SV650 Stalled, loud "clunk" noise.

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]

Originally Posted by Zorba

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]

Originally Posted by mikerj

That is normal behaviour surely?

This.

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.

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

Originally Posted by mikerj

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!)

Originally Posted by 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.

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

Originally Posted by 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.

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.