Hi everyone my nephew has a 2008 Suzuki drz 400 , his first big bike .Its done 18000 mls , he was on motorway when he had loss of power , on getting bike home i checked it and it needed 1.5l of oil before registering a reading , it starts and revs with no smoke but is noisy /tappety top end , bottom end sounds ok . When he starts bike he runs on full choke until warm so i know this is wrong and wont help . I started it today with him and it went to half choke straight after starting then idled after 30 seconds . So when its been low oil this has been the starting method full choke and im sure thats not helped . Any advice or guidance very welcome as to damage and likely repair work /costs .thanks
I've read over your description here, and to be honest it's gonna be hard to give you and clear diagnostic advice based on your explanation. With what you've explained it's one of those where it is best to just have a look.
I'd imagine your local technician would check the simple things first, an audible check of the engine, compression test etc
I think what you're assuming is that the engine was starved of oil and that a small end bearing has gone or cam journals are damaged. From what you said about topping up the sump the oil DOES sound like it was very low. Most sumps hold between 1-2litres of oil before the dip stick/sight glass shows a reading.
The whole choke thing is ignorable in my opinion. Choke effects fuel delivery, damaged engine components won't effect a choke circuit chucking more fuel into the cylinder. It's pretty cold so it's understandable that some choke will be necessary.
On the front of it, it doesn't look good. But I wouldn't commit to advising you what is wrong with the engine. Just get it booked in for an hour's diagnostic and cross your fingers it's something stupid.
A few years back my mate did the same thing on his 2002 DRZ400, let it run low on oil and that did sound like someone had thrown a bag of spanners in the motor. He took the head of that one and and found that part of the decompressor had broke free and damaged the head and it had usual damage on it as well due to running it dry. In the end he wasn't prepared to pay the money for a new head, camshaft and other bits and sold it as a non-runner shame really as it was a tidy clean bike.
thanks for reply , his dad is keen to strip and rebuild it , and it will be a garage job . if it was me i would just replace it , i sourced a low mileage engine . I will post what happens
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