What to do now? My YZF600R is beyond repair for me.

[ThunderSteve]

Hiya,

Long story very shortened :
Was going to work this morning, whilst on motorway heard a clangy sound, immediately pulled in clutch, and coasted to hard shoulder/verge. Note, was going a bit fast, won't beable to qoute speed as my eyes were where they belong, on the road.

Bloody chain came off! Tension was fine on Sunday 2 weeks back. Not driven much (think a total of 120 miles in 2 weeks since last chain tension check), as I have been away from home on a course, followed by a nasty eye infection on Monday. So today was 2st day back.

Symptons:
Chain still in 1 piece on bike, round back wheel inner hub and to front of bike,
Clutch seems not to well as there is no resistance/pressure,
Bike moves freely in 1st/2nd/3rd etc (hard to tell if in gear as no clutch at present),
Engine oil leaked out too. Cannot see where it is coming from, any ideas where/how/what to look for? Most that ran out whilst on side of road would be 8 tablespoons (small puddle on road), however some oil on back wheel, so there could be some more out of engine.....

:doh

So on my agenda for my week off, well starting fresh and early tomorrow:
1 - remove left fairings
2 - remove chain
3 - remove front sprocket cover
4 - cry some more

To make matters worse, when I called the local "stealership" and told 'em what happened and the symptons, I got the "sucking air though teeth" answers. Push rods/bla bla bla and £470 just for parts excluding labour. It is at this point where I got, shall I be a big man and own up, depressed.

Is this the end of my Cat and my relationship? I dunno, my mechanical skills are lacking. I can change the oil, spark plugs, filters, brake pads, remove forks, re-install forks, chain tension, etc.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as I cannot picture hanging up the lid and leathers, riding my bike is what I need and love, just like my I need and love my wife and kids.

Steve
ps. spelling and grammar might be off a bit, it has been a very long day.
pps. Cat is a '97 with 39 657 miles on the clocks

[Guest]

First off, buy a lottery ticket, I reckon your luck's in - chain off and no crash.

The chain's probably snapped the clutch push rod, that's why there's no pressure from the lever. If you're really lucky, and I mean shagging Cat Deeley lucky, then the oil is coming out of the oil seal past the broken pushrod. But you've got to be prepared for a bit of crank-case damage. You'll know when you take the sprocket cover off.

[ThunderSteve]

Bought a lottery ticket


As for bike, well I cannot afford and justify having it fixed. Way to much for spares, and living on the assumption that it is only the clutch pushrod etc.

Bit sad now, just need to know what to do with the remains.

Do I strip and sell on ebay
or
Do I sell it as it is, to serve as a project/spares/trackbike end result.

What would be a good option?

[owdamer]

Strip and sell. You'll easily shift it.
I've had a few yzf750 bits of a guy in huddersfield who's been buying byzf's on ebay, they stripping and selling on. He says you easily make your money back. fairings, wheels, brakes & bodykits go in no time at all & you generally get a good price for em as genuine spares are extortionate.
I'm still looking for bits for mine so I check ebay daily for new listings. I'll put money on it that there are thundercat owners doing the same.

[Davo]

I'd possibly see if you can source another engine off of ebay for it?

Would be a lot cheaper, good little project for yourself.

Give us a shout if you need a hand.

[ThunderSteve]

Thanks for the advise and kind words.

Got me a replacement
Will post piccies in the correct part of the forums.

Now to get my screen name altered.

[ZRX61]

Am I correct in assuming you haven't even LOOKED at the damage yet?

[ThunderSteve]

[tonyyzf]

Would it be possible for you to post a picture of the left hand side of the engine with the sprocket cover removed

[ThunderSteve]

[Guest]

Ooooooo, techno porn

[Kickstart]

Hi

The clutch pushrod just pokes out of the side of the engine. Unlikely to do much damage and I would seriously doubt one is expensive. Should not really affect gear selection given that you can change gear without using the clutch (might require a bit of shuffling back and forwards to engage each gear).

If the chain has not snapped then there is not likely to be a flailing end to do any serious damage.

