FZRSupport: the FZROnline Archive

Hey there guys,

Well I'm in need of some direction. I know the valve cover gasket leaked slightly and I've been running without gauges since my wreck almost a year ago, so I had been changing my oil every other month or so. I was almost due for an oil change but was busy with work so kept on riding when I noticed a slight ticking a few miles from work one day. Got to work, stood my bike up straight and couldn't see any oil in the glass. Upon the end of my shift went back home (20ish miles) to put more oil in and the noise got louder on the ride home. Added 1 1/2 quarts of oil hoping it would help, but the noise persists. had to get to work so I just swapped motors with another one I had not wanting to damage the one that started ticking any more.

So I guess my question is what do yall think I've damaged? A rod bearing? Or is there no way to tell until I tear it apart? The farthest I've been in a motor before is valves, but I feel fairly confident in my abilities that I think I could rebuild a motor. Would love to do a 660 if I can get the parts and already have to tinker around in there.
What do yall think my best option is our where to stay looking it options?

well, my guess is after the accident and a whole year on a leaky motor caused or made an issue worse inside the motor. Probably will not be able to determine unless you open her up. Shes a fun bike though, i tore mine down a few months ago and did a rebuild. Check the valve clearance first and go from there!

Well I finally got around to it. I first took the valve cover off, but couldn't find my feeler gauges. fast forward about 8 weeks and I finally found them. Went to start taking measurements and the motor wouldn't turn over anymore. Its been in my kitchen the whole time but whatever. So I decided to just go balls deep since I didn't think it was valves anyways. Took the head off and found some pitting on one cylinder wall (right hand side) and One of the bearings had play in it that the others didn't (left hand side).Took that rod off and the bearing looks horrible but I was able to get a mark off of it. It says F-780 NDC?

This is my first time diving into a motor this far. am I correct in assuming I just try to find this part number somewhere and replace it? What else should I be looking for while im in there or should I do?

None of the other bearings had any movement like this one. They all had slight side to side but this one had back and forth.

Do you have the Manual? There's something like a page and a half of clearances to check. Did you figure out why the motor locked up on you. The bearing should have a colored mark on it. It's that's unclear There is a number on the rod cap and it matches up with a set on the crank shaft. You subtract the two and that will give you the original size. There are a couple sets and I can't remember off the top if my head which is what.

No manual for me. I looked at an exploded diagram on some european site and the part I'm looking for "according to them" is a plane bearing. Personally I don't know what or where all the bearings are or what anything in the motor is actually called. I'm a newb to motors. But I've seen people talk about adding and subtracting numbers on the cases and crank but no one mentioning numbers on the bearings. the one I'm taking about doesn't have any color left, if it had any to begin with, just what I can read on it. I have pics but have never ben able to post pics to the online, just the archives but don't wanna start the same topic over there.

Any help is appreciated. I really need to get a manual since I feel like I'm gonna be sticking with a fzr the rest of my life especially since I decided to get into motors now. Had 4 at One point, down to "three" now.

Manuals are a cheap investment at $30 or so. The rod cap is the lower half of the big end of the rod. It should have either a 4 or a 5 on it. You take that number and subtract it from the set of crank shaft number. On the right hand side of the crank shaft is two sets of numbers. Use the right set of numbers from the crank shaft. You'll still want to plastigauge everything to make sure the rods themselves aren't worn too much. It really is best to get the manual.