Dreaded "0" ring facts

[Robbarrie]

Mike I read your last post ( the last sentence is a pretty strong statement ) and it sounds like your at your witts-end. Not sure if your around anymore because I haven't seen you post. If your gone or thinking of leaving, thats too bad. Nobody wants you to see you leave. Anyway if your reading this, don't take it so seriously. I for one appreciate all viewpoints, for or against. Almost everything is debatible.

But I have to ask....What strikes me weird is that you posted a pic of a switch that you put onto your instrument panel - when someone was asking what kind of room was behind the panel and you had an oil pressure guage. You must have doubts ( I assume you treat your bike like most if us ) about this kind of thing happening, then why have a oil pressure guage ? Am I missing the piont here ? Is this an old picture or was it just for looks. You even said it's just one more thing for the rider to worry about, let me give ya some advice - don't worry about it ! Maybe it's the way I read it but it appears your getting bent about it. If I'm wrong please tell me. Me myself would install a guage for looks, its kinda cool, but it also would be handy to have.

Just curious really. :confused2: Are you still here ? Anybody seen him around ? or know if he's gone bye-bye.

Here is the pic you posted, I can clearly see you took out the tack and replaced it with a oil pressure guage. I'm not trying to be an ass - I'm just calling you on it. I think someone has pinch a nerve with you, you are free to speak your mind here like everyone else. As you said we are all here to learn and share our viewpoints. We all end up going with what we think is right, very seldom does anybody change their opinion anyways if they have been around here, or around the Vmax for a while. The only ones who may sway one way or another are the greenhorns - I'm talking about the people who will be the first to agree with anybody they have no idea either way. They just bought the Max, because like all the rest of us, is that they love the look, feel, and the power of it.

 

[1FK00]

I can't say if my o-ring has popped out of place or not, but my 85 just turned 108,000 miles on the way to work today, and it's running as good as it ever has.

 

[Robbarrie]

I can't say if my o-ring has popped out of place or not, but my 85 just turned 108,000 miles on the way to work today, and it's running as good as it ever has.

Congrats, you must be doing something right. :cheers:

 

[4gasem]

:clapping: Mike has a point. If it was an issue Yamaha would have fixed this a long time ago. Sounds like many have ran their bikes thousands and thousands of miles w/o a problem..and their vmax is still ticking :thumbs up:

But they did fix it...:whistlin:

The later models like he said in the article were changed which means to me that they knew they had an issue... Does it cause engine failure? Doesn't sound like it!

 

[Robbarrie]

I think ( 60% ) sure they made a few changes. I really don't think that this was a big issue - and why ? The Max has a good rep for its engine. Many guys have beat the piss out of them over the years, and many owners wouldn't think twice about buying another one. If it was a big problem, sales would have dropped like a brick....instead they still sell, not as many but enough to warrant a production line to keep building them. Now with the new model in the works we'll have to see how that goes. Yamaha seems to think so, I hope they're right.

 

[m-cman]

Sorry to resurrect this old thread but I just dropped my oil pan and discovered I have a "bulging o-ring". Am going to replace the oil delivery assembly and all associated o-rings, dampeners/grommets, gaskets, etc. The new assembly is slightly different that my original (1997). Hopefully Yamaha addressed this potential problem with the re-design. The total cost from U-Motors for all items is about $46 plus shipping.

Just FYI....

 

[one2dmax]

we don't use the stock o-ring but everything else we use with fine results.

Sean

 

[shawn kloker]

Sorry to resurrect this old thread but I just dropped my oil pan and discovered I have a "bulging o-ring". Am going to replace the oil delivery assembly and all associated o-rings, dampeners/grommets, gaskets, etc. The new assembly is slightly different that my original (1997). Hopefully Yamaha addressed this potential problem with the re-design. The total cost from U-Motors for all items is about $46 plus shipping.

Just FYI....

Can you see the I shaped cross metal piece above the o-ring in the pic?I took some good mechanics wire and wired the elbow with the o-ring on it to the piece.I have been back in there twice now and it still all in good shape.Still nice and tight up into there.Even after many runs at the strip.