Not a clue how you can say possible crank damage. Highly unlikely that would be affected.

Seriously, if it is just the push rod damaged then I doubt one of those is expensive (and even if it is someone could make one up for not much). Scrapping several thousand pounds worth of bike for minor damage and guesses at other damage is an expensive way to run a bike.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Big Pete]

If the chain hasnt snapped, the damage should be minimal. I've seen crankcases holed by broken chains that have been fully repaired for a few hundred quid, including new gaskets, seals, clutch pushrod and chain and sprocket set. Looking forward to seeing the pics of the damage.
____________________
Trust me, I`m an engineer
GarageOfPower.co.uk

[ThunderSteve]

Photos taken, sorry for the blur in some of them.

Highlighted areas in pics.

Pic1
Pic2
Pic3
Pic4
Pic5
Pic6

I do not know how to even fix this, don't have the space/garage area or money to have it done, would it be best to sell the bike as it is to somebody out there wanting a bike?
It needs a new sprocket chain set and obviously a pushrod.
Bike is taxxed till Nov and MOT roughly same time ( I might be a month out on these 2 dates though).

[Kickstart]

Hi

Looking at the pictures (difficult to tell with the first ones being blurred), looks to me as though the bits you need are a new clutch push rod (not expensive), probably the seal around it and a new sprocket cover (that seems to be the bit that is broken), again not much.

If it has broken the push rod off flush with the engine that you will probably have to take the clutch cover off and the clutch to pieces on the other side to push the rod through (easy on one of those engines, FAR easier than it sounds).

Suspect £100~£200 with a new chain and sprocket kit doing the work yourself. Couple of hours labour as well if you are paying someone.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Big Pete]

I agree, and I suspect the sprocket cover could be welded up pretty easily. I would throw a new push rod in (or even a piece of bar the right length and diameter) and go for a quick spin to make sure everything works ok (altho I can't see why it wouldnt) You might even be able to get away without welding up/replaceing the cover, it will depend on how heavy the clutch is. Its definetly not a breaker bike, theres only an afternoons worth of work in it if you are taking it easy.
____________________
Trust me, I`m an engineer
GarageOfPower.co.uk

[Guest]

What they ^ say - by the looks of, it a second-hand sprocket cover, new push rod and seal and chain and sprocket kit and you're back on the road

[tonyyzf]

Definitely not a big job, if you could get a second hand cover from a breakers which shouldn't be too difficult, and new chain and sprockets it shouldn't even be too dear, (£150), not worth scrapping, and I wouldn't be buying another bike cos of this damage.
The stealership who you got the quote off were certainly trying to rip you off.
There's too many people getting ripped off by 'dealers' who quickly realise the punter hasn't got clue.

[Kram]

Dude. I have a spare sprocket cover in my garage, as i got the same engine in my FZR and replaced it, thinking it would fix my clutch problem (but didn't).

If you want it, give us a PM!
I can send ASAP. only got like 2/3 bolts though. also would the sprocket sizes + chain be the same on the YZF6 and my FZR6 as they use the same engines? if so...

if you send me your current chain and sprockets, I can get a duplicate made (dirt cheap, as my g/fs mum works in a chain and bearing factory)

I can also get me a set at the same time (as i need some, but can't take mine of bike as i need it to run)

Drummer
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FS1E -> SR125 -> CB400N -> CB650 -> FZR600 Genises -> VFR400 NC21 -> CBR900RR Fireblade -> Renault Clio 1.4

[tonyyzf]

Well done that man, problem nearly sorted I would say.

[Rookie]

For those who care, I bought this off ThunderSteve and got it repaired, currently in the process of doing other things like replacing fairing. The repairs needed were a new push rod, new push rod seals, new chain and sprockets, new sprocket cover, and new fork seals (one had blown - isolated incident, obviously.)

Hazarding a guess, getting it back on the road cost in the region of £1100, including the bike itself, van hire and petrol, parts and labour. Getting it back to a presentable conditon - that's pending, but spare fairings are hard to come by, and astonishingly expensive.