Blown engine in Las Vegas. Very bad situation.

[David Allaband]

Hi all. I don't really know what to say but here it is. I was moving from NY to LA because I lost my job and my wife and wanted a new start. No car. The FJ and 175lbs of bags are all my worldly possessions. Oil filter screwed off in Texas, now the engine runs with a heavy knock. Stranger/angel came along and pulled the FJ in a Uhaul for me to Las Vegas. At my cousin's house in Vegas. Stranded. Money almost gone.

I should be able to find out if it's a top end engine problem by tomorrow. I can probably handle a top end problem here. If it's a bottom end problem I can't do it. I can't find any used engines on the internet and I have no idea how much one would cost. I see other FJ's around for $1,500 but I can't afford that, not even if I used all my savings.

Please oh god please don't give me life advice. For some reason people on forums like to give life advice rather then help. I just need to figure out how to get my bike running again. I'm sick with the ruin my life is in. I have one task right now and that's to get mobile again. I have to get this bike running as cheaply as I can, this is my only option.

If you have any ideas I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

[FJscott]

David,
Sorry to hear about your troubles. I would start by draining what oil is left in the pan and see what wear metals you find. The type of metal particles you see will tell the story EG...do you see aluminum, Babbitt , brass, steel etc. my experiences with loss of oil pressure usually resulted in spun rod bearings. You can also inspect inside of the pleats of the oil filter too for wear metals. Let's hope you don't find anything that points to the bottom end.

Scott

[simi_ed]

Tough spot Dave, I hope it works out for you. 
FJ:  My guess would be a rod bearing. Change the oil, put in some 40 or 50 w straight grade oil to see how it sounds.  Put in 4 quarts.  If the knocking follows 1 cylinder, it's a probably a rod bearing.  Pull the spark plug leads on each cylinder to see where the knock is coming from.  If it doesn't follow 1 cylinder, it's probably a main. 
If it sounds decent, ride it ... for now.  Either way, treat it gently, it'll probably hand grenade soon. 
I'd be afraid this is in your future ...

[movenon]

Sorry about the problems. If I can ask, what is your support in L.A. ? I think a bus ticket is around 25.00 from LSV to LA..
Shawn, crzyjarmans45@hotmail.com had an FJ he was trying to sell, he might be of some help.  I will say the frame appeared to be restamped but you could possably buy it for the engine ?  Just throwing out information.

I am sure others are wondering, was it a spin filter or the stock FJ filter set up that leaked?

George

[racerrad8]

David,

I replied to your email.

Randy - RPM

[FJmonkey]

David, sounds like you might be getting the support you need. Stay in touch and the best of luck to you. I am sure you feel like you could use it. There is a member in Vegas but I am not sure how much he can help.

[David Allaband]

Thanks for ideas everyone.

George: Yes it was the spin on oil filter adapter with the FLO reusable oil filter. I checked it in NYC and then again in North Carolina. By Texas it was falling off. It came with no torque specification. I wanted to ask the list but every time I ask the list for a torque I get a hail of feedback that I should just go by feel. This is what going by feel got me. And this is the second time an improper torque on this FJ cost me a great deal.

I got an engine stethoscope. The rattling is coming from the rod bearings and from #3 and 4 rockers. It's very bad, I can't ride it at all. Thick smoke comes out of the pipes.

I can't find a used motor or any other options.

This may be it for me and the Yamaha FJ motorcycle. This is the newest motorcycle I have ever owned by far and it has caused me the most grief and cost me the most money. I rode a 35 year old BMW every day for 5 years and it never left me stranded. I rode it 10,000 miles on a 2 month camping trip and had no trouble with it. I've put thousands of dollars into this FJ and pampered it and this is what happens the first time I take it outside of the northeast. I think this bike is a delicate toy.

[Arnie]

David,

Very sorry to hear of your problems.

That said, you seem to be very quick to blame the bike for problems that are YOUR fault.
An engine stethoscope is a useful too to give an indication of where a noise may be coming from, but it it not exact.  To KNOW what's wrong you'll probably have to take the engine apart and look/measure the internal bits.
There are no rockers in an FJ engine.  While the noise may be coming from the lower crankcase, you won't know if its rod bearings or main bearings or even internal chain slap until you open up the case.

From your description, I'd guess the oil filter was not tightened sufficiently and most or all the oil escaped, causing significant internal wear (rings) which is the likely cause of the plume of smoke.

If you were uncertain of the correct tightness for the oil filter and/or the adaptor, you should have had a competent mechanic check your work.  AND, you should have checked the oil level each time you filled the fuel tank.

I've owned my FJ for 17years and its never left me stranded.  Its been the most reliable bike I've ever owned in 46years of riding.

Arnie

[Joe Sull]

I was just doing a little reading on the history of that bike. Bought it for short money, put a lot of mods on it and drove it 3/4 the way across the country. The oil filter loosened up. Tuff break! I'd say, Pray for good luck, sell the bike if you can, take your losses, buy the bus tickets and get on with your life. I'm not saying anything that I haven't already done.
Sorry to hear of anybody down on luck!

