fullercameron
XS650 Addict
Posted a little bit about this earlier in another thread, but though it was worth making one specific to this problem.
Essentially, I went to kick the bike over the other day and it stopped about 3/4 of the way down with the kicker. Really locked in place and the kicker wouldn't go down any farther. Rocked the engine a bit in gear and it would turn and lock up at the same point.
Thought it might be a problem with the kicker mechanism so i drained the oil and pulled the side cover off to check things over. Everything seemed fine. I decided to rotate the engine w/ a socket to see if it was turning freely, and if so where it was stopping. Peeked in the spark plug holes to make sure there wasn't a valve doing something terrible and it appeared ok. Turned freely but would only rotate between around 10* of either side of BDC.
Pulled the sump off and found a whole mess of gnarly shavings (see picture).
I have been riding this bike for the past couple of years almost daily with the exception of Jan and Feb. Oil has been changed every 1000 miles, regularly check timing, cam chain tension, valves, etc. Engine has about 10,000 since complete rebuild. Filters at the last oil change were essentially free of gunk - no chunks, and only some grey metallic paste on the drain plug magnets.
I was able to look up through the sump and could see that there was a piece of what looked like aluminum between the 2 flywheels where the RS connecting rod lives. This piece of metal is what was stopping the engine from turning.
I had ridden the bike the night before to the bank and it was running fine. I noticed a slight noise in the top-end, but thought it sounded like it was time to check the valves again. I was about to change the oil and figured I'd look at it on the weekend. Had plenty of oil, just a little noisy. The next morning - STUCK.
Here are a couple of pics of the pice in the motor. Sorry they are cell phone pics. I pulled down the top-end this afternoon thinking I would find the cam chain guide chewed up and mangled. Nothing missing or self-destructed in the top. Can't see any place that this hunk of metal might come from.
I am getting ready to tear the engine down the rest of the way and thought I would put it out there and see if anyone has a guess as to what the hell this is and where it came from.
I can't see anything that might end up in here with the crankshaft. Sump filter, bolt, etc. are all still in place and the shreds are not magnetic. The piece appears to be aluminum.
Essentially, I went to kick the bike over the other day and it stopped about 3/4 of the way down with the kicker. Really locked in place and the kicker wouldn't go down any farther. Rocked the engine a bit in gear and it would turn and lock up at the same point.
Thought it might be a problem with the kicker mechanism so i drained the oil and pulled the side cover off to check things over. Everything seemed fine. I decided to rotate the engine w/ a socket to see if it was turning freely, and if so where it was stopping. Peeked in the spark plug holes to make sure there wasn't a valve doing something terrible and it appeared ok. Turned freely but would only rotate between around 10* of either side of BDC.
Pulled the sump off and found a whole mess of gnarly shavings (see picture).
I have been riding this bike for the past couple of years almost daily with the exception of Jan and Feb. Oil has been changed every 1000 miles, regularly check timing, cam chain tension, valves, etc. Engine has about 10,000 since complete rebuild. Filters at the last oil change were essentially free of gunk - no chunks, and only some grey metallic paste on the drain plug magnets.
I was able to look up through the sump and could see that there was a piece of what looked like aluminum between the 2 flywheels where the RS connecting rod lives. This piece of metal is what was stopping the engine from turning.
I had ridden the bike the night before to the bank and it was running fine. I noticed a slight noise in the top-end, but thought it sounded like it was time to check the valves again. I was about to change the oil and figured I'd look at it on the weekend. Had plenty of oil, just a little noisy. The next morning - STUCK.
Here are a couple of pics of the pice in the motor. Sorry they are cell phone pics. I pulled down the top-end this afternoon thinking I would find the cam chain guide chewed up and mangled. Nothing missing or self-destructed in the top. Can't see any place that this hunk of metal might come from.
I am getting ready to tear the engine down the rest of the way and thought I would put it out there and see if anyone has a guess as to what the hell this is and where it came from.
I can't see anything that might end up in here with the crankshaft. Sump filter, bolt, etc. are all still in place and the shreds are not magnetic. The piece appears to be aluminum.
