How easy it is to screw up a new engine?
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Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 517
Likes: 6
From: Ottawa, ON
How easy is it to screw up a new engine?
Well, it all started with my stupid move on bolting an old CV onto a brand new motor. Right away there was a major leanness problem:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/evo-c...too-small.html
So now after 700 mi I am seriously paranoid that I damaged the engine
Is that normal that during break in some weird sounds appear?
They are all very subtle, and I got music ears, but my pipes are pretty loud on the other hand...
There are tiny pebbles rattling on certain rpm (about 50-60 mph on 5th) on 5th and 4th gears. For some reason it disappears if I put a windshield on. Nothing on idle, nothing if I pull the clutch while rolling. Checked and rechecked all the heat shields.. .
On idle there is also some wheezing thumping (with the exhaust beat) around rear cylinder - as if a headgasket was blown, but the compression is good and identical in both cylinders.
But so far the engine is running noticeably better than at the beginning, which is expected if break in goes well.
For my leanness problem:
- originally the plugs were white, but no blistering.
- the engine was difficult to start, and even needed enricher while warm, but was running good otherwise
- i felt lotsa heat from heads while riding, but the oil tmp never went above 200
All this being said, is there a possibility of damage already done?
How can I see if anything bad had happened (again, if besides the weird sounds there is nothing alarming, runs better, good compression and doesn't burn oil)?
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/evo-c...too-small.html
So now after 700 mi I am seriously paranoid that I damaged the engine
Is that normal that during break in some weird sounds appear?
They are all very subtle, and I got music ears, but my pipes are pretty loud on the other hand...
There are tiny pebbles rattling on certain rpm (about 50-60 mph on 5th) on 5th and 4th gears. For some reason it disappears if I put a windshield on. Nothing on idle, nothing if I pull the clutch while rolling. Checked and rechecked all the heat shields.. .
On idle there is also some wheezing thumping (with the exhaust beat) around rear cylinder - as if a headgasket was blown, but the compression is good and identical in both cylinders.
But so far the engine is running noticeably better than at the beginning, which is expected if break in goes well.
For my leanness problem:
- originally the plugs were white, but no blistering.
- the engine was difficult to start, and even needed enricher while warm, but was running good otherwise
- i felt lotsa heat from heads while riding, but the oil tmp never went above 200
All this being said, is there a possibility of damage already done?
How can I see if anything bad had happened (again, if besides the weird sounds there is nothing alarming, runs better, good compression and doesn't burn oil)?
Last edited by jokenroll; Jun 27, 2012 at 12:40 PM.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
What did you do to tune the carb to match your new engine? If your carb was in good condition, it's age shouldn't matter, but what could do harm is not setting it up correctly.
50-60 in 5th gear sounds too low to me, so you may be loading the engine too much, especially if the poor thing is running lean, or the ignition timing is not quite right.
Sounds as though you should get to a tuning shop asap!
50-60 in 5th gear sounds too low to me, so you may be loading the engine too much, especially if the poor thing is running lean, or the ignition timing is not quite right.
Sounds as though you should get to a tuning shop asap!
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Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 517
Likes: 6
From: Ottawa, ON
Grbrown, thanx for the fast input!
Yes, that's the problem - the carb turned out to be seriously worn out (what a Darvin's award case - I didn't think to check it beforehand). The slider is loose, so it seems it just sucks air around it. I started with 45 idle and now it's all the way to 50. I don't think it is tunable at all anymore, so all I am doing now is making sure the mixture isn't too lean by all means. So far so good as I mentioned in the other thread, but I started out a few hundred miles being pretty lean. That's my concern( if I managed to damage the engine then)!
As for the carb, it's not worth rebuilding it, I've already ordered a Mikuni kit.
So I'm not really worried about the carb and mixture anymore, I'm just paranoid that I've already screwed up the brand new motor! :'(
Yes, that's the problem - the carb turned out to be seriously worn out (what a Darvin's award case - I didn't think to check it beforehand). The slider is loose, so it seems it just sucks air around it. I started with 45 idle and now it's all the way to 50. I don't think it is tunable at all anymore, so all I am doing now is making sure the mixture isn't too lean by all means. So far so good as I mentioned in the other thread, but I started out a few hundred miles being pretty lean. That's my concern( if I managed to damage the engine then)!
As for the carb, it's not worth rebuilding it, I've already ordered a Mikuni kit.
So I'm not really worried about the carb and mixture anymore, I'm just paranoid that I've already screwed up the brand new motor! :'(
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: Sweden via Bisbee, Az.
Ride on my friend and prosper!
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Don't want to be a debbie downer, but small pebbles rattling in a can might be a ping, or worse (if it gets real loud) a shot ring. And you could certainly have done both.
You can fix a ping with a timing adjustment, and you might need that with a new motor/carb setup.
But I describe the sound of a ping as pebbles rattling in can, and a lost ring as BOLTS rattling in a coffee can. I've had both happen to me, back to back, meaning the detonation probably led to the blown ring.
Could be nothing, but I would not whistle past the junkyard on this one.
You can fix a ping with a timing adjustment, and you might need that with a new motor/carb setup.
But I describe the sound of a ping as pebbles rattling in can, and a lost ring as BOLTS rattling in a coffee can. I've had both happen to me, back to back, meaning the detonation probably led to the blown ring.
Could be nothing, but I would not whistle past the junkyard on this one.
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Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 517
Likes: 6
From: Ottawa, ON
I don't think its a ping because it happens on accel or decel ragardless - just certain rpm's.
As for the blown ring - is there any way to check it? Compression is still really good and identical in both...
As for the blown ring - is there any way to check it? Compression is still really good and identical in both...
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Joined: Jun 2008
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compression test is good news, so at least the ring is probably not it.
I don't know if ping always goes away on decel. It might depend on if fuel is still being fed into the motor. Someone else can answer there maybe, but I would want to get rid of a new motor ping if that is indeed the problem.
I don't know if ping always goes away on decel. It might depend on if fuel is still being fed into the motor. Someone else can answer there maybe, but I would want to get rid of a new motor ping if that is indeed the problem.
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Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 517
Likes: 6
From: Ottawa, ON
Thanx Cleetussnow, you made my day - it's not a blown ring, if compression is good! It's very subtle, pebble like, not bolts, and as if there are no more than 1 or 2 pebbles in there. So might be a ping then. I have Dyna 2000 ignition, that is set to the most aggressive curve (recommended for stock motors though). I can just go one or two curves lower and see if the sound disappears.