Broke down on the Busa

ericyow

ericyow

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So I rode my 03 about 4hrs in the saddle on Friday then got up Sat morning and headed out some more. About 40 minutes out (still 150 miles from home), I was on a long straight stretch and crept well into the triple digits. Then my bike suddenly started knocking really badly. I pulled over immediately. At idle, it wasn't noticeable but as I rolled onto the throttle it gets faster and louder. Granted, I know nothing of what it might be, so I shut it off and get on the phone. It wouldn't crank for about 15-20 minutes and still wanted to knock when it got running again. To keep from breaking more, I left it off. A LONG (day and) story short, 2 friends, 2 different trailers, and a lot of money given for gas, and I was home 9 hours later. Now, the bike's in the back of my truck and I'm taking it to the shop tomorrow.

I have no idea what it might be but I'm afraid it might be something bad. The bike's only got 8600 miles and had a fresh oil change within 300 miles. Sad thing is, the place where I'm taking it tomorrow is the same guy I got tires from...and he put the rear tire on with the tread facing the wrong way. Should I trust him with a total engine rebuild? Might not have much of a choice.

I'm just venting. But, you got any ideas?

Distraught over having just bought the bike a month ago,
-yow!
 
damn bro,that sux sounds like you may have bent a rod,maybe the oil pump went,and no I wouldnt trust an engine overhaul to a mechanic who put a uni directional tire on the wrong way,attention to detail is important to me.
 
Damn man, that sounds like a damn night mare! I am sorry, my baby is went south on me as well, but unlike your situation, mine was most likely my fault. I hope it all works out for you, how many miles are on your motor, all stock?
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BusaWhipped @ May 11 2008 said:
Are you sure the guy put enough oil in it when they did the change?
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sounds low on oil to me. Where are you located. NO dont take it to that guy. you probably stripped bearings and ruined cams and probably crank as well. I bet he put 3 q. in it instead of 4. youll probably at least need new crank and cams. say 400 ea. plus labor. probly rods too.
 
I changed the oil. I put just over 3.5 qts.
The bike's got 8500 miles.

What I'm thinking about doing is taking it to the guy who did my tires (because he's got 3 busas, stretched/chromed, one of which is turbo) and seeing if he'd at least diagnose it for me. If he does engine work and can convince me he's an ace, I'll use him. Otherwise, there's a guy I trust about 2hrs away.

This is certainly depressing. Do ya'll have any reason to think me breaking the 170 mark had anything to do with it? I thought these were supposed to be grenade proof engines. I was still accelerating when the knock started, so I rolled off the throttle quickly. The oil light came on as well. Any significance?
 
ericyow @ May 11 2008 said:
I changed the oil.  I put just over 3.5 qts.  
The bike's got 8500 miles.  

What I'm thinking about doing is taking it to the guy who did my tires (because he's got 3 busas, stretched/chromed, one of which is turbo) and seeing if he'd at least diagnose it for me.  If he does engine work and can convince me he's an ace, I'll use him.  Otherwise, there's a guy I trust about 2hrs away.

This is certainly depressing.  Do ya'll have any reason to think me breaking the 170 mark had anything to do with it?  I thought these were supposed to be grenade proof engines.  I was still accelerating when the knock started, so I rolled off the throttle quickly.  The oil light came on as well.  Any significance?
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Breaking 170 MPH mark alone had nothing to do with it, been there done that.

My best guess:
- Oil light coming on means he oil pressure is too low.
- 3.5 quarts is not full. The spec is 3.7 quarts + filter capacity. Did you check it in the sight glass?
- Under long extended acceleration, the oil pickup can become uncovered if the oil level is low.
- The engine became starved for oil

If you're lucky, it will only be crank and rod bearings. Chances are that engine is toast.
 
Your engine is fried and you're looking at a total rebuild. It was either low pressure/low oil level or your oil pump went away, I can almost guarantee that's what happened. I went through the same thing a couple of years ago.

If the bike only has 8600 miles on it I'd pull the fairings and take a look at as many engine bolts as you can see, if they've got their heads rounded off then things may not be what they seem. You may not have the original motor and it's possible that it had a LOT more than 8600 on it. I've also heard that these bikes are notoriously easy to roll back (odometer), so I'd do some investigating if I were you.

I had an 02 with 7500 on it blow up on me (literally, punched a rod through the side of the block). When I got it home and started tearing into it I discovered that someone had been inside the engine.

If the guy who did your tires can't tell which direction of the tread is which I'd not only NOT take it back to him for a rebuild, I'd stand across the street from his shop and yell violent epithets at him until he called the police.

Is the guy who put the tire on backwards the same guy you got the bike from?
 
I had that sound once and I did the dumb thing and rode it home and threw a rod through the engine. SOunds like you have engine damage.
 
u could be hearing piston slap as well but also what the other members were saying crank rods or bearings.
 
I bought it from a guy in Memphis, not the 'which way does the arrow on the tire point' guy. I'm in Clarksville, TN. There's just not a lot of people around here that I know of that I could take my bike to. There's a guy 2hrs away that a guy I trust with my life says he'd trust with his life. But that's 2hrs away. I'm leaning towards thinking the drive is worth it since ya'll are talking about some extensive and expensive work.

Goodness this is killing me!
 
Just talked to the 'tire arrow' guy. He seems to know what he's talking about. I described the symptoms and he discussed the possibilities that many of you are suggesting as well. He'll charge his hourly rate to diagnose it ($55/hr) and if I use him, he'll apply it to the labor. I said I'd get him to look at it and decide then once I'm told my options.

I asked for a worst case scenario and he said $3000 for a total engine overhaul. Holy COW that's a lot of money! Is that right? I need some opinions fast. In the meantime, I'll call my guy 2hrs away and see what he says.

Just out of curiosity, how long should a rebuild take? Will I be out of a bike all summer? Give it to me straight, doctor. ;)
 
Those 2 hours could save alot more time in the long run, it not rocket science to mount tires on correctly.Just my opinion.
 
Am I the only one that noticed GC offer to help? HE is the one I,d like to do my motor, if that happened to me, but HEY, that,s just me. Good luck on what ever you decide.
 
$55 hr is cheap, as long as the guy has done it before, it's all up to you, go with your gut feeling. I am contemplating sending my motor almost 1000 miles to get rebuilt because i don't trust the people around here.
 
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