SV650 Stalled, loud "clunk" noise.

[Zorba]

Strange thing happened yesturday, went out for a ride with the wife and near the end came up to a round about changed down as usual and then heard a spinning sound then a really loud "cluck" (that is a technical saying!) coming from the lower left handside of the engine then the bike stalled. had to push to the other side of the road to see whats happening. Checked the oil and the levels are OK, went to turn it back on and it started up first pop. strange thing is now the oil light is on when you turn the key and stays on but as soon as you start the bike it goes out.

Anyone have any ideas on what might be the cause/solution to this? also had to ride the bike home last night but should it be OK to ride?

[mikerj]

strange thing is now the oil light is on when you turn the key and stays on but as soon as you start the bike it goes out.


That is normal behaviour surely?

[BigFootIsBlurry]

That is normal behaviour surely?

This.

[speedyandypandy]

The technical term is in fact 'clunk', and a clunk is never a good sign, you fail to mention what bike and how old, maybe some details about when it was serviced last time, oil change etc, any mods done to drivetrain or engine? Could help out, or else you will recive a thousand likely reasons, if the 1000 bother to answer at all.

[yorkie_chris]

Could you possibly have missed a gear and the clunk was it getting into (a too high...) gear again?

Just for a laugh, I'd check the charging. Last time I heard big clunks from LHS of an engine it was my GPZ500S eating it's own stator when a magnet fell off the rotor... But I've never heard of this on an SV.

[Eulaca]

If my engine ever cuts out (when cold) I get a clunk and a spinning sound.

[yorkie_chris]

I think that spinning sound you sometimes get is the engine bouncing backwards off compression and spinning the starter motor over. It used to play merry hell with DR750 starters so a lot of owners stall them with the decompressor rather than turning the ignition off.

[Zorba]

Thanks for the replys guys! As pointed out I've missed saying its a 99 650.


That is normal behaviour surely?

I couldn't remember if this was as it stays on long after the petrol light goes out ( never really noticed it staying on before and paranoid now!)

The technical term is in fact 'clunk', and a clunk is never a good sign, you fail to mention what bike and how old, maybe some details about when it was serviced last time, oil change etc, any mods done to drivetrain or engine? Could help out, or else you will recive a thousand likely reasons, if the 1000 bother to answer at all.

Not much of a spanner monkey myself (although would like to learn) last big service was about 2 1/2 k.

Could you possibly have missed a gear and the clunk was it getting into (a too high...) gear again?

Just for a laugh, I'd check the charging. Last time I heard big clunks from LHS of an engine it was my GPZ500S eating it's own stator when a magnet fell off the rotor... But I've never heard of this on an SV.

Pretty sure I didn't stall it cause I noticed the sound then it stopped.

As mentioned above not to upto it with checking things on the bike as I have 2 left thumbs and no skills.

[jambo]

The oil light is a pressure switch, not a volume sensor. If the engine isn't running, the oil light will be on (bonus marks for realising this means it's useless for telling if you're low on oil until it's past critical).

I'd not stress too much, but keep an eye on it, if it started and ran fine, then it may just have been an odd combination of gear and cutting out.

Jambo

[yorkie_chris]

The oil light comes on when there is no oil pressure. When the engine is not turning it will always be on.

[Sid Squid]

I think that spinning sound you sometimes get is the engine bouncing backwards off compression and spinning the starter motor over.
This.

Lots of singles do it.

Oil light is operated by oil pressure:

Not running = no pressure = light on.
Running = oil pressure = light off.

It should be on when the key is on and the engine isn't running, if it isn't the warning system isn't working.

If it's running and the light is on there's a problem - which is precisely what the light is there to tell you.

[embee]

As an aside, there's generally 2 types of warning light.
1 - non-latching - simple real time things like oil pressure, handbrake on, and charging. When the engine is stopped there's no oil press and no charging from the alternator, so the light is on to warn you. As soon as it starts they should go out (if all is OK). If the handbrake is on it's on, that's it. Nothing clever about these at all.
2 - latching types, these tell you if something has gone wrong at some time during operation and should be looked at. The light comes on when something is wrong but doesn't necessarily go out again until some sort of reset happens (can be simple switch off/on, or might need resetting manually). This is to make sure it doesn't just get ignored or missed. Things like airbags, ABS, check-engine (emissions systems) etc. To make sure the warning light and system check function is still OK they come on with the ignition but go out after a short time if everything is OK.

Low fuel warnings are a real time light but usually a delay is built in so they don't keep flashing randomly as you reach the low level. They just come on and stay on till you refill, but may take a few seconds to go out depending on the electronics. They are not latching types.

HTH

[yorkie_chris]

Oil light should be a latching type. Reset pin fed by starter signal. Might tell you there is problem before engine death when pump starts sucking bubbles.

[mikerj]

This.

Lots of singles do it.



My RSV does it as well. Makes me cringe a bit as they are known for eating sprag clutches.