Lennie,
your Bullet has got to you! Its good points, from the days when it ran as it should have left their mark. You have a good bit of history with it as well as having already invested plenty into it - really more than you should have, thanks to what passes for metallurgy at the factory. You have had prolonged periods when it **has** run well, and you have learnt the hard way about what not to do in the way of throwing accessories at the Indian Bullet engine, which is also upping your level of expertise. For the same reason I'm loathe to part with my Electra-X despite it having sat with a failed big-end since last May, as before that fateful day it was a pretty decent bike, and will be again, once the current project is finished.
Leon,
what model RE is that with the con-rod failure in your first picture? It looks like a pre-Bullet design with the front oil tank and those lower frame rails.
A.
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For Royal Enfield owners and enthusiasts
- Tue Jan 05, 2016 1:04 am
#53780
- Tue Jan 05, 2016 2:23 am
#53781
Why replace the entire engine? Because this motor has had more than its fair share of mechanical woes; rebuilding this engine means replacing practically all of it. Let's face it, sorry and all that, this engine was knackered before it blew up, chances are the gearbox is not in good shape. It was blowing up a motor like this that gave rise to Tritons and Norbsas, transplanting another engine from practically anywhere, usually from a crashed bike. If you're going to rebuild an engine, you rebuild a good one. It really boils down to a matter of time and expense. I don't like being the bearer of bad tidings so when I say good luck I mean it. Jeff.
- Tue Jan 05, 2016 4:53 am
#53785
I'm not sure you've read Lennie's posts properly, prior to the con-rod failure "All was good for the next 15k or so miles, it was sweet and I loved it again, regular servicing, oil changes and all the stuff us tinkerers do all the time just added to the whole ownership experience." That's not an engine on its last legs. It was not "knackered before it blew up", it had been carefully and competently rebuilt (except perhaps for re-using the old con-rod), it was one failed component that wrecked a **nice** engine. From Lennie's latest it looks as though the head and barrel are still serviceable and live to fight another day, though I'm sure he will check them thoroughly.
You also said "chances are the gearbox is not in good shape". Based on what? "All was good for the next 15k or so miles etc"? It's a separate item from the engine, it just happens to bolt on to back of it. Therefore, if it was working OK before I can't think of any logical reason why it won't now.
Please understand this is not a personal attack, I'm just just concerned we don't needlessly discourage someone who already has enough to deal with by pronouncing upon what he can't re-use when, rather than being able to survey the wreckage personally, we're sitting at our computers miles away. No offence is meant, and I apologise in advance if any is taken.
A.
You also said "chances are the gearbox is not in good shape". Based on what? "All was good for the next 15k or so miles etc"? It's a separate item from the engine, it just happens to bolt on to back of it. Therefore, if it was working OK before I can't think of any logical reason why it won't now.
Please understand this is not a personal attack, I'm just just concerned we don't needlessly discourage someone who already has enough to deal with by pronouncing upon what he can't re-use when, rather than being able to survey the wreckage personally, we're sitting at our computers miles away. No offence is meant, and I apologise in advance if any is taken.
A.
- Tue Jan 05, 2016 5:55 am
#53786
Adrian: It`s a model J2. If you want more pain, look up the Finland Royal Enfield club site. Just typing" Finland Royal Enfield club" should get you there.
- Tue Jan 05, 2016 6:50 am
#53787
"anybody know what percentage of early 1990's 500 bullets go bang in this way?"
The original OEM 500 piston was a total POS. The one that followed post 1999 was a lot better, but not perfect.
Piston failure in the 500 has (was) always cyclic; none for a while then a run of them...
But to get back to the question: Piston failure rate was over 40% that I knew of, and most of those were out of warranty, then with the introduction of the 'European' piston failure rates halved.
Motor designed as a 350? Not so.
The Bottom end that we all associate with the Indian Bullet was initially designed and built around the 500. The 350 kept the older weaker crankshaft, and narrow con rod up to 1956
Floating bush failures?
With the reintroduction of the timing side oil pressure relief valve ball & spring in 2002, floating bush deaths wet through the roof, typically under 12,000 miles. New cranks are no longer available (?) but every replacement that I inspected leaked at the OPR, and the crank had to be stripped to seat the ball.
Most people block off the valve while the crank is apart...
The original OEM 500 piston was a total POS. The one that followed post 1999 was a lot better, but not perfect.
Piston failure in the 500 has (was) always cyclic; none for a while then a run of them...
But to get back to the question: Piston failure rate was over 40% that I knew of, and most of those were out of warranty, then with the introduction of the 'European' piston failure rates halved.
Motor designed as a 350? Not so.
The Bottom end that we all associate with the Indian Bullet was initially designed and built around the 500. The 350 kept the older weaker crankshaft, and narrow con rod up to 1956
Floating bush failures?
With the reintroduction of the timing side oil pressure relief valve ball & spring in 2002, floating bush deaths wet through the roof, typically under 12,000 miles. New cranks are no longer available (?) but every replacement that I inspected leaked at the OPR, and the crank had to be stripped to seat the ball.
Most people block off the valve while the crank is apart...
- Tue Jan 05, 2016 7:15 am
#53788
Tim, out of interest, where is the location of the pressure relief valve from 2002? Is it in the same place as the original one?
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