My '03 may have seen her last miles.

[dunhamg]

Looks like one rod broke and the rod bearing was out on the next one.

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee24/dunhamg/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/6793D5CC-B889-4056-AB98-09FDBAFA03D5.jpg

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee24/dunhamg/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/899C4B5C-F112-4BFB-9952-67240CFC8FE3.jpg

No issues with the timing chain and all of the pistons moved smoothly and the cylinders didn't show any signs of damage.

Grady

 

[rPGoatBoy]

Looks like one rod broke and the rod bearing was out on the next one.
https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee24/dunhamg/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/6793D5CC-B889-4056-AB98-09FDBAFA03D5.jpg

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee24/dunhamg/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/899C4B5C-F112-4BFB-9952-67240CFC8FE3.jpg

No issues with the timing chain and all of the pistons moved smoothly and the cylinders didn't show any signs of damage.

Grady

Got any pictures of the oil pump pickup screen? Those rod bearing journals look like they got a bit oil starved and toasty. Otherwise, it looks like you took care of it; I don't see any oil sludge anywhere. Also, getting the motor out of the bike and split in a weekend is a respectable feat, well done.

Any idea what caused the starvation?

 

[dunhamg]

Here is the damage to the clutch from the rod end.

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee24/dunhamg/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/8C7A683C-9E98-434F-8308-E713334456A5.jpg

The timing chain looked good, but I could see a bit of wear along the sides of the case from the timing chain.

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee24/dunhamg/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/3006B1A9-2E98-4BA8-AF0F-0F700C0A391F.jpg

I will get a pic of the oil pickup screen, I don't remember seeing anything that would have been blocking it.

Grady.

 

[dunhamg]

I was really impressed to see the transmission. Really no wear to speak of. This coming from a rider who went through 4 transmission on my '99 R1 in 100,000 miles. I would say that Yamaha did a good job with the FJR transmission.

Grady

 

[Big Sky]

That's what I was thinking: oil starvation. How is the oil pump driven? Gear? Chain?

 

[dunhamg]

That's what I was thinking: oil starvation. How is the oil pump driven? Gear? Chain?

Chain, no issues there.

Grady

 

[Mihalis fjr]

I am really curious what caused this damage.Everything there looks very dry without much oil.If the oil pump works good,then perhaps something has clog an oil passage.

 

[dunhamg]

The oil pump seems to work without any issues.

Here is the oil pickup.

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee24/dunhamg/1392B001-2E54-40CF-8CC5-0C8DDAD9FA09.jpg

The cylinders all looked good.

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee24/dunhamg/31B9F74D-5A0B-4962-AC61-827508CA5408.jpg

No issues with the valves that I could see.

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee24/dunhamg/DC6B512E-7596-4E57-AFE5-250A020E5EB2.jpg

 

[dunhamg]

Here is the rod that gave up.

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee24/dunhamg/3ED00065-802F-45AD-A967-26EB6FD6A09B.jpg

Here was all of the pieces in the oil pan.

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee24/dunhamg/FC6B4B0F-86CF-40AF-9330-EB0A67B78378.jpg

The shift forks.

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee24/dunhamg/50EE3F37-EA78-4260-8B79-8F79EFB125E6.jpg

Grady

 

[rPGoatBoy]

Is this all the carnage from the esplodey event?

"But the fact of the matter is that this bike has had a very hard life

The the front tire rarely saw the pavement until the end of third gear when I hit the pavement leaving home every morning."

Did the oil level ***** light come on during the wheelies? Maybe you starved it way back when? Or perhaps the bike was still running after your deer strike, laying on the ground? If all the journals are clear in the crank, and the drilled passages in the block are free of debris, I can't imagine what else would've caused the starvation. Did you run it low on oil?

Interesting pictures, thanks for taking the time to document this.

 

[dunhamg]

Yes that was all from the event. I can't imagine it would have been from the deer strike as that was almost 50k miles ago. I don't think I ever saw an oil light doing wheelies with it. I know it wasn't low on oil as I had just checked it that afternoon and it was still at about the right level afterwards as it only lost a few drops.

Not exactly sure what oil passages feed those to check out to see if that's what caused the issue.

Grady

 

[HotRodZilla]

Man, oil passages are funny. My wife's Expedition had a new engine put in it last year. It was making racket, so she took it in. After weeks of baloney, they dropped the oil pan and found a pile of metal shavings. The cam shafts and journals were scored from oil starvation. No idea what caused it as all passages were clear and there wasn't even any sludge in the motor. The Service Manager even commented on how well the engine had been maintained because it was so clean. He said whatever had blocked the oil could have pushed through after damage was done. Those passages are small and crooked.

All I gotta say, is thank God for warranty. That was a $7k repair that didn't cost us anything. Whew!!!

 

[Old Guy]

I demand a complete autopsy! With picture, video and narrative!

...oh, maybe not then?

Looking at the stored pix, that bike had some horizontal dirt nap time.. i wonder if any of the crashes might have oil starved the engine causing later issues?

