Found some brass / gold looking flakes on my oil screen

Niner33 · May 5, 2012

2006 FS 650C

Engine has 46 hours and 1706 miles...

I changed the oil about 2 hours ago and all was clean... I noticed my base gasket was starting to leak, so I just decided to drain the oil for the hell of it...

I found some small flakes on the screen... Any cause for alarm, and is the leaky base gasket an easy fix?

Bike runs absolutely great right now, so I don't want to hurt anything, but I have a ride up in the mountains planned next week.... Should I not ride it?

Thanks all..... 8)

DaleEO · May 5, 2012

Re: ** Found some brass / gold looking flakes on my oil scre

Hey Hollywood,

Well, chips on the oil screen like these is usually not a good sign......... Usually they are silver in color, and are indicative of the cam follower(s) hard facing coming off the pin.

How about a little more history?

Did you buy this bike new?

If not, were you told that it had 46 hours on it?

Are the chips attracted to a magnet?

Have you changed the oil filter lately?

Valve lash history?

Just an observation.........looks like your oil leak is coming from above the base gasket.

Dale

logjump · May 5, 2012

Re: ** Found some brass / gold looking flakes on my oil scre

DaleEO said:
Just an observation.........looks like your oil leak is coming from above the base gasket.

Dale

You beat me to it Dale as I was thinking the same thing!

Hollywood, maybe the leak is from your rocker cover or the common culprit of a loose or cracked breather hose. Could also be from the front, small valve cover. I have no idea about the bronze colored flakes as I'm no expert as compared to others here.

Good luck!

log

Niner33 · May 5, 2012

Re: ** Found some brass / gold looking flakes on my oil scre

DaleEO said:
Hey Hollywood,

Well, chips on the oil screen like these is usually not a good sign......... Usually they are silver in color, and are indicative of the cam follower(s) hard facing coming off the pin.

How about a little more history?

Did you buy this bike new?
Second owner....
If not, were you told that it had 46 hours on it?
100% sure on the hours
Are the chips attracted to a magnet?
No, they weren't...
Have you changed the oil filter lately?
Yep... 2 hours ago...
Valve lash history?
???

Just an observation.........looks like your oil leak is coming from above the base gasket.
See below...
Dale

Thanks fellas for the fast replies....

I traced the leak down to a bad hose clamp on the crank breather tube (forward vent on the motor)... I replaced the clamps, sprayed brake cleaner all over the oily parts, filled her up and ran it hard for about 1/2 an hour through the neighborhood....

NO LEAKS!!!

Now, AFA the brass colored flakes.... My buddy who's a mech said it could possibly be from the tranny gears? He has no experience with Bergs so he's just trying to give me ideas... He said he sees that a lot with MX bikes...

I just drained the test oil (no flakes this time), put a new filter in, and will be going on my trip next week... I am hoping there will be no issues....

I'll post back here on the next oil change... BTW, I am religious about the oil/filters on this bike... Never more than 4-5 hours between oil/filter...

Thanks again guys!!!

DaleEO · May 5, 2012

???? on the valve lash history...........

When was the last time the valve lash was checked?

Were/was the clearance loose or tight? Getting tight is normal, getting loose means the followers are going away.

So there was no "event" that occurred to coincide with the chips?

How long have you owned the bike/ was the two hour change the first one you did?

If not, how many oil changes have you done?

Do you always pull the screen?

The only place that I can think of that has brass/bronze bushings are the clutch basket bushing on the main shaft, the wrist pin, and the trans gears where they ride on the main and counter shafts, the idler gears for the kick start mechanism, sprauge clutch, kick start, and shifter bushings in the side case.

Either way, it looks like what every it was passed through the trans and got chopped up.

You'll know after your ride when you change the oil whats up. Hope you don't see anything after your ride and this just becomes a memory

.

Niner33 · May 6, 2012

DaleEO said:
???? on the valve lash history...........

When was the last time the valve lash was checked?
20 hours ago

Were/was the clearance loose or tight? Getting tight is normal, getting loose means the followers are going away.
According to the original owner (friend of mine) it was within spec
So there was no "event" that occurred to coincide with the chips?
No... Nothing at all....
How long have you owned the bike/ was the two hour change the first one you did?
I've owned the bike since 30 hours...
If not, how many oil changes have you done?
I've done several oil changes prior to this one...
Do you always pull the screen?
Yes, and I use a new HF filter every time... (Castrol full synth 10W/50)...
The only place that I can think of that has brass/bronze bushings are the clutch basket bushing on the main shaft, the wrist pin, and the trans gears where they ride on the main and counter shafts, the idler gears for the kick start mechanism, sprauge clutch, kick start, and shifter bushings in the side case.

Either way, it looks like what every it was passed through the trans and got chopped up.

You'll know after your ride when you change the oil whats up. Hope you don't see anything after your ride and this just becomes a memory .

DaleEO.... It's great to get responses like yours....

I will definitely post up when I return from the ride in a couple of weeks what the results are... For now, she's going to sit there looking pretty all buttoned up and filled with fresh fluids.... :mrgreen:

Thank you very much for your guidance and help.... It is much appreciated..... 8)

brian011952 · May 6, 2012

I had the same flakes on my KTM's oil screen for a while, then the valve train started sounding like I had a loose valve, a lot more clackity clack. I re adjusted the valves, and it quieted down for a while, but the noise was soon getting loud again. I pulled the rocker box, and found a cam follower with a bad brass center bushing. I replaced the follower and no ther issue, and the flakes went away. Seeing as how they are brass, they are coming from a bushing and probably not tranny gears; although, a bushing on a tranny gear is possible, I doubt it. The shifting will probably get really bad and start missing shifts or not engaging at all soon if those are coming from a tranny gear.

Niner33 · May 17, 2012

Roughly 6 hours of hard riding up in the mountains.... Wheelies, stoppies, high speed runs, twisties...

Changed the oil/filter when I got home and only found a tiny amount of the flakes in the oil -- almost couldn't see them (nothing on the screen or plug magnet)...

Bike ran flawlessly with great shifting and plenty of power...

I guess I'll keep an eye on future oil changes and keep riding her.... 8)

Found some brass / gold looking flakes on my oil screen

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