 

[forestdaledave]

My personal feeling is that if there is a potential problem lurking with this o ring I would like to fix it. What I would like to know is how you guys are pulling the engine pan off and looking at it without turning the bike upside down. I can't get my head under it. I figure I could build something to get it high enough but what?
Dave

 

[one2dmax]

take your exhaust off.

Sean

 

[4gasem]

My personal feeling is that if there is a potential problem lurking with this o ring I would like to fix it. What I would like to know is how you guys are pulling the engine pan off and looking at it without turning the bike upside down. I can't get my head under it. I figure I could build something to get it high enough but what?
Dave

Like Sean said... I took mine off when I removed and replaced the stock exhaust.

I did it on the center or side stand I believe.:confused2:

 

[Redbone]

I have a '92 and I think I will definately pull my pan when I get my exhaust next winter. If I understand Sean correctly I would just replace the stock "o" ring with a non stock "o" ring? What type/ where do I order one of these bad boys from? Thanks!

 

[113s&s]

so are the newer models have a different o ring or is anything updated or changed

 

[4gasem]

so are the newer models have a different o ring or is anything updated or changed

Yes they updated it, to keep it from happening. I still replaced the rubber knob with a plastic one to keep good pressure on the tube and keep it pressed up.

 

[maleko89]

Chris, when? I've been looking at fiche and the part numbers are the same so far?

 

[113s&s]

Yes they updated it, to keep it from happening. I still replaced the rubber knob with a plastic one to keep good pressure on the tube and keep it pressed up.

thanks for that info..after reading the article i though it said it went to a smaller o ring and up dated some other part...but was not sure.thanks with my A.D.D reading is not a strong suit of mine..thats why i ask lots of questions....

 

[odieoh24]

I think I remember someone posting that they had an oil gauge and the reading was lower when the O ring was out. Does anyone else remember that? I think it was on one of the Yahoo lists. I'll dig around and see if I can find it.

last summer i installed a cycleoneoff oil pressure gauge on my 89 max pressure was 40-50 with choke on at cold start. as the bike warmed up the pressure dropped to around 10-15 with the choke off. pressure rises and falls about 10 per 1000 rpm's. when the bike has run a while the pressure will fall almost to 5 at idle. i bought the same gauge for my 97 and when i installed it there was a significant difference in the way it acted on this bike-very low pressure and never reaching higher than 20. took the bike to yamaha and had them open it up to take a look and install the o-ring pop stop kit from boxenstopp. sure enough the o-ring was unseating and looked like it could have fell off at any time. pop stop kit fitted and pressure acts the same now as on the 89. these gauges are extremely easy to install, they look good, and can definetly warn you of this problem before the o-ring completly fails. peace of mind is worth the price of the gauge for sure.

later odieoh24/#3611

 

[4gasem]

Chris, when? I've been looking at fiche and the part numbers are the same so far?

I was thinking it was a 2003 upgrade but I can't remember where I read it either.:confused2:

 

[one2dmax]

I don't bother with the yamaha o-rings. I use the kawi oval oring with excellent results.

Sean

 

[copilot777]

Well guys I must say.For the guys that know or have expierenced the dreaded o-ring problem , and the guys that do not think it exist .( well it exist ) I fully rebuilt my engine and finished it last month. new pistons , rings rod and main bearings ,oil pump, and a stock o ring , Just 2 days ago something went wrong in 4th gear at about 10,000 rpm the engine went from pulling hard with 4 cyls to almost like I shut 2 cylinders down. brought the bike home and started to look into what might have happened .My first thought was maybe I lost fuel (with a possible clogged fuel filter ) so I cleaned it and checked the oil , all looked fine.so I pulled all the spark plugs.The plugs all had the perfect looking tint to them.not lean , not rich. Then I pulled my supercharger belt loose to check and make sure the supercharger wasn't the issue .( looked and felt good) so I then went and put a socket and ratchet on the lower pulley to try and manually spin the engine. it was hard as hell to spin over( without the spark plugs installed) . Definately a internal issue . I pulled the oil pan tonight (friday) and found either rod or main bearing or both particles in the oil pan and oil pump screen. I then checked the orange o-ring (It is pushed out half way around)I wish I was aware of the issue when I rebuilt it . I know now . I will start to completely tear down the engine tomorrow and know the extent of the damage. :bang head: