Spill and subsequent damage

[robski]

I had a spill about a week and a half ago in which i collided with a concrete post and ended up in a seven foot high ditch with vertical walls.

My bike on the other had nestled on the verge on its left side and kept chugging away for 10 mins till i got out of the ditch and hit the kill switch. the side of the bike didn't touch tarmac at all just grass...

I snapped my radiator and gear shifter which is fair enough. I've also got an oil leak. I haven't started it or fiddled with anything until a mechanic came around today.

The oil was empty so we topped it up to find where the oil leak was coming from - only the bike won't start. The electric start makes it noise and it begins to start but then something goes clunk and it won't start either from neutral or in gear and rocking it.

i thought it maybe a seize of some kind, but the mechanic has told me to price up a 2nd hand engine for my 99 SV. I'd quite surprised really as i've onyl had it 5 weeks and i'll be gutted if i've trashed it already.

anyone had anything similar happen? or can anyone shed any light on what might be wrong?

PS. how much would an engine cost?

[Sid Squid]

As it was on it's side for some appreciable time, the oil pickup in the sump will have been sucking on air.

The most likely damaged areas are the big end bearings as they are plain, and the camshafts as they run direct in the head.

This being the case, and the motor's refusal to turn over smoothly just about guarantees it, your mechanic is quite right; a replacement motor is needed, as it will be cheaper than the parts needed to repair the engine, and a whole lot less work to pay for.

A way to check for damage is to stand the bike up and drain the oil into an open topped container, a wide bowl is best, does the oil look like metal flake paint? If yes that's all the info you need.

[robski]

cheer Sid appreciate that.

the oil appeared pretty normal really....no flakes in sight.

does that change anything?

cheers,

Rob.

[Sid Squid]

Well there being no obvious metal bits in the oil is certainly encouraging, but it would require you to have the motor stripped apart to check fully and for certain what/where the damage is.
In the circumstances you describe; bike flat on it's side running for a number of minutes*, the chances of there not being substantial damage to the big ends at the very least are slim, the difficulty in turning the motor over and the noises it makes whilst doing so verify this.

*This is difficult to understand though, it would normally be a very short while until the fuel ran out of the carbs through the breathers and the motor stopped, the fuel injection models have a tip over switch that cuts the motor as they have a fully pressurised system and would run indefinately, well, 'till the motor popped anyway.

[Mike1234]

Hydraulic lock in the cylinders?

I had the same thing on my race SV650 a while back. Start by removing the front spark plug and try the starter again. If that doesn't fix it try the same with the rear.

Turned out my front cylinder had filled with all whilst being slightly upside down when it came to a stop, or leaning slightly up hill in my case.

I removed the spark plug from the front cylinder and tried to start it. Spat a load of oil about 10 feet in the air and all over the front of the bike but it got rid of enough to eventually start. It was a bit lumpy for a while and smoked like anything but there was no damage to the motor.

[northwind]

You'd hope the mechanic would have tried that first, mind... I'd say the fact that the bike was still running till you stopped it's encouraging too, no?

[Sid Squid]

Hydraulic lock in the cylinders?

Doubtful unless it was left on it's side for a long time after being stopped, and it couldn't have hydro locked while still running.

[robski]

i'm gonna mention that to him tomorrow.

i'd try it myself if i knew what i was doing. Gonna have to learn i think...

the fact it was still running, just ticking over, not even revving badly, made me think there wasn't too much wrong.

It's been stood in my garage for 9 days though. I've also wired up 2 new indicators, without switching the engine on, so i'm wondering if the battery might be a bit flat even though i only switched the lights on to check everything a few times. Can that have made any difference?

[squirrel_hunter]

Same thing happened to me, bike was running on its side for 30 seconds and it cost me a new engine 4 weeks later. Oil starvation to the rear cyclider and the big end went :oops: . Admittedly it was a little low on oil at the time, but to be honest mate I'd start looking for a new enigine now. Expect £600 - 700 fitted £400 - 500 if you do it your self.