NC30 rings/piston kits

[motorbyclist]

false alarm, she's not burning oil and has good compression



Does anyone know where i can find/buy new piston kits for an NC30 without taking out a mortgage? i've been hunting all day and can't find anything - afraid to ask at the shop for a price.

i likely need rings, and will do the pistons anyway seeing as i'm opening her up. don't expect to be able to afford a rebore/resleeve if it's required.

piston part no. 13101-MR8-010
rings set part no. 13011-MR8-000

top end gasket kit, including valve seals (could be losing oil via those)

will be inspecting the clutch too....


I got my vfr at the start of 2007 when i got my full, and have been ringing her most weekends until march this year and thrashing it for 40-60km commuting every weekday since purchase. clock reads almost 60,oookm. i know it should be atleast 5oookm over that from when the cable speedo snapped, plus any time the dodgy previous owners also had the cable unplugged.

lately i've noticed alot of smoke from the beloved viffer when i've started her in the mornings, and always just told myself it's steam.... which it mostly is; not blue, doesn't smell like oil.....

but lately she's been losing a bit of oil, enough to go from top mark on dipstick when i leave in the morning to not on the dipstick upon my return from the coro loop - and it was only a half loop with the whole tirau to kopu section done at a snails pace due to rain/fog/dark.

EDIT: just checked again now, and she's got full oil. perhaps when i checked the hot engine for oil it was all hiding up in the heads

so, my NC30 has either begun to burn oil, or has a nasty leak that i can't find and only leaks while engine is running.


so a top end rebuild can't hurt, high compression pistons would be nice too...

or if the cylinders are that bad i'll bore her out to 450cc :drool:

[scracha]

i likely need rings, and will do the pistons anyway seeing as i'm opening her up. don't expect to be able to afford a rebore/resleeve if it's required.
:
Compared to the price of honda parts you'll find the rebore cost pretty inexpensive. Maybe you just need new rings and valve seals? Never heard of anyone shelling out on pistons and not buying new rings.

Why bother though?

[Coyote]

I've been told they burn oil from new and you should be topping them up regularly. Mine's been smoking badly on start up, then is fine once warm. I've been told it's probably a stuck valve.

Best try get everything else sorted before messing with the engine like that. Mine is up to 75000kms and the engine still runs hard. Just the rest of it is getting worn out. Should be back on the road once I have enough money for a new front tyres and I get the electrics sorted (think I just need a new headlight relay, roughly $40, but I haven't even got that :( ).

Hopefully take the bike into Weltec this week so the students there can play around with my bike. Sort out the rough idle and suchlike. I'll let you know what problems they come across so you can expect them in the next 15000kms.

[Coyote]

You're in engineering aren't you? Can you design some upgrades? 500cc heads, stronger crank, turbo, fuel injection, etc.

I'm keen to go to uni if you're able to do that in an engineering course.

[motorbyclist]

Compared to the price of honda parts you'll find the rebore cost pretty inexpensive. Maybe you just need new rings and valve seals? Never heard of anyone shelling out on pistons and not buying new rings.

nor have i, that's why i'm looking for a piston/rings kit - doing the pistons because i'm doing the rings, not the other way round



Why bother though?

to save me a seizure half way thru a ride cause i burnt all my oil

and if it's losing compression that i can recover, MOAR POWER!


You're in engineering aren't you? Can you design some upgrades? 500cc heads, stronger crank, turbo, fuel injection, etc.

I'm keen to go to uni if you're able to do that in an engineering course.

short answer: yes, but that's ALOT of work, made less by getting job experience in that feild and/or buying parts from a catalouge and designing the system from there


long answer:
once i'm finished, in theory, yes. i'm only just half way through 2nd year (4 year degree) and already covered all the inner mechanical, electrical, and chemical workings of stuff i mostly understood anyway, but now have the maths behind it. next semester is thermofluids among other things, so i could actually understand what the gasses are doing on their way thru the system. 4th year we do aero/hydrodynamics, so could even do a custom set of fairings.

already capable of designing a chassis etc, but would need alot of specific knowledge about motorcycle dynamics to really do it well, and next year they're going to pump even more "mechanics of materials" and design into us

as for turbo/injector: for cost/time/effort reasons i'd simply buy a turbo/injector from another bike/vehicle and fit it. actually i'm hoping to eventually develop an injector kit for the vfr.
doing mechatronics means i can design the mechanical part AND the electronics to run them, but for cost reasons i'd likely just fit suitable parts/controllers and set it up from there.

