Forum

[macg4]

New subscriber,currently considering purchase of a 14 plate Electra, Trails trim,.Ticks all my boxes, but research suggests a "fragile" bottom end. Just wondered, given our hosts various replacements for this particular component, what the true real world experiences are? Care and feeding tips please. Thanks

[Adrian]

Fragile bottom ends as far as the Electra is concerned was a problem commonly found with the older Electra-X models, rather than the newer Electra EFI bikes, and these was down to big-end trouble.



Specifically the problem was down to the hardening failing on the crank pin, resulting a in knackered big end and the inside of the engine getting sprayed with abrasive steel particles. The sump strainer gauze on the way to the scavenge side oil pump only picks out the bigger bits,the smaller nasties get to score the oil pump chamber and get pumped up into the rocker feed and from their down into the timing chest on their way into the oil tank. The oil filter on the feed side should protect the big end, but as this has already failed there's not much point by this time.



The RE factory however uses exactly the same type and size of crankpin in the UCE/EFI engines, but as there seem to have been a lot fewer reports of big end failure with the UCE engines (I can't claim there are none at all), which suggests that the factory has improved the quality of this item.




I know Henry Price can fit an EFI con-rod and big end to failed Electra-X cranks as a direct replacement, so I guess you could also fit one of our hosts' kits for the Electra-X with the UK made crank pins to an EFI crank if it worries you. If somebody knows differently I am sure they will make themselves known to a member of the cabin crew before long!



A.

[Adrian]

Meanwhile, regular oil changes, and don't "lug" the engine in too high a gear, use the gearbox... A.

[Jack the Lad]

So, my 60 plate EFI is now up to 25K miles, no sign of big end problems. It has oil changes at the recommended intervals. It isn't something I would worry about if I were you. There can be some annoying quality control issues, all fixable, but the basic engineering seems sound.

[Adrian]

The design itself was a big improvement over the alloy con-rod used in the classic 500 engines, they can snap if the engine is ridden too enthusiastically, taking the crankcases out when they go. At least with the failed big end you can rebuild everything (and throw in some European main bearings while you're at it). It was the manufacturing quality that let it down, which as mentioned above now seems to have been sorted.

[Revband]

The title was "Myths and Bigends"

The PO asked about big ends, is this the Myths part?. "It was the manufacturing quality that let it down, which as mentioned above now seems to have been sorted." The Indian Royal Enfield company have quality control sorted, really?.

[Bet]

Always thought that quality control was 'Myth'ing'.

[Rattlebattle]

The UCE models still have issues. They are mostly electrical. A lot depends on how thoroughly the dealer does the pdi. The later the better seems to be it. RE seems to address known issues eventually, though I'd back a glacier against RE in a 100 yard sprint...As for big ends, the roller bigend on the UCE models is fine AFAIK. I don't recall seeing a post about a failed big end. The UCE models don't plonk like the iron barrelled ones anyway.

[Leon Novello]

Not an Electra, but bad things used to happen to older models.

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[Adrian]

Revband,



I was referring to the crank pins specifically. That does not mean the factory has reached the end of the To Do list yet as far as the rest of the bike is concerned...



Leon,



I've never heard of a snapped con-rod on an AVL or UCE Bullet, whatever other failures they've gained a reputation for - your pictures show the effects of the weaker rod in the older models well, it could happen to Redditch 500s too.



A.