Ticking - in the shop

[trimmantom]

Hey FJRMGM, Did they give you an idea of how long it would take to get the parts and do the repair?I've read on some other tickers the head was also replaced.

Mine is in the shop and It's time i made a call to those fine fellas myself.

I specifically waited til now to start this process with anticipation of ****** riding weather.Good luck bro.

 

[velvet fog]

Heads are not being replaced anymore since they now have revised valve seals out that will cure the problem (we'll see). Yam was getting some of the heads in order to study the problem. IMHO it's better to have the new seals than the new head with the old seals.

There is already a post on this forum of a second time ticker on a replaced head.

Sunnyside took 4 weeks to replace fix mine with new guides and seals.

 

[FJRMGM]

Trimmantom - dealer said 8-10 working days for the parts and then another day to put together so I am looking at three work weeks I would say.

Just as well, 30 degrees at my house south of Houston this morning and frosty.

Ditto on the no longer replacing the entire head as they believe they know the real problem now with the seals.

They will clean up and de-carbon the head so it should be near-new when finished.

 

[FJRMGM]

UPDATED 12-14-05

Just talked to Service Mgr and they have all the parts except the valve guide inserts so they can't start much just yet. Expect remainder of the parts this week.

 

[quicksilver]

Mine is Deticked and ready for pickup.

As soon as I get a day witout ice on the road.

First parts order was almost 4 weeks.

Then they realized they could not recycle the head bolts.

Second parts order was another week.

Over 6 weeks total including sending the head out for machining.

Make sure they ordered the head bolts!

Anyone saying 2 weeks doesn't know what they are talking about.

4 weeks looks to be as good as it gets.

I think guys on the West coast will have less shipping time.

 

[Toecutter]

First parts order was almost 4 weeks.Then they realized they could not recycle the head bolts.

Damn, sounds like a top notch operation! :bigeyes: :blink:

 

[FJRMGM]

UPDATE 12-14-05 1600 HOURS

Just talked with the Service Mgr and asked if they had ordered new head bolts - HE ASSURED ME THE OLD ONES WERE REUSABLE AND NEW ONES DID NOT NEED TO BE ORDERED. This, according to him, per a service bulletin.

I, as calmly as I could, said "I don't want to tell you you are wrong but many others who have had this repair have been tripped up because they thought the head bolts were reusable when in fact they are not and then they had to wait another week for new head bolts".

So, I calmly asked him to PLEASE verify the old head bolts were reusable because I had heard from many sources they were not.

Stand by for an update. Sheesh...

 

[FJRSTAR]

Just talked with the Service Mgr and asked if they had ordered new head bolts - HE ASSURED ME THE OLD ONES WERE REUSABLE AND NEW ONES DID NOT NEED TO BE ORDERED. This, according to him, per a service bulletin.

Mike,

From all that I have read both on this forum and the EZ board forum, the old head bolts are not reusable and should not be used. They initially stretch when tightened and torqued and may snap when used again.

Remember, be patient and be nice about it but do not let up. It will not cost them much more to order the new ones, but just more of their time, as well as yours.

 

[FJRMGM]

UPDATE: 12-15 AM

Called back and checked on head bolt status - Yesterday they ordered new head bolts because I had pointed out to them they were needed.

YAMAHA - if you are reading these posts, somehow get the word out to the service guys the FJR head bolts cannot be reused.

Looking at next week to get the bike fixed and returned to me. Stand by.

Good thing it has been cold here and crummy riding weather anyway.

 

[radman]

UPDATE: 12-15 AM
Called back and checked on head bolt status - Yesterday they ordered new head bolts because I had pointed out to them they were needed.

YAMAHA - if you are reading these posts, somehow get the word out to the service guys the FJR head bolts cannot be reused.

Looking at next week to get the bike fixed and returned to me. Stand by.

Good thing it has been cold here and crummy riding weather anyway.

The word is and has been out for quite some time, in a book we like to call "THE SERVICE MANUAL".

Rarely seen at motorcycle service centers, much less read, it remains a valuable source of information for those who like to have their service counter appear as if someone there knows WTF they're doing. Be especially hopeful should you see it being read by someone in a shop uniform.

 

[FJRMGM]

12-19-05 AM UPDATE: just got a call from the dealer and they are putting the bike back together and it should be ready for pickup Tuesday afternoon.

This will be three full weeks to diagnose, order parts, replace the valve guides and put it back together.

 

[FJRMGM]

12-20-05 UPDATE: got the call from the dealer Monday evening and the bike is repaired and ready to go.

I will pick it up Wednesday morning. Three weeks in the shop for the repair.

 

[FJRMGM]

12-21-05 UPDATE:

Went to my dealer this morning and picked up my now non-ticking FJR.

Motor sounds soooooo much better - like it did when new.

Was instructed to ride it like I was breaking it in again which means 600 miles then I have to take on a four-day trip to the Texas Hill Country to ride.

I had them check the torque on the steering stem nut while they had it.

Service Mgr showed me the old #1 cylinder exhaust valve and guide and it sure was loose - no wonder it was clacking.

Let's hope this is the REAL fix and I never have to do this again.

Dealer had the bike three weeks from the time I dropped it off until I could pick it up again.

I would like to commend and recommend Tejas Motorsports in Highland Texas (just east of Houston on I-10) for the job they did and the hassle-free and problem free resolution to my bikes problem.

Man, did it feel good to ride that bike again.

Good luck to those who have a ticker and to those who hopefully won't have a ticker.

 

[Ramblin Man]

So are you complaining about the three weeks? They took three months to do mine.

 

[Yambone]

FJRMGM, Thanks for starting this thread and then updating your situation from time to time. Anybody could face these same issues and you really identified dealer / service dept weak points. Very helpful info if it crops up on my '04 FJR. I'm printing this out as part of my own *supplemental manual*, just in case.

If the process of fixing the ticking has been sped up from Ramblin's 3 months to your bike of only 3 weeks, major progress has been made. Many FJR owners have paved the way to make this so, including yourselves. Yamaha has stepped up to do the repairs, now it remains in the hands of individual dealers to implement the right procedure. Could be a weak link, if the dealer is an FJR newbie, so wouldn't hurt to edjumacate them with this report.

Texas hill country after the *new* break-in? Schwweeet. I went out of my way on a trip from Idaho just to try out that place. Wish I had easy access to it right about now as the winter has me by the throat in the Northwest. Ride on!

 

[FJRMGM]

to set the record straight - NO, I am NOT complaining that my dealer took three weeks to diagnose, order parts and then repair the bike.

Lots of others have had way longer than that to wait.

For those of you who may have to have this done - make sure from the git-go that your dealer knows they need to order new head bolts. Mine was sure they didn't need to get them until I insisted they check on it so they ordered them "late".

Seems to be a common misconception the head bolts can be reused.

If we had not had to wait an extra couple of days for the valve guides, my bike would have been done in 2.5 weeks.

Thanks to all who have posted before me so I knew to stay on top of the repair.

 

[FJRSTAR]

Was instructed to ride it like I was breaking it in again which means 600 miles then I have to take on a four-day trip to the Texas Hill Country to ride. 

So when are you planning on this TEXAS HILL COUNTRY RIDE?

Please keep us posted when you are.

Good luck with the NON-TICKER.

 

[Hotboot]

Thanks for the updates Mike, glad you are back in the saddle again.

Enjoy that Hill Country bro !!!

 

[FJRMGM]

Went for a nice ride today.

Gawd, I love the sound of that FJR engine.

It is running so much better and stronger and with no strange noises.

Life is good again.