URGENT ! Please read 98 SRX crank in Viper

kimoaj

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Jan 16, 2005
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Hi guys!

I`m sorry for the "yelling" topic but I need some quick answers.

After work yesterday I traveled 500km to get a new crank for my Viper.
Turned out it was a 98 SRX crank, the guy thought it was a 2000 (which is just the same as the viper) , (but he seemed to have very good knowledge cause he had been working as a mechanic at Yamaha since 1979).

He said that I could use the crank, no problems, I know they had phase problems (needed welding) and that the PTO bearing is different.

But the steering knobs on the bearings does fit in my cases.
However, the stock PTO bearing has a hole in it that fits on the "steering knob" that is in the case.

This sterring knob comes in my way when putting in the 98 crank so I grinded it down and everything seems OK now.

But am I doing something wrong now?

I just got back from work and I will start reassembling the sled now and I really need to know if the crank will do the job or not?

The "steering pins" in the bearings will also fit. (well not the outer one in the pto bearing but the inner on will fit in the groove).



I would really really appreciate it if someone could say a few words on this matter.

Thanks
Joakim
 

srx cranks have different counter weights on them, versus the vipers. srx's are full and vipers are porkchoped. your sled might not rev as quick now, due to the heavier counter weights.
 
kimoaj i dont think 98-99 cranks will drop in a viper the pto bearing is different(two singels vs 00 and up one big one) case is differnt for the bearing locating pin is why you had to grind it off,you need that pin as the bearing could spin with out it.

or am i not reading you right?
 
i would not reccomend using that crank .get the proper one and be done with it no f----ing aroung sell that one lol
 
Hi guys!

Thanks alot for the replies, I went up in the garage just after posting the thread, but my wireless internett connection in the garage failed so I wasnt able to check the post.
Therefor I called guy who sold me the crank and he said that everything would be OK if I just removed the locating pin. (which I already did)

That said I don`t think he knew that the counterweights were different on the SRX cranks.

Gees my luck really isnt on my side this week.

I put the cases together last night then started to install the pistons.
What are the odds for a wiseco piston kit missing 2 piston rings?
One of the piston boxes did not include the rings, so I`m so aggrevated right now.
All my buddies are going riding now and I have really put alot of effort into getting my sled upn running and now this happens.


As for the crank I guess I can say that if it doesnt work "I took one for the team" lol.
We`ll see.. .

I`ll keep you posted.

Joakim
 
i hope you have the oiling holes in the bearing race, lined up to the holes and oil groove in the case, or else that pto bearing will fail, and you'll be back to square 1 where you are now. that pin you ground off, not only keeps the bearing from spinning in the case, but aligns it properly, so bearing aligns correctly w/the oiling holes.
 
Hi!

Daman: No I didnt switch the bearing, I got a price reduction on the SRX crank if I gave my him my old crank, he had a friend who fixed them and then he sold them. So I dont have my old crank anymore.

I had some concerns about the oiling holes and the grooves in the cases, but I found out that the bearing races would be in the correct place when I rotated the bearing so that the alignment pins were in their holes in the cases.

I also visually checked that the holes in the races was aligned with the holes that comes from the upper case. All of them werent spot on but there was a good passage for oil.

But, there is one bearing that I am concerned about. I`ll try to explain what bearing it is. "the bearing that is closest to the center rod (2nd cylinder) , on the PTO side".

I didnt find ANY lubrication holes in the bearing race. Why is that?
And I dont remember if the Viper had one.. .
Does anyone know?

Gees I feel kind of stupid doing this cause its all so "unsafe" .
But I am desperate to get my sled back in business and if I`d knew that it was an SRX crank the guy had, I wouldnt have driven the 500kms to get it.

I will be very greatful for any helps/tips on this. Since I am already doing something "wrong" it doesnt have to be worse :-). If it is likely for the crank to fail cause it doesnt fit it`s idiotic to put it in.


Hmm..
 
The issue most of us are probably struggling with, on installing the old style crank + bearings in the newer cases, is that You have entered into "No Man's Land".

Yamaha changed this PTO bearing for a reason[they also updated the SX 700s PTO crank bearing in a similar fashion in 1999 + later]

I think you probably can get away with what you are doing but no one knows for sure.

I myself would change out that PTO bearing to the proper one...even if I had to buy a new one from Yamaha, for piece of mind if nothing else.

As for running a SRX "full circle" crank in place of the "pork chop" style Viper crank, that is not a problem as I have done the opposite by putting a Viper crank in my 2002 SRX.

JM.02c
 
The new bearing costs around 250$ , which means that it would probably cost twice as much in Norway. And I dont have that money right now.

Also when replacing that bearing I guess you need to remove the inner "race" that is pressed onto the crank. You would probably have to weld it to get it hot so that it expanded and then pull it off?. As for the new race you could heat it with a heat gun and also maybe put the crank in the freezer to make the race slide easier onto the crank?.

I agree that it would be best to replace it even just for piece of mind and in the long run it might save me for alot of $ but I work as a motor mechanic apprentice now and my salaries are low so I simply cant afford the bearing.


Did you notice and difference on the motor after switching to a viper crank in your SRX?


Does anybody know if the bearing that is closest to the center rod (on the pto side) has a lubrication hole in the bearing race?
My bearing doesnt have one, but I cant remember if my Viper crank had one.. .

Anyone?
 
As far as I knpw, the only bearings that are different from the 98/99 SRX cranks to the bearings on the 2000 up SRX + Viper cranks is the large PTO crankshaft bearings. I don't have a crank out of an engine right now to look for oiling holes, but the bearing you are asking about should be the same as what was on your original crankshaft.

There have been a few things I have noticed after installing the Viper crank in my SRX:

-when pulling the engine over, you can really feel the reduction in rotating mass...the engine doesn't spin over as many times, it stops rotating when you stop pulling
-my fuel mileage has dropped noticeably...that could be a combination of things, but it runs noticeably richer from idle to 1/2 throttle
-it is more responsive to the throttle, especially above 6500rpm, it likes to rev more freely
 
Ok great I hope that my viper crank didnt have a hole in the outer race on that bearing cause then I feel more "safe" since my current SRX crank don`t have it.

What the heck I`ll just give the guy a call and ask him if my old crank has a hole or not. But I find it funny that there is a hole from the upper case and not a matching hole in the bearing race.

Here is a few pictures, might be easier to understand. I found the pics on ebay, I didnt shoot any close up pictures of my cases.

Bjz7mFwmkKGrHqYOKj4Es-Uv8hevBLU7-1.jpg


Bjz7kSwB2kKGrHqQOKjIEsnIpRhScBLU-1.jpg


Bjz7iVBWkKGrHqUOKiUEsoIvo2ToBLU7-1.jpg



Is there something I am missing about the lubrication system?
 
I can't answer all of the oil routing questions[the one on the bottom, on PTO side, I believe is the return line from the water/oil pump shaft] , but if you look at the parts micro fiche...the part numbers for the bearings and laberynth seal that go in the area you are concerned about are the same on the 1998/99 SRX cranks as they are on the 2000 + up SRXs and Vipers. So unless someone has replaced those bearings with something else you should have the same bearings in that area as you had stock.
 
OK great, I called the guy and asked him and he said that my old crank didnt have any hole in the that bearing either.

He said that the bearings were also lubed by the oil from the gas so I shouldnt worry.
Comparing the part numbers was smart:).

Now I feel more confident! :)
 


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