it's just a case of not having the means to manufacture alot of stuff, nor having the money to have one off precision parts made to order. when i'm rich and famous i could of course manufacture my own fuel injector - but i'd likely still just buy one

[motorbyclist]

I've been told they burn oil from new and you should be topping them up regularly.

really?

sweet.

still want to find cheap, new parts anyway - just in case

i've been looking for an excuse not to crack open the viffer, and that just might be it:)

seen the diagrams for those things? it would appear all 4 cylinders are set into one casting that is part of the top of the crankcase:crazy:

as with all mechanical issues on this bike it looks like a nightmare, but good thing they're mechanically bomb-proof

shame bout the honda electrics though....

[Coyote]

etc.
Fair point. I would probably go for manufactured parts on the whole, but it's the parts you can't get or can't find one that suits I'd love to be able to make.

really?

sweet.

still want to find cheap, new parts anyway - just in case

i've been looking for an excuse not to crack open the viffer, and that just might be it:)

seen the diagrams for those things? it would appear all 4 cylinders are set into one casting that is part of the top of the crankcase:crazy:

as with all mechanical issues on this bike it looks like a nightmare, but good thing they're mechanically bomb-proof

shame bout the honda electrics though....
Most highly strung sprotsbikes do burn oil. At the rate of knots they're spinning a bit will get through. Apparently the new Daytona 675 is quite bad for that since it's piston speed is higher than the other 600's (to make as much power as the inline 4's).

I haven't touched the inside of the VFR. I'd wouldn't want to hurt it.

[vagrant]

450cc kit plus Ti rods:niceone:

http://www.akhara.com/nc30/pistonrod1/index.html

[vagrant]

Just found these for you. $216 Aus

http://global.ebay.com/gbh/viItem?ItemId=230245563978

[motorbyclist]

450cc kit plus Ti rods:niceone:

http://www.akhara.com/nc30/pistonrod1/index.html

haha yeah i saw those, unfortunately that page is dated 2003 and in 2006 the company that made em shut down


Just found these for you. $216 Aus

http://global.ebay.com/gbh/viItem?ItemId=230245563978

awesome! cheers

but now i def don't need them. had a little oopsie today, and if i'm keeping what's left of the bike, new pistons are last on my list:(

[vagrant]

The company might have officially shutdown, but the guys who worked thru it are still making the bits to order.
They are still selling bits to the guys on the UK 400cc grey forums.

[motorbyclist]

really?

will keep that in mind:D

[mark247]

but now i def don't need them. had a little oopsie today, and if i'm keeping what's left of the bike, new pistons are last on my list:(

ah oh. What happened?


I've been told they burn oil from new and you should be topping them up regularly. Mine's been smoking badly on start up, then is fine once warm. I've been told it's probably a stuck valve.

My VFR is at 53,000km and it doesnt burn a drop of oil. I change the oil myself every 5000km and between changes it looses none, or at the most VERY little.

When i turn mine on on a cold morning it blows condensation out of the exhaust. Sometimes it's amazing how much comes out. But it's not loosing any water or oil so it cant be anything wrong.

[Coyote]

My VFR is at 53,000km and it doesnt burn a drop of oil. I change the oil myself every 5000km and between changes it looses none, or at the most VERY little.

When i turn mine on on a cold morning it blows condensation out of the exhaust. Sometimes it's amazing how much comes out. But it's not loosing any water or oil so it cant be anything wrong.
Just going by what I've been told. It's a sportsbike thing, not a specific NC30 thing. I got this from a mechanic who seems to know what he's talking about, or is at least very convincing :p

[Chrislost]

The company might have officially shutdown, but the guys who worked thru it are still making the bits to order.
They are still selling bits to the guys on the UK 400cc grey forums.

would you like to buy my left kidney for $12000

then i could afford a 450cc vfr with (aparently) 88HP at the wheel

[lostinflyz]

Be careful boring out the VFR block. I've heard they are notoriously unreliable as most the stock bits (specifically crank and even the block) are pretty dubious.

High compression pistons would be good though. If anyone knows where to get some ive got a RVF motor lying round that might like them.

