So.... cooked my motor on the first ride Saturday night, temp. light started to flash so I shut it down than someone in the gang went on about how his flashes too when he's not in the powder, at the time we were on the road detouring for dinner so I fired it back up and jumped up on the bank, didnt get to much further and the engine started to bog so I shut it down.
Got it home and the first thing I noticed was my middle head was not blue but black, removed it and the piston was melted maybe half inch in, you can just see the top of the ring, pulled the other two heads off and those pistons and heads look fine. question...is that black head still useable, can I just change the one piston if so should I get a Used one or is new o.k, it looks to me like theres a single gasket across the crank case is there a special way to remove just one cylinder without messing up the gasket.
Thanks.
btw..It was the cooling hose that passes under the primary which popped off, if it wouldn’t have been dark out I probably would have seen it, weird thing is my coolant bottle was more than half full and still is.
Got it home and the first thing I noticed was my middle head was not blue but black, removed it and the piston was melted maybe half inch in, you can just see the top of the ring, pulled the other two heads off and those pistons and heads look fine. question...is that black head still useable, can I just change the one piston if so should I get a Used one or is new o.k, it looks to me like theres a single gasket across the crank case is there a special way to remove just one cylinder without messing up the gasket.
Thanks.
btw..It was the cooling hose that passes under the primary which popped off, if it wouldn’t have been dark out I probably would have seen it, weird thing is my coolant bottle was more than half full and still is.
staggs65
Moderator
if you got it that hot i'd be checking that rod bearing too
how would I do that?
Thanks
Thanks
kirk700 srx
Member
Pull the motor out and check everything!Black is not good! I seen them turn green from heat but not black!
spoons said:
staggs65
Moderator
rotate the engine a little at a time and move the rod front to back, there shouldn't be any binding or grinding or up and down play, go through the full rotation of the engine so you check every position of the bearing. i have one right now that feels great except in on position you can feel it isn't smooth when moving the rod back and forth, but you need it to be in that exact spot to notice it
kirk700 srx
Member
Put up a few pics and let us see!
staggs65
Moderator
that would certainly be the best way
so for sure I have to pull all three cylinders, would a dial indicator detect a crapped bearing?
you wanna see my blackhead lol...I'll put them up tomorow little late.
you wanna see my blackhead lol...I'll put them up tomorow little late.
kirk700 srx
Member
As long as its the head off your Srx LOL
spoons said:
RIVERRUNNER
Active member
If it makes you feel better...this is what mine look like and I only replaced 2 pistons one cylinder, base gasket, rings, wrist pins/bearings and a power valve. I didn't find anything wrong with the lower end 
I had the same issue, the coolant light was botched and someone used rtv to seal the heads. I burned all the coolant in about 20 miles of my first ride with the sled and boom. Since then she has been running great for 4000 miles!!!!
I had the same issue, the coolant light was botched and someone used rtv to seal the heads. I burned all the coolant in about 20 miles of my first ride with the sled and boom. Since then she has been running great for 4000 miles!!!!Attachments
kirk700 srx
Member
I see you got the pics up!
that used to be blue-green & now black,,... ouch,, I like those old head colors.... Have u been a good boy??????
Yip thanks,
so how do those other two pistons look? can I still use that head?
I'm still not sure why my jug is still half full.
actually next to riverrunners it don't even look so bad lol...( sorry )
so how do those other two pistons look? can I still use that head?
I'm still not sure why my jug is still half full.
actually next to riverrunners it don't even look so bad lol...( sorry )
Shafner79
New member
"can I just change the one piston if so should I get a Used one or is new o.k, it looks to me like theres a single gasket across the crank case is there a special way to remove just one cylinder without messing up the gasket."
"
You get an answer on this yet?
"
You get an answer on this yet?
I'll let you know tomorow or the next day when I pull it, still to depressed to even go in the garage. Bought this sled in May and probably spent more time with it than the kids in the last three months.
staggs65
Moderator
man riverrunner when you burn you don't mess around lol
RIVERRUNNER
Active member
yeah I cooked them.....I got lucky it wasn't worse!!!!!
daman
New member
You need to find the cause of this,it was more then just a over heat condition more like detonation and lean burn(shit fuel). wow them pics just make me cringe. 
Well for the first 50 miles or so no one could catch me, she was running awsome my arms are still sore, from the time the temp. light started to flash to the time she boged was less than 200 yards, and like I mentioned had I seen that hose I never would have even fired it up again, but out on the trail at night you'r not sure, does the temp. flash as a warning than go solid? now I know of course. So your saying this engine can run without antifreeze and I should be looking for another cause?
At this point I feel like changing one piston, hone the crap out of that one cylinder and just sell it, believe me I'm pissed.
P.S gonna have to do something about those heads, does krylon make a powder blue ????
At this point I feel like changing one piston, hone the crap out of that one cylinder and just sell it, believe me I'm pissed.
P.S gonna have to do something about those heads, does krylon make a powder blue ????
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