TA 700 Engine Issues

[nick]

Question for all the engineers out there.....

Got a 57 plate TA700 and whilst riding at 40mph last monday the sump plug blew out of the sump and the rocker cover gasket (cam cover gasket??) blew at the same time... Brown boxer short moment ensued as the sump enptied itself over the rear tyre.....

Has anyone come across this before or known what could have caused this? Bike is currently with the dealer who have had it for a week but are holding onto it for another week and a half to try to sort it....

Cheers in advance...

[AlanH]

Sump plugs don't blow out. They fall out either because they were not tightened up in the first place or they were overtightened and the thread has stripped. Either way, whoever touched it last needs to be beaten soundly and sent to the dole queue.

Rocker cover gaskets only blow out if they were never seated correctly in the first place or if there is IMMENSE crankcase pressure cause by blocked crankcase ventilation, too much oil, excessive blow-by or a combination of these.

Who serviced it last?

Name and shame so nobody else goes there

Of course, the bike has now been run with no oil so the dealership ought to fund a complete engine strip/rebuild at a competent dealership of your choice.

[nick]

Cheers for the reply.... That is as I thought...

At the moment would be reluctant to name and shame until they sort it out and if it does go further it wouldnt be in my best interest to do so and there is more than one dealer involved as it is....

As far as im aware the engine hasnt seized as it cut out whilst skating on the black stuff and the AA man turned it over and it made the noise it should....

The main thing is i just want my bike back !!

[AlanH]

Well as long as the oil light didn't come on then you probably won't have damaged it.

We'll wait until the story ends happily then - at which point you can tell everything. The AA have a good legal department if it turns into a dispute with the dealer.

[nick]

That I will !! Just getting more and more pissed off with the CBF500 loan bike as the days pass !!!

[MandoBear]

That's a real bummer. Ditto the comments above - something has to be seriously wrong to blow out the cam box gasket. How many miles had you covered since the bike was last at the dealers?

I just wonder with a sudden loss of oil like that whether there's a risk that main bearing journals and big-ends may have suffered damage. If that is the case then I wonder whether you might want to press them for a new replacement engine - because the engine would have to come right apart to check and fix that stuff, and it might work out cheaper and more reliable in the longer term. You don't want to have it "fixed for now" only to run into reliability issues just when the warranty expires...

Hope it comes out right for you.

[Doug]

[quote=MandoBear;310473]That's a real bummer. Ditto the comments above - something has to be seriously wrong to blow out the cam box gasket. How many miles had you covered since the bike was last at the dealers?

I just wonder with a sudden loss of oil like that whether there's a risk that main bearing journals and big-ends may have suffered damage. If that is the case then I wonder whether you might want to press them for a new replacement engine - because the engine would have to come right apart to check and fix that stuff, and it might work out cheaper and more reliable in the longer term. You don't want to have it "fixed for now" only to run into reliability issues just when the warranty expires...

Very sound advice there mando. It wont cost the dealer unless its their fault !

[BIG D]

Sorry to hear of this issue but I agree with the other guys,
The thing is if this engine was not overhauled or replaced could you live with it, would it be reliable, what would the long term issues be, and if you could not live with it and sold it then some other poor sod who has scrimped and saved to buy a bike may end up with a dog.

BIG D

[nick]

With regards to when it was last in the dealers it was back with me for a week and a half after the 4000 mile service before it went....

Big D i totally know where you are coming from as I have ended up with a lemon before and it is not a nice experience...

Phone call inbound to the dealer in the morning anyhow as the tax on the loan bike is about to run out so will discuss with them then....

All the advice is really appreciated guys... cheers

[Recycler]

A mate of mine had a GSX600 - the faired 'teapot'. One of the oil lines let go and did the same thing. He argued the points raised but all he got was a rebuild and a new rear tyre ('cos of the oil coating).