[motorbyclist]

dont all bikes burn oil above 10000rpm at which point oil starts to force it's way past the rings on the downstroke?


would you like to buy my left kidney for $12000

then i could afford a 450cc vfr with (aparently) 88HP at the wheel

those thinkgs are built to do 59HP and not much more. unless it's got a modded clutch and gearbox that bike sounds like trouble...


Be careful boring out the VFR block. I've heard they are notoriously unreliable as most the stock bits (specifically crank and even the block) are pretty dubious.

High compression pistons would be good though. If anyone knows where to get some ive got a RVF motor lying round that might like them.

yes, but provided the new piston/rod are no heavier than the standard the crank/case should be ok. too light of course and it'd need rebalancing though....

high compression pistons are always good:devil2:

[more_fasterer]

I've been told they burn oil from new and you should be topping them up regularly.

I find that hard to believe. Mine has done near-on 90,000km and doesn't use ANY oil between services.

If the engine was never run in properly, then it would make sense that it burns a bit of oil.



450cc kit plus Ti rods:niceone:

http://www.akhara.com/nc30/pistonrod1/index.html

I can't believe how short the skirts are on those pistons!

[Coyote]

I find that hard to believe. Mine has done near-on 90,000km and doesn't use ANY oil between services.

If the engine was never run in properly, then it would make sense that it burns a bit of oil.

Well it'd be a safe bet that mine was fucked from the beginning.

My bike won't be reaching 90,000kms for a few more years at this rate...

[Rback]

If it is smoking on a cold start then the valve seals need to be replaced. To test the rings -Once the engine is up to working temperature , hold the revs at around 4500-5500rpm (in neutral and stationary) for approx 30 seconds then give her a hand full. If white smoke comes out of the exhaust then the rings are showing wear. They can handle 70 to 80 hp easy. Give Greg Shaw at Planet Honda in Whangarei a call. He Knows the NC30 engine very well.

[monkey99]

If it is smoking on a cold start then the valve seals need to be replaced. To test the rings -Once the engine is up to working temperature , hold the revs at around 4500-5500rpm (in neutral and stationary) for approx 30 seconds then give her a hand full. If white smoke comes out of the exhaust then the rings are showing wear. They can handle 70 to 80 hp easy. Give Greg Shaw at Planet Honda in Whangarei a call. He Knows the NC30 engine very well.

Does greg know much about RVF & parts?

also..parts your after for compression job are available at Econohonda now (22/07/08)

A top gasket set is $294.20, we have in stock
Lower gasket set is $120 if still available
Rings are $332
Seals work out at around $30

thats a verey tiny mortgage..or a bigggg Boot:beer:

[monkey99]

I find that hard to believe. Mine has done near-on 90,000km and doesn't use ANY oil between services.

If the engine was never run in properly, then it would make sense that it burns a bit of oil.




I can't believe how short the skirts are on those pistons!

Funny this is the guy who runs an AMA racae team in the US & has spent years developing racing V4's and have so much knowledge..more to the story but sad to say Mike is not racing anymore as he has a severe neck/back injury..but his team..:2thumbsup man they can do amazing things

[Squiggles]

Are the rfv and vfr pistons etc the same?

[racefactory]

how many kms are you rebuilding it at?

[motorbyclist]

57000 on the clock, plus atleast 5 that i know of that aren't on the clock


note i'm not rebuilding it till the summer, and the bike doesn't actually need it

[racefactory]

what can really go wrong on these bomb proof engines?

valve wear.... what else really? Anyone broken the piston or ring?

Also- what temps is your motor running? These V4s really get hot! At least mine feels hot, it shows 70 on the reading which i guess is good?

[motorbyclist]

mine varies from low to 90 degrees at which point i manually turn the fan on (the thermal switch died, so did the new one, cbf paying for another one, blame the 'homebrew' wiring loom)

i reckon mine reads about 70 under normal conditions, can go right the way up to 110 when you're thrashing it in tight twisties due to low speed and high revs, but fan usually sets that right.

before i did the manual switch bypass it got as hot as 120 one summer's day in slow traffic. thought i'd turn her off at that point, no harm done. though check your overflow hose is there, my one was missing and the reservior just dumped all over itself.

these things tend to "feel" hot as all the hot air has touble escaping the rear of the engine, the rear header pipes heat the cavity under seat/between legs, and when the hot air does finally escape it goes via the rider:laugh:

the european models were fitted with oil coolers to drop a few degrees off the oil temp and thus further help parts life



common sense really; water/coolant mix boils at 110-120 degrees celcius, so keep it under 100 and it should be fine.

if there is an issue you should notice a lack of power before it seizes.... then you'll be glad it's relatively easy to do a complete engine rebuild on these things

[lostinflyz]

yea they run stinking hot. my race one doesnt really even sit on the temp guauge when its hot. scarred the shit outta me for a while but the stack temp gauge is shit. should stay around 90 when u hoof it.

