base gasket question

S

srxguy

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Joined
Nov 19, 2003
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194
Location
Glenville New York
Can someone tell me how this happned pls..

Guys, My wife has a stock 02 viper ER and 2 yrs ago it melted the center cylinder and come to find out when I cleaned the carbs I did not get the airbox on all the way (my bad) Anyways I replaced the cylinder, new piston, and honed the 2 other cylinders and reringed it, all was find till yesterday, took the wife trail riding, 25 degrees and light snow all day, she was following behind me and the viper ran fine all day, on the way back to the trailer it dropped a cylinder. Check it over this am and the center cylinder has no compresson again! Could snow dust cause? Keep in mind we never went over 45mph and she never had it wide open at all..this is mid range. I never seen a piston that bad before just from crusing..is it lean? Someone school me on how to read those pistons?? Thats on 91 octane with NO ethanol....ty
 
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Post some pictures like I did for my center cylinder burn down that I am trying to work through. The guys on here can take a look and analyze what they see is going on. Mine they attributed to low octane fuel being used along with the needle jet being in clip position 3 instead of 4 to richen up the midrange which is where I assume your wife rides the sled most if not all of the time.
 
Going to pull it apart today, I alwasy run 91 in it and yesterday it had 91 with no ethanol in it (so the gas pump said) Its bone stock except I used a bender opticool head gasket, It went 4 thousand miles without a hiccup and now burned down twice in 2 hundred miles!!
 
center_zpsabf47c7c.jpg
 
Alot of guys re-use base gasket depending on condition. From your post it suggests your intending on not pulling the cases apart. Did you pull cases apart the first time? The reason I ask is that when that cylinder leans out and peices strart falling off that piston/cylinder it is highly likely that said peices will end up in the bottom. Just replacing piston/cylinder and running it your setting yourself up for a repeat performance.
 
Well, i would be very interested to see what everyone says about this. Did you clean your carbs and check your boots for cracks after that first burn down? What about the gas station you filled up at? Same one as the first burn down?
 
Devilin AblueDress! said:
Alot of guys re-use base gasket depending on condition. From your post it suggests your intending on not pulling the cases apart. Did you pull cases apart the first time? The reason I ask is that when that cylinder leans out and peices strart falling off that piston/cylinder it is highly likely that said peices will end up in the bottom. Just replacing piston/cylinder and running it your setting yourself up for a repeat performance.
Click to expand...
I have never pulled the cases apart before, I just replaced the cylinder and piston, It really was not to bad last time and I did look as best as I could into the case but it looked spotless...What I am trying to find out is what would melt the center piston like it did it those pics? I alwasy make sure to warm the sled up good before we ride to.
 
hondaracer2oo4 said:
Well, i would be very interested to see what everyone says about this. Did you clean your carbs and check your boots for cracks after that first burn down? What about the gas station you filled up at? Same one as the first burn down?
Click to expand...
I am going to pull the carbs and boots back off and recheck everything real close..Could have been the same gas station as last time, I can't remember but its pretty big yamaha dealer and there a line of sleds there all day getting gas so I figured they use alot of gas and its never stale...just guessing tho...
 
http://www.totallyamaha.net/forums/showthread.php?t=89346

Worth the read. Lean burn down has become all to common in the yamaha tripples in general. The vipers already lean factory mid range makes it even more prone combined with todays lack of fuel quality. Me personally I would be splitting the cases. Especially considering this is the 2nd burn down. Inspect the crank, flush it out and re-assmble. Granted its alot more elbow grease but is relatively cheap on your pocket for the peace of mind and longevity of engine.
 
Devilin AblueDress! said:
http://www.totallyamaha.net/forums/showthread.php?t=89346

Worth the read. Lean burn down has become all to common in the yamaha tripples in general. The vipers already lean factory mid range makes it even more prone combined with todays lack of fuel quality. Me personally I would be splitting the cases. Especially considering this is the 2nd burn down. Inspect the crank, flush it out and re-assmble. Granted its alot more elbow grease but is relatively cheap on your pocket for the peace of mind and longevity of engine.
Click to expand...
Does that look like it melted from being lean? The piston it scuffed pretty bad all the way around it. Hows the other two pistons look? So I should raise the needles in all the carbs??
 
Thanks for the reads guys, I love reading and learning! I just don't understand how it ran for 10 yrs like a top and now she is melting pistons every other ride! I want to fix the issue and no have to do this again..lol
 
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