Hitchcocks Forum

I was on a mega trip around the uk on my Enfield and it blew up on me.

Oil everywhere smoking! Now there seems to be no compression in the kick.

So prognosis is not good. I had to get a expensive toe from the aa to the nearest Royal Enfield dealer.

Just at the mercy of the dealer....so id like to welcome thoughts on what the issue might be?

Also a approx cost of a top end rebuild - is it worth it?

I will post back an update Once the dealer has got back to me...

Hi, did it just stop or did it run with smoke coming from top of engine? Vince

Where are you now? Which dealership?

It could be anything from just a blown head gasket - they can blow internally from the combustion chamber to a stud hole, with out anything blowing outside - to a holed piston, but whatever it is should be fixable without breaking the bank. Regards, Paul.

Thanks all yes - smoke coming from the top and it kept running then died! Think the oil may have been low.

It's at a dealer in Perth. I offered to sell he offered me 100! Said the work would be labour intensive but couldn't commit to a price as he said it could be lots of things. But basically was saying it's not worth it.

So any advice? I can come with a trailer and pick it up or flog it on eBay? But as I said it's only got 4 k on the clock!

Most likely a blown head gasket, ignore dealer as their out for profit. Best bet is to get it home or change it yourself, where do you live? Vince.

Well I live in Leeds! So fair distance. But I can hire a trailer and pick it up.

Is there any diagnostics that can done to ascertain the issue?

Thanks so much that's saved me big time!

Just to clarify did the engine sound like the exhaust had blown with a sort of spitting noise just prior to stopping? Then its Head gasket, change is straight forward. If piston holed it would just cutout suddenly, if top of piston detached there would be an Almighty clatter. The latter two problems more expensive. At such a low mileage its likely the headbolts have not been retightened and gasket failed. When you get back home check through plug hole with a drinking straw if the piston goes up and down, if holed then it should be visible through plughole.
If piston holed a complete strip to clean out bits. If piston broke then ditto strip and probably barrel/conrod damage to boot. Vince.

funkyorange why was the AA tow expensive? Aren't you a member? Plus my motorcycle insurance has break-down recovery on it.

Ok I don't recall any noise. It just cut out like it ran out of fuel.

Maybe a slightly louder noise but hard to remember now.

Ithe top was smoking and there was excess oil on the engine. Which had leaked into the gearbox and it was sizzling!

I checked the oil and it seemed very low. The spark was good. Plug was coaxed in soot.

I could feel air when kicking over with no plug. There was compression still but not like you would expect.

I had aa homes start. It cost me 160 e tea to tow to Perth - 10 mile on my plan!