Hi guys...

so... i've blown my engine up.

The bike dropped out of gear at speed and jumped up past 16000rpm before i had time to react.

cue horrible snap noise and then tapping coming from the engine.

no smoke from the exhaust so i dont think it is bottom end.

It's deffinitely on cyl 3 (when i cranked the engine over this cylinder remained cold, so the fuel isnt being burnt, or isnt being burnt properly.

So i need some advice.. i'll be taking the bike apart tonight - just wondering if there's anything i need to know about removing my engine, anything that i am likely to forget about and will have to do..

i'm hoping i've just killed or spat a spark plug, but i don't think that this is the case.
next i'm hoping its just a snapped valve that hasnt been mashed into the piston too much..

but worst case scenario.... i need to buy:

piston
valves
valve springs
etc.

now, my question is, where will i buy these from if i do need them ?
and how much should i expect to spend.

also.. does anyone have a head off a running bike for sale ?

Thanks.

Ben

bugger.

Bad luck mate.

If you expect the worst then at least you can be glad when it is "only" a smashed piston or valve..

good luck with sorting it..

Hi Ripzay,
It sounds like valve trouble, if your lucky it may just be the cam rocker arm snapped. If you take all the clutter from around the head (rad,pipes coils etc) you can take a look inside without removing the engine. I had the same thing happen to me when i had one, missed a gear and the cam chain tensioner backed off and the chain jumped on the sprokets, snapped 3 followers and bent one valve. Are you sure its the top end as GSXR's like to snap conrods.

Well, i got the engine out last night... and it's bad.

the cause of the destruction was a snapped cam follower, which has then fallen down the valve into the engine and bounced around a bit atop the piston.

the results are:
1) Snapped Cam Follower
2) Bent Valve
3) Mashed spark plug
4) Mashed piston (i guess, havent taken the head off yet)
5) Lots of bits of ground metal in the intake, and probably in the cylinder.
6) Scratched / pitted cylinder bore.

I've managed to find a guy with an engine i can have for £350, which has done 10000km, (25000 less than my engine) and i'm going to pick that up tomorrow.

The dead engine, i'm going to keep and build a race engine out of it, there are kits available to make this engine slightly higher capacity, so as money allows, i will be doing this as a little spare-time project.

gsxr400 racer ^ how much ?

Gutted.

Gutted indeed, although that's somewhat fortunate to have come across a decent replacement so quickly.

Do you know much about those 442cc big-bore kits? I take it that's what you were referring to?

i know absolutely nothing about them, only that gsxr400 racer can supply the cheapest one around - it says so in his signature :p

still $1100 USA dollars shipped do to economy but if you dont mind a heavier piston the TTS also sells some JE slugs that weigh more have a bit more compression than my kit and are in the UK...

My kit comes with: @ 10.5:1 If your a tuner you can make this higher
4 pistons (cast pistons add 2 grams per stock)
4 rings
8 clips
4 pins
head gasket
base gasket
race cam chain tensioner
cam chain tensioner gasket
right and left engine cover gaskets

and most of all free shipping

1 month turn around time and paypal accepted

TTS kit comes with 13:1 as high as i would want to go compression ratio wise...
Head gasket
4 forged pistons (add 5 grams per stock)
4 rings
4 pins
8 clips

and you pay shipping ( not sure on turn around time)

The engine in the bike that Im breaking is absolutly bob on.

Its complete and Id prefer to sell as such, but prepared to break it up if requiered.

Gavin.