Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Curtis Harper on December 09, 2015, 02:15:10 PM
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So here we go again. Gentleman calls up and says , Hey so and so has my engine all rebuilt and ready to go, It's in the frame, I just need the rest of the frame and body work done and get the rest of the restoration done.
As is normal for us, I tell him that I can not put an engine in that we have not built and have any chance in the world of standing behind our work. After a bit of explaining as to why it is necessary to tear it back down for inspection it is generally understood and agreed upon. Motorcycle arrives, and we pull the engine out. The following are pictures of a motor that a "well qualified" individual put together. The following are the things we found as we tore it apart. There is a list first and then the same list with corresponding pictures. Remember, this is a freshly built motor from another shop.
1. First thing we spot when we pull it, u-joint is trash, and then the output shaft nut is not staked in place. Actually it's barely hand tight.
2. Front Cover gasket installed incorrectly. Not really even sure how you could get it to do that.
3. Key for front pulley, ground to fit. Rounded off is actually more the correct term.
4. Pull the pan and find all sorts of metal and other debris in the oil.
5. Broken oil pan bolt
6. Oil pickup is full of rust
7. Not exactly sure how even a kindergarten mechanic would think these rod bearings were useable.
8. Chunk out of the cam. Granted as long as the chunk is not in the motor, all is probably ok, however......
9. Sludgetrap in crankshaft, plenty of goo and gunk.
10, Rod journals on the crank have more humps and bumps than the RedBull Straight Rythym course.
11. Guess we'll clean until it's time to pop a top.
12. And a rear Main bearing that looks like it's been polished with some 60 grit.
1. First thing we spot when we pull it, u-joint is trash, and then the output shaft nut is not staked in place. Actually it's barely hand tight.
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6529_zpst94lpq2i.jpg)
2. Front Cover gasket installed incorrectly. Not really even sure how you could get it to do that.
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6528_zpsh3x4k1nq.jpg)
3. Key for front pulley, ground to fit. Rounded off is actually more the correct term.
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6531_zpspqdwwd4x.jpg)
4. Pull the pan and find all sorts of metal and other debris in the oil.
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6537_zpso6i0fuab.jpg)
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6538_zps39bx9gni.jpg)
5. Broken oil pan bolt
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6539_zpsonve3qps.jpg)
6. Oil pickup is full of rust
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6540_zpsmet9cwlw.jpg)
7. Not exactly sure how even a kindergarten mechanic would think these rod bearings were useable.
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6541_zpslty5pjin.jpg)
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6542_zps68d9akvs.jpg)
8. Chunk out of the cam. Granted as long as the chunk is not in the motor, all is probably ok, however......
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6545_zps96hzwqcu.jpg)
9. Sludgetrap in crankshaft, plenty of goo and gunk.
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6548_zpso9xp4inu.jpg)
10, Rod journals on the crank have more humps and bumps than the RedBull Straight Rythym course.
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6552_zpscs3qqfw1.jpg)
11. Guess we'll clean until it's time to pop a top.
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6554_zpsgawst9po.jpg)
12. And a rear Main bearing that looks like it's been polished with some 60 grit
(http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s588/CurtisHarper530/Bad%20eldo%20motor/DSCN6555_zpsg785befc.jpg)
So the next time you think about the cheap mechanic down round the corner...........
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Very interesting photo set, Curtis, and too common among motorcycle engines in general. I know several Kawasaki triples guys who won't even try to start the engine in a bike they bought, until they disassemble it and do what you're doing... inspect it and correct all the problems that have been created over the years.
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How were the cylinders and rocker shafts/rocker bushings?
That looks like it sat for a long time and then started.
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This is just rebuilt by another "Qualified" Mechanic. The worst part of this is the guy charged him over 2 thousand dollars. He did put on a new set of gilardonis, but even those are scratched up already. Gaskets are all new and pistons have never seen fuel.
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Pretty shoddy work, I hope the owner goes back and gets some of his money back...that's a piss poor quality rebuild. Of course, w/o doing the tear down, I'm sure he would have blamed you had it not run properly...good to be cautious and thorough!
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YIKES - that is just pathetic! :violent1:
How can anyone call themselves a mechanic and charge for work like that.
20 years ago I got burned by a professional bike shop who supposedly rebuilt the top end of my Honda in-line 4 - 84 750SC Nighthawk. It smoked worse when I got it back, the bill was over twice the estimate we agreed to and the used parts could not be provided (guides and seals). I ended up selling the bike for very little due to the smoking and poor running and the next owner had the whole top end redone once more. After that experience I decided I could not do any worse than the hacks I paid over $2K to so from then on I did my own rebuilding. I have messed up a lot, learned the hard way in many instances but I have learned a couple things along the way and at least I can only blame myself for the results of my wrenching.
That said there are a lot of honest, qualified professionals out there who can properly rebuild an engine, transmission or rear drive. I would certainly include Harpers right up there at the top. I bought a rebuilt rear drive off Curtis a couple years ago and it has performed without fault on my Eldorado. Setting up the crown and pinion shims is just not something I feel qualified to try.
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Might be a proper rebuild in Ulan Bator. :grin:
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Un freakin believable. That said, I've seen unacceptable work from a well known Guzzi mechanic/shop on three different bikes.
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Main reason why I won't let the "dealer" in Honolulu do any work on my bikes.