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FE400 w/ crankproblem

Joined Aug 2005
204 Posts | 15+
The Netherlands
After years of being motorless(used to own a FS650)I am looking for a fun ride.
I stumbled upon a cheap FE400 with a bigend problem.It has 19 hours on the clock.
The seller claims its a 2004 model.Looking at the tank and seat it looks like it.Were the FE400 still made in 2004?I thought husaberg switched to the 450 series by then.
Of course you cannot look into the engine,but will there be more to overhaul than only the crank with these hours on the clock?
If the crankshaft is allready busted with these hours,I think there is more to come,don't you think?
 
it'll be a late registered 2003 bike. as you say, from November 2003, the (then) new model 450 came out.

I do a very reasonably priced rod kit for them - aftermarket jobbie. no little end bush needed = you just run the gudgeon pin straight in the rod like the Japanese do.

regards

Taffy
 
So the engine will be a 2003 model without the Keihin and other improvements?
 
that's right although the 400 is one sweet motor. you could take it and see how you get on and then when you choose to you can do all the up[grades and if you're a 'clubman' like most mere mortals you'd appreciate it as only a 400.

regards

Taffy
 
Well,I got the bike for a cheap deal.It really only has 1169 km==>19,2 hours on it.
The previous owner bought the bike in november 2007 and drove it only 2 years.After it stood still for over a year.

Anyway,this weekend I took the engine out and found metal debris on the oildrainmagnet.
I took of the valvecover and found one bolt of the camsprocket been broken of.
Also the cam was broken.I also found a brokem M6 bolt with a washer (which had three points on it,maybe useful info for the hardcore husaberg mecanics here)
I could get them out of the cilinderhead with a long needlenose plier.
Didn't got any further.Will try this week to open it up and see how the rest looks.Little kids are more demanding than the Berg:)
Check the pics,maybe someone can allready tell what went wrong:
edit:maybe this topic should be moved to the mecanical forum?

brokenbolt.jpg

bitsandpieces.jpg
 
you have three breakages:
first the bobweight known as the auto decomp has snapped off
there is a small bolt that stops the ADC and this has broken off
finally, you have a cam sprocket bolt broken. this I have never seen before!

do you always try to be different? 8O

the small stopper bolt is removed anyway so that the ADC stops against the very large cam sprocket bolt. I can't think what has caused it?

regards

Taffy
 
I hope there will be no more mayhem. Hope to get some time tonight to open the engine some more.
These broken bolts cannot be related to a busted bigend.Maybe the crank is still good.
Keep you informed.If you have these pieces Taffy,put them aside:)
 
I got the cilinderhead off.Valves and liner are in good shape.
I found the M5 locknut with some bolt in it.Maybe the M5 bolt just snapped and caused the damage.
I happened at my work one time also.A 12.9 grade M5 bolt just snapped right under the hexagon head.Maybe to much torque or stress?
The woodruff key of the balancergear has also play in the gear.Must have been caused by the jam.
I think the crankshaft is good though.Have to split the cases.I have to make some pullers first at work.(Flywheel thread is M26x1??)
What is a must do with these 2003 engines?
Things I want to do is:
-double valvesprings
-new timingchain
-have the yellow chainguides,change to the black ones?
-double bearings on the balancershaft
-main bearings??==>original or ball/roller or 9 balls bearings?There are so many choices.
Don't know if the conrod needs replacing.It has only 19 hours on the clock.
look for the bits and the woodruff key:
morebits.jpg

balancergear.jpg
 
all your ideas are sound. I would go for special ball.

yes over tightening will have snapped the bolt. how the big bolt snapped though I'm really not sure about?

yes a later/black CCTB.

I reckon you only need a single row bearing as is standard on that one.

regards

Taffy
 
Got the engine put together now.
Crank was just fine!! :cheers:
I installed the double valvespringkit,new ADC,new chain and guide and did the upgrade for the starter and kickstarter.
Also fitted a new chokejet(40) and a new battery and a iridium plug.
I cleaned the carb before installing completly because the bike stood still for over a year.(I did put in new gas.)
I had it running after 3 kicks in cold weather(it was -3 Celsius at the time)but after the short drive i can't get it started anymore.Not kicked nor with the button.
When removing the sparkplug,its dry.
Looks to me the carb might be blocked.Is it wise to get a new atomiser with needle?What more could be a problem with these Dellortos?
I am thinking to install a FCR 39 but thinking,if a Dellorto is set right,would the advantage be noticable?Obviously yes,but pricewise also?
I mean,the are costly carbs,I am just a recreational driver 8O
Any info is appreciated
PS:I did check the stator and the resistance I measured is within the given specs although just hitting below spec of 10 percent.
 
Spray a shot of starter fluid under the airfilter and hit the button. If it is a fuel problem, it will fire briefly. Sounds like you're almost there and scored a deal!
 
i would have thought the carb would have starved in about 5 seconds so if the bike ran long enough for you to start it, put your gear on and move off - i don't think that that is fuel. undo the floatbowl nut and see if fuel pours out?

after that? stator readings? also check for a loose wire? if everything has been moved around you'll need to check the wires.

regards

Taffy
 
This afternoon I sprayed some brakecleaner into the carb and hit the button.
It started right away without choke at -7 degrees Celcius and heaps of snow in Holland :mrgreen:
It kept running afterwards with a little help of the gashandle.
Restarting needed also some spraying so it looks like a fuelproblem.
Could it be that the starterjet isn't getting fuel?The floatchamber is getting fuel btw.
Settings are:startjet 40(was 45)
Mainjet 200
Needlejet 266DR
Pilotjet 48
Needleclip is on the second from the bottom.

Also the readings from the stator:
red/black 2,7 KOhm
Grn/Black 157Ohm
yel/yel/blue 0,1 and 0,7 Ohm.

Don't have time to work on the bike till next year.Wife has nightshift,so I will be babysitting till thursday.
After it's Holiday if the airports cooperate with us.
Greetings from a snowinfested Netherlands.
 
you have to forget all the old ways of running the bike and learn new ones. it will be leaner for longer so it will need choke for quite a while.

have you used a timing light for the ignition timing? have you marked the flywheel and done it that way? as per the doc? also, tickle that fuel screw in and out 1/2 a turn, when I ran dell orto that bloody screw was enough to stop the bike!

regards

Taffy
 

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