Bike Problem
Described
Hi Conor,
Very
confusing situation here in Addis Abeba. If I put down as
much of the facts as possible, I’m hoping you may be
able to suggest a next step. I’m putting out a
similar email to various contacts. The first section below
describes the circumstances that led to the problem, the
second describes my problem.
Bike: ’02 F650GS Dakar. 60,000 kms.
1. Events
leading up to it.
On
second day of difficult road across N Kenya desert, 2nd
gear in deep gravel and rocks, red temp light comes on.
Ride bit faster to try and cool engine, light goes off
temporarily. But excessive speed for the conditions and I
had a spill. Exhaust header pipe separated from silencer
section (and sheered subframe bolt, but luckily had similar
to replace). Reattached exhaust but no seal and exhaust
gases escaping. Even with constant breaks, red temp light
on then nearly permanently rest of day, except sections
where could increase speed. (Couldn't
stop - threat of Somali shifta or
bandits, and limited water.) Made it to Ethiopian border
town of Moyale (longest 200 kms I’ve ever ridden!).
Next day, higher altitude and sealed road, red temp light
off, air cools it. However 100 kms north of Moyale, going
up a hill, engine loses compression, and stops. Took out
spark plug, water spurts out when turned over. A few truck
rides later, arrived Addis Abeba. Took off cylinder head,
and cylinder and saw damage. Hole burned in cylinder head
near exhaust outlet, black discolouring part of rims,
piston rings broken, gasket broken, some hoses show signs
of heat damage.
2. The
problem
Yesterday, replacement (2nd
hand F650CS) cylinder, piston, cylinder head, water pump
and seals, and new radiator put in (with new gaskets and
hoses). Engine wasn’t taken out. New oil, coolant and
spark plug. The engine
started after a few attempts, and was running sweet and
regular for three minutes. Opening and closing the
throttle, gently at first, and then throttling up to 4,500
revs it cut out – no stuttering, no warning sounds,
just an immediate stop. Wouldn’t start again.
Spark working, injector injecting, compression (engine
turning over), swapped cpu box/EFI control unit with
another F650 - no effect, and mine works on the other.
Then tried to put it into 1st gear. Discovered now, problem
with gears. Can’t engage first. With gear lever held
down, wheel turning, could feel ‘clack clack’
as it tries to engage. Will only find one gear (feels like
4th or 5th), then shifting down – only goes into
(maybe false) neutral. Green neutral light stays on, even
when in gear. Tried push starting bike to maybe ‘free
up’ gears. Now no neutral (although green light still
on).
- There has been no previous problem with gears.
- Very occasionally in last four months red temp light has
come on, but for short time, then off.
- I serviced bike 2,000 kms before.
- Water pump seemed to be working (turns with wheel), as
was fan.
- Usually don’t wait for fan to stop before ignition
off.
- Unsure what caused overheating – suggested reasons
are a combination of damaged radiator (fins squashed at
back reduced area by about 25%), and after-market exhaust,
which was then damaged, causing engine to run hotter.
So gears appear to have a problem, and the engine wont
start. I’m not sure if the two are connected or
separate problems. Any suggestions would be much
appreciated, as am stuck on what is next step.
Regards, Hugh
Bike
Problem Solved
Report to www.F650.com,
an internet forum.
Hi
A week or so ago I described a predicament in Addis Ababa
concerning rebuilt engine not starting, and having a
problem with gears. The bike is now back on the road (ready
for a test ride to Harar, a day away). The following may be
of interest regarding the steps I took…
- Not finding any mechanic experienced in anything above
185cc to help, I approached Ultimate Motors on the Debre
Zeit road and agreed with the workshop manager, Eskander
Atomsa, helpful guy, to use his workshop. They happened to
be pretty quiet, so I had young mechanic help me. With my
laptop I was going by the manual and dvd –
indispensable.
- First, as described in previous post, engine turning over
but not starting. Went through all the checks again –
fuel, sparkplug, air/ combustion – then rechecked
timing. Found intake camshaft sprocket was loose, bolt not
tightened, which presumably was the reason for the rebuilt
engine to run for three minutes before suddenly stopping
when timing was affected. Problem number one identified and
sorted!
- Then took out engine (getting fairly familiar with the
procedures now), and despite severe heat caused by original
problem – see previous post – visually nothing
awry in clutch (two plastic oil pump gears fine), and
nothing apparently amiss in gearbox. BUT, spotted small
bronze pin, about half an inch, on the loose. It should
live in the (spring loaded) end of the Neutral
‘plug’ that is screwed in externally. I imagine
this completes a circuit when gear is in Neutral,
illuminating the green Neutral light on dash? The other end
of this ‘plug’ is the terminal where the
neutral light wire is attached on the right side of engine
cover, just below the oil filter. What caused the pin to be
dislodged I don’t know. Gears had been misaligned by,
not quite a spanner in the works, but a tiny bronze pin.
- Now riding the bike two days, gears fine. Neutral light
circuit broken by taking out that bronze pin, means I need
to raise side stand and pull clutch lever when starting the
engine.
So at this early stage of repaired bike (I don’t wish
to tempt fate!), it looks like there wasn’t serious
damage done to the gearbox despite 200 kms of desert riding
overheating. I say again – I am in awe of the
solidity of that Rotax engine!
Thanks again for the input.
Hugh
