seized SRX engine

M

mxjeff

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Joined
Dec 30, 2009
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40
Age
50
Location
Big Lake, MN
I just picked up a 2000 srx700 with 441 miles on her. The guy i bought it from had it summerized in 2007 and let it sit outside until today. The engine won't turn over at all. My question is: should I pull it all the way down if it's just the rings that are seized? He said he went into the yamaha dealer in 2000 and said "give me the fastest sled you have" and brought it right to a specialty shop and said "make it twice as fast". It appears to have all the bender/hauck upgrades on it. Any advice on what should be done to get her back into shape?
 
pour some 2 stroke oil down the spark plug holes and let it sit over night. go out the next day and try to give it a pull this some times works. had an old ski-doo that had rings froze let it sit with oil for 3 days before freeing up.
 
Jeff - It seems you have a project on your hands. I hope your a mechanic type of guy. With mileage as low as 441 my bet would be a top end seizure due to the mod work done on the sled. Could be not maintaining the carbs would certainly blow this engine as well. I would tear it down, note the jetting, take pictures and report your finding here. Plenty of guys with mod experience will offer suggestions. With a little luck maybe the cranks OK and a top end will be all you need. Good luck. ---Mac---
 
OK OK $50. *---- 1,500mi on the crank bearings ,, after the top is free... aahh
 
mxjeff said:
I just picked up a 2000 srx700 with 441 miles on her. The guy i bought it from had it summerized in 2007 and let it sit outside until today. The engine won't turn over at all. My question is: should I pull it all the way down if it's just the rings that are seized? He said he went into the yamaha dealer in 2000 and said "give me the fastest sled you have" and brought it right to a specialty shop and said "make it twice as fast". It appears to have all the bender/hauck upgrades on it. Any advice on what should be done to get her back into shape?
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Just sitting outside isn't going to cause it to freeze up unless there was a way for water to get in the cylinders and rust them. I would just pull one cylinder head off and see what the cylinder looks like if it is rusty then you have your answer if it isn't rusty then the guy blew a load of crap up your arse and he knew it was blown up!! Either way I would recommend tearing it down all the way to either just inspect everything and put new rings in it and scuff the cylinders or if its blown up tear it all the way down to inspect everything and repair what is damaged. I hope you didn't pay alot of money for it!!
 
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was it summarized before 2007? is the question...... good luck ,,, I mean it...
 
It's my neighbor that sold it to me, even said I could get my money back if anything major is wrong. He's a pretty trustworthy guy, I've been trying to buy this sled for a long time cuz I can't stand to see a srx just sitting there. I don't think the engine was "blown up" and I figured it's gonna take some work. Also water may have gotten in thru the cold air intake? It didn't have a cover over the sled, just out in the elements. How far should the suspension and clutches be torn down? I'm assuming all the way just like the engine.
 
mxjeff said:
It's my neighbor that sold it to me, even said I could get my money back if anything major is wrong. He's a pretty trustworthy guy, I've been trying to buy this sled for a long time cuz I can't stand to see a srx just sitting there. I don't think the engine was "blown up" and I figured it's gonna take some work. Also water may have gotten in thru the cold air intake? It didn't have a cover over the sled, just out in the elements. How far should the suspension and clutches be torn down? I'm assuming all the way just like the engine.
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I would pull the clutches apart and clean and inspect them but as for the suspension I would just do a visual check and give everything a good squirt of grease
 
mxjeff said:
It's my neighbor that sold it to me, even said I could get my money back if anything major is wrong. He's a pretty trustworthy guy, I've been trying to buy this sled for a long time cuz I can't stand to see a srx just sitting there. I don't think the engine was "blown up" and I figured it's gonna take some work. Also water may have gotten in thru the cold air intake? It didn't have a cover over the sled, just out in the elements. How far should the suspension and clutches be torn down? I'm assuming all the way just like the engine.
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Although with the small amount of miles the skid may not be trashed, but I'm sure it needs service. Bushings, shock overhauls and W arm inspection/update. I'd pull it too.
 
seized engine

I had one with low miles in the same condition. Upon inspection I found out the the head gasket leaked and some anti freeze dripped down the one cylinder and stuck the rings to the piston.
 
You could get lucky and get it to run without tearing it down. It may even run a long time. However, if it were me I would want to know what the inside looks like before I ran it and possibly got left out in the cold with a blown engine.

I suspect that the crank bearings may have rusted along with the rings. The humidity plus the temperature swings can cause a lot of problems when left out to the elements.

You also may find a mouse nest in the cylinders. I have seen several sleds with a cylinder packed full of corn or other material.

If nothing major is wrong it won't cost much to tear down. If you are not into rebuilding engines, find somebody close by that will help you out. Or, send it to someone who will do it for you at a good price.

Just go through normal maintenance on the rest of the sled.
 
pull the exhaust off and get a look in their that will give u a better idea of the pistons and cylinder walls before u go pulling the heads off. pull the plugs and shine a light to see the piston tops .good luck
 
I agree with everyone so far. Pull the heads off and have a look at the cylinders. I personally have never had an engine "weather" seize rings to a nicasil cylinder. On conventional cylinders, if they are rusted, filling the cylinders on top of the pistons with deisel fuel or rusted bolt spray will help loosen them up. For an SRX engine to be weather seized, I suspect you have rusted crank bearings.
If it were me, I would tear the engine down to the cases at least to have a look at the crankshaft bearings ect.
After sitting out unprotected in the ellaments, the clutches, jackshaft bearings, drive bearings ect ect will all need attention. Thats what summers are for!

Have fun and be patient you won't be disappointed when its all done right!


JM.02c
 
Thanks for all the info! I started into it and there was a mouse nest in the airbox with the droppings going down into the crankcase. So far the pistons, rings and cylinders look great. Even with a full rebuild I still think I got a good deal. It sure looks good next to my '98 SRX700 (soon to be my wife's sled). Any suggestions on the best place to get parts (pricewise)?
 
Any of the site sponsors will give you the best deal possible. Port Yamaha or Rich would be good bets.
 
Ask you neighbour if engine fogging was part of his annual maintenance routine. If it was, and he did it right, than internal ring, piston and cylinder corrosion/rust shouldn't be the problem.
 
Here's the latest update. I tore the whole engine down and found the gear housing area (the gear that drives the water pump and oil pump) to be full of an almost carbon like build up is the best way I can describe it. It appears to me maybe it's 2 stroke oil? some of this material was in the 2 bearings next to the gears also. After a good soaking in my parts washer everything cleaned up and the bearings freed up. No signs of rust or any wear at all. The same kind of gunk was in the carbs also, maybe gasoline and 2 stroke oil broke down into this? Got her all back together today and she runs great!!! Summerized the engine and now I've got to do maintenance to the rest of the sled. Thanks for all the input and A HUGE thanks to port yamaha, they got me my parts faster and cheaper than my local yamaha dealer could.
 
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