[racefactory]

Yea and these bikes are so common- it must be cheap for a new cylinder or even new engine.

[mark247]

Yea and these bikes are so common- it must be cheap for a new cylinder or even new engine.

It's a Honda, nothings cheap!

[motorbyclist]

nothing breaks either

[racefactory]

I have white smoke coming from my exhaust- it seems to be really thin... not like a typical ''smoke'', like water vapour almost. When the choke is on when i first start it there is quite a bit, when it idles there is nothing.. but when i rev it that white smoke/vapour comes out. It dissappears quickly, it doesnt linger round. It is pretty cold recently though! What's more is that I forget to check for it after the engine is warmed up, don't know if it's just a warm up thing.

I have heard this means either rings are worn or valve oil seal is worn or lastly, that the cylinder is worn. However the engine starts first time always and goes hard- sounds healthy to me. Or is it just because i have been riding 2 strokes and this is my first 4 stroke?

[motorbyclist]

it is infact water:)

one of the products of combustion is water vapour, and on cold mornings it condenses to steam which we can see. on a two stroke you wouldn't have noticed for all the blue stuff ybut it happens to them too

so you'll see it most when the bike (and exhaust) is cold, but any bike will do it on a cold day

[racefactory]

GREAT! Yeah, i guess i would have really noticed if it was proper smoke wouldn't i?

Love the sound of these v4's with the gear driven cams. These motors are bomb proof it seems- I have even found it really hard to come by any motor failure, seizure stories when searching the net.

I'd be most interested to hear a story here frm someone who's had the motor gone on them. As long as your so much as half arsed to keep the motor going I reckon the wheels will fall off these things before the motor pegs it!

By the way- as long as the bike is going hard and the valves are not making any sounds is it neccessary to check the valve clearances? Is it just when the valves start going tapety tapety you need to address it?

[racefactory]

Oh and how much did the top end cost you in the end?

I'd be interested to know where i can get rings, gasket, gudgeon bearing and maybe piston for a good deal.

Hey you said your VFR has been ''playing up for the last year'' in anothe thread - what probs did you have exactly?

Thanks.

[motorbyclist]

i didn't buy the parts in the end, as i don't need them and won't have the time til the summer

big problem with these honda bikes is that there's little or no aftermarket parts for them as there's no demand due to their amazing reliabilty; so if you do feel the need for parts you spend a small fortune on genuine honda bits

viffer hasn't been playing up, although i hear cyote's one has. i just have a habit of fixing stuff that isn't broken (or before it breaks)... only issues i've had are breaking/bending bits on power poles, finding the shitty workmanship from the last owner, a dead battery i've since replaced and a sticky brake piston for which i have a full set of seals to do my front calipers and master cylinder. so far i've thought i bent it, thought the clutch was going, thought tappets needed doing, became concerned for gearbox, worried about indicator relays, and thought i was burning oil, and all those were just me being paranoid - a bike abused this badly just shouldn't keep running :laugh:

only ACTUAL problem i've had was vacuum hose on carby coming loose one day.

valve clearances don't need doing until they get tappety as even when out of tolerance there's alot of room to play with, but it never hurts to check as happy valves mean MOAR POWER:D

I've read a good post up from a novice mechanic who bought a dodgy bike and had to do a whole load of general maintenance to get her going properly... of course nothing was actually broken, it just needed clean carbs and new rotors... found it (http://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=1415260)

[racefactory]

hey thanks man ill give it a read!

...........damn great article!!!

