Your Guess is Better than Mine

[johnblaid]

OK...I'm riding my bosses 1998 which he decided not to sell for reasons I won't go into here.

I've been riding it every day because he hates riding it but wants it ridden because he believes that daily even riding will fix what happened to it when it was at a small motorcycle shop for 4 months for sale.

The shop owner, an *******, let every young fool who wanted a joy ride take one, and loaned the bike out for the weekend to anyone who might actually want to buy it. I'm pretty sure it's been over it's redline a lot.

When I got it back, It had 1.5 quarts of black sludge in it.

I have changed the oil and synced the carbs and will shotgun it and change the oil again this weekend but that won't fix what I think is the problem

When the engine is warm and idling at 1000rpm i can hear every little click that the engine makes...the lifters and valves, the chain, the etc....

I think the o-ring on the main oil manifold is long gone and it has zero oil pressure at idle and low oil pressure everywhere else.

Its burning a quart of oil every 500 miles.

He would not listen to me if I told him it needed work. I'd put a Morley's HD Oil kit in it to attempt to lengthen the life of it but he would never allow that.

So my question is...How long will this engine last in your humble opinion.

 

[adambweird]

Get it for the weekend and do the HD oiler mod on the sly, lol. No clue as to how long itll last... sounds like a ticking bomb to me...

 

[Traumahawk]

Well I know a bit more of the behind the scenes stuff. I wouldnt put another DIME of effort, time, or money into that bike.

Remember....he thinks that Yamaha's blow up too easily. And whats wrong with allowing him to be right?

 

[95spfldmax]

No comment on all the other stuff but to correct you on the oil pressure comment you made........When the oil is HOT there is barely any oil pressure at idle and that is normal. Cold should show plenty though...............

 

[johnblaid]

it makes the same loud noises when it's cold.

I think that riding it for 60 miles per day, at 75 mph in 2nd gear should get me where TraumaHawk suggests I go. There is a long story here.

As for getting it on the weekend, I have it every weekend. I'm not supposed to work on it. He refers to me working on it as POKING it and he thinks if I work on it I will break something.

He still has not gotten his 1984 Goldwing running after 3 grand and much work of his own.

This is catty.

 

[adambweird]

Blow it, buy it from him, and put your motor in it along with whatever fun parts you still have.

 

[tugla]

Make sure if it blows up while you have it he won't blame you and try to get you to pay or cover it.....I'd keep hands off knowing its gonna blow or have a iron clad deal on paper.....

 

[Traumahawk]

Blow it, buy it from him, and put your motor in it along with whatever fun parts you still have.

Thats not a bad idea...

 

[johnblaid]

He should give it to me considering all the stuff that nobody but TraumaHawk knows.

 

[johnblaid]

Did you know that the VMax redlines at 77mph on the speedometer?

 

[Traumahawk]

Did you know that the VMax redlines at 77mph on the speedometer?

I was thinking the same thing. 80 mph makes you blend in with traffic....Its a shame if you forget to shift.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Remember no good deed goes unpunished. Hope it doesn't blow up while your riding it. Or if it does that he is a very rational thinking guy.

 

[alorio1]

Put some straight 50wt aircraft engine oil in it, that should bring the oil psi up.

 

[sdt354]

I'd like to see the shape of the orange o-ring. When you fire it up hot, does it empty the window quick?

 

[Traumahawk]

Remember no good deed goes unpunished. Hope it doesn't blow up while your riding it. Or if it does that he is a very rational thinking guy.

Unfortunately the boss had said that he already expected the motor to blow, and is very surprised that it hasn't already.

 

[johnblaid]

I'm sure this bike has been repeatedly wound up past 11,500rpm in the last 4 months. I would bet a grand that the O-Ring is completely out of place.

When I put the kit in my 1986 it was only half blown out but after starting it, the kit made a big difference in how it sounded.

When we picked it up the last thing the assistant manager said was "If you're not familiar with it, drive carefully, that thing will lift the front wheel off the ground at 110mph

 

[johnblaid]

As for my job. He can't fire me. I'm the IT guy in addition to being the business manager. I know stuff even he doesn't know about HIS business and he knows it. He'll blame the motorcycle shop owner, who happens to be in the psych ward at the moment.

 

[one2dmax]

Impossible to predict when the failure will occur but it will need the rods reconditioned. If it's done before it blows then it will be a lot cheaper.

 

[johnblaid]

he wouldn't believe me if I made him listen to it and ride it. He'd say it was just fine and it was my imajination

 

[PATMAX]

Rods and valve clearances done and maybe a new oil pump but honestly, why bother? The doesn't give a **** about the bike, is hesitant to work on it and does not sound amenable to your advice. I say stay away from riding it and let someone else blow it up.
Of course I've seen some bike with some serious issues continue to "live" inexplicably long lives.