My brand new crank bearings just blew out!

[MATTXR250R]

YEP THEY BLEW OUT...OR MAYBE JUST ON OF EM!!

I was out riding today and the bike was running great. I have my idle screw set to where the engine will idle when I back off the gas. The bike was idling great today and running sweet. Well it got to where it would not idle at all hardly. So I just reached down and screwed the idle screw out some to get it to idle but it didn't help..no matter where I set the idle screw it would not idle and the engine would surge(the RPMs would increase and decrease very rapidly)like it was running lean. But it would only surge like that when I backed off the gas and it did it whether the clutch was pulled in or not but if I was on the gas it wouldn't do it. Well I rode like this for a little bit and went through part of my tight singletrack trail and rounded a turn in 1st gear(out of powerband)and the bike started making a WERID NOT SO GOOD SOUNDING NOISE! I immediatly headed to the house as I figured the ROD BEARINGS or CRANK BEARINGS had just went out.

Got the bike home,pulled the flywheel cover off and pulled up and down on the flywheel and just like before my rebuild I can fell PLAY..when I put the motor together I couldn't feel any. Also once again there was coolant sitting in my flywheel cover and under the flywheel on the case.

I forgot to add that I can't really explain the noise as i don't guess the noise was to bad but the bike just didn't sound right is what I mean't to say...But like if I let the throttle go and let the RPMS get low and then reved the engine I could feel something..it would send this pulse through the frame and my body could feel it.

Now if I remember Right Yardpro told me the only way for coolant to get behind the flywheel cover or in the tranny period is if there was a crack in the left main crank bearing.

After i got my bike back together and rode it a while I took teh flywheel cover back off to check the flywheel for play,,there was none but I noticed coolant sitting under the flywheel. I wiped it up and rode the next day.took cover back off and NO COOLANT..well today as I said above more coolant behind the cover. So it must be the left main bearing was cracked(when put in by the shop)and it just went out today because the crack weakened the bearing?

I just want to sell this bike and get a 4-stroke...atleast then my crank bearings in oil all the time. I talked to a friend of mine today(B Dawg 311 here on ATM)and he told me to take the bike to the shop and tell them what happened so I am going to do that hopefully in a few days. But first I think I will take the flywheel off and pull up and down on the crank itself to make sure it isn't the flywheel.

THIS SUCKS...sorry for the long winded post.

[b dawg 311]

Im sorry bout all this bro, but like i said call them up and explain to them what went wrong and tell them that you had nothing to do with this and basically they have to figure out whats wrong and fix there mistake. simple as that bro, why should you have to pay big bucks for someone elses f up.

Brandon

[MotoMan]

Oh man, that sucks Matt.

I would have to say that from your explaination of the bike surging like you stated that you devoloped some sort of lean condition. IE air getting sucked in somewhere. As to where it came from I am not sure, but I am willing to bet that the left side crank bearing is to blame in one way shape or form.

Sorry that happened to you man.....That sucks.

[MATTXR250R]

Yeah I hate it happened. I mean there is nothing I can do about but I am still pretty hot about it. When the bike started making that different noise and knew something went wrong(like I said above I suspected rod or crank bearings)I almost pulled the clutch in and held it wide open until it blew up but didn't(I had to fight myself not to).

I know I got a problem when I bought this bike,the crank bearings were already bad and it was MY FAULT that I didn't take the flywheel cover off and check it. So if I start the bike and it doesn't sound werid I might just try and sell it. I know i have been into this motor once but I don't want to do it again and then get it back together and the same thing happen AGAIN 3 months after that..my CR is starting to sound to much like HUMPTY DUMPTY. If I could sell it I would just save for a LONG TIME and get a CRF or YZF as I don't really want another USED bike. I just have bad luck with things I buy..I always have and the same with my Uncle and my Dad. Us 3 have REALLY BAD LUCK.

[Dell30rb]

That really sucks, sounds like whoever put it together screwed up, call the shop up immideately and talk to them.

2 strokes are pretty darn reliable once they are working right.

[MATTXR250R]

Ren you are correct 100% IMO...my CR was just as realiable as my CR before this happened. But once you have been into a bike as far as I was once and you have the same problem AGAIN then it just makes me want to sell it. And I WILL get a 4-stroke next time. Course with my luck a valve will drop and just screw up my topend....ain't life GREEEAAATTT?

[ThuMPerCR125]

Man that bike has been nothing but trouble, very unlike a honda. Sure it's not really a suzuki?? :P

Sorry to hear that matt, I hope you can catch some good luck.

[Yardpro393]

matt,
they only way for coolant to get in there is that the CRANKCASE is cracked. sorry if i was unclear before. the case has a water jacket that goes around the bearing. it is inside the case. that is cracked.

[Yardpro393]

i am so sorry to hear that matt. that is surely the culprit. any water that gets on the bearing will cuase alot of problems

[Rockey]

Man that sucks big time
Its got to be the water, it would wash the oil off the bearing causing metal to metal contact, then wear. Sorry man

[MATTXR250R]

Yardpro,I will have the cases split again(I will get the tools and my dad and I will do it. Can this crack where the water is getting in be welded? I see what happened now..the coolant was getting on teh bearing and washing the oil off and the bearing got hot and also it caused rapid wear from no oil..is this water jacket just on the left bearing or both? Thanks bro.

[Yardpro393]

both, i would say no in the weld. a new case half is about $150.00. i would go that route

[MATTXR250R]

Well I hope the jackets on both sides of the case isn't cracked. On the weld,you don't think I could take it to a good machine shop,have them weld it and mill it out? I was just asking. I can probably get the case 1/2 cheaper than 150 from my friend but i hope its not both jackets cracked.

[Yardpro393]

it would probably be more to fix than replace. the list is about $300.00 the $150.00 is service honda cost

[MATTXR250R]

Well I am happy to know that we all know what the problem is now..I would much rather tear back into it knowing what caused the bearings to go bad. I will probably fix it and sell it. And go for a CRF.

[MATTXR250R]

Yardpro BTW do you know where I can get a "Crankcase Splitting Tool"? Also THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP. You made me feel alot better when you told me what it was.

[Yardpro393]

make one
let me know when you're ready and i'll go into how to make it

[MATTXR250R]

ok,thanks....DUDE!

[Woody_393]

Ahhh matt, I'm so sorry to hear that. Hang tough, You, YP, and others will get her running again. I have faith in you man.

This time take lots of pics. And lets try and document this.

[MATTXR250R]

Woody you got it..I will take pictures and this time my dad and I are splitting the cases so I will get pictures of all that to.