[motorbyclist]

i get the feeling you've come into 4 strokes with all these fears of things going wrong what with all these moving parts and the like...

i find the trick is not to overthink these things:laugh: - more moving parts may mean more to replace and more to go wrong, but a 2 stroke relies on such a careful balance to operate, and anything outside the narrow operating range either stops it starting or siezes the thing.

always drives me nuts the way the two stroke crowd goes on about "the cost of a modern four stroke" and how 2 strokes are somehow more reliable.
sure there's many more moving parts but it's MUCH less temperamental, only needs one rebuild for every ten a 2 stroke has, won't seize because you didn't get the fuel mix quite right, and don't get two-stroke-itis or sulk.
good example being my yamaha motorcross bike: meant to be rebuilt every 150 hours, i've had her since 2006 and clocked up MANY times more than that without issue. neighbours/family all in the same boat with bombproof yamaha 4 strokes - occasional sparkplug changes and it's all sweet

not saying anything bad about 2 strokes here as they are very fun machines which can be very reliable, but don't believe the BS alot of 2 stroke riders spout forth about 4 strokes they usually have never owned

it's alot like bike shop salesmen raving on about 600 and trying to talk me out of my very happy position on my 400, which many a time has embarrased 600cc+ riders on a windy road



valve clearances don't need doing until they get tappety as even when out of tolerance there's alot of room to play with, but it never hurts to check as happy valves mean MOAR POWER:D

you egg motorb!

if the valve clearances close up it won't get tappitey at all

and if they close up far enough you'll develop some nasty issues beginning with power loss

whereas if you can hear them getting tappety, the valves are still closing properly so no damage being done, just power loss

[racefactory]

motorb you are right on- i think i may have come into 4 stroke thinking it could seize if i dont rebuild it etc. thanks man that's really given me another perspective on it.


are they any more likely to close up or open up?

so its better or worse that they open up or close up?

any other signs when they close up? What happens other than power loss when they close up?

Btw, where can i buy the device to sync my carbs? Or is worth taking it to a honda dealer for that? haynes says its probably best left to a dealer because the device is expensive.

I want to make a comple base of maintenance to start off with and then do my checks at intervals from this point so i'd like to get it all done- sync, air filter, oil, valves, fuel filters, rad fluid.

[lostinflyz]

you can find the balancer about on here. search for them and a few people have mentioned them.

alternatively you can make your own out of oil and piping. but only sync the carbs if the bike isn't running well as if you touch the carbs and they are good then they will from that moment on forever be terrible. Its a pain in the arse to do and a dealer will charge you a fortune, if they do it at all. The local honda dealer i took mine to cahrged me a hundred bucks and told me it was fucked and didnt do a thing. never really been back there since.

the vfr carbies are designed by people with eyes in thier toes and 10 jointed fingers and only work if they are happy.

[racefactory]

fuckin ell- ok mate thanks. Haynes doesnt make it out to be a big deal and say you should do every 12 000

[motorbyclist]

motorb you are right on- i think i may have come into 4 stroke thinking it could seize if i dont rebuild it etc. thanks man that's really given me another perspective on it.

these engines are literally bomb proof, and like most 4 strokes have a wide tolerance before anything actually goes wrong, and usually won't run if anything gets that badly neglected. the 4 carbies are a bit of a pain, but once right they usually stay right.

are they any more likely to close up or open up?

more likely to open up (educated guess)

so its better or worse that they open up or close up?

close up means the valves may not close properly, increased wear/heat and exhaust getting past vale damaging stuff. never ever heard of it getting to that stage without intervention

any other signs when they close up? What happens other than power loss when they close up?

dunno, only seen closed ones after you remove/reinstall the head and as such got them correct before running.

Btw, where can i buy the device to sync my carbs? Or is worth taking it to a honda dealer for that? haynes says its probably best left to a dealer because the device is expensive.

just make one, from what i hear they cost a small fortune when a board and clear pvc pipe do the same job ;)

I want to make a comple base of maintenance to start off with and then do my checks at intervals from this point so i'd like to get it all done- sync, air filter, oil, valves, fuel filters, rad fluid.

does it need doing? get a haynes manual and you'll be set:D

just a few notes:

filter is paper, so if blowing it out isn't good enough then be prepared to shell out for a genuine one, or replace with a homemade one.
carbies are a pain to get at and work with, but reliable too - jetting should vary front to back due to rear cylinders running hotter than the front
oil is easy, oil filter requires you to swing lower radiator forward and reach between two header pipes - and honda dealer sold me wrong sort once so check!
fuel filter is a stalk intake inside the tank plus the one in the float valve
radiator drain bolt on pump, lower left side behind fairings... i just pull off a supply hose as it's faster



but with these if it ain't broke don't fix it; the NC30 was not designed by honda's street division like the cbr and earlier vfr, is was designed by HRC for performance AND endurance. as such the engine is great mechanically, and relatively simple to do a complete rebuild for, BUT is a right cunt for any 'minor' jobs.

