[gegardne]

Hi, I am a new member and would appreciate some advice. I was riding around on the weekend, put about 500km on driving out to visit my parents, bike was running great. The next day I went for a quick evening ride and lost power on the highway - I couldn't maintain highway speed - I limped back home on the shoulder. I field serviced the carb and found some grit in the bottom of the float. It ran great after cleaning it out - so after doing some shorter rides I was confident it was fixed. Went riding pretty hard all the next day around some some old decommissioned logging roads, put about 200 km on it during the day and then went for a quick fishing trip in the evening. On my way home I was on the highway doing about 110km/h when it suddenly lost power. I thought maybe I was out of gas, was reaching for the reserve and slowing down when the rear tire suddenly locked up and skidded for about 20' before I could pull the clutch. I got it pulled off the road. Now it won't start. I pushed it the rest of the way home. The next day I replaced the spark plug, it has spark. I checked the carb again - its clean, The petcock and vacuum lines seem fine as there is fuel in the float and it flows from the tank when I apply vacuum. Can anybody tell me why this might have happened and what the next steps for diagnosis would be?

 

[PeteK]

More info would help. How many miles on it? What’s the oil level? When did you last check the oil? The main reason the engine would seize is if it ran out of oil. Has the doohickey been changed or recently adjusted? That’s another possibility.

 

[gegardne]

More info would help. How many miles on it? What’s the oil level? When did you last check the oil? The main reason the engine would seize is if it ran out of oil. Has the doohickey been changed or recently adjusted? That’s another possibility.

Thanks for the reply. The bike has 40000 km. I don't know if the doohickey has been changed or adjusted. I bought it used in the fall in parked it over the winter. I did an oil change in May and have put about 1500km on it since. It didn't seem like it was burning oil - I checked it after arriving at my parents, however, after reading through #4 on "common mistakes to avoid" I think it may have been burning oil and I probably let the oil level get too low after my last ride in the bush.

 

[samuel]

I just want to confirm, the engine is actually seized, correct? When you try to start it, it does not turn over, correct?

 

[gegardne]

I just want to confirm, the engine is actually seized, correct? When you try to start it, it does not turn over, correct?

No it is not seized. It turns over. I thought it may have temporarily seized because it skidded.

 

[Tom Schmitz]

Remove the oil filter and see if it is filled with glitter.
If no glitter, remove the valve cover and the right-hand exhaust cam cap and see if it looks like it got beat with an ugly stick.

 

[samuel]

I'm confused here… is it possible to 'temporarily seize?'

I was actually thinking this might just be the gas cap vent acting up, and perhaps the engine just ran out of gas and died, dragging real hard on the tire but not actually skidding??

 

[PeteK]

Drain the oil and see how much comes out, and see if any bits come out with it.

 

[Tom Schmitz]

I'm confused here… is it possible to 'temporarily seize?'

I was actually thinking this might just be the gas cap vent acting up, and perhaps the engine just ran out of gas and died, dragging real hard on the tire but not actually skidding??

Well, yes and no, but not usually (mostly 'no'). It is possible for an engine to begin to seize as piston material deposits on the cylinder wall and a clever and skilled rider may bring it back from the brink (later to rebuild the top end after limping home). If I am not mistaken, this is primarily a two-smoke thing.

There have been instances of the dogs in the transmission breaking off and jamming the transmission, then falling out of the transmission and 'un-seizing' the motor. Same-same with an upper balancer bearing letting go.

These sorts of seizures are accompanied by great carnage and provide entertainment of the schadenfreude variety.

These temporary seizures are not like a goat having a fit from fright and then getting up and walking away with little to no harm done. Any seizure is going to result in bad damage.

 

[samuel]

Awesome video ~ ~

So what are you guys thinking about this poster's dilemma? Just waiting to hear back on an oil inspection?

 

[gegardne]

Awesome video ~ ~

So what are you guys thinking about this poster's dilemma? Just waiting to hear back on an oil inspection?

That was awesome. Poor goats. That is kind of how I felt after sliding to a stop. I haven't experienced that before and it happened pretty quick so I may have misdiagnosed while trying to put the pieces together afterwards. I had to leave my bike and return to work for the week. I'll drive my truck out to retrieve it this weekend and do an oil inspection. If there was a gas cap vent issue that caused the engine to die from lack of fuel, could it drag hard enough on the wheel to cause it to skid down the road?

 

[samuel]

I doubt the engine simply being off would actually cause a skid. When you take the oil filter cap off, remember to have a rag underneath it waiting for the deluge of oil. Also, be careful not to get any crud in the ports that you'll see in the cavity. Looking forward to hearing what you find…

Also, nice profile pics. I liked the dog one before, and now you've got like an AI painting wolves and goats thing going on…

 

[Toney]

I just want to confirm, the engine is actually seized, correct? When you try to start it, it does not turn over, correct?

He said it has spark so it must turn over.

 

[650Stew]

I hope I'm wrong, but not keeping an eagle eye on the oil level on an 08 or 09 usually results in carnage, especially if you were doing a lot of high rpm highway riding. My 08 didn't touch oil unless I was doing extended highway trips at higher rpm, then I had to check it pretty often. Gas cap vent issue definitely wouldn't have caused it to skid the wheel, it would have just started sputtering because it wasn't getting gas. Wishing you the best of luck with it, hopefully it turns out not to be anything major.

 

[eamartin]

and I probably let the oil level get too low after my last ride in the bush.

How low did it get?

 

[Dan Diego]

Hi, I am a new member and would appreciate some advice.

Unsure if smarter people have already guessed that it’s crud—likely rust—in the tank.
The seized feeling was the rear wheel locking up due to it still being in gear and not running.

 

[Uncle Dick]

That was awesome. Poor goats. That is kind of how I felt after sliding to a stop. I haven't experienced that before and it happened pretty quick so I may have misdiagnosed while trying to put the pieces together afterwards. I had to leave my bike and return to work for the week. I'll drive my truck out to retrieve it this weekend and do an oil inspection. If there was a gas cap vent issue that caused the engine to die from lack of fuel, could it drag hard enough on the wheel to cause it to skid down the road?

it’s doubtful the engine would skid if the motor suddenly became fuel starved, especially if in a higher gear. best of luck finding and repairing the problem.

 

[Norton 850]

This bike was most probably run with a too low oil level and as a result "cooked" the cams and their bearing journals in the head.

Jason

 

[Dan Diego]

it’s doubtful the engine would skid if the motor suddenly became fuel starved, especially if in a higher gear. best of luck finding and repairing the problem.

I did it (again) is week. I routinely turn off my fuel 3/4 of a mile from my house to drain the carb of fuel. I usually make it to my driveway. Sometimes I don’t.

While coasting along the road after my engine stopped, I let out the clutch...and it skidded down the road.

 

[Uncle Dick]

I did it (again) is week. I routinely turn off my fuel 3/4 of a mile from my house to drain the carb of fuel. I usually make it to my driveway. Sometimes I don’t.

While coasting along the road after my engine stopped, I let out the clutch...and it skidded down the road.

you must be sliding on a gravel or dirt road or in a low gear.