She's an 1150 GS with a GSA tank, year 2000, about 140K miles, I've had her about twelve years and done 99% of the servicing myself, been on lots of fun trips around the UK and commuted in all weather, but she has gone phut in a not insignificant way...
About a week ago I went out to do the weekly shop... on start up she was a bit noisier than usual, cue they all do that sir, and it was a very cold day so I headed off. It got quieter as she warmed up and it was soon forgotten. She ran fine, pulled well, no smoke or bangs. A few days later I need to go collect some bits so start her up and it's noisier than before... from the left hand cylinder head. A rattle, different to the usual cold start. I decided to put her in my workshop for a little look... I took the left hand cover off to check the valves, all were good, nothing unusual at all. I left the cover off and referred to the Knowledge Of All Wisdom, this here forum, and started wondering about CCT - the cam chain tensioner.
Back to the bike for another look... it turns out I have the 17mm head on the CCT, not the later 15mm. I shone a torch inside to have a look and thought the cam chain was looking loose, so took the injector off to examine from the side and found the cam chain sagging. It took me a while and a think to realise what I was looking at. Both the bottom and top cam rails were missing...
In fact I can just make out half of the top one left but the bottom one has gone completely.
I can just make out that there is wear from the chain on the pivot pin that holds the bottom rail in place, and there are fresh witness marks from the top rail on a metal web. There is always a dribble of oil when taking the cover off and on inspection it was full of shiny swarf...
So my beloved has chewed up her cam tensioners, flailed at metal, dumped the bits of plastic somewhere deep inside and filled every oilway, passage, strainer, valve gear, rings in fact everything with swarf. But she runs beautifully...
I will try to fix her, but with work coming up and a house that needs finishing - electrics, ceiling, plastering, insulating and a garden building thats taken far too long, she is not a priority.
I am gutted and angry and disappointed, questioning my own mechanical ability at missing this, mixed with the gradual acceptance that a 23 year old bike used year round in the UK will one day pass on... I will get the engine out and on the bench though taking her apart will be the first challenge... those engine bolts have been fused in place over those 23 years...
I need a new bike. At least new to me anyways... It's not RIP GS yet, but her chances are slim... We both, my wife and I miss her already.
About a week ago I went out to do the weekly shop... on start up she was a bit noisier than usual, cue they all do that sir, and it was a very cold day so I headed off. It got quieter as she warmed up and it was soon forgotten. She ran fine, pulled well, no smoke or bangs. A few days later I need to go collect some bits so start her up and it's noisier than before... from the left hand cylinder head. A rattle, different to the usual cold start. I decided to put her in my workshop for a little look... I took the left hand cover off to check the valves, all were good, nothing unusual at all. I left the cover off and referred to the Knowledge Of All Wisdom, this here forum, and started wondering about CCT - the cam chain tensioner.
Back to the bike for another look... it turns out I have the 17mm head on the CCT, not the later 15mm. I shone a torch inside to have a look and thought the cam chain was looking loose, so took the injector off to examine from the side and found the cam chain sagging. It took me a while and a think to realise what I was looking at. Both the bottom and top cam rails were missing...
In fact I can just make out half of the top one left but the bottom one has gone completely.
I can just make out that there is wear from the chain on the pivot pin that holds the bottom rail in place, and there are fresh witness marks from the top rail on a metal web. There is always a dribble of oil when taking the cover off and on inspection it was full of shiny swarf...
So my beloved has chewed up her cam tensioners, flailed at metal, dumped the bits of plastic somewhere deep inside and filled every oilway, passage, strainer, valve gear, rings in fact everything with swarf. But she runs beautifully...
I will try to fix her, but with work coming up and a house that needs finishing - electrics, ceiling, plastering, insulating and a garden building thats taken far too long, she is not a priority.
I am gutted and angry and disappointed, questioning my own mechanical ability at missing this, mixed with the gradual acceptance that a 23 year old bike used year round in the UK will one day pass on... I will get the engine out and on the bench though taking her apart will be the first challenge... those engine bolts have been fused in place over those 23 years...
I need a new bike. At least new to me anyways... It's not RIP GS yet, but her chances are slim... We both, my wife and I miss her already.
), which destroyed the piston and cylinder head. The oil was a metal soup of flakes and bits of piston, etc, so I remembered where I’d seen an R80R in a Jap breakers nearby. £100 and a few parts swapped across saw me changing a 100k plus engine for an 18k beauty.