[motorbyclist]

fuckin ell- ok mate thanks. Haynes doesnt make it out to be a big deal and say you should do every 12 000

there's what they say you should do in a magical happy land of free time and unlimited funds, what you will get away with, and what you actually do in the real world. try to find a balance:)

i'm meant to rebuild my dirtbike every 150hrs - 1500 hours later she's still going hard, but some recent noises tell me i may as well do it now the cam chain is getting slack (or the tensioner is stuck, one or the other)

vfr carbies meant to be balanced every 12000? well i'm 3 times past that and no problems... wouldn't mind doing it though, just for the experience

[racefactory]

thanks a lot guys.

I've noticed even after warming up she is puffing just a little smoke... thin white smoke. Do you guys have that?

Man, the oil level is off of the dipstick but the oil light is still not showing. changing today.

Does that mean new rings most likely? How likely does it mean new cylinder?

By the way i took her out last night and i was revving her on my driveway before hand... first time i went up the road i got misfires i think.. is that the plugs not being hot enough and getting fouled by fuel?

Motor goes really hard though.. no noises and taps and power all through the rpm range.

[racefactory]

Also, how much can i expect to pay someone for a valve clearance job? And where abouts would do that?

Alternatively, if anyone could show me for a first time that would be absolutely awesome! Is anyone interested?

I have haynes manual but it seems a bit daunting a...

[lostinflyz]

the oil thing can never be good. gotta keep a close eye on the oil in these. have heard a few stories of them going bang if you get slack and rev the guts outta them.

in terms of smoke ive all of mine blowing all sorts. Black from my old one. white (and fuel) from one of the race bikes. They often run like shit when you first start them and move for a bit. They will often blow a bit of something every now and then. Often its just winter and hot/cold air mix.

If your worried about rings run a compression test. OUtside that i doubt i would bother unless something is really a miss. In terms of cylinders unless its gone bang what you got will be fine. may need a bit of a hone but thats easy. Its not like a 2 stroke where you can just change the barrel. If it fucks the bore royally its easier to just find a new engine. Or you need to find a sleeve i guess.

Valve clearances i think are shimmed in these i think and requires you have a nice set of shim stacks to do. Easier to get a shop to do it. I dont know the price but its a pretty simplistic job so i doubt it would be stupidly expensive.

but either way it sounds like what you got runs good. 1st law of vfr's is if it runs good, it more than likely is good. Going and touching anything is more than likely to bring rivers of tears and frustrations. If it sounds good (no really loud tapping (valves) and no rivers of smoke after its run for awhile i would just let it be. Keep the oil up and fresh and just listen for anything that may change. They arent like dirt bikes and need rebuilds and kisses at night every few hours. Shit my dirty old Nc21 VFR has 90000kms on the clock and i still ring the guts out of it and im sure its never been opened in its life. Ive put 20+ thousand kms on it and all ive done is a minor adjustment in the carbies cause i changed the air filter and changed the oil and filter every now and then.

[motorbyclist]

heck my bike even splatters my car behind it with black carbon, washed out the muffler from all the steam. had a friend ride it while i followed friday night and a bit of steam came out the whole way. mix is good, plugs are good, wait till summer when it's too warm for the water vapour to condense into visible steam and it'll be fixed:first:



Does that mean new rings most likely? How likely does it mean new cylinder?


it's fine, i can tell from here:P


this is what i was talking about earlier. heck i've run three bikes now without oil;
my first oil change was an '83 xr200 when i decided to check it. it was empty, and no-one had looked for the 5 years we had it til then
next was my motorcross bike. ran for a minute, thought i'd check and LOL no oil. no problems either.
after that was an '89 ttr250, got a good 5 minutes before i got a funny noise and thought i'd check. still went hard, told mate about it and sold it with personal guarantee and it's still got no problems

turns out a 4 stroke bike still holds a lot of oil in the passageways up into the head and through the crank etc, which is what spawned this thread lol, and even then there is a lot still stuck to the metal

obviously it's bad for them, but not "oh no low oil now it's fucked"

blue smoke means either rings or valve stem seals. lack of compression means rings (or possibly head gasket). pistons/bore ultimately need examining to determine anything.

