-
form the checks in the pre-opera-
tion check list.
AIR FILTER MAINTENANCE
According to "CLEANING THE AIR
FILTER ELEMENT" section in the
CHAPTER 3, apply the foam-air-filter
oil or its equivalent to the element.
(Excess oil in the element may ad-
versely affect engine starting.)
STARTING A COLD ENGINE
This model is equipped with an igni-
tion circuit cut-off system. The engine
can be started under the following
conditions.
• When the transmission is in neutral.
• When the clutch is disengaged with
the transmission in any position.
However, it is recommended to shift
into neutral before starting the en-
gine.
1. Inspect the coolant level.
2. Turn the fuel cock to "ON".
3. Push on the main switch to "ON".
4. Shift the transmission into neutral.
5. Fully open the cold starter knob
"1".
6. Start the engine by pushing the
start switch or by kicking the kick-
starter crank.
If the engine fails to start by pushing
the start switch, release the switch,
wait a few seconds, and then try
again. Each starting attempt should
be as short as possible to preserve
the battery. Do not crank the engine
more than 10 seconds on any one at-
tempt. If the engine does not start
with the starter motor, try using the
kickstarter crank.
• If the starter motor will not turn
when pushing the start switch,
stop pushing it immediately and
kick start the engine in order to
avoid the load on the motor.
• Do not open the throttle while
kicking the kickstarter crank.
Otherwise, the kickstarter crank
may kick back.
7. Return the cold starter knob to its
original position and run the en-
gine at 3,000–5,000 r/min for 1 or
2 minutes.
Since this model is equipped with an
accelerator pump, if the engine is
raced (the throttle opened and
closed), the air/fuel mixture will be too
rich and the engine may stall. Also
unlike a two-stroke engine, this model
can idle.
Do not warm up the engine for ex-
tended periods of time.
STARTING A WARM ENGINE
Do not operate the cold starter knob
and throttle. Pull the hot starter lever
"1" and start the engine by pushing
the start switch or by kicking the kick-
starter crank forcefully with a firm
stroke. As soon as the engine starts,
Release the hot starter lever to close
the air passage.
Restarting an engine after a fall
Pull the hot starter lever and start the
engine. As soon as the engine starts,
Release the hot starter lever to close
the air passage. Recommended fuel:
Premium unleaded
gasoline only with a re-
search octane number
of 95 or higher.

1-15
STARTING AND BREAK-IN
The engine fails to start
Pull the hot starter lever all the way
out and while holding the lever, kick
the kickstarter crank 10 to 20 times to
clear the engine. Then, restart the en-
gine. Refer to "Restarting an engine
after a fall".
Observe the following break-in
procedures during initial operation
to ensure optimum performance
and avoid engine damage.
BREAK-IN PROCEDURES
1. Before starting the engine, fill the
fuel tank with the fuel.
2. Perform the pre-operation checks
on the machine.
3. Start and warm up the engine.
Check the idle speed, and check
the operation of the controls and
the engine stop switch. Then, re-
start the engine and check its op-
eration within no more than 5
minutes after it is restarted.4. Operate the machine in the lower
gears at moderate throttle open-
ings for five to eight minutes.
5. Check how the engine runs when
the machine is ridden with the
throttle 1/4 to 1/2 open (low to me-
dium speed) for about one hour.
6. Restart the engine and check the
operation of the machine through-
out its entire operating range. Re-
start the machine and operate it
for about 10 to 15 more minutes.
The machine will now be ready to
race.
• After the break-in or before each
race, you must check the entire
machine for loose fittings and
fasteners as per "TORQUE-
CHECK POINTS". Tighten all
such fasteners as required.
• When any of the following parts
have been replaced, they must
be broken in.
CYLINDER AND CRANKSHAFT:
About one hour of break-in oper-
ation is necessary.
PISTON, RING, VALVES, CAM-
SHAFTS AND GEARS:
These parts require about 30
minutes of break-in operation at
half-throttle or less. Observe the
condition of the engine carefully
during operation.
