Metal flakes in oil

newby · May 4, 2004

Just wanted to post a little info for us guys with older bikes. I just finished ordering a timing chain and gear for a '99 FE400 from Dan at Motoxotica and he told me that the old timing chain gear that was aluminum has been replaced with a steel one. He said that the older aluminum ones are likely the reason for small metal flakes when changing oil. Maybe this can relieve some of us that were worried about a few little flakes in the oil. Just trying to add my little bit to get the site back up to where it used to be.

Jay

husabutt · May 4, 2004

Jay:
It would be mighty gratuitous and darn right informative of you if after putting your bike together with the steel sprocket you could report back with your oil particulate findings.

You may want to consider having the gear tempered cryogenically. I had my recall/updated starter gear done for only $10.00 on my 01 470fx before installation.

newby · May 4, 2004

Husabutt

I will see if I can locate someone to temper it and will keep you posted. It will be a couple weeks before all my parts are in, but as soon as I get her back on the trail, I will gladly inform everyone of my findings.

Jay

jeffecker · Nov 6, 2004

metal pieces in oil pump

I recently bought a 2000 400cc for my son and not too long after, it wouldn't shift. I removed the clutch cover and clutch and discovered that it had a small piece of metal filing in the shift pawl so it couldn't engage the shift drum. Further inspection revealed that the plastic gear on the oil pump was sheared and disasembly of the pump found metal filings in the pump. The pump would not turn. I wondered how long the pump had not been working? The culprit in this whole mess seemed to be the kick start retaining plate because it had worked loose and the metal shavings seemed to come from there. I called Eagle Motors in Eagle, Colo. and he sent me a new oil pump, the gear and a kick start retaining plate. I flushed the motor with kerosene and put it all back together. I think we rode this thing about 50 miles and it started making an awful noise from the left side so I took it apart again. Guess what: the oil pump is locked up again and I can't find the c-clip that holds the plastic gear on. Shouldn't the screen and oil filter be catching metal particles and how in the heck do these heavy steel particles get clear up in the eliptical oil pump? I think the c-clip from the gear got caught in the cam chain and sent up to the cylinder head somehow. By the way, the kick start retainer is healthy now so perhaps I just didn't flush the motor enough. Give me your advice! Jeff Ecker Pueblo, Colorado

berger · Nov 6, 2004

The burr on the shift pawl seems to be a normal occurance. As for the debris in the oil pump, is it steel or aluminum? Any chance of posting a picture?

44014 · Nov 6, 2004

i use to get shavings in my oil when i first got my 99 600 but once i started changing my oil and micro filter after every ride with motul competition oil they were gone in about 3 or 4 rides and never retured but then my sprag clutch went so you cant win i guess
option 1: use good oil sprag fails but no shavings
option 2: use mineral oil keep ya sprag working but have shavings

soo i dunno :combustion:

cheers doug

mikst · Nov 7, 2004

I don't remember for sure but there were particles in the oil many hours.
The first 30-50 hours I would guess.

JoeUSA · Nov 7, 2004

Hi jeffecker,

The oil screen has 2 O-rings on it, the end with the larger ID goes into the engine case. IMHO this screen, if properly installed, will block metal particles large enough to hurt the pump. The pump then forces the oil though the paper filter and so forth. Maybe a previous owner forgot to reinstall the screen during an oil change and some junk got into the oil passage.

I would recommend you try to purge the oil passage between the pump and the screen before reinstalling the pump. Back flush it with the oil drained, and the screen removed and the bike laying on its right side. I would use compressed air, high pressure water, whatever to clear the passage from the pump to the screen. I would then repeat the process on the oil passage between the pump and the oil filter housing with the bike laying on its left side, pressurizing the oil passage at the small hole in the wall of the housing near the bottom of the housing.

Regards,

Joe

70marlin · Nov 10, 2004

I always check the metal on my oil screen with a magnet. If it sticks to the magnet its time to do a really good inspection in side your motor.

Metal flakes in oil

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