Bent Rim... Front Tire Blow Out... Crashed

[Tim Tom]

You've got this. Easy. It just takes some time the first time, just like anything else you've done to the bike. You know the drill. Ask questions about anything you're unsure of. Read the service manual. Be methodical and don't forget anything (cam chain tunnel o-ring). Don't force the rings into the bore and break 'em. Understand the cam chain tensioner and how to install it.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Time to start doing some heavy research and looking up what all I have to do. Still unsure and won't know more until I tear it apart and have a look.

On the plus side I have a local friend who is a professional mechanic, with over 40 years experience working on bikes. He loves vintage bikes and could be a great resource for me if (when) I need another set of knowledgeable hands on.

Edit: Did a quick skimming of the Suzuki Manual. It does look like something I can handle. And certainly a good opportunity to learn more about my bike in intimate detail... Although probably can't do it in my schools parking garage, like the rest of my maintenance work. Gonna need a real shed to do this one in...

 

[Steveb64]

BEAST of a bike! Congrats again Aaron! Looking good.

On the downer, and some more updates about my bike... Did the front wheel swap two weeks ago. Finally had the first chance for a good shakedown ride on friday. I start it up, and my top end is ticking like a friggen bomb .

Use my not so calibrated ears, and traced it to the number 4 valve area. It's connected to the throttle, increasing in frequency proportional to the revs. I think most likely it is a sticking or bent valve. What fun.

On top of that, I noticed my front tire was on the rim backwards, and had a damaged valve stem leaking air. Ohh and I have seeping oil from the head gasket. Yippee.

The tire is easy to fix, no problem. But there goes my riding season, replaced instead my a top end rebuild. What fun.

Ordered some gaskets, and will open up the valve cover and have a look around, checking all the simple stuff first like the cam holders and valve adjust. Hoping the problem is up there and I won't have to go deeper into the block. Seems like wishful thinking a bit though. Most likely I will have to rebuild the valves . This will be the most invasive surgery I've done to a car or bike, and am a bit nervous.

Are you sure it's from the valve area? If you have a head gasket problem, that can give you a 'ticking' sound too, if it's leaking combustion gases...

 

[Tim Tom]

Are you sure it's from the valve area? If you have a head gasket problem, that can give you a 'ticking' sound too, if it's leaking combustion gases...

Hmm I really don't know. There is a slight weep of oil, that wasn't there before the fall. The noise was definitely coming from the top end of the motor though. It is a tick every time cylinder number 4 fires, and when I gave the engine some more revs, the tick increases proportionally to engine speed. Not sure what all of this means yet.

As soon as I get the gaskets in I'm gonna pull open the valve cover and examine it in more detail. Going to adjust the valves, as well as make sure all of the cam holder bolts are tight. Also going to try and re-torque the head. Will try to rotate the number 4 valve buckets and if they don't rotate this could mean they need replacing as they could be bent or damaged.

Honestly I haven't had time to poke around in more detail yet and play doctor. Soon as my gaskets get in though I will hopefully have more information about the issue.

 

[Steveb64]

Hmm I really don't know. There is a slight weep of oil, that wasn't there before the fall. The noise was definitely coming from the top end of the motor though. It is a tick every time cylinder number 4 fires, and when I gave the engine some more revs, the tick increases proportionally to engine speed. Not sure what all of this means yet.

As soon as I get the gaskets in I'm gonna pull open the valve cover and examine it in more detail. Going to adjust the valves, as well as make sure all of the cam holder bolts are tight. Also going to try and re-torque the head. Will try to rotate the number 4 valve buckets and if they don't rotate this could mean they need replacing as they could be bent or damaged.

Honestly I haven't had time to poke around in more detail yet and play doctor. Soon as my gaskets get in though I will hopefully have more information about the issue.

Just had another thought of something to check... The exhaust header bolts! I vaguely (long time ago now) recall a similar noise from mine, and tracking it back to a leaky header. Be careful tightening the studs - if they're getting old, the damn things can 'pull out' and strip the threads in the head - or on themselves - when you try and tighten them too much!

Check the studs/nuts - if they're all tight, try removing the exhaust, and replacing the round 'gasket' rings - and/or applying some 'manifold sealer' around the hole/headers, and reassembling...

Good luck!

 

[shirazdrum]

Sorry to hear the mishap. Put tubes in your tires, no matter what - the least they do is that you don't get a blow out like that and you can patch the tube a dozen times.(Riding tubeless is a luxury i can't afford) I have more dings and bends on my rims that I can count but I always hammer them back in and it rides just fine. Those mag wheels are brittle so heat them up before bending them back.

 

[Tim Tom]

Thanks for the sentiments Chris! Been following along your journey and Brazil looks like an incredible country. I am adding it to my list of future adventures.

On another note my engine gaskets finally came in, so I can start tearing down the motor to try and fix the ticking.

Now if only I could have a weekend all to myself and my tools I could ride confidently again... As it is I'm jonesing for a ride real bad. Especially since today is 65 and not a cloud in the sky. And tomorrow is supposed to be the same.

Steve I've replaced the exhaust bolts with new and put in new header pipe gaskets about 6 months ago. There shouldn't be a leak there, but since I have to remove the pipes to fix the oil pan gasket I'll have a double look see.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the sentiments Chris! Been following along your journey and Brazil looks like an incredible country. I am adding it to my list of future adventures.

On another note my engine gaskets finally came in, so I can start tearing down the motor to try and fix the ticking.

Now if only I could have a weekend all to myself and my tools I could ride confidently again... As it is I'm jonesing for a ride real bad. Especially since today is 65 and not a cloud in the sky. And tomorrow is supposed to be the same.

Steve I've replaced the exhaust bolts with new and put in new header pipe gaskets about 6 months ago. There shouldn't be a leak there, but since I have to remove the pipes to fix the oil pan gasket I'll have a double look see.

Just go over the header bolts and check for tightness, you crashed the exhaust hit the ground , it may have just jarred the pipes enough to create a small tick. Also you said you just replaced them had you re torqued them?

 

[Guest]

Sorry to hear the mishap. Put tubes in your tires, no matter what - the least they do is that you don't get a blow out like that and you can patch the tube a dozen times.(Riding tubeless is a luxury i can't afford) I have more dings and bends on my rims that I can count but I always hammer them back in and it rides just fine. Those mag wheels are brittle so heat them up before bending them back.

Your situation is unique. Most riders, on US roads, don't get dings on rims. Killer potholes will make them, but those are rare in most of the country.

 

[Tim Tom]

Also you said you just replaced them had you re torqued them?

No I have not re-torqued them yet. Will most certainly thought!

Your situation is unique. Most riders, on US roads, don't get dings on rims. Killer potholes will make them, but those are rare in most of the country.

Apparently in NJ the killer pot holes do exist. Beware. The other day I went by the pot hole that screwed me. It is now filled in. Hah!! Take that pot hole!

 

[Guest]

....Apparently in NJ the killer pot holes do exist. Beware. The other day I went by the pot hole that screwed me. It is now filled in. Hah!! Take that pot hole!

Also around Detroit. 25 years ago, the area was still rich. Even then, they didn't take care of their roads. It is false savings. Slightly lower taxes, more than off-set by higher car maintenance costs. Indiana has the same philosophy, but it isn't applied as extremely.