Stolen 1978 YZ400 – Will It Finally Start?

This 1978 YZ400E was stolen from me two years ago. I found it on Facebook Marketplace this spring and made a long trip to get it back. The person who stole it had completely trashed it. I fixed a long list of problems, but it still wouldn’t start. It eventually turned out the piston was shot and the cylinder needed a rebore. I had it bored at a local shop, rebuilt the top end, and replaced the engine oil seals. Now everything is finally back together… Will it start this time? Watch the full series from the day I got it back (and when I got it the first time around):    • 1978 Yamaha YZ400E   Timestamps: 00:00 - Frame Prep, Primer & Paint 03:05 - Frame Reassembly 05:27 - Custom Rear Shock Damper Fabrication 09:30 - Installing Swing Arm & Handlebars 12:00 - Installing Engine into Frame 13:58 - Installing Drive Chain 14:50 - Stator, Flywheel & Ignition Timing 17:21 - Wiring Kill Switch, Ignition Coil & Spark Test 19:55 - Clutch Cable, Reed Cage & Intake Manifold 21:03 - Carburetor & Throttle Cable Setup 22:57 - Exhaust Pipe & Spring Mounting 25:16 - Transmission Oil & Carb Leak Fix 28:35 - Kickstarting & First Heat Cycles 31:09 - It Starts! First Fire Up & Idle 34:26 - Final Hardware & Foot Pegs 35:45 - First Neighborhood Ride Have you ever gotten a stolen bike back, or spent months bringing a trashed motorcycle back to life? Drop your story below. #YZ400 #YamahaYZ400 #StolenBike #DirtBikeRebuild #MotorcycleRepair #1978YZ400