[aviationfred]

Dave,

Sorry to hear about what happened. Before you throw the towel in on the FJ. Maybe contact member Novaraptor, he is in Las Vegas, and get another member directly involved. If all does not end well, and you head out to California. FJ's pop up often out there, pick another one up once you are settled. You will have a large member support group to help with another FJ.

Fred

[ribbert]

......you won't know if its rod bearings or main bearings or even internal chain slap until you open up the case.

Arnie

An experienced "old school" mechanic could tell you whether it's main, big end, gudgeon, piston, camshaft or chain by ear. They all have different characteristics, but from what you describe, that is all somewhat academic as the engine appears to have suffered terminal damage.

I am sorry for your plight and I am sure there are plenty of people here that know a bit about tough times too and understand. I also appreciate you are pissed off and feel the bike has failed you but the problem you had is not FJ specific and there has been a pretty decent flow of offers of help from what I see.
You may feel the bike has let you down but the FJ community seems to have kicked in, make the most of it.

Noel 

[Steve_in_Florida]

...I was moving from NY to LA because I lost my job and my wife and wanted a new start. No car. The FJ and 175lbs of bags are all my worldly possessions. Oil filter screwed off in Texas, now the engine runs with a heavy knock. Stranger/angel came along and pulled the FJ in a Uhaul for me to Las Vegas. At my cousin's house in Vegas. Stranded. Money almost gone..
.
.
.

If you have any ideas I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

David,
Not to be snide, but you seem to have a leg up on a potential country music career.

You might want to look into it. Lemonade from lemons, and all that!

Steve

[Zwartie]

I've put thousands of dollars into this FJ and pampered it and this is what happens the first time I take it outside of the northeast. I think this bike is a delicate toy.

David,

I'll have to respectfully disagree on the "delicate toy" comment. That may be the case with your specific FJ but I don't believe it is an accurate description of the bike or engine. I've been an FJ Owner for 20 years with an '86 for 11 years and a '92 for 9. The '86 ran for over 80,000 km with no problems to speak of other than a flaky voltage regulator. The '92 is at around 120,000 km and yes, I've done a lot to it but I knew going in that it had a big-bore kit and there would be some risk involved. It was just a leaky base gasket which is common with big-bore kits but that didn't really rear it's ugly head until I had put 40,000 km on it myself. It took me safely to Alaska and back last July (16,000 km) and that included some pretty hot days (38.5C, 101F) through South Dakota and Wyoming. The fuel pump crapped out but again, it was a 21 year old bike at the time and I was able to bypass the fuel pump and ride for 2 days before installing a new one. This is the same engine that they use in the Legends Cars and I'm sure that wouldn't be the case if it was a "delicate toy" as they thrash the hell out of them. Mike Law, the owner/operator of Race Works who did the top end last spring said that he knew a guy who had put something like 400,000 km on an FJ and it still ran - not well, mind you, but it ran.

I hope everything works out for you. At the end of the day, it's just a machine. As I've asked my kids when they fight over something (toys, XBox, whatever...) - what's more important, people or things? They usually take a brief pause, roll their eyes and then say people.

All the Best,

Zwartie

[skymasteres]

Well, I certainly recognize that picture. I can say that I had a little warning just before the engine let go and spit the number three rod out the front.
There was an odd behavior shortly before it let go. A unwillingness to rev if you will.

All I can say is, it's a mechanical thing that needs proper attention and maintenance. I am pretty sure a rob bolt nut backed off and that's what killed my engine. If I had torn it down when I heard the new tapping and noticed the new behavior I could have saved the cases, crank, piston, rod, and sleeve. But I kept running it and it blew up.

Your engine is dead from the sound of it. It just hasn't blow up yet. The running it without oil killed it as sure as my rod flying through the case. You have an opportunity to fix it before the damage is catastrophic...

Find a new engine. They are out there. More often than not with toasted rings, and other top end issues. This isn't too costly to fix. Heck, I'm running a FJ1100 bottom end with a 120,000 mile FJ1200 top end. The thing burns oil, but it runs well enough to keep me smiling.

As much as you may rely on the bike, it needs a MAJOR overhaul before you can consider it reliable again. The kind of damage caused by running without oil pressure requires splitting the cases to really fix. There is no mechanic in a can. If and when you do fix it, you will have a robust machine. You just can't do things like run with no oil and expect it to take it and solder on.

[skymasteres]

Okay, that didn't help your immediate peril.

You still have options.

1. Search craigslist for a running bike that'll get you to your destination. You should be able to find something that'll make it for less than $1000. You have 30 days to register/title it. So you could get it, then sell it when you get to your destination. Then figure out how to pick up the FJ.

2. Find alternate transportation and park the FJ at a long term spot. Bus fair is reasonable and you'll be able to regroup.

3. Ride it till it's really trashed and grenades like mine did. Think you're in a pickle now? Wait till you have a hole in the case...

4. Hitchhike. Go to gas stations. Ask a lot of guys with pickup trucks if you can pay for a tank of gas to get your bike further west. Will take some luck, but it'll be cheaper than getting a tow. (Plus being where you are, there are a lot of people going back to LA)