Thro
ttle
grip
op-
era-
tion*Cold
start-
er
knobHot
start-
er le-
ver
St
ar
ti
n
g
a
c
ol
d
e
n
gi
n
eAir tempera-
ture = less
than 5 °C (41
°F)Ope
n 3
or 4
time
sON OFF
Air tempera-
ture = more
than 5 °C (41
°F)Non
eON OFF
Air tempera-
ture (normal
temperature)
= between 5
°C (41 °F)
and 25 °C
(77 °F)Non
eON/
OFFOFF
Air tempera-
ture = more
than 25 °C
(77 °F)Non
eOFF OFF
Starting an en-
gine after a long
period of timeNon
eON OFF
Restarting a
warm engineNon
eOFF ON
Restarting an en-
gine after a fallNon
eOFF ON
* Operate the throttle grip before kick
starting.

4-1
ENGINE
TUNING
ENGINE
CARBURETOR SETTING
• The air/fuel mixture will vary de-
pending on atmospheric conditions.
Therefore, it is necessary to take
into consideration the air pressure,
ambient temperature, humidity,
etc., when adjusting the carburetor.
• Perform a test run to check for prop-
er engine performance (e.g., throt-
tle response) and spark plug(-s)
discoloration or fouling. Use these
readings to determine the best pos-
sible carburetor setting.
It is recommended to keep a record of
all carburetor settings and external
conditions (e.g., atmospheric condi-
tions, track/surface conditions, lap
times) to make future carburetor set-
ting easier.
• The carburetor is a part of the
fuel line. Therefore, be sure to in-
stall it in a wellventilated area,
away from flammable objects
and any sources of fire.
• Never look into the carburetor in-
take. Flames may shoot out from
the pipe if the engine backfires
while it is being started. Gasoline
may be discharged from the ac-
celerator pump nozzle when the
carburetor has been removed.
• The carburetor is extremely sen-
sitive to foreign matter (dirt,
sand, water, etc.). During instal-
lation, do not allow foreign mat-
ter to get into the carburetor.
• Always handle the carburetor
and its components carefully.
Even slight scratches, bends or
damage to carburetor parts may
prevent the carburetor from
functioning correctly. Carefully
perform all servicing with the ap-
propriate tools and without ap-
plying excessive force.
• When the engine is stopped or
when riding at no load, do not
open and close the throttle un-
necessarily. Otherwise, too
much fuel may be discharged,
starting may become difficult or
the engine may not run well.• After installing the carburetor,
check that the throttle operates
correctly and opens and closes
smoothly.
ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS AND
CARBURETOR SETTINGS
The air density (i.e., concentration of
oxygen in the air) determines the rich-
ness or leanness of the air/fuel mix-
ture.
• Higher temperature expands the air
with its resultant reduced density.
• Higher humidity reduces the
amount of oxygen in the air by so
much of the water vapor in the
same air.
• Lower atmospheric pressure (at a
high altitude) reduces the density of
the air.
EFFECT OF SETTING PARTS IN
RELATION TO THROTTLE VALVE
OPENING
A. Closed
B. Fully open
1. Pilot jet
2. Throttle valve cutaway
3. Jet needle
4. Main jetCONSTRUCTION OF
CARBURETOR AND SETTING
PARTS
The FLATCR carburetor has a prima-
ry main jet. This type of main jet is
perfect for racing machines since it
supplies an even flow of fuel, even at
full load. Use the main jet and the jet
needle to set the carburetor.
1. Jet needle
2. Pilot air jet
3. Needle jet
4. Main jet
5. Pilot jet
ADJUSTING THE MAIN JET
The richness of the air-fuel mixture at
full throttle can be set by changing the
main jet "1".
If the air-fuel mixture is too rich or too
lean, the engine power will drop, re-
sulting in poor acceleration.
Effects of changing the main jet
(reference)
A. Idle
B. Fully open
1. #165
2. #160
3. #162 Air
tem
p.Hu-
midi-
tyAir
pres-
sure
(alti-
tude)Mix-
tureSet-
ting
High HighLow
(high)Rich-
erLean-
er
Low LowHigh
(low)Lean-
erRich-
er
Standard main jet#162
* #160
* For EUROPE

4-4
ENGINE
EXAMPLES OF CARBURETOR SETTING DEPENDING ON SYMPTOM
* This should be taken simply for an example. It is necessary to set the carburetor while checking the operating conditions
of the engine.
Symptom Setting Checking
At full throttle
Hard breathing
Shearing noise
Whitish spark plug
↓
Lean mixtureIncrease main jet calibration no. (Gradual-
ly)Discoloration of spark plug→If tan color, it
is in good condition.
