Tales from the Emporium

[helenoftroy]

Gulp!!mines a 2001 51,000

[Transalper]

Did either of your bikes have the dreaded 3rd gear "whine", before the clunk, bang failure?

Not mine, not that I could hear at least.

[NordieBoy]

Did either of your bikes have the dreaded 3rd gear "whine", before the clunk bang failure?

Nope. No whine.

[NordieBoy]

Gulp!!mines a 2001 51,000

I'd be inclined to get 3rd replaced and hit the old one with a hammer and see what happens.

I'm off now to have a look at my debris and get some pics of the gear.

[Crisis management]

Thats bad news Nordie & TA (hope yours isn't as bad) if there is anything I can do from up here, second hand engines etc, please ask, I'm more than happy to help.

My 5cents worth tho, just get a second hand engine if possible or it may be better to avoid the cost of a complete rebuild, sell what you have and get another bike. Do your sums before making any decisions.

Iain

[NordieBoy]

This is 3rd gear. All the damage was caused by this beastie...


This was the bit that went to town on the conrod...



How the bits fit together and where they broke...

[NordieBoy]

Anyone that can keep an eye out for a 2nd hand engine would be much appreciated.

[Transalper]

Sell ya mine, it's a bit 2nd hand.

[cooneyr]

Bit of info for those with damaged engines. I had a 96 yanky DR650 with a bad third gear whine. Asked on the DR650 Yahoo forum a couple of times about the third gear whine and never got any response. In the end I got the engine stripped down and checked by DAS. They found that the third gears were badly cut for each other i.e. were not an ideal shape for a pair of gears, however there was absolutely no wear on the gears. DAS as part of the inspection replaced two gearbox bearings (not sure which two but were both were shaft bearings not gear bearings), set of rings and heady tidy up (new seals, valves lapped in), oil, filer, spark plugs and gaskets. All up cost was around $1200.

I'm not sure what gears will cost but subject to other damage I'm guessing that $1500 would get TA a pretty long way to getting the bike back on the road. Nordie it looks like you might not be so lucky.

Attached are a couple of pics of TA's engine being removed.

Cheers R

[NordieBoy]

DAS as part of the inspection replaced two gearbox bearings (not sure which two but were both were shaft bearings not gear bearings), set of rings and heady tidy up (new seals, valves lapped in), oil, filer, spark plugs and gaskets. All up cost was around $1200.

I'm not sure what gears will cost but subject to other damage I'm guessing that $1500 would get TA a pretty long way to getting the bike back on the road. Nordie it looks like you might not be so lucky.

The other guy up here in Nelson who had his go got the cases and barrel welded up and everything else replaced. I'd be thinking Transalpers will probably also have that chunck of case missing

[NordieBoy]

DR650 3rd gear blowups...

NordieBoy (NZ) 2001 60,000km
Transalper (NZ) 2001 55,000km
Rosscoact (AU) 2004 13,000km
Mardy (US?) 1997 53,000km
TH (NZ) 1999 40,000km
RubberCow80 (AU) 2001 25,000km (2nd gear?)
Philth (AU) 3 bikes <20,000km (2nd gear?)
BikeRooter (AU) 2006 10,200km

I'd probably put the 2nd gear ones as Aussies tanked up on fourecks being confused about this "counting" thing.

I'm starting to think it's 3rd gear itself. The design of it with the thickness of the metal and the selector grooves and the more you use 3rd gear under load.

All the low mileage ones are Aussie with quite possible heavy 3rd gear sand use.

[XF650]

Great research there Fran. I'v been following your survey on AdvRider & Thumpertalk too and it seems you might have uncovered another "doohicky"?
I'm very interested because my 3rd gear whine's, to the extent I try to avoid using that gear where possible.
Obviously the 3rd gear whine & breakage issues are linked (poor machining?), however there doesn't seem to be evidence that the former leads to the latter. When you consider how many DR650's are sold, these issues effect only a very small %. But it's still a lottery.
Interweb search reveals that the 3rd gear 'whine' is still occuring in models as late as 2008, which seems to indicate that the cog quality issue hasn't been fixed?

[warewolf]

I'd probably put the 2nd gear ones as Aussies tanked up on fourecks being confused about this "counting" thing.

I wouldn't, at least they can spell Fourex. (Ecks is actually a now-defunct Aussie soft drink manufacturer whose products included "Ecks Beer" which was non-alcoholic )

Seriously, if you didn't know, philth is a very experienced motorcyclist, friend of TK (SideTrack magazine) and regular contributor. If he says definitely 2nd gear, I'd not doubt it. If he said he wasn't sure, then ok could be 3rd.

[Woodman]

Great research there Fran. I'v been following your survey on AdvRider & Thumpertalk too and it seems you might have uncovered another "doohicky"?
I'm very interested because my 3rd gear whine's, to the extent I try to avoid using that gear where possible.
Obviously the 3rd gear whine & breakage issues are linked (poor machining?), however there doesn't seem to be evidence that the former leads to the latter. When you consider how many DR650's are sold, these issues effect only a very small %. But it's still a lottery.
Interweb search reveals that the 3rd gear 'whine' is still occuring in models as late as 2008, which seems to indicate that the issue hasn't been fixed?

Is there anyone out there making modified 3rd gears? or is it just a design thing and therefore not particularly modifiable.
And i think KLR owners have a patent on the word doohickey, you DR guys will have to find your own word.

[XF650]

"And i think KLR owners have a patent on the word doohickey, you DR guys will have to find your own word."

Fair enough. I think Nordie & Transalper deserve the right to select an appropiate name.