After a recent clutch replacement, I had to drain & change the engine oil in my CBR1000 Striker. When I topped up the oil, I only finger tightened the sump screw intending to tighten it properly later.............however I forgot.

When taking it for a quick blast later that eveing, the sump bold worked loose and shot out under pressure. Within a few seconds I had oil warning lights on and the engining began to slow down and seize, at which point I coasted to a stop.

After a 2 hour ordeal getting the car home (another story) I have since replaced the sump bolt and topped up the oil. At first the engine refused to turn over, but with perserverence I have got it going again.

The question is what, if any long term damage have I done to the engine? What would be the noticeble signs? Have I been lucky?

One things for sure, this is adding to my frequently increasing ownership knowledge......Why is it that the only way to really learn is to make f###ing mistakes!

Cheers

Phil

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Why is it that the only way to really learn is to make f###ing mistakes!

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I would say to expect that you have indeed damaged your engine - tough luck. But I'd see how bad it is before frantically swapping it...
Bob

I think your first step needs to be to whip the sump off and have a look at the big ends. The crank bearing surfaces will almost certainly be scored to hell, and there is a decent chance the crank will need a regrind. Bores and pistons may also be damaged, as may camshaft bearings.

DO NOT START IT UNTIL YOU HAVE CHECKED, as driving the car with this problem will make it worse!!

Sorry to be a prophet of doom, but these bike engines are highly strung bits of kit...

Ed.

If it ran to a halt due to seizing you could have knackered bearings, rings, seals, valve guides..... basically anything that relies on oil lto lubricate it. Only real way of knowing is to strip the engine and check everything. Sorry for the pessimistic view.

Unfortunately I would agree... sounds like your engine is DQ'd. Check the sumpfor shiny slivers of silver'ish material. If they are present you have certainly stripped the big ends. It's not terminal but it may be likely to be cheaper buying a new engine and repairing the original to use as a spare... if you have the readys

I agree if It doesnt sound any different your lucky

youd know because it would be a

knack knack knack etc etc

Don't bother getting anything reground. CBR motors are cheap enough if you look hard. Tough luck mate!

The engine actually does'nt sound too bad - It does sound a bit rough but then my engine always kind of did - its not a particularly sophisticated modern injection engine!

I don't think that it actually seized under too much pressure - i.e. as soon as I started to loose power I depressed the clutch and coasted so I certainly did'nt try to drive on.

Given the age (13 years old) and relative low cost of the engine I agree that major repair/maintainance might not be the most sensible thing. I think I will try and drive it a bit and see what happens.

Worst case scenario its going to be a replacement CBR engine. Perhaps it might also be the excuse I need to upgrade to something a bit more powerful......

Thanks for the advice!

Phil

sorry to hear about your bad news, the only thing that makes it worse is that you got no one to blame, in the dealership where i work a mechanic was working on a car along with a apprentice, the mechanic left the apprentice work on his own on the car, anyways cut a long story short, no one for some strange reason (lack of communication!!) put oil in the engine. car was started and left running until it came to a big halt, poo hit the fan etc, anyway the car was topped up with oil and is still running to this very day!!!!

oh ye the car was a toyota!!!

You say it don't sound bad ? I assume youve oiled it up and run it ?
Whats the oil pressure like now ? If you still have oil pressure when hot on tick over you may have got away with it or not done terminal damage, if it runs and you have oil pressure you may as well run it till it pops if your thinking that replacement is easier/cheaper than re build.

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Originally posted by pdw709...as soon as I started to loose power I depressed the clutch and coasted so I certainly did'nt try to drive on.

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Sounds like your bearings will be toast.

Continue using it and you risk a blow up.

Did you saw the oil pressure light fast??

the problem is that when running in neutral at tickover there isn't almost any strain on the bearings...

but while accelerating your oil film won't last very long. (in fact its squeezed out)

Whats the temperature when it ticksover??

Does it come faster on temperature??

How does it revs?? fast?

The problem with oil pressure is that
it needs time to go!

Think i will build a fail safe system!
altough 100% cure is impossible because with no bloud in the engine it cant live...

Tks

I wouldnt bother stripping and checking anything if the worst case is a new engine anyway.
Take it really easy for a while, see how it goes and if it goes bang its broke and you need a new engine, if it doesnt then its a bonus.

i to would just make Kilometers...

if it runs then take it easy and see how it goes, if you get confident then just give it some and see what it does..if temps rise high you know the problem..

also monitor the oil pressure and temp.

But a bike engine is fragile for this kind of problems..

also there is allot of difference between no oil! or below minimum..

Tks

If you killed the power etc straight away then you may be lucky - those CBR1000 engines are tough as old boots and not as highly strung as the more modern performance engines.

I know of a CBR1000 BEC that has lost its sump and oil pressure at least 3 times that I know of, and the same engine is still going strong.

Refill it with oil and see what it sounds like before shitting yourself too much.

I did a similar thing with my first blade (on my first trackday), I killed it the second the oil light came on and it didnt actually seize at all, so I filled it back up and went back out. It lasted another 4 sessions but sadly seized during the last session of the day (considerate of it to last that long!). If its already partially seized then something has been generating much more friction than it should do, so either a bore or bearing etc has started to pick up, and IMHO its likely to be only a matter of time before it goes properly.

As you say though, its a cheap engine so just run it and see how it goes.

Personally, I'd get another engine and drop it in. You can then strip the old engine at your leisure and look for signs of damage. If it's knackered, just salvage the useable parts and scrap the rest. If it's OK, rebuild it and either keep it as a spare or sell it to recover some of your outlay for the new engine. You'll also learn a great deal about the engine in the process.

Last thing you want to be doing is driving around with an engine you think might be damaged. You'll be reluctant to drive too far afield and will be paranoid about breaking down whilst you're out. You'll give it less stick and ultimately, it won't be very enjoyable.

Phil

we should consider the risk!

what if it pops at 10.000 rpm??

or what if the rear locksup..

and you spin..??

testing isn't without danger!

Tks

UPDATE...

Firstly, thanks for all the advice.

It looks like my decision has been made for me.............I fired it up again with the intention of leaving it running for ten minutes or so - It only lasted 5, before over heating and seizing. Sounded okay at first, but then started making stranger and stranger noises. so, definitely fuc**ed!

Looks like a straight engine replacement will be the simplist and quickest job, and should also minimise my time off road - I do actually plan to use it this summer! An upgrade would be nice, but would also mean replacing instrumentation and doing a major re-wiring job. Definitely a winter project.

So....does anyone know where I can get hold of a decent or reconditioned Honda CBR1000 engine, preferably as late a model as possible?

Cheers

Phil

Ive just had to put another engine in my Indy after losing all the oil from the oil cooler pipe. Its a bit of a sickener spending over a grand but what other choice is there. Go back to a pinto !