| Author | Message | ||
     Konicsection |
Yep, I broke it  I've always checked my oil level on this bike before every ride. With the bike vertical (off of the kickstand), the level would read in the middle of the two marks on the dipstick. I understood this to be fine because as the oil warms, it will expand. The type of oil I use was the HD Synthetic. Anyway, I was returning from an awesome camping trip in the mountains and the oil light flickered on. I stopped and checked the oil and it was foamy. After waiting a while to let the foam subside, the level was really low. I added oil and the oil light stayed off. A few miles down the road, I got a solid on oil light and the loud knocking from the lower end. That's when I realized that I broke it. After doing some pre-teardown shopping, looks like I'm going to spend at least $1000 to fix it. Here are my questions to y'all: 1) Are lubrication system failures common for this bike? 2) Cheaper to rebuild or install pull out engine? 3) Why did this happen to me? 4) Are crank failures common for this bike? I still haven't decided what to do with the bike (fix it or part it out) because of limited funds. I am bringing this up to get a clearer picture of my options. Thanks for any info! | ||
| Lynrd |
1. I have read about failure of the oil pump drive gear. Here's one thread. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/327 77/121556.html?1120822618 this may have been your root failure. 2. Probably cheaper to repair but not by a large margin - Even if you are comfortable spinning your own wrenches, setting a bottom end up correctly takes some special tools - most notable a truing stand. You can farm out the bottom end rebuild and then do the rest yourself. I think your estimate is low if you will be paying labor. Engines are all over e-bay in the $2200 range. They show up in the classifieds here as well. I have a nice one here that I can take down to bottom end and get off of for around $800 without cams or trans. Oil pump drive gear already replaced. You'd just swap the rest of the parts from your broked mill onto this one. 3. See # 1. Buell ownership for me has meant a bit of pro-active parts replacement and that oil pump drive gear is on the list. Other than that, is your Karma ok? 4. Nope. It's a roller bearing bottom end and if it was set up correctly, is pretty strong. In fact, you probably should dive into the oil pump area and determine if it is a "Nod rocking'" or if something else is making the knocking sound. If it is a rod, you may just need a rod set and crankpin, and may be even able to get away with some oversize rollers. A very good bottom end guy should inspect the thing and can figure out a course of action. | ||
| Konicsection |
Thanks Lynrd! When shopping around, I saw a crank assembly for about $700. But after reading about how oil pump drive failure happens on these bikes (and Sportys too), that's seems the best place to start. Roller bearing engines, in my experience, don't require the high oil pressures like plain bearing engines do. When I heard the knocking and the oil light, I associated that with the plain bearing failure (too much clearance causing the drop in pressure). Better check out the pump before I ditch the bike. | ||
| Buellistic |
First of all you do not check the oil before you ride because the oil drains into the bottom end when the engine is cold ... If you over fill oil tank your engine makes oil bubbles ... OIL SYSTEM Class 101, just PM me for a copy ... | ||
| Ratbuell |
So...where'd all the oil go? Is it in your primary? | ||
| Buellistic |
Two places when engine is cold setting over night or for long periods of time: by gravity into the bottom end and into the transmission if the motor sprocket oil seal is bad ... | ||
| Lynrd |
To clarify - what I have here is a set of cases, assembled, with a good set of wheels and rods. The Cams and valve train stay with the top end, but you'd receive a buttoned up set of cases with rods, wheels, and oil pump. I was thinking about this - if the Oil pump gear sheared, the oil would not get returned from the sump - that could be the low oil level that you saw. The foam, however, I just don't know...maybe what little was being returned was highly aerated? I dunno. Ratbuell raises a good point - the oil would either be in the crank area, or it blew the seal and migrated to the primary case. If you drain the primary and there is more than a quart that comes out - you have that failure too. Good news is, if the rods have gone south, you will be changing that seal anyway (That is my attempt at "Look on the bright side".) | ||
| Konicsection |
Where'd the oil go? On old brit bikes, that sounds like the phenomena of "wet sumping". They fill up the primary case and puke oil everywhere and run bad. Yep Lynrd, there's always a bright side. Taking it off of the insurance when I decide what to do saved me some $$$. I'll let you know soon if I want to get that lower end from you. Thanks for offering it to me. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I'm fully aware they can sump when sitting; there's a check valve that should (key word here) keep that from happening, but never check cold oil level. I'm just wondering, given the failure, if it oiled the road or simply lost pressure, or if it all got sent into the primary through a blown seal. Might help narrow the root cause, is all. |
