Blown engine- advise please?

[Bruno]

Having realised how little my S is worth, I decided to spend quality time with it and have more fun, rather than sell up and return to my old airhead.
So of course the bike has now thrown the toys out the pram.

I set off for a day in the country beginning with a fuel stop, 10 mile warm up then a short M/way hop towards the Dales. First proper burst of speed and a loss of power. Check mirrror to pull over and there's no view because of the blue smoke.
Hard shoulder and a gentle cruise to the next phone. No seizure, no smoke at low revs.

I'm guessing a holed piston a' la Bocking Bandit's recent posts.

How do I do a compression check with regard to earthing HT leads and injectors (Give me back my cb points)?

Assuming that I was already in two minds about selling up and returning to my R100 and that I could be facing a big repair bill, do I start ripping things to bits and would there be any upgrades that are worthwhile. Or does somebody want to buy a very cheap '02 in previously vgc.

My wife also wants to know why I've spent "How much!" on another bike that has come back via RAC.
This was why I packed up despatching and got a 'proper' job.

A very fed up Bruno.

[Me-109]

The coil is likely as not siamesed - that is it fires both plugs together regardless of whether it needs the spark or not. In the context of doing a compression test, you'd be fine to pull both plugs out and leave the leads flapping in the breeze. You could quite happily do this one at a time. All you are trying to do is spin the engine over, not get it to start. Just don't leave the plugs in the leads and you'll be fine if you don't poke your finger inside the cap!

Again, for the duration you are talking about you don't have to worry about the injectors, though you could disconnect them at the plug if you wished.

Of course all that would tell you is which side was duff (if not both). It would give you first call on whether it was rings, piston or valves so you'll still have to strip it. Then if you're into rebore territory you'll have to do the other side anyway.

[Bruno]

Thanks for that, but isn't there a risk of damaging the ignition system if there's nowhere for the spark energy to find its way to ground? Or is that an old wifes tale?
I suppose that I've still got a forlorn hope that somebody's going to tell me that I've overfilled with oil, and all I have to do is empty it out!!
I'm also trying to work out whether to bother fixing it at all or flog it for parts. At the moment I feel like thrashing it to death with the nearest rose bush.
Are these motors rebore-able or are the bores plated?

Bruno

[Jason M]

Thanks for that, but isn't there a risk of damaging the ignition system if there's nowhere for the spark energy to find its way to ground? Or is that an old wifes tale?
I suppose that I've still got a forlorn hope that somebody's going to tell me that I've overfilled with oil, and all I have to do is empty it out!!
I'm also trying to work out whether to bother fixing it at all or flog it for parts. At the moment I feel like thrashing it to death with the nearest rose bush.
Are these motors rebore-able or are the bores plated?

Bruno

Bruno - sorry to hear of the problem. Bandit phoned Motorworks recently and was quoted about 140 I think for a barrel and piston so you could get out of this pretty cheap if you can weild a spanner. I've got a piston and barrel in the garage if it's the same side as your problem one. Probably need to find out exactly what the problem is first though!

Jason

[nab 301]

Thanks for that, but isn't there a risk of damaging the ignition system if there's nowhere for the spark energy to find its way to ground? Or is that an old wifes tale?
I suppose that I've still got a forlorn hope that somebody's going to tell me that I've overfilled with oil, and all I have to do is empty it out!!
Bruno

The injector connectors are easily disconnected, and without stripping off the bodywork (to disconnect the coil input) remove the plugs , reconnect them to the plug leads and leave them (happily sparking away) whilst grounded on top of the barrels?
Only you can see if you overfilled the oil
Nigel B

[r550s]

er..same symptoms: FUEL STOP - ran okay - opened it up - loss of power - loads of smoke.
After a month of swapping everything, and seizing a second barrel/piston I couldn't get it to run right.

The petrol station had got diesel mixed in its unleaded tanks by mistake, and they kept quiet about it. Eventually coughed up eight hundred quid.

Took years off my life. Seems like the nickasil plating in the bores was affected by the diesel and caused a seizure at full chat - no-one I asked had ever heard of this but it happened to me, twice.

Just a thought...it happened to me...I was that soldier. Try Motorworks for your bits - they've recently broken an 11s.

[POB]

I second R550S - give Nord a call and try to buy the motor from the tidy S tehey are breaking...

[Blackal]

I'm no expert on the boxer engine, but in general you should disconnect the feed to the coil(s) and not the output.

A stray high tension arc can play havoc with (did I say "play havoc with"? I meant to say "F*ck the") electronics and add to your troubles.

Al

[Bruno]

Thanks everyone. I've got over my sulk mode now.
I suppose I'd only be bored if I wasn't in the shed with a spanner in my hand.
R550s how did you go about proving the garage had cocked up? I know I chose the super unleaded pump and thats what the receipt shows, but...
Did it ruin both barrels? Any bottom end damage?
I know I'll have to drag myself out to the bike at some point for a proper look. I don't mind swapping barrels myself, but don't fancy an engine swap. I have this terrible habit of taking things apart and never putting them back together. In which case I'd be better off taking it to a non-franchised expert, (any recommendations) or flogging the whole thing whilst it can still be wheeled around the shed.
"A man's gotta know his limitations. Well punk, do ya?"

[r550s]

it was difficult - the local paper got hold of the story and the matter was passed to the garage's insurers. They obviously had the cctv and till rolls etc, but even though they knew the details of everyone who'd filled up that morning, they still made me find my receipt, nice. At the end of the day they couldn't dispute that they'd sold diesel through the pumps - everybody and their uncle had broken down within a few miles. Plus, I'd got four gallons of 'proof' - even the lawnmower wouldn't run on the stuff! The tragedy was the way that it banjo'd my engine - maybe the diesel was washing the bores at full chat. The seizure was on the bottom side of the piston on the RH pot. I rebuilt it (thanks motorworks) and as soon as I opened it up on the motorway again, same thing - seized in the same place. Symptoms were (apart from the seizure) rough/no tickover, lots of smoke. Course' I tried to cure the smoking by replacing valve guides, like you do. Am I getting boring yet? It was terrific fun, hmm. By the time I got to swapping motronics, shares in Motorworks were through the roof. Never suspected the fuel, dumbass. Sometimes crying can be manly. Good luck, and don't bother buying new head gaskets - you can re-use them ad infinitum, plus, the engine's comically easy to work on - good job too!

[nab 301]

. First proper burst of speed and a loss of power. Check mirrror to pull over and there's no view because of the blue smoke.
A very fed up Bruno.

Diesel in the petrol was mentioned but I think this generally causes white smoke.
Nigel B

[BockingBandit]

My hole was also RH side, bottom of piston just below the bottom ring, ... facing the ground. It seems that this is where they all 'hole'.

Geoff