Is this normal?

[Carl]

Servicing the bike this morning... noticed that the valve spring seats(?) on the right cylinder exhaust valve has what looks to be tiny fractures.

Its the same on most of the others but to a lesser degree. I haven't noticed it before; but the last service was a rush job so it may have been the same

Also the area around the exhaust valves is much darker as though its overheated? Only on the right cylinder though.

Bike runs fine, not noticed anything out of the ordinary, it's not run while stationary and never really overheated.

Its a 2005 1150 with about 40k miles

 

[petkostas]

Surely doesn't look normal to my eyes...eek
Valves where to tight? Probably Steptoe is the man to answer your questions for this...

 

[andy white]

That dosen't look good, however it might just be a imperfection from manufacture. Do you have any dye pen to check it with? If not give motorworks/bins a ring and price up a replacement.

 

[Carl]

Valves where to tight? ..

No... they were just about right, only needed a slight tweek.

That dosen't look good, however it might just be a imperfection from manufacture. Do you have any dye pen to check it with? If not give motorworks/bins a ring and price up a replacement.

I'm hoping it might be a manufacturing imperfection, all the others have slight signs of the same problem, the one in the photo is the worst by far. I don't have any dye penetrant, and wouldn't know how to use it if I did

 

[Carl]

Has anyone seen valve retainers like this before on an oilhead? I need to use the bike during the week, is it at risk of dropping a valve?

 

[fatnfast]

Not mine, but a pic from this site on adjusting valves. Yours dont look to clever compared the this

 

[MattW]

Got to admit, it'd make me a bit nervous if they were my spring caps. They're not made of titanium are they? - looks a bit like the stress cracks I discovered on my swingarm pivot (made of titanium):

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/a8-FQRk_aADoc-OHJF_FOA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_SSn2CtCOKnU/SfGF8ZQvG6I/AAAAAAAABos/0Ej8xrlVu-g/s800/pin1.jpg" /></a>

 

[Packer]

If that was mine I'd be replacing those parts as an urgent priority!

That crack is almost certainly fatigue fracture and will spread around the entire component until the valve drops onto the piston. At that point the cost of repair escalates a wee bit! OK, a lot.

 

[MattW]

I'd change them - they're cheap (if US prices are comparable - can't find on-line UK price information). If I was doing it, I'd change the collets too (and while I was in there, the valve guide oil seals) and bear in mind that you'll be taking the heads off so will need new head gaskets and will have to remove the exhaust (so might encounter seized exhaust studs).

So, cheapish parts (although by the time you've multiplied everything by 8 it'll stack up and head gaskets are a bit pricey) especially when compared to the cost of valves and pistons. However, a bit of a faff to do...

 

[Greger]

If that was mine I'd be replacing those parts as an urgent priority!

That crack is almost certainly fatigue fracture and will spread around the entire component until the valve drops onto the piston. At that point the cost of repair escalates a wee bit! OK, a lot.

+1 does not look good to me, I would not use until replaced...

 

[Shep]

Is the motor standard??

Many years ago I saw a very similar failure of a collet retainer, it was caused by the owner fitting a high lift cam and heavy duty double valve springs, turned out the springs became coil bound at full lift causing the retainer to give way. It was a very close thing though, only a few thou in it

I'd strip it and get them checked or just change them, you've been lucky and have been given a clue before they fail, that dosn't happen too often IME

Shep

 

[Carl]

Thanks for the advice...

As far as I am aware the motor is standard. I got it with 8k on the clock so I suppose there is a slim chance its been modified.

I've booked it in with Steve Scriminger to do the work as I don't fancy attempting it myself, spoke to him earlier and he has not known the retainers to fail on the 1100/1150.

It's not just the one, all 8 are showing the same signs which must be caused by something shirley?

Will keep you informed

 

[Vern]

Has it ever been on a dyno?

 

[Carl]

Has it ever been on a dyno?

Not while I've owned it... Scrimingers asked me a similar question and about riding style.

I have to admit it does get ridden quite hard from time to time...

 

[petkostas]

Not while I've owned it... Scrimingers asked me a similar question and about riding style.

I have to admit it does get ridden quite hard from time to time...

I don't think that would be a problem but only if the temperatures where correct (allow the engine to catch up a bit of temperature) if you (or the previous owner) has / had the habit to ride off the bike from idle up to the limit while the bike was still "cold" that would be a possible reason for something like that...

 

[Carl]

Got the bike back from Scrimingers, after having all the valve spring retainers replaced.

No real conclusions... The badly cracked retainer in the photo was put in a 2 ton press and still held up, so maybe it wasn't a crack but a forging mark/defect

Either way, peace of mind was worth the repair bill

 

[MarkShelley]

Either way, peace of mind was worth the repair bill

Which was?