If cannot be corrected:
Clogged float valve seat
Clogged fuel hose
Clogged fuel cock
Check that the accelerator pump operates
smoothly.
At full throttle
Speed pick-up stops
Slow speed pick-up
Slow response
Sooty spark plug
↓
Rich mixtureDecrease main jet calibration no. (Gradual-
ly)Discoloration of spark plug→If tan color, it
is in good condition.
If cannot be corrected:
Clogged air filter
Fuel overflow from carburetor
Lean mixture Lower jet needle clip position. (1 groove
down)
The clip position is the jet needle groove on
which the clip is installed.
The positions are numbered from the top.
Check that the accelerator pump operates
smoothly. (except for rich mixture symp-
tom). Rich mixture Raise jet needle clip position. (1 groove up)
1/4–3/4 throttle
Hard breathing
Lack of speedLower jet needle clip position. (1 groove
down)
1/4–1/2 throttle
Slow speed pick-up
Poor accelerationRaise jet needle clip position. (1 groove up)
Closed to 1/4 throttle
Hard breathing
Speed downUse jet needle with a smaller diameter. Slow-speed-circuit passage
Clogged→Clean.
Overflow from carburetor
Closed to 1/4 throttle
Poor accelerationUse jet needle with a larger diameter.
Raise jet needle clip position. (1 groove up)
Poor response in the low to in-
termediate speedsRaise jet needle clip position.
If this has no effect, lower the jet needle clip
position.
Poor response when throttle is
opened quicklyCheck overall settings.
Use main jet with a lower calibration no.
Raise jet needle clip position. (1 groove up)
If these have no effect, use a main jet with
a higher calibration no. and lower the jet
needle clip position.Check air filter for fouling.
Check that the accelerator pump operates
smoothly.
Jet needleClip
Groove 7 Groove 6
Groove 5
Groove 4
Groove 3
Groove 2
Groove 1
Leaner
(Standard)
Richer

4-5
CHASSIS
CHASSIS
SELECTION OF THE SECONDARY
REDUCTION RATIO (SPROCKET)
ondary gear reduction ratio>
• It is generally said that the second-
ary gear ratio should be reduced for
a longer straight portion of a speed
course and should be increased for
a course with many corners. Actual-
ly, however, as the speed depends
on the ground condition of the day
of the race, be sure to run through
the circuit to set the machine suit-
able for the entire course.
• In actuality, it is very difficult to
achieve settings suitable for the en-
tire course and some settings may
be sacrificed. Thus, the settings
should be matched to the portion of
the course that has the greatest ef-
fect on the race result. In such a
case, run through the entire course
while making notes of lap times to
find the best balance; then, deter-
mine the secondary reduction ratio.
• If a course has a long straight por-
tion where a machine can run at
maximum speed, the machine is
generally set such that it can devel-
op its maximum revolutions toward
the end of the straight line, with care
taken to avoid the engine over-rev-
ving.
Riding technique varies from rider to
rider and the performance of a ma-
chine also vary from machine to ma-
chine. Therefore, do not imitate other
rider's settings from the beginning but
choose your own setting according to
the level of your riding technique.
DRIVE AND REAR WHEEL
SPROCKETS SETTING PARTS
TIRE PRESSURE
Tire pressure should be adjust to suit
the road surface condition of the cir-
cuit.• Under a rainy, muddy, sandy, or
slippery condition, the tire pressure
should be lower for a larger area of
contact with the road surface.
• Under a stony or hard road condi-
tion, the tire pressure should be
higher to prevent a flat tire.
FRONT FORK SETTING
The front fork setting should be made
depending on the rider's feeling of an
actual run and the circuit conditions.
The front fork setting includes the fol-
lowing three factors:
1. Setting of air spring characteris-
tics
• Change the fork oil level.
2. Setting of spring preload
• Change the spring.
• Install the adjustment washer.
3. Setting of damping force
• Change the compression damp-
ing.
• Change the rebound damping.
The spring acts on the load and
the damping force acts on the
cushion travel speed.
CHANGE IN LEVEL AND
CHARACTERISTICS OF FORK OIL
Damping characteristic near the final
stroke can be changed by changing
the fork oil amount.
Adjust the oil level in 5 mm (0.2 in)
increments or decrements. Too
low oil level causes the front fork
to produce a noise at full rebound
or the rider to feel some pressure
on his hands or body. Alternative-
ly, too high oil level will develop
unexpectedly early oil lock with
the consequent shorter front fork
travel and deteriorated perfor-
mance and characteristics. There-
fore, adjust the front fork within
the specified range.
