Poorly Bandit 600

Hitman · L Plate Warrior Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Karma :

Hi all.

I've had some trouble with my GSF600 recently and although I feel I'm reasonably good with diagnosis, I'm stumped with this one.

Yesterday I went to start it and the relay clucked but the starter motor didn't do anything. Another couple of goes and it would work a tiny bit and grind to a hault. I tried to bump start it and the read tyre just locked up.

I then opened the pulse coil cover and tried to turn the engine over manually. It was REALLY stiff as in i couldnt move it at all at some points (I have done this before when adjusting valve clearances etc so I know what it should feel like) It would get stuck then if i left it I could move it but it would be really stuff. So the Starter motor is fine but for some reason it's stuck.

Shortly afterwards oil started pissing out from behind the oil pressure sensor plug thing (in the cavity behind) and after a couple of hours this turned to a drip then stopped. I've no idea whats going on there but it certainly doesn't seem right. Also I noticed when looking from above some kind of vapour appeared to be coming from this cavity, like petrol or when you look through hot air.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to what could be wrong? It seems pretty shagged and I'm wondering if some gasket might have gone or something?

Thanks for any help,

J

shotgun · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 18 Sep 2010 Karma :

I think they're a bit prone to the starter clutch jamming, and sometimes they break the starter gear on the rear of the clutch basket. From the sound of it (being locked up) I'd suspect something like this. The oil drip is normal-it gathers in the recess and will spill out usually when you move the bike and it just leans one way. Normally about a tablespoon or two. More than that & maybe there's another problem to resolve. May be best to remove the starter motor & see if you can rotate the engine on the big nut on the crankshaft. Or bung it on the mainstand, into gear & use the rear wheel to turn it over. Smile

Bezzer · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Karma :

As said the oil drip is normal, is your battery fully charged?. It's more likely to be a flat battery or knackered solenoid than the starter clutch, you'd either get it really spinning freely or proper jammed if it was that.
Try it again with a charged battery to see if it turns over/starts on the button, if not put a screwdriver across the solenoid teminals to short them out and see if that spins it, if not it's the solenoid.
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I used to be indecisive but now I'm not quite so sure.

Hitman · L Plate Warrior Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Karma :

The bat is certainly fully charged. I've got the side cover off, but to be honest, i'm not really sure what i'm looking for.

Hitman · L Plate Warrior Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Karma :

OK, I think I know what's happened and it's not good. The bike was left with the fuel cock on 'pri'. When i looked the oil level was above the spy glass and when i took the side cover off loads more oil pissed out. There was a strong smell of petrol in the garage too.

I think fuel has got into the cylinders down into the sump and its become massively over full with oil and petrol :S This explains the petrol smell, the over flowing the higher fuel level and the vapor i saw! I'm guessing massively too much meant the engine couldn't turn over so I've drained it and need to get some new oil.

Question is, assuming i haven't completely destroyed the engine, where will the oil have gone that it shouldn't? Obviously the starter clutch is one such place so what effect will this have on that, and other components (as i said, assuming i haven't destroyed the engine)?

Bezzer · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Karma :

If it's flowed thorugh to the engine then at least one of your carb float needles isn't seating/sealing right so you need to sort that as well.
Fuel in the cylinders means it you can get "hydraulic lock" as turning it over makes the pistons try and compress the liquid and can cause bent connecting rods etc. That's worst case scenario, you might have got away with it if there wasn't too much in the actual cylinders and the valves let it escape.
Leave it open to the air - oil drain, oil filter and filler cap off for a day or so if you can to hopefully let the majority that's left evaporate out, refill with cheapo oil and try to start it to get some oil round to mix with what's left, then drain again and refill with decent stuff.
____________________
I used to be indecisive but now I'm not quite so sure.

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

Hitman · L Plate Warrior Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Karma :

Yea sounds good to me. I thought the same about the floats, but I was told by someone else that's what you'd expect to happen if you left it on pri... I'm a tad confused.

PS what would you recommend in the way of cheap oil? I'm in the middle of nowhere so its going to have to be a mail order job anyway.

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

Hitman · L Plate Warrior Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Karma :

Its not the battery, it's brand new, something was very wrong here, its never been that hard to turn it over (read, not possible).

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

Paxovasa · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Karma :

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

Hitman · L Plate Warrior Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Karma :

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

I really didn't mean offence by it, I'm only trying to be helpful.

You said above oil would have gone to the starter clutch, I'm pretty sure that isn't possible.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

Hitman · L Plate Warrior Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Karma :

Well I'm not going to argue with you on that one, but the fact is it was pissing out from there (yes i thought this was odd) and when it stopped the oil level was level with the max mark on the spyglass, so there has to be some relation. It's intriguing.

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

I'm pretty sure oil and petrol don;t mix so when you drop the oil there should be a loads of petrol floating on top. That will rule out that theory.
____________________
Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

Hitman · L Plate Warrior Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Karma :

I will take a look in a bit, but if not, where has all the extra oil suddenly come from! Then again, isn't that the principal behind 2 stroke?

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

Paxovasa · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Karma :

I use silkolene oil in my bandit.

This may be of help Thumbs Up

https://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/902771/Lubricants/4-Stroke-Oil/Fuchs-Silkolene/Multitool-Offer?utm_source=email&utm_medium=240910&utm_campaign=240910
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Suzuki GSF600 K3 (in the fastest colour, black).

Paxovasa · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Karma :

Bezzer · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Karma :