Thanks, Enduro nut, that's the first thing I was thinking. Can this be welded? Where is your welder friend located? I can get some pictures to you or him to see if it is even possible.

Since I don't know if some of these cases on ebay are for a 360 or just a 250 based on the first 3 numbers of the part (or casting) number, I've been asking the sellers to give me the measurements of the spacing of the 2 cylinder studs, center to center, and the height of the stud off the case. Seems like if I can get that to match mine, I might be able to make it work. So far, I've been mostly getting what appears to be 250 cylinder stud measurements from everything that has a #291 starting part number even though the ad say's it's from a 360. I don't know the spacing of the cylinder studs for the 250, but I have measured mine and most have been smaller spacing (ie smaller cylinder). There was 1 on ebay that had the right spacing, but it was only $30 and was in really bad shape. I'll keep looking.

Thanks,
Steve

I'm kind of sad this morning... 

There are a very limited number of RT cases on ebay.  Every set I looked at were clearly stamped with a factory "RT1" VIN number.  Yet allegedly they all (or at least more than one set) have studs that are spaced too narrow?  I'm calling BS on that claim.  (I didn't bother looking for the 291 casting numbers...  except I'm pretty sure the $30 case half mentioned doesn't have a "291" because it's listed as an earlier case half)

What makes me sad is that instead of helping someone find a solution, it seems my "calling it like I see it" (aka "Attack") has shifted the focus from finding cases that will work to "proving who's right" about a casting number or something?  Not at all my intention.

Welding, if possible, is the better solution anyway. 

I've always done my best to help...  Recently I've noticed a decrease in patience and an increase in frustration in myself when answering questions... especially the ones that have been asked and answered literally hundreds of times. 

If you count my archived posts, I have well over 20,000 here...  that surprises me!  It doesn't seem like over 10 years and that many posts!  Maybe I'm just burned out and it's time to take a break until it becomes fun for me again. 


 

Take some time out to recharge the batteries, Mark. 

Different folks learn, and interpret posts, in different ways - not a criticism to any party, as I can say something to 'er indoors and she'll interpret in a way that wasn't meant, despite us being married for 39 years! 

A combination of the errors on the online parts lists and Yamaha's own quirks means that, sometimes, it is difficult to give definitive, logical answers to a question - eg some part supersessions not actually fitting.    

Hang on in there Mark! 

This site wouldn’t be today if not for you, Mark T, and another hand full of folks that know these old bikes so well…
There a many new comers that ask and don’t bother to search.. “the easy button” style.
Now add in the heat wave you went through this past summer… I hope you do make time to “un-plug”. Perhaps take a long journey on one of yer bikes?

Yes these cases can be welded. If you take it apart to clean it do NOT sandblast it. What happens is because aluminum is a softer metal than steel the sand embeds itself making it a real pain to weld. Same goes for magnesium. Its hard enough with all the contaminants they throw into the moldings when they make these castings from the factory.
Usually ill have my brothers weld my stuff seeing how they been welding their whole lives but the fella i know lives out in Washington state and i needed him to vapor blast and polish some of my engine covers and cases. I had him weld up that "stud" piece the chain broke off from a previous owners neglect on the left casing and he did a fantastic job.
Ill PM you his name and number and give him a heads up while im at it.