[Dr. Phibes]

Check out pics - and check/change your oil regularly me thinks!!!

Motor stripped and offender located - big end shells! This is actually the two shell halves - they have lapped over and squeezed material out between the rods. This caused side thrust against the crank bearing thrust washer which is blued through the heat generated before binding up!:banghead The crank itself it heavily scored, as are the rods. All to be replaced (thankfully, Fiche-man has helped me out greatly on tech info and parts:hail )
Odd thing? The rest of the motor is in remarkably good condition (32K), the cams, chains, guides, barrels, pistons, bearings are all like new (literally)? There is no indication whatsoever of a problem otherwise:confused
It begs the question why this big end gave way?:O Mech thinks maybe oil stavation, too many wheelies??

 

[rufer]

Whow.

Did this 97 TLS have the rear valve cover vent or not?
It has been discussed 1000 times on the German Forum and there was the conclusion that the rear cam cover vent is very important at WOT (thus free highway/track).
The German / Swiss 97 TLS didn't have the rear cam cover vent.

Greetings
Rufer

 

[gixxerjasen]

No click for bigguns, those pics are tiny! :O

 

[Dr. Phibes]

That I don't know, but I'll certainly check to see if this might have contributed, thanks

Doc

Did this 97 TLS have the rear valve cover vent or not?

Greetings
Rufer

 

[Dr. Phibes]

They weren't tiny when I uploaded them but I don't know how to do the pic thing properly (I'm a bit new around here!:dowhat )

No click for bigguns, those pics are tiny! :O

 

[gixxerjasen]

reccomended reading.

http://www.tlzone.net/forums/showthread.php?t=133

http://www.tlzone.net/forums/showthread.php?t=47933

I reccomend using postwhore.biz for your hosting...his code under the pics for automatic click for bigguns is perfect for someone trying to figure it out.

 

[BikePilot]

:stupid on the postwhore thing, perfect for non-computer nerds like myself (I might be a nerd, just not a computer one:lol). All you do is upload your big pic, it automatically makes a smaller version and generates the HTML to make it a click-for-bigun:thumbup

Something like this

 

[Crotchrckttl]

Click for biguns.. :devious

 

[coyo]

Click for biguns.. :devious

I'm crying and it's not even my bike!

 

[n2wheelies]

gnarly

 

[Crotchrckttl]

Those are my own pics....

 

[dragonbro]

sorry about the mess :thumbdown sounds like you've got a good handle on it all and will be putting it back together in no time

 

[tlsgazza]

:stupid on the postwhore thing, perfect for non-computer nerds like myself (I might be a nerd, just not a computer one:lol). All you do is upload your big pic, it automatically makes a smaller version and generates the HTML to make it a click-for-bigun:thumbup

Something like this

what happened to your zorsts bikepilot, looks like someone set em on fire:O

 

[gixxerjasen]

generates the HTML

:bitchslap It generates UBB code, not HTML :coocoo

 

[bigborett]

My '97 did the same thing on the road.Although oil may have had something to do with it I was lead to believe that the '97's crank drilling was revised to give better oil feed to both journals.It was a common problem.

 

[Dr. Phibes]

Big End Shell Hell - Better Pics (I hope!)

At last!!!

Here are some better pics, as I intended (God, hate computers sometimes!!:banghead)

 

[Dr. Phibes]

WTF!!!! Crikey, Crotchrckttl, I thought I had problems, what's the story on that?

 

[datrat240]

JOISUS! they are both crazy wrecked! I thought i had it bad with a lightly pitted crank and a smashed big end bearing! pulled it apart when i heard the 'Knock knock, guess who, smashed big end shell!"
Heres a crap phone photo of it, i dont have a digi cam yet and no postwhore acct, but working on it. Mine let go at 30,000km a few wks ago without ANY warning, and i can't wheelie!

 

[Dr. Phibes]

This is all a bit worrying :confused Thing is the rebuild is going to cost a bundle and I am obviously concerned to ensure it doesn't happen again. A modern motorcycle engine should not be eating big end shells at 30k, indeed on many machines nowdays its just unheard of, period.
For instance, I got 48k on my old 93, gsx600 and I have really hammered this at times yet it takes it in its stride. All I do is change the oil and filter now and again and it's parctically bomb-proof!

What I really want to know is why this has happened? Are there issues with the 97 TLS that might explain it? Mods to avoid it, etc?

 

[datrat240]

I've read on here that the 97 TLS has a smaller oil pump than all the others, no windage tray under the crank, and poor oil feed from only one side of the crank, so they could all be conrtributing factors, oh and excessive long wheelstands can cause oil starvation. if i were in your situation, i'd find a used 98+ motor either S or R, and enjoy an updated motor . My R motor shat the bed, (although not as spectacularly as yours!) and it will cost me just as much to get a 2nd hand motor as to rebuild mine, I think mine was caused by a clogged fuel filter making it run lean at full load, combined with a crudded up combustion chamber i'd say it was detonating at high revs and eventually caused my front big end bearing to shatter, the rest is internally PERFECT, its just a guess but it's the best i can come up with in my case. I've heard of alot of TL big ends taking a massive dump lately and it worries me too, mostly early S motors from what i've seen, but geez, it just doesnt seem right to me:confused I would have expected at LEAST another 50,000km myself..