Garrggh ! Where did all that oil come from!

[Big Dave]

If you rode bikes less than 30 years old this stuff might not happen! Harden up or I'll give you the Triumph man's perspective on Oil.

[Ixion]

And where would be the fun in that? 'Twould be like driving modern cars - predictable and boring.

I had to get an Italian car so that driving would be interesting - Italian electrics (WHY ? do I have to have the bonnet open for the interior light to work!) ; no brakes in reverse etc.

If I rode modern bikes I'd have to buy a Laverda to achieve the same result. Or a Ural.

[Ixion]

Well, I set to sort it out today - what with the weather being shit and all.

Gotta say that is one pissant shit bit of engineering.

When they removed the decompressor to makethe XT250 engine into the SRX250, they were left with a big hole in the cylinder head.

So what did they do to close said hole? Just stuffed a bung in it. Just a metal plug, with a rubber overlay , and tapped into the hole. Presumably, originally, a light interference fit. Nothing to hold it in at all, just a tight fit.

Admittedly, there's no pressure there (apart from some crankcase type pressure), but still ! . I thought I must be missing something, and maybe a vital bit got lost, but checking the parts fiche, no, it's just the plug (which is listed as a spare part incidentally - part no 349210-001 $US3.42).

Which is scarey , cos there's really nothing to stop it coming out again. And if it happened at speed, hundreds of kilometre from home? Ouch . And nothing really to show it's happened , apart from the slidey bit. One problem of a roller big end, no oil pressure to measure, so the whole sump full could in theory escape . motor.

Not good Mr Yamaha, not good at all.

Anyway I've hammered it back in, well smeared with Loctite, permant grade, high temperature. And staked the surrounding metal thoroughly. And cos I was still nervous I commissioned those well known engineers of excellence, Messrs Gash Engineering (incorporating Bodgers and Bashit Ltd) to make up a little plate to screw onto the mounting where the decompressor cable originally went, and bear up against the plug under flexion pressure. That should at least stop it actually coming out, and reduce anything to a mild oil leak at worst. Looks a bit horrid, but it works. Knew I'd find a use for that old door hinge one day.

Needless to say I will be watching it like a hawk for a while

Incidentally, I had great trouble getting the high temperature Loctite. Everybody has the "normal" stuff, some had the (red) permanent grade, but all just looked blankly at me when I said "high temperature". And, between the exhaust ports on an aircooled engine, it's going to get hot.

I finally got it from Blackwoods Paykel. And I cannot refrain from giving them an unashamed plug. Everytime I get something from them they rise to new heights of helpfulness and superlative customer service. They really are the most clued up helpful and friendly folk I have ever encountered. Absolutely first class service, can't speak too highly of them . Norman at the Dalgety road distribution centre is the man to call on if you need help. Splendid chap, one of the old school.

Cleaned off the oil from the front of the engine, topped up the crankcase, only took 300ml , amazing how big a mess 200ml of oil can make when it's spread down the road, started up (what a lot of smoke, from the oil remaining on the headers, even Petal was envious!), all looks good.

Still a bit worried that I haven't a reason for it coming out, but maybe just the effects of 20 years of heating and cooling, expanding and contracting.I'll be watching it, we shall see.

[Big Dave]

And where would be the fun in that? 'Twould be like driving modern cars - predictable and boring.

I had to get an Italian car so that driving would be interesting - Italian electrics (WHY ? do I have to have the bonnet open for the interior light to work!) ; no brakes in reverse etc.

If I rode modern bikes I'd have to buy a Laverda to achieve the same result. Or a Ural.

The publisher is sweating on the arrival of a ural. I await with......something.

Always had a soft spot for the Jota (a bog near rangiriri!) nah they were arguably the first real superbike that old lavatory do ya reckon?

[Clivoris]

If there's a God, brown ute driver will loose it on the oil, go head on into a tree, and get said 2" tube through HIS head.

Aaah. If only we could have "Instant Karma" on the speed-dial. Seems more poetic or creative than a handgun. No complicated explanations needed either.