Secondary reduction ratio =
Number of rear wheel sprocket
teeth/Number of drive sprocket
teeth
Standard secondary
reduction ratio50/13
(3.846)
* 47/14
(3.357)
* For EUROPE
Part
nameSize Part number
Drive
sprocket
"1"
(STD) 13T 9383E-13233
* 14T 9383E-14215
** (STD) ** 14T 5NG-17460-00
* For AUS and NZ
** For EUROPE
Part
nameSize Part number
Rear
wheel
sprocket
"2"
** (STD) ** 47T 1C3-25447-00
48T 5GS-25448-50
* 48T 1C3-25448-00
* 49T 1C3-25449-00
(STD) 50T 5TJ-25450-80
* (STD) * 50T 1C3-25450-00
* 51T 1C3-25451-00
52T 5TJ-25452-80
* 52T 1C3-25452-00
* For AUS and NZ
** For EUROPE
Standard tire pressure:
100 kPa (1.0 kgf/cm
2,
15 psi)
Extent of adjustment:
60–80 kPa (0.6–0.8 kgf/
cm
2, 9.0–12 psi)
Extent of adjustment:
100–120 kPa (1.0–1.2
kgf/cm
2, 15–18 psi)

4-6
CHASSIS
A. Air spring characteristics in
relation to oil level change
B. Load
C. Stroke
1. Max. oil level
2. Standard oil level
3. Min. oil level
ADJUSTING THE SPRING
PRELOAD
The spring preload is adjusted by in-
stalling the adjustment washer "1" be-
tween the fork spring "2" and damper
rod "3".
Do not install three or more adjust-
ment washers for each front fork.
Always adjust each front fork to
the same setting. Uneven adjust-
ment can cause poor handling and
loss of stability.
A. Load
B. Fork stroke
1. Without adjustment washer
(standard)
2. 1 adjustment washer
3. 2 adjustment washers
SETTING OF SPRING AFTER
REPLACEMENT
As the front fork setting can be easily
affected by rear suspension, take
care so that the machine front and
rear are balanced (in position, etc.)
when setting the front fork.
1. Use of soft spring
• Change the rebound damping.
Turn out one or two clicks.
• Change the compression damp-
ing.
Turn in one or two clicks.
Generally a soft spring gives a soft
riding feeling. Rebound damping
tends to become stronger and the
front fork may sink deeply over a se-
ries of gaps.
2. Use of stiff spring
• Change the rebound damping.
Turn in one or two clicks.
• Change the compression damp-
ing.
Turn out one or two clicks.
Generally a stiff spring gives a stiff
riding feeling. Rebound damping
tends to become weaker, resulting in
lack of a sense of contact with the
road surface or in a vibrating handle-
bar.
FRONT FORK SETTING PARTS
• Adjustment washer "1"
• Front fork spring "2"
The I.D. mark (slits) "a" is proved on
the end of the spring.
When using a spring with a spring
rate of 0.469 kg/mm, do not install
two or more adjustment washers
for each front fork.
REAR SUSPENSION SETTING
The rear suspension setting should
be made depending on the rider's
feeling of an actual run and the circuit
conditions.
The rear suspension setting includes
the following two factors:
1. Setting of spring preload
• Change the set length of the
spring.
• Change the spring. Standard oil level:
132 mm (5.20 in)
*125 mm (4.92 in)
Extent of adjustment:
95–150 mm (3.74–5.91
in)
From top of outer tube
with inner tube and
damper rod fully com-
pressed without
spring.
* For AUS, NZ , ZA and EUROPE
Standard washer quanti-
ty:
Zero adjustment wash-
ers
Extent of adjustment:
Zero–2 adjustment
washers
TYPE (thick-
ness)PART NUMBER
T = 2.3 mm (0.09
in)5XE-23364-00
TYPESPRI
NG
RATESPRING
PART
NUMBER
(-23141-)I.D.
MARK
(slits)
SOFT0.408 5TJ-00 |
0.418 5TJ-10 ||
0.428 5TJ-20 |||
0.438 5TJ-30 ||||
0.449 5TJ-40 |||||
STD 0.459 5TJ-L0 —
STIFF 0.469 5TJ-60 |-||