Yes, this bike did have a deer strike and a slide down the road 6 years and 50K miles ago. Also, I live 3 miles out on a gravel road so it gets quite dirty. But, the fact of the matter is that this bike has had a very hard life

The the front tire rarely saw the pavement until the end of third gear when I hit the pavement leaving home every morning. The first 20K miles I averaged low 20's for mileage due to excessive use of the scenery fast forward button and several track days which probably took an additional toll. I can't say it owes me anything. Still on the original clutch and no transmission issues, I'd say Yamaha did a good job with this design.

I'm doubting it was a cam chain issue as it lost power for a couple miles, just barely maintaining 70, I was thinking I maybe had a fuel issue until I heard really bad mechanical noises and knew it wasn't a fuel issue. Grabbed the clutch to prevent a lock up and by the time I stopped it was seized up solid.

Hope to get it further apart this weekend. Will definitely document with some pictures.

Grady

I've followed this thread with interest. Getting only 132k out of a well-maintained FJR is disappointing. But then the portion of your quote above that I've bolded jumped out at me. I really like to take it easy on my vehicles until they're fully warmed up. If you did this every morning to an essentially cold engine, I'd say it served you well

 

[dunhamg]

I demand a complete autopsy! With picture, video and narrative!

...oh, maybe not then?

Looking at the stored pix, that bike had some horizontal dirt nap time.. i wonder if any of the crashes might have oil starved the engine causing later issues?

Yes, this bike did have a deer strike and a slide down the road 6 years and 50K miles ago. Also, I live 3 miles out on a gravel road so it gets quite dirty. But, the fact of the matter is that this bike has had a very hard life

The the front tire rarely saw the pavement until the end of third gear when I hit the pavement leaving home every morning. The first 20K miles I averaged low 20's for mileage due to excessive use of the scenery fast forward button and several track days which probably took an additional toll. I can't say it owes me anything. Still on the original clutch and no transmission issues, I'd say Yamaha did a good job with this design.

I'm doubting it was a cam chain issue as it lost power for a couple miles, just barely maintaining 70, I was thinking I maybe had a fuel issue until I heard really bad mechanical noises and knew it wasn't a fuel issue. Grabbed the clutch to prevent a lock up and by the time I stopped it was seized up solid.

Hope to get it further apart this weekend. Will definitely document with some pictures.

Grady

I've followed this thread with interest. Getting only 132k out of a well-maintained FJR is disappointing. But then the portion of your quote above that I've bolded jumped out at me. I really like to take it easy on my vehicles until they're fully warmed up. If you did this every morning to an essentially cold engine, I'd say it served you well

Yes, but the pavement is a little over two miles from my house so the bike was warmed up by this time. But, I never did any additional warm up on the bike, it was alway start it and drive away. Like you say, it served me well and I don't think most of you have anything at all to worry about due to this one bike giving up.

 

[HotRodZilla]

I demand a complete autopsy! With picture, video and narrative!

...oh, maybe not then?

Looking at the stored pix, that bike had some horizontal dirt nap time.. i wonder if any of the crashes might have oil starved the engine causing later issues?

Yes, this bike did have a deer strike and a slide down the road 6 years and 50K miles ago. Also, I live 3 miles out on a gravel road so it gets quite dirty. But, the fact of the matter is that this bike has had a very hard life The the front tire rarely saw the pavement until the end of third gear when I hit the pavement leaving home every morning. The first 20K miles I averaged low 20's for mileage due to excessive use of the scenery fast forward button and several track days which probably took an additional toll. I can't say it owes me anything. Still on the original clutch and no transmission issues, I'd say Yamaha did a good job with this design.

I'm doubting it was a cam chain issue as it lost power for a couple miles, just barely maintaining 70, I was thinking I maybe had a fuel issue until I heard really bad mechanical noises and knew it wasn't a fuel issue. Grabbed the clutch to prevent a lock up and by the time I stopped it was seized up solid.

Hope to get it further apart this weekend. Will definitely document with some pictures.

Grady

I've followed this thread with interest. Getting only 132k out of a well-maintained FJR is disappointing. But then the portion of your quote above that I've bolded jumped out at me. I really like to take it easy on my vehicles until they're fully warmed up. If you did this every morning to an essentially cold engine, I'd say it served you well [img=[URL="https://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p311/econes/lol_zpsfd3ahpbp.gif%5D"]https://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p311/econes/lol_zpsfd3ahpbp.gif][/URL]

Yes, but the pavement is a little over two miles from my house so the bike was warmed up by this time. But, I never did any additional warm up on the bike, it was alway start it and drive away. Like you say, it served me well and I don't think most of you have anything at all to worry about due to this one bike giving up.

A few think your talking wheelies. As in, "My front wheel doesn't touch the ground until after third gear." Others of us knew you meant dirt road. Haha...

 

[s.ga.rider]

I thought wheelies too.

 

[DiggerDr.]

I am thinking wheelies after the 3 mile gravel road.

 

[dunhamg]

I am thinking wheelies after the 3 mile gravel road.

That's exactly what I meant. I live out on a very open road with very little traffic to worry about.

Grady

 

[DiggerDr.]

I live on a county maintained gravel lane with grass in the middle. I knew what you meant. Lol FWIW, grass in the middle cuts down on dust.

 

[RaYzerman19]

Nice job on the teardown! Interesting..... I have to ask what oil filter was on the bike?