Through tears and blubbering I ask you "how hard can it be?". Having rebuilt my trackbike over the winter I took it to Snetterton and it's gearbox cried enough just after lunch. Devastated I sent it off to have a new one popped in which I got from Colin on here. It was returned and I had a long wait until Silverstone this weekend. We had an amazing morning of smashing round being silly and I was loving the slickness of the new box. After lunch, the engine promptly killed itself. Gutted. So it seems that the bottom end has gone and a piston is gently caressing the cylinder head, bad, bad, bad. So my question is, is it really that hard to take an engine apart and put it back together again with new bits in it? I've done almost everything else on the bike now so the only thing left is the motor. Has anyone attempted this kind of thing from a non-professional background? If so, what bits and pieces do you need before you start? Or, is it just to much danger and I should just give it away to someone else to do and accept the financial decimation and feeling of failure? P.S. anyone got a crank lying around?
No way mate. That is proper bad luck that! This is something that as having a curious nature I have thought about myself if such a thing were to happen to me. I know that it would take a while and that there would be a few swear words in the process of getting there, but genuinely I would try it as I love a challenge and live to learn along the way. For yourself it all comes down to how quickly you need the bike, and really how cheaply you can get the bits needed. Also has your engine already been stripped mate? Reason I ask is to make sure that this is the only damage to the engine?
I want the bike pretty quickly but don't really "need" it. The main issue is not so much getting the parts cheaply it's more the labour cost. If I could do it myself I'd be able to refresh it every 2000 miles and then and make sure everything is still in tolerance etc. halfway through the season. Just seems like a skill I should have for the kind of money you need to splash out to get it done. The engine has been stripped and was deemed in good nick when the gearbox was done. Apparently not good enough nick!
If it helps, I have recently gone through the same thing. Here is roughly what it cost: 2nd hand crank £240.00 Nearly new piston and rod £80.00 Cam journal repair £200.00 New shells etc £150.00 Labour £450.00 You can get parts cheaper from Partzilla in the states compared to UK dealer prices.
http://1000rr.co.uk/threads/breaking-race-bike.30497/ give Neil a bell for parts probably give you some advice on rebuilds too!
Nice one, I'll drop him a text. Colin has offered me some bits if needed but doesn't have the crank anymore. Blake7 that makes me feel a bit ill but i suppose it could be worse. Who did you get to do yours?
Neil Pearson at NP Motorcycles. It took a while though pal and it was done in winter so cheaper labour. A couple of other places I went to wanted best part of 1k in labour. Think NP is busy with BSB now but you can try him https://www.facebook.com/npmotorcycles/
You can do this yourself, i have rebuilt a number of engines including 2 fireblades but i have worked in mechanical engineering for 35 years which helps. As blake7 says parts are massively cheaper from the states.
I have lots of engine parts if you do decide to rebuid it - however the crank was sold earlier this year.
I decided it was all to much to take so gave it back to Ray and I just got the diagnosis. Fortunately there was hardly any damage and the only things needing replacing are crank and a conrod. I'm getting a pretty comprehensive rebuild done to it so that I can ride it confidently or sell it with a clear conscience. If anyone is in the market for a sorted and refreshed blade then let me know as it will all be back together and looking like this http://www.1000rr.co.uk/attachments/p1000287-jpg.38092/ in a week or two.
Glad you are getting it sorted. It sounds very similar to what went on mine then, except I had the cam journal to fix also.