dark or black smoke means she's running rich, but check plugs to confirm. pays to learn the smell of it;)

white smoke is steam. put your hand there and find it gets moist, might smell a tad of petrol if she's rich

lean engine a bit trickier but she might get hard to start cold and run extra hot, check plugs unless you have a better way (do tell if you know one)

valve damage in my experience is pretty hard to do provided you have an air filter. if you manage to have a valve contact the piston it's easier and cheaper to get a new engine as would've had to seize the thing anyway. if the pistons mash valves, or if pistons stop dead, the crank may bend a bit. then run bent crank at 14500rpm and BANG she's snapped in half. whatever you do don't be a dick. had a mate buy an fzr that seemed mint, 3 days later it snapped the crank. we reckon the previous owner had seized it, fixed the top end and expecting problems sold it on.


that ttr250 i mentioned earlier had an issue in the distant past where my brother forgot to check oil and ran it till it stopped, started it again and got another few minutes before it wouldn't start again. he said it was making funny noises in high revs and losing power.
valves eventually stuck open enough and did get bent but we managed to get them back to operating condition (within tolerance too!).
extreme example but does show the difference between what you "should" do and what you can actually get away with.



Alternatively, if anyone could show me for a first time that would be absolutely awesome! Is anyone interested?

I have haynes manual but it seems a bit daunting a...

dude, i'd be keen as:D

the valves have shims, so if we can't mix/match we may have to wait for some new ones from a shop

could open both our vfr's at the same time to improve our chances;)


Easier to get a shop to do it. I dont know the price but its a pretty simplistic job so i doubt it would be stupidly expensive.


simple job but a shitload of labour

would be cheap if you dropped off the bike with open engine so all they have to do is stick in the feeler guages and swap shims




but either way it sounds like what you got runs good. 1st law of vfr's is if it runs good, it more than likely is good. Going and touching anything is more than likely to bring rivers of tears and frustrations

+1

[racefactory]

just broke my sump!! it was leaking oil from the sump so lol patched up the crack with some exhaust gasket sealer and epoxy glue. Looks like it will hold though! Until the next oil change. need a new sump tho anyone got one???

looks like she had plenty of oil in there so thats good. at least 2 litres, so i guess shes not burning much if any. I realise now i was just taking dipstick measurements with a cold engine instead of warm and upright. topped her up with 2.4 litres castrol gps part synthetic and new filter before over tightening my sump bolt!! crack- ouch...

found out i have one tiny hole in my exhaust and water is leaking from it! hooray- just water then! I guess there is quite a bit of moisture in there from the cold weather- i feel great now that it definately wasnt ''smoking''. You guys were right. the hole doesnt seem to effect sound or anything though.

hey motorb i'm thrilled to hear it! Let's do it then. My bike isnt legally roadworthy at moment though so im afraid i cant bring it out far. if it's possible for you to come over that would be great though id really appreciate it. Im on north shore. anyone else keen to bring their VFR over for a tune?? My garage can only fit 3- 4 bikes with space to work thougj. we could have some good tuning/maintenance and comparisons.

how much are shims?

[lostinflyz]

the hole in the exhaust is supposed to be there. Its to help drain any water that gets in or condenses inside the exhaust pipe. stops the pipe from filling with water and corroding from the inside out. It should look like a perfectly round hole. unless the pipe has hada rough life but even then it will still be sweet. just leave it alone.

woops on the sump bolt. shit happens. theres plenty of stuffed engine bits about.

Good luck with your valve clearance checks. let us know how it goes.

[racefactory]

oh thanks man.

by the way i dont need to be worrying that the water might be coming from my coolant right? I would have seen the water in the oil if there was a head gasket leak a?

[motorbyclist]

the oil would look milky

exhaust hole is a drain, meant to be there

can you weld up the case perhaps?

chrislost is on the north shore with his two NC30s, i wouldn't come out as i'd need to get home somehow and know i have all the required tools... my viffer is my primary transport, without it i need to steal another family member's bike to get to uni. old man has a ute and trailer though

[motorbyclist]

so, my viffer got nicked today...

[racefactory]

your fucking kidding me?

[motorbyclist]

see sig

:'(