Viper engine problem, must read

Stevie Ray

Stevie Ray

New member
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
54
Location
Minnesota
Thank you everyone for your help but I have just found my nasty little problem. Here is the whole story so you can save this one on your hard drive for future reference. ---- I was out for a ride with some buddy's last saturday we had just shot off the lake to hit the trails. The snow conditions were not that bad (about 6 inches or so). I got down the trail about 4 miles (estimated speed 40-50 mph) then the machine stopped dead. I proceeded to pull the plugs and they were nice and toasty brown. Then I grabbed the clutch to turn it over. It was a little stiff so I added some oil to the cylinders and kept turning. It seemed to free it up. I got the engine started to limp back to the trailer and it died again. When I got it home I pulled the cylinders and everything was perfect. As I would spin the engine over it would turn fine and then tighten until I would turn very hard then it would free up again. Well time to split the crankcase and there it was!!! The bearing between 1 and 2 connecting rods. I just checked on the price of the bearing and it looks like its 47 bucks. I wonder how much the labor will be to install it. Well there it is, the first time any Yamaha I have ever had, has had bearing failure. Anyone know why the engine would kill because of this bad bearing?????Maybe my Viper will be traded next year. Vector??????
 
I see crank bearings go when they are stored with nothing done to them(no fogging or oil added when put away) and can get condensation in them from the temp goin up and down while in storage, really evident in small storage sheds, gravel floor barns,etc. the bearings are first to go.
 
This sled has a little over 3000 miles. I bought it used so I dont know if the speed o can be unhooked or not on these Vipers. When I bought the sled I did spot heavy rust on bolt heads, exhaust and even on the flywheel. I figured it was in a moist storage area with a dirt floor. I ran the sled last year for 700 miles without any trouble. One thing I did do this summer was starting it every month and a half. I was checking to see if the carbs would still gum up as bad as not starting it for so long. Well the carbs looked a lot cleaner inside but maybe it did more harm than good. I only ran the sled for a minute each time. Maybe that just adds moisture to the crankcase????? :o|
 
I have always been told to get them hot (like driving them hard) or not at all. but I really don't know if it makes any difference.

silver
 
Just fogg it in the spring and don't worry about starting it in the summer,
that does more harm than good..
 
If you must start the sled during the year, let it get up to operating temperature, which means let it idle until the heat exchangers get hot or roughly 10 minutes.

Otherwise, the engine being, cold, then warm, allows for condensation in the crankcase, then you will get problems... With it getting to operating temp, the moisture gets evaporated and all is well and protected
 
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