Things That Make You Go HHHMMMM!

[jose padilla]

Alright heres a new thread about nothing specific. Its just something I thought we could all put input into. Heres the specifics, I want you to think back on a project you were doing on your bike and if something went wronge share your experiance to help out other do it yourselfer's.

For instance after I had rebuilt the motor and got it back into the bike it was really running like shit. The bike would idle but underload the bike ran like total shit. I went around the block a few times and the bike was sputtering and back firing like crazy. I get back and decided to check the headers for heat to make sure all cylinders were firing. Pipes 3 and 4 were hot but 1 and 2 were cold, obviously I'm not getting any detonation in those cylinders but the question is why. Well I take the airbox off and first check to make sure there is fuel getting to the cylinders, yup I got spray from the injectors, next I remove the plugs and check for fire, Yup I got fire. So I'm sitting there wtf!!! Check compression and its perfect across the board. So While I'm sitting there scratching my head I start to think perhaps I got the firing order mixed with 1 and 2. Switched them over and sure enough problem fixed.

Easy enough just swap the plug wires but it could have been any problem until everything else was ruled out. You might sit there and say hey thats a stupid mistake but you'll be thanking me if you ever run across a similar situation.

So join in and share your experiance

[Vin]

I was installing the Factory Pro shift kit in my '02 YZF600R when I had a difficult time getting a bolt back into the engine case on the inside of the clutch area. This particular bolt was responsible for holding the shift detent arm in place -- a pretty important item.

Because of the oil that was in the clutch, I couldn't get a fine grip on the bolt, and wound up stripping the recess inside the case. This is a Bad Thing™.

Long story short, got a friend to come by who had experience with heli-coils -- tapped, placed coil, placed bolt, and the bike was good to go. Had to flush a few quarts of oil through the case to get the shavings out, but the bike ran and shifted like a champion (~10k miles) until I sold it for peanuts.

I continue to do my own work after that experience. I'm just a lot more patient.

[CBRBob]

I don't let others do work on my things unless absoloutely necessary.

[jose padilla]

Alright heres another one. Working on a different bike and was doing some head work. Anyway when I got done the bike wouldn't turn. It was as if the motor had siezed a bearing. I knew it hadn't so some investigating had to be done. I checked to make sure the timeing chain hadn't binded and it was fine. So I keep checking the bike over and finally decided to remove the starter gear and try turning the bike by hand. The motor turned just fine but when I put the starter back in it would bind up again. After consulting the manual I was putting one to many washers in with the idler gear and it was causeing it to bind against the case. Which is why the motor didn't turn. Removed the culprit and the bike ran fine.

Rookie mistakes will kill ya!!!!

[Rev]

I was installing the exhaust on my bike...i couldn't figure out why i couldn't get to the midpipe clamp...was sitting there for literally for 2 hours going back and forth to diagrams to the computer....then i finally went back to the instruction manual...and i forgot to take off a bolt...ONE FUGGIN BOLT....
I took it out and got off the piece i needed to get to the mid pipe clamp...

What made me go hmmmmm was it took me 5 hours to swap out an exhaust system.....

[jose padilla]

Now I know there are more stories then this to be told. Perhaps people are to embarassed to share those little moments that make us look like total idiots or should I say not to handy.

[causef0rconcern]

I know I've got at least one or two but I can't remember....

[southjersey636]

Had the same problem happen on my bike before. I was doing the valve check and when I replaced the plugs and sticks I mixed up the electrical connectors and it woudlnt